U.S. losing hearts and minds of Baghdad Shi'ites

[UpInArms]

http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters08-16-041425.asp?reg=MIDEAST

BAGHDAD, Aug. 16 — A Baghdad slum that gave a joyous welcome to U.S. troops after Saddam Hussein's fall is now seething in anger at the occupiers' shortcomings.

The sight of cheering Iraqis from the long-oppressed Shi'ite Muslim community was a big psychological boost for the Americans when they rolled into the Iraqi capital's previously named ''Saddam City'' in April.

Now they face daily protests from among the two million residents as growing resentment at the occupation turned into open fury when a helicopter appeared to try to knock off a religious flag on Wednesday.

''We were happy at first when the Americans came. Now they should keep out, no one wants them around,'' shop-owner Jasm Kathai, 40, said. ''What they did to the flag was a grave insult to Islam. There will be consequences.''

...more...

[w13rd0]

1. Imagine the following scene taking place in AnyGOPTown, USA...

...an Iraqi man, wearing the uniform of a Republican National Guard and chanting "SADDAM IS GOOD! SADDAM IS GREAT! SADDAM MAKES ME WANT TO FORNICATE!", were to climb up the flagpole at City Hall, tear down the US flag, and then proceed to burn it along with a Bible and a crucifix and a framed photo of George W Bush...

How long would that man live?

Yeah, hearts and minds...RIGHT...

[Aidoneus]

2. it was bound to happen at some point

Just one really stupid act is what would end the overhyped "honeymoon" and expand the resistance, a brainless provocation like 10/14/83 was for Israel in Nabatiyah and it all spirals away. Not sure if the helicopter & flag stunt was enough of an insult to be analogous to that event (depends on the flag and what was on it), though the effect may be similar over time.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Those flags have the first verse of the Holy Qur'an written on them!

In the Name of Allah, the Benificent, the Merciful

Those flags have the first verse of the Holy Qu'ram written on them, which includes the name of Allah. If one desecretes the flag, one is also desecretating Allah's name. The white Taliban flag had the Koranic verse imprinted on it. There was a story that I read in which the anti-Taliban forces entered a captured village, they took down the Taliban flags and folded them with reverence and respect. They did this not because they loved the Taliban, who they hate it, but out of respect for the Koranic verse on the flag.

[PATRICK]

4. Bingo

Yet another clearly relevant analysis that easily outdoes the three monkey media. I bet the military doesn't even get this yet.

[Rose Siding]

8. According to this report a woman tried to pull it down

snip>
A US military helicopter hovered over the tower to remove the flag, but a female crewmember was beaten back by stick-wielding Iraqi men who had climbed the structure to defend their symbol, Mutairi and several others said.

yahoo

Now the official story is that the rotors blew it down.

[mike_c]

5. has anyone heard anything about the helicopter or it's pilot?

What was his motive in trying to down that flag? Were his actions authorized? Does he face disciplinary action for igniting a riot?

[saigon68]

6. PROBABLY GET A PROMOTION, A MEDAL

amazing how the crowd can turn on you,---- when you MACHINE GUN a few children, BURN down a few houses and look up the DRESSES of a few wives and daughters.

[bagnana]

7. what happened to the video footage?

When the news of this event was first posted here, I remember reading that a news organization in Iraq actually had video footage of the flag incident. What happened to it and if it exists, how can the military continue to claim "accident?"

[chromotone]

9. Interesting use of semantics...

When Iraqis oppose and fight the Americans, the US Media Whores call them "Saddam Loyalists;"
When Iranians propose coming into Iraq to oppose and fight the Americans, the US Media Whores call them "Iranian Militants;"
And when an entire community of Shi'ites oppose and fight the Americans, the US Media Whores call it "a Baghdad slum."

Are we still the "democracy-diffusing liberators?"