Insurgents widen campaign of intimidation against Iraqis -KR

[Rose Siding]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The letters are turning up on more front doors every day: Quit your job, they read, or, in the name of Allah, we will kill you, burn your home and slaughter your family.

In months past, militants usually limited such grim threats - and the bloody violence that reliably follow them - to soldiers, police officers and high-profile public officials.

But the campaign of intimidation has widened to include secretaries, laborers, doctors, drivers, scientists, janitors, seemingly anyone whose paycheck is cut by coalition forces, Western companies or the interim government.

The tactic has deepened the sense that no one in Iraq is safe. It undermines reconstruction efforts as well as basic government functions by terrifying legions of employees into quitting their jobs. And it strikes at the heart of the Bush administration's efforts to rebuild the government and establish its legitimacy.

"Instability is their ally," Michael P. Noonan, a national security fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, said of the insurgents. "If they can intimidate people, it creates a sense that the government and the U.S. are impotent."

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/9834297.htm

[FlemingsGhost]

1. The resistance is wisely shrewd, in my opinion.

Collaboration with an occupying force should be discouraged. Quashed, even.

These folks aren't stupid.

[2Design]

3. Once they get rid of us and take over their own oil fields they

can run their country and fix things with the money - hire their own people - yes it will be a struggle but right now they don't seem to have anything to lose - we continue bombing men women and children without regard for innocence

they are doing everything they can to protect their country and unfortunately their are evil people making havoc too - but they have to decide which evil people they prefer to deal with the usa or the insurgents/al quieda or whomever is blowing up things there

The bombs and fire power of the usa is over kill

[knowbody0]

2. he who owns the oil runs the world

the occupation of their homeland renders them desperate, they have watched the "liberators" fuck everything up they touch.by the by the pipe lines get repaired but never with a meter. what would anyone who had lost family,home,friends,possessions and dignity do