U.S. Apology Doesn't Appease Angry Iraqis

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=716&e=1&u=/ap/20030914/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Angry mourners swarmed this central Iraqi city Saturday, firing into the air, attacking journalists and cursing the American occupation as they followed the flag-draped coffins of eight Iraqi police killed in a friendly fire incident involving U.S. troops. snip

"We have had enough of the Americans killing us and then just saying 'Oh, sorry!'" said Salam Mohammed, 60, a Fallujah resident and a relative of some of the victims. snip

In an ominous message, Fawzi Namiq, the mosque's imam, said through loudspeakers: "Save your bullets for the chests of the enemy."

In the streets, angry residents roughed up reporters who came to witness the ceremony. A clergyman grabbed one armed man and prevented him from shooting at a departing Associated Press Television News car as it sped from the city. A CNN cameraman was beaten and an Associated Press photographer was hit in the face.

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[mbperrin]

1. Gee,

wonder what bug crawled up their butts? (Musta come off all those flowers they've throwing!)

I mean, somebody said, Sorry, right?

OK, it wasn't anybody identifiable, and there's no sort of compensation, and it keeps happening, but gosh, anybody can make a mistake, right?

(Any doubts about mistakes, study the life of GW *)

[shance]

2. You mean "Im sorry" is not enough?

How ungrateful!

After all we have DONE TO THEM, oh, I mean DONE FOR THEM!!

[bahrbearian]

7. Our forces were under attack

Luckly we had all ready set up the ambush...note the Iraq Police were fired on from 3 sides...???

[lindashaw]

11. And the length of time...some say half-hour, 2 hours, and 3 hours.

Even if it was a half-hour, that is a very long time to be shooting. Something is wrong here. How could an "accidental" shooting last that long? If it had been 10 minutes, you could say, "they were confused." But 2 or 3 hours?

[LiberalBushFan]

3. no s***

Well, at least a CNN cameraman was beaten. It's not like he had any other use, such as reporting the event.

[bahrbearian]

5. That is perfect !!

[NNN0LHI]

4. I think this is just more left wing propaganda. They really do love us.

Really.

Don

[TahitiNut]

8. Yup. Immam always loves us best.

:eyes:

[Cha]

6. Do they even have the power on in this Country where they

bombed the shyte out of them and now are killing them with "friendly fire"????

[Beetwasher]

9. The Charade Is Now Completely Shattered

This is the garnish on a massive shit sandwich...Even the pretending is over now...

[peterh]

10. I remember the Dutch, a few weeks ago,

announcing a compensation package to each family of a loved one that they killed accidentally (two I believe)….I think we the US, have a lot of fucking catching up to do….

I hang my head in disgust…this is an ego war that has nothing to do with 9/11.

[lindashaw]

12. Yes, an empire widening its reach.

[dArKeR]

13. Angry Iraqis say they've 'had enough'

Angry mourners swarmed this central Iraqi city Saturday, firing into the air, attacking journalists and cursing the American occupation as they followed the flag-draped coffins of eight Iraqi police killed in a friendly fire incident involving U.S. troops.

The U.S. military apologized Saturday for the shooting that killed nine people — the eight Iraqis and a Jordanian guard — and badly damaged a hospital.

U.S. troops only opened fire after they were attacked "by unknown forces," the military said.

But the explanation did not defuse the anger washing over Fallujah, a city of 200,000 in Iraq's most troubled region.

The shooting was the worst case of friendly fire since major hostilities in Iraq were declared over May 1, and it served to intensify talk here of the heavy-handedness of American troops.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030913.wiraq0913/BNStory/International/