Four Iraqis killed, two US soldiers wounded in Baghdad

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031031/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_us_toll&cid=1514&ncid=1480

ABU GHARIB, Iraq (AFP) - Four Iraqis, including a policeman, were killed and two US soldiers wounded in violent incidents at a marketplace in Baghdad's western suburb of Abu Gharib.

Following Friday midday prayers, Iraqis gathered to protest what they said was the destruction of their market stalls by US forces.

"The police tried to contain the protest, the protesters opened fire and a policeman was killed," said police Major Mussa Lazem.

US troops later opened fire, according to medic Abbas Jassim who said three civilians were killed and at least 10 wounded.

more

[Vikingking66]

1. I think this is the first incident of protestors firing back

That's scary as hell.
Why are we destroying market stalls? That hardly
seems the way to win their hearts and minds.

[Enjolras]

2. Another deadly outbreak of "progress"

I don't know how much more of this progress we can stand.

Abu Gharib is the site of the largest and most feared prison in Iraq under Saddam's regime, housing both criminal and political prisoners. Many of these were released about a year ago under a general amnesty announced by the regime, which knew its days were numbered and wished to make the country even less stable for the future rulers. Many of those released from the Abu Gharib facility are probably still in the area, since convicts often have nowhere to go. Saddam's political prisoners would have included Shiite fundamentalists. We should expect the area to be even more unstable than the rest of Iraq.