Talk of Tikrit's Favorite Diner: Hatred of Hussein, Fury at US

[leftchick]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/23/international/middleeast/23INN.html?pagewanted=1&hp


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"Why are the Americans being attacked?" he said. "Not because all Iraqis are pro-Saddam, no. If Saddam had come out of his palaces and into the streets of Tikrit without guards, somebody would have killed him for sure.

"Iraqis are attacking the Americans now because they have humiliated us. We feel if somebody trespasses in your home, breaks the door and beats the head of the household and cuffs his hands in front of his family, it is the greatest humiliation. It happened to Saddam. If it happened to me, I wouldn't hesitate to go and buy a Kalashnikov and look for an American to kill."

But was it not Mr. Hussein who brought humiliation on himself, a visitor asked, by hiding underground and emerging from his bunker, hands up, looking like a vagrant? Mr. Jassem agreed, but switched to a homily.

From his studies of Christianity, he said, he knew of a truth that Americans should observe in seeking a way home from Iraq. "There is a very famous saying of Jesus Christ," he said. "'Glory to God, and peace on earth. Let the Americans bring peace on earth."