Any demonstration against govt or coalition forces will be fired upon

[DuctapeFatwa]

An hour later, a handful of military vehicles returned, one carrying the U.S.-backed regional governor Hussein al-Jaburi, while a recording of his voice boomed a warning to would-be Saddam loyalists.

"Any demonstration against the government or coalition forces will be fired upon," Jaburi's voice said, according to an army interpreter. "This is a fair warning."

Demonstrators risk a year in jail and, if they work for the state as civil servants or teachers, they will loose their jobs, the message said. All demonstrations are illegal in the U.S.-occupied province.
"They are not allowed to go around kissing pictures of Saddam in this city," Russell said. "It will not happen." Afterwards, Jaburi and Russell interviewed a middle-aged man in traditional Arab clothing who they suspect of inciting demonstrations.

"Look me in the eye. Let me make something very clear," the American officer told the man over tea at the governor's office. "If our ears and eyes see and hear you are connected with demonstrations, and anti-coalition activities you will be going to jail for a very long time."


http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=423620

[kentuck]

1. Just like America...

Really not that different...They only use as much force as "necessary"... If tear gas and rubber bullets don't work, they won't hesitate to go to the real thing..

[madrchsod]

9. "four dead in ohio "

nothing new in the united states,"they" have been killing people who stand up for their rights for over a hundred years.they will continue till the day "they" die

[revcarol]

2. Today they went after a secondary school,

because they had some pictures of kids who had been throwing rocks at U. S. soldiers.
Tomorrow they will just kill them?

SHAME.

[Pale_Rider]

3. Bush Democracy ...

... just like here. Seems like the Iraq situation is on a slippery course downhill.

[caledesi]

4. And they call this democracy?

Iraqis must carry IDs.
Curfew at night.
Raiding houses w/ not warrants.
And now they can't demonstrate? Yeah, real democratic!

SH is gone and now they have a new dictatorship. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan for winning hearts and minds!

There will be civil war if don't get the f*ck out.

[Coldgothicwoman]

5. Aren't they grateful that we liberated them?!?

:eyes:

</sarcasm>

[Myra]

6. Looks like we have brought our style of "democracy" to Iraq.

And here I was skeptical...

[madrchsod]

7. how can bush be

the leader of two sovereign nations?

[Myra]

8. Just wait until the GOP convention

Sorry. I'm not trying to demoralize; it's just part of the truth.

[madrchsod]

11. it will be ugly

and we will never see it.

[incapsulated]

12. I won't be able to avoid it, myself

But I'm afraid a riot is exactly what the rethugs want, 68 redux. Then they can make us (dems and anti-war) all look like a bunch of maniacs...

[incapsulated]

10. What next...

Make them pledge alliegence to Bush or go to re-education camps?

This is so depressing.

Yes, they need to get a handle on the violence, but, just as I expected, this is turning into a IDF-style occupation.

[Ksec]

13. Winning hearts and minds

The American Way. With a giant military just itchin for action.

I saw a film the other day on the soldiers over there. Theyre dying for action. Itchin for some firefights. Not exactly what we need when were trying to show how great Democracy is. Its a shame Bush doesnt understand the diff between soldiers and peacemakers.

[Selwynn]

14. Devil's advocate time:

Consider this opposition prep.

Someone made the statement, "and they call this democracy!" The answer is no, no one is calling this Democracy. They are calling this an attempt to lay a stable enough foundation for a democracy.

Iraq is in chaos - and this is like marshal law would be in this country if there was ever a disaster so sever as to bring total anarchy to the nation: a necessary evil. It is necessary to establish security and stability to the nation as we help it move towards a real democracy. The military occupying forces are not and should not be about defending a bill of rights. They should be able establishing order and the rule of law in Iraq. That means putting down unrest, and neutralizing the threat of those who would sabotage or undercut that effort. Those enemies that do not wish to see a peaceful, rebuilt and free Iraq the the ongoining enemy, and it is not the job of the military to gauruntee some right to assemble right now.

It is the job of the military to stabilize the region - that is the only way a real democracy will ever be possible. So incidents like this one, while unforuntate to our sensibilities are necessary for the long term greater good.

[Ksec]

15. well, I dont believe you can beat someone into sharing your lifestyle

maybe temporary, but they will turn on you when you arent looking.

The only way this will work is if Iraqis want it to work.

From the few reports Im seeing , its really hard to say. But with all the deaths its not lookin real good for us.

When the vote comes the Shiites will win and then the Sunnis will revolt along with the Kurds. Maybe the only way for Iraq to go is three seperate states inside the country. Kinda like th US but only 3 states. Im rambling. Insomnia.

[incapsulated]

16. The problem with that reasoning

We are laying down the foundations, here. As soon as we start throwing out basic concepts of freedom for reasons of "security" and "stability" we encourage that to be the norm rather than the exception. Remember that this is a country that was just "liberated" from a dictator. The last thing we need to do is carry on the Saddam Method of Governance. After all, while Saddam was in power, there wasn't any terrorism, right? Why bother with Democracy when Fascism is so much more orderly?

Obviously, we can't have demostrators running riot and tearing apart government buildings. But when we start threatening them before they even do anything, or because they kiss a picture, we are no better than what we supposedly "liberated" them from.

We need UN Peacekeeping Forces in there, right now.

[Selwynn]

18. Good answer, imo. (nt)

[incapsulated]

19. Thanks, you make good posts. :) n/t

[DuctapeFatwa]

22. That is what the crusaders will say, no dount. However

the problem is that one does not build a democracy on an invasion and occupation. One does not build a nation based on the rule of law and human rights by disregarding laws and human rights.

That being said, it must be noted that press releases and propaganda notwithstanding, it was never the intention of the crusaders to establish a democracy in Iraq, but to occupy it and seize its natural resources. That is being done. Part of that includes reducing the population to facilitate seizure of those resources and generate increased revenues for US population reduction industry interests.

It is something of a contradiction to "establish" any goverment based on the rule of law and individual freedom in someone else's sovereign nation.

Whether the US has succeeded in establishing such a government within its own borders is a matter of lively discussion, with those who contend that it has including bush regime loyalists, and those who contend that it has not including the families of the disappeared.

[Karenina]

24. You bring up a serious issue

about which most choose to remain in denial. U.S. policy in Iraq IS a policy of POPULATION REDUCTION. It is the same policy that is used in Africa. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

[DuctapeFatwa]

26. And it seems to be progressing quite rapidly in Africa

And it already is in a neighborhood near you. That's what the criminalization of poverty and shrinking access to health care is about. :)

[Cronus Protagonist]

17. Free at last! Free at last! Thank Bush almighty they're free at last!

I wonder what they would think if we were imposing tyranny on the people of Iraq </irony>

"Terminate Governor Gangbang" Buttons, Stickers & Magnets

[ClintonTyree]

20. Ahhhhhhh.. the sweet air of freedom.........

is wafting throughout Iraq. The beatings will continue until the morale improves.

[dusty64]

21. Winning hearts and minds

and spreading democracy around the globe.

[RBHam]

23. cross reference

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=941855

[Mairead]

25. "Those who cannot remember the past...." (or who disregard it)

On the fourth day of the 1982 Israeli attack on Lebanon, I crossed the border at a lonely spot near Metulla and looked for the front, which had already reached the outskirts of Sidon. I was driving my private car, accompanied by a woman photographer. We passed a dozen Shiite villages and were received everywhere with great joy. We extracted ourselves only with difficulty from hundreds of villagers, each one insisting that we have coffee at their home. On the previous days, they had showered the soldiers with rice.

A few months later I joined an army convoy going in the opposite direction, from Sidon to Metulla. The soldiers were now wearing bulletproof vests and helmets, many were on the verge of panic.

What had happened? The Shiites had received the Israeli soldiers as liberators. When they realized that they had come to stay as occupiers, they started to kill them.

Uri Avnery
http://www.gush-shalom.org/archives/article237.html

[ComerPerro]

27. "The Iraqi people just love us so much"

"See how they are greeting us. Well, they aren't exactly greeting us with flowers and worshipping us at our feet. But they aren't protesting, right? That's a plus.
"Sure, we told them that if they protested us we would shoot them. But I don't see how you can use that to say that they don't support us. Look at them. Not one protester among - hang on, is that a protester over there? This interview is over. Where the hell is my gun?"