Umm Qasr, Iraq
STANDING IN THE CENTER of Umm Qasr, a small group of American soldiers, accompanied by three Iraqi-American soldiers working with coalition forces, was quickly surrounded by Iraqi civilians. Many welcomed them. But one man, who bore a strong resemblance to Saddam Hussein, berated the American soldiers and their Iraqi colleagues. “You have destroyed our town,” he said, addressing Ali, a member of the Free Iraqi Forces. “You have destroyed my property. Americans and British go home. No one wants you here. We never had these problems with Saddam Hussein.” His rant drew loud and violent protests from the dozens of Iraqis gathered around us. Without warning, a bearded, middle-aged man in tribal robes lunged at the Saddam defender. He grabbed the other man’s shirt around the collar and began screaming. “What property? They did not touch your property. Where’s the damage? Do not say these things. We want the Americans. We need the help. You work for Saddam Hussein.”
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