The Iraqis are starting to do what you and I would do if the situation was reversed. I am so pissed I can't see straight. Here:


Two U.S. Troops Shot, Killed In Baghdad
Two American Soldiers Shot And Killed In Separate Baghdad Attacks, Military Officials Say
BAGHDAD, Iraq 5.8.03, 2:35p -
Two American soldiers were killed Thursday in separate attacks in Baghdad _ one a bold daylight shooting at close range and the other a sniper attack, military officials said.

In addition, at least one soldier was injured when a U.S. vehicle hit an explosive in part of the capital believed to have been cleared of land mines.

The incidents demonstrate Iraq is still fraught with danger for U.S. forces a month after Saddam Hussein's government fell.

"I have an expectation that we will see rough behavior in this country for the foreseeable future. We will be up to it and our people will continue to do their jobs," Gen. Tommy Franks, who commanded the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, said in Washington of the attacks.

In the most brazen attack, an Iraqi walked up to a soldier on a bridge and opened fire with a pistol at close range, according to senior U.S. Army officers in Baghdad who had heard reports of the shooting.

The officers said the slain soldier, whom they did not identify, belonged to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Polk, La. Calls to that regiment's public affairs officer here went unanswered Thursday night.

No further information was immediately available, and it was unclear what happened to the unidentified assailant. U.S. Central Command in Qatar said it was unaware of the incident.

U.S. forces say they trade fire with armed Iraqis almost daily across the country. Still, an incident like the one on the bridge is highly unusual even in postwar Iraq.

In the second attack, a U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division soldier was killed when a sniper shot him in the head in east Baghdad, said Capt. Tom Bryant, spokesman for the Army's V Corps, which is based at Baghdad's airport. He had no further details.

Also Thursday, an American Humvee hit a "probable land mine" while crossing a median in a road near Baghdad's airport, Bryant said. Details were sketchy, but at least one U.S. soldier was injured in that incident.

Earlier, Bryant said, a group of children motioned to a military convoy traveling down another road about a quarter-mile away to avoid a plastic bag in the street. The convoy followed their advice, but an Iraqi truck coming up behind the convoy ran over the bag and it exploded.

The driver of the truck escaped injury, but an Iraqi man standing nearby suffered burn and shrapnel wounds. He was taken to a U.S. field hospital and was reported in shock.

Other incidents have bedeviled U.S. forces in recent days, though none cause casualties.

On Wednesday, the military said, two Iraqis shot at reconnaissance elements of the 3rd Infantry Division with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades as they traveled north of Baghdad. The unit returned fire, the military said, killing one assailant.

Also Wednesday, near the northern town of Baiji, a convoy from the 4th Infantry Division came under rifle and machine-gun fire. The unit attacked the assailants' positions and captured five suspects and their weapons, Central Command said. No Americans were injured.

The Associated Press

are there any official estemates as to how long they'll be there?

or is it still "as long as it takes"?

If I were the average Iraqi no, If I were part of the thug regime maybe.

Do you often feel the need to identify with thugs?

As a matter of fact, I identify strongly with a great many criminals. Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, the Adamses, R.E. Lee, Gen. Jackson, and on and on and on.

Bottom line, you invade my country, no matter how fucked up whoever is in charge of my country, then I am going to ventilate you.

Your inability to understand that is truly strange to me. What sort of myopia allows for it? WE are invaders. Whether or not you choose to believe it is immaterial because the average Iraqi sees us that way. If we had the US version of Joe Stalin sitting in DC and some insufferably smug asshole or gr4oup of assholes decided to come in and save us, would you not defend the US?

Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and the Adamses weren't criminals:  they won.  They got to write the laws.

True enough. There was still a price on their heads in GB until they died though. One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

Uh, so you'd fight against people trying to help you, and for people oppressing you?

Man, if the SHTF stay out of PA. I think we're a little better at picking sides 'round here.

Stupid is… Stupid does. Bottom line nitwit.

Some here will not be over-joyed at this statement...[:D]

Only those concerned with an accurate definition of the word "terrorist."

You're telling me that you wouldn't first consider the intent of the invading army and the political force behind it? If you thought that the army had really come to liberate you, why would you fight against it? Especially if it's the only possibly way you could be free of a homegrown tyrannical dictator?

At the very least you could use the invasion as a distraction to deal with your own regime.

This was a good way to find out who the collaboraters will be. Very interesting. Not a lot of patriots here.Hmmm.

Hell soylent, you didn't draw even 1 "anti-semite", or "nazi" remark....

I am not a nationalist, I hate socialists, and I like anyone with a work ethic, so that rules that out eh? Interesting how many on this board have a severe lack of imagination though.

Apparently, if China had invaded to "liberate" us from Clinton under his administration, few people here would have ahd a problem with it - even if they decided to stay for a couple of years managing our economy to help us "recover".

[:D]

Congratulations, that is quite possibly the most ignorant analogy I have heard in a very long time.  Hope you didn't burn out too many brain cells on it.

Soy,

Well, I understand your sentiments about fighting an invader.  I fight any inader of my country.
But I think YOU lack imagination, by simply projecting how YOU would behave if it happened here, onto a completely foreign situation.
I you were French and it was 1944, would you have fought off the D-Day "invaders".
How about Italy under the Fascists?

I am the [b]KING[/b] of really bad analogies.  [:D]

Btw - don't worry, I try to use no brain cells at all when I post here.  [;)]

This analogy is somewhat of a failure, but I will address it. If I was one of the very few Maquis, who were BTW very much reviled by their "reasonable" countrymen, I would certainly kill every Boche I could. If Allied Forces, who were BTW, our stated allies prior to coming in, had then militarily occupied France and forced a government upon us, I would most certainly pick up arms against them since they would no longer be allies, but invaders. If you mean would I shoot them when they came into the area, then no, they were allies and helping to drive out an already emplaced invader. Get the difference?

As far as the Mussolini's Fascistii, that is an internal matter. If I had been an Italian, I would certainly have borne arms against an invader. Internal problems and affairs are just that. The moment some group brings violence to my shores, he needs to die. Period.

How would you feel about someone coming here to liberate us from the horrors of our present government? How would you feel about someone forcing their idea of justice and governmenbt upon us "for our own good"? Would you feel pretty good about this questionably altruistic activity if they sdaid they were going to help you? I mean our government never lies, so why would they, right? How about if this helper group killed or maimed your kids, destroyed your home and neighborhood, rendered you unemployed, and then started taking your natural resources? You still gonna be a cheerleader?