Marines reassure residents of Iraqi village

[thedrifter]

April 8, 2003


Marines reassure residents of Iraqi village
By Richard Tomkins
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

WITH THE 5TH MARINES, NEAR BAGHDAD ? It started with the kids.

"Ameericaah?" a little girl asked a Marine who had entered her village and taken a defensive position as others began to search homes. The streets were deserted. People peered around their gates.
The Marine smiled, wiggled his fingers in the girl's direction and her fear ? and that of the rest of the townspeople ? melted. Within minutes, people had left their houses and began to shake hands with the Marines.
Liberation from the strictures of the regime of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had come for a nameless village just a few miles from downtown Baghdad.
Marines had visited the village in force to hunt for the people who fired two mortar rounds at them earlier in the day. An Iraqi soldier was quickly caught on the roof without a fight and taken away.
Townspeople led Marines to the Ba'ath Party headquarters, where two mortars and ammunition, and rocket-propelled grenades were stored.
As the men of the village were questioned individually through an interpreter, the Marines searched about 100 adobe-style homes. They knocked on doors before they entered and spoke firmly but politely to the residents, relatively gentle behavior from men bearing weapons that the villagers had not seen.
Later, a Marine spoke to the crowd and asked the name of the local party official.
People looked sheepish and did not give it.
"I know you think Saddam Hussein may not be finished, but I'm telling you he is," said the soldier, who requested anonymity.
"I know you are afraid. Look at the soldiers behind me. We've all come to rid you of Saddam. You don't need to be afraid anymore."
The crowd of about 100 immediately broke into applause. They seemed to have learned to cheer anything any official said.
But the expressions of joy later, when the Marines handed out food, picked up children and hugged them, and passed out the furnishings of the party office, led to expressions of gratitude.
Afterward, a man with two young children approached. He looked embarrassed and through gestures indicated that people are still afraid of Saddam and his party officials.
He pointed to the party headquarters, pointed to himself, and with one hand indicated a talking mouth, then drove home the message: With his thumb he drew a line across his throat and then the throats of his children.


Sempers,

Roger