Monday, May 31, 2004
Mistake 3 – Behavior as Occupying Army!
During the US army’s thrust for Baghdad, people were truly “shocked and awed” by the might of that army, their apparently invincible vehicles and their fire power!
But when the army began to take up positions on the ground and people began to watch the American soldiers more closely, the picture began to change. Many were seen to be young kids who were so frightened that, when fired at, they began to shoot at random killing passers-by, including women and children!
Then came report after report of house searches after kicking doors open, humiliation of people, frisking of women (to many people, almost unthinkable!) and stealing of money that was found in houses searched!
These things were not even done by Saddam’s thugs, evil as they were!
Rough-handling people, insulting and humiliating men in front of their families, wrecking furniture and household items was common place during these searches. To add insult to injury, a good portion of the people subjected to these insults, excesses and humiliations were innocent. Many were released. Some were apologized to later!
Someone (of some social standing) who was subjected to such an experience told me that his house was “attacked” by a group of soldiers in the middle of the night with doors broken and furniture rampaged. His family was rough-handled by soldiers and he was humiliated, hand-cuffed and taken away. He was stripped naked and left, with a bag over his head, for three days in a room full of other people without any toilet facilities.
After the three days, he was treated well, interrogated for a few days and then released. He was driven back home and a lady-officer went into the house with him and apologized to his wife!
But when the army began to take up positions on the ground and people began to watch the American soldiers more closely, the picture began to change. Many were seen to be young kids who were so frightened that, when fired at, they began to shoot at random killing passers-by, including women and children!
Then came report after report of house searches after kicking doors open, humiliation of people, frisking of women (to many people, almost unthinkable!) and stealing of money that was found in houses searched!
These things were not even done by Saddam’s thugs, evil as they were!
Rough-handling people, insulting and humiliating men in front of their families, wrecking furniture and household items was common place during these searches. To add insult to injury, a good portion of the people subjected to these insults, excesses and humiliations were innocent. Many were released. Some were apologized to later!
Someone (of some social standing) who was subjected to such an experience told me that his house was “attacked” by a group of soldiers in the middle of the night with doors broken and furniture rampaged. His family was rough-handled by soldiers and he was humiliated, hand-cuffed and taken away. He was stripped naked and left, with a bag over his head, for three days in a room full of other people without any toilet facilities.
After the three days, he was treated well, interrogated for a few days and then released. He was driven back home and a lady-officer went into the house with him and apologized to his wife!
