An Iraqi man beats with his shoe a smouldering U.S. Army military truck outside the city of Amarah, southern Iraq , Sunday, May 2, 2004. (AP)
NAJAF, Iraq (AP) - Shiite militiamen attacked a U.S. convoy in southern Iraq, killing two soldiers and setting vehicles on fire, even as mediators were trying Sunday to find a resolution to the U.S. standoff with the militia's leader. Two other American soldiers were killed in Baghdad.
What to say? If the caption under that photo doesn't encapsulate the communal madness that's faced in Iraq.
"...beats with his shoe a smouldering U.S. Army military truck..."
These people are insane. Just...utterly...bonkers.
OH MY GOD!! NOW THEY ARE ATTACKING US WITH SHOES!
WE MUST SURRENDER NOW BEFORE WE ARE ALL KILLED!
actually the shoe thing is very common because the bottom of the shoe is seen as a very negative thing in muslim/arab culture i believe. its just a way to humilate the occupation forces i guess but to our western eyes it looks very stupid... ive seen some videos a while back where a mob corned a guy and beat him with there shoes they took them off and just hit the guy with them.
"....mediators are trying to find a solution to the US standoff with the militia leader..."
The way i see this,our mighty army is trying to find a solution,while the muslims are continuing to kill our soldiers...if this is not a clear sign of weakness,i don`t know what is.
The only solution is to destroy the mosque these terrorists are hiding,and be done with it.
If we needed to mediate,we should have send some lawyers over there,not the military.
Friends with the muslims we will never be,for they want us dead,and nothing short of that will satisfy them.
But now we have lost teir respect,they see us as a mighty army with its hands tied and vulnerable to their attacks.
Until our politicians will set their priorities in order,forget about being PC and concentrate on a way to win this damn war,we will continue to lose ground,both there and at home as well as alover the world.
Adela is correct. The barbarians only understand that if you get hit back twice as hard as you give, then best leave the bear alone. I can only imagine what our troops think as they sit and have to take sudden fire before being able to fire back. In a sense, that is indeed a eunuch's position. Delenda est.
i think its getting to the point after the "appearence" of defeat in fallujah and the photos of occupation troops mistreating iraqi prisoners. and everything that happened in april that the usa has pretty much lossed iraq. they might be able to salvage some public support for the occupation troops if things cool down but if say the us troops go and attack sadr in najef or sadr does something to pull the us troops into najef to confront him and say some important shite shrines get damaged then its all over pack your bags and bring the soldiers home...
adela you do realize that say the us bomb the imam ali shrine you know the one that is like the most sacred shite religous place there will be a complete mass uprising by shites and sunnis in iraq and possibly a boat load of shites will flock from iran over to join in the fight. you want to rule iraq like hitler or stalin ruled there occupied areas buy acts of extreme brutality to show that you are strong.
The real question is what is the US military doing in iraq? What are they fighting against? These people are clearly patriotic iraqis with the threat of complete colonialisation from the worlds super power. I dont think they will give up iraq without a fight, and i dont think there was any reason for war in the first place. If the reason for war were WMDs, well, there are non, and its extremely obvious now. If it was saddam, well, the US should be at war with at least another 100 countries to "free" its people from the rule of an opressing dictator.
I just hope the US will leave quick before casualties on both sides escallate
Hitting anything with the bottom of one's show is humilitating for the thing/person - in this case - the Iraqi using his shoe on the US military truck says that he (and the others) have humiliated the US Army.
Everything about the Mid-East/Tribal attitude is about power and not being put into any humiliating position.
Those of the Mid-East/Tribal Mentality who see this picture will scream with delight and joy at the loss of US Power Position.
Perception is the battle at this point.
The fact that the US Marines did not go into Fallujah is seen as defeat. The same with pulling back from Najd!
jihan
I would rather have our trucks hit with Nikes then a sandal.
I guess it makes them feel good to hit something with a shoe. I don't think that truck cares one way or the other, but if it makes that poor slob feel better then I'm all for it.