Our blogs about
America's Wars
War on Iraq
War on Drugs
War on Afghanistan
War on Columbia
War on Philippines
War on Venezuela

MORE
Matrix Masters
Blogs
World Events
Katrina's Aftermath
US News
Bush Crime Family News
Science & Health
Earth News
Free Speech
News from Africa
News from Palestine
Bill of Rights Under Attack

Support Bloggers' Rights!

Lorenzo's
Random Musings
. . . about Chaos,
Reason, and Hope

Al Jazeera (English)
    Baghdad Burning Blog (by Riverbend, an Iraqi civilian girl)
            Dahr Jamail's Blog from Baghdad
                Imad Khadduri's blog "Free Iraq" (scroll down for English version)

Iraqi Civilian Deaths ... caused by Bush's unprovoked war

 

Anarchy amid the euphoria
(K S Dakshina Murthy, Al Jazeera, 9 April 2003)
The jubilation, looting and lawlessness that has filled the vacuum caused by the collapse of the Saddam Hussein government looks like an early indication of what lies ahead for Iraq. . . . In Basra where 'control' was proclaimed earlier in the week, a contingent came came upon a mob in the process of stoning a man to death. . . . They were beating him with sticks, punching him," a soldier said. "They shouted he broke into our friend's shop'. . . . The looting of banks, hotels and other official or semi-official buildings is going on unabated, while residents have resorted to vigilante justice against looters who target private houses or shops. One estimate says there may have been "about a dozen" lynchings of thieves in Basra since its capture. . . . The invading troops had been instructed to “win over local people”. At the same time, they had to maintain a semblance of law. As it turns out, they just watched as people let out their steam by taking the opportunity to loot and where possible wreaking revenge on loyalists of the previous government. . . . The military will continue to have a sizeable presence under Gen. Tommy Franks and will maintain order until an interim Iraqi government can be set up. . . . But nothing much beyond this has been finalised. . . . In the meantime, the law of the jungle prevails. As a middle-aged former policeman in Basra says, “ No authority now. No law now. No anything. Thieves everywhere. Everyone is afraid, because no safety. If there is no authority, there will be revolution."

posted by Lorenzo 11:41 AM