الرئيسية
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Stars and Stripes were lowered, the Iraqi flag
raised, and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta declared the U.S. role in the
Iraq War officially over. Muhsin Mohammed was glad for that, but not
satisfied. He wanted something that never came — an apology.
"We
were waiting for Panetta to apologize to the Iraqi people for the
mistakes and crimes committed by the U.S. soldiers during the occupation
time," the retired government employee from Baghdad said. "Instead, he
praised the sacrifices of the U.S. soldiers and forgot about the Iraqis
killed because of his government's mistakes in Iraq."
Mohammed was
among many Iraqis who watched on television as Thursday's ceremony
played out in a walled courtyard at Baghdad airport, which only a few
years ago was buzzing with U.S. helicopters and transport planes.
Some
felt Panetta gave short shrift to the plight of the Iraqis, whose joy
over the end of Saddam Hussein's rule was quickly swept away by the
abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, countless shootings of civilians at
checkpoints and the affront to Iraqi pride by being bossed around in
their own country by young soldiers from a far-off land.
Their
remarks also conveyed a deep ambivalence about the U.S. role and the
future of the country the Americans are leaving behind. Many worry that
their country is too weak to fend off conspiracies by their neighbors,
notably the Iranians.
"After the U.S. troop withdrawal, we must
now prepare ourselves for the threats of the neighboring countries who
are sharpening their knives. Iraq is now on the brink of disaster with
political infighting still going on between political factions for
power," said Ihssan Jassim of Basra, a member of the Shiite Muslim sect
that has dominated politics since the end of Saddam's Sunni-led regime.
Jassim,
an electricity engineer, said Iraqis had suffered for nearly nine years
but "there is still no real progress in their lives."
"We see no
good things from the Americans, except for one thing: toppling Saddam
Hussein. The rest of their work in Iraq was a total disaster," said
Hassan Kashif, a Shiite from southeastern Baghdad. "During all their
presence in Iraq, the U.S. soldiers showed no respect to the Iraqi
people."
Iraqis were relieved to see American "occupiers" gone but
remain fearful for the future of their shattered country only barely
beginning to recover from the savagery and destruction of the war. Most
Iraqis viewed the American presence as a military occupation, not a
support and reconstruction mission as Washington insisted.
"The
Americans helped in toppling Saddam, yet the Iraqi people refused to be
ruled by the Americans," said Ahmed al-Alwani, a Sunni parliament
member. "We are facing a new challenge, which is the Iranian and
(Shiite) militias. ... Some Iraqis may regret the U.S. withdrawal if
Iran takes over."
raised, and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta declared the U.S. role in the
Iraq War officially over. Muhsin Mohammed was glad for that, but not
satisfied. He wanted something that never came — an apology.
"We
were waiting for Panetta to apologize to the Iraqi people for the
mistakes and crimes committed by the U.S. soldiers during the occupation
time," the retired government employee from Baghdad said. "Instead, he
praised the sacrifices of the U.S. soldiers and forgot about the Iraqis
killed because of his government's mistakes in Iraq."
Mohammed was
among many Iraqis who watched on television as Thursday's ceremony
played out in a walled courtyard at Baghdad airport, which only a few
years ago was buzzing with U.S. helicopters and transport planes.
Some
felt Panetta gave short shrift to the plight of the Iraqis, whose joy
over the end of Saddam Hussein's rule was quickly swept away by the
abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, countless shootings of civilians at
checkpoints and the affront to Iraqi pride by being bossed around in
their own country by young soldiers from a far-off land.
Their
remarks also conveyed a deep ambivalence about the U.S. role and the
future of the country the Americans are leaving behind. Many worry that
their country is too weak to fend off conspiracies by their neighbors,
notably the Iranians.
"After the U.S. troop withdrawal, we must
now prepare ourselves for the threats of the neighboring countries who
are sharpening their knives. Iraq is now on the brink of disaster with
political infighting still going on between political factions for
power," said Ihssan Jassim of Basra, a member of the Shiite Muslim sect
that has dominated politics since the end of Saddam's Sunni-led regime.
Jassim,
an electricity engineer, said Iraqis had suffered for nearly nine years
but "there is still no real progress in their lives."
"We see no
good things from the Americans, except for one thing: toppling Saddam
Hussein. The rest of their work in Iraq was a total disaster," said
Hassan Kashif, a Shiite from southeastern Baghdad. "During all their
presence in Iraq, the U.S. soldiers showed no respect to the Iraqi
people."
Iraqis were relieved to see American "occupiers" gone but
remain fearful for the future of their shattered country only barely
beginning to recover from the savagery and destruction of the war. Most
Iraqis viewed the American presence as a military occupation, not a
support and reconstruction mission as Washington insisted.
"The
Americans helped in toppling Saddam, yet the Iraqi people refused to be
ruled by the Americans," said Ahmed al-Alwani, a Sunni parliament
member. "We are facing a new challenge, which is the Iranian and
(Shiite) militias. ... Some Iraqis may regret the U.S. withdrawal if
Iran takes over."