superkool
06-02-2003, 03:49 PM
Iraqis baffled at deadline to turn in guns
Sunday, 01 June , 2003, 15:30
Baghdad: Coalition commanders opened weapons collection points around Iraq on Sunday as they began a two-week countdown to the imposition of new firearms controls in a bid to stem post-war lawlessness.
But by midday, none of the designated police stations visited by AFP correspondents reported even a single weapon had been turned in.
Many Iraqis said they were baffled by the policy and would be unwilling to give up their treasured weapons despite the pending ban.
"Why should anyone want to just give away their weapon when they can sell it for good money?" said Arkan al-Zebaki, waving a 1950s vintage Webley and Scott pistol at Baghdad's open-air arms market.
"In any case why would any self-respecting Iraqi want to turn in their weapon to an American, particularly at a police station?"
For the past three days, coalition radio has broadcast appeals to Iraqis to turn in the huge arsenal of military hardware that has passed into civilian hands since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's armed forces.
"We have also been using the loudspeakers that our psychological operations teams have. Flyers in Arabic will be posted around the city," a coalition military spokesman said.
The new regulations that come into force on June 15 will not require Iraqis to completely abandon their love affair with the Kalashnikov.
They will be allowed to retain pistols, shotguns and rifles up to 7.62 mm, the calibre of the famed Russian firearm, for self-defence, provided they do not take them out of their homes and businesses.
Anyone wanting to carry arms on the street will need a special permit from the occupation administration which has laid down detailed procedures for weapons surrenders to prevent coalition troops mistaking them for armed attacks.
Those wanting to hand in weapons are supposed to obtain a clear plastic bag from a collection point, take it home and place the disassembled firearm inside.
"We think it is going to be a successful policy because of the good Iraqi citizens who want to see law and order restored," the military spokesman said.
But at the arms market, which continues an underground existence despite repeated raids by US troops, buyers and sellers alike said they rejected the coalition policy.
"For us a weapon is a badge of honour," said arms dealer Abbas Fadhel. "Even Saddam didn't dare to take away our weapons. In fact he used to give people rifles or shotguns as a present on big state occasions."
Fadhel has only pistols and ammunition on display for fear of another US raid or a robbery in the ultra-lawless looters' market.
But he said he has mortars for 75 dollars and rocket-propelled grenades for 100 dollars in his home just 10 minutes away.
Among the customers there seems to be little understanding of the new weapons policy, despite the publicity campaign. Many are convinced the occupation administration is determined to ban all weapons and leave Iraqis defenceless.
"The Americans are doing this because they are afraid of the Iraqi people, they just want to leave us without any protection," said one, giving his name as Mohammed Mohammed
Another arms dealer, Faris Mohammad, said it was too early to impose the weapons crackdown. "I'm only selling weapons here because I lost my job when they abolished the defence ministry."
"It's the same for most of us here, and it's also true of the hoodlums who create the fear on the streets that we all feed off."
"If the Americans could give people jobs, then the problem would right itself."
Even Abbas Hussein, who shows off two bullet wounds in his right foot, the legacy of a robbery on Friday evening in which he lost 25 dollars, said he had no intention of looking to the Americans for security.
"If I need protection, I'll go buy a gun," he said. "We can't expect foreigners to save us from other Iraqis."
For Ali Mahsen there is only one way to control the gangs who operate out of squats in bombed-out buildings across the city -- "Bring back Saddam's state security people."
"Saddam never needed to take our guns away, he knew how to maintain law and order."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sacked Iraqi troops threaten attacks
By Huda Majeed Saleh and Michael Georgy
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Thousands of sacked Iraqi soldiers have marched on the U.S.-led administration and threatened to
launch suicide attacks on American troops in Baghdad unless they are paid wages and compensation.
More than 3,000 angry soldiers from the disbanded Iraqi army massed outside the administration headquarters, in a
presidential palace, shouting slogans and vowing a wave of attacks on U.S. troops unless they got their money.
"All of us will become suicide bombers," said Khairi Jassim, a former warrant officer. "I will turn my six daughters into bombs
to kill the Americans."
Paul Bremer, the U.S. civil administrator for Iraq, dissolved Saddam Hussein's armed forces, several security bodies and the
defence ministry last month, firing 400,000 people.
Many protestors said they could no longer feed their families.
"I have only 750 dinars (60 U.S. cents) in my pocket. How can I feed my family? I have a crippled child who needs
medicines," said Sabah Abdullah, also a former warrant officer.
Many demonstrators demanded that the Americans leave Iraq. Anger towards U.S. troops has boiled over into violence in
parts of Iraq, which has descended into anarchy since the war ended with widespread looting and violence as well as power
shortages.
By early afternoon around 300 angry protesters were still outside the palace, a line of U.S. soldiers blocking their advance.
"We will carry out attacks on the Americans and we will declare a jihad if our rights are not respected," said Mohan Qahtan,
another former soldier.
"A MILLION RIFLES" Protesters carried banners calling for the swift formation of an elected Iraqi elected government, the
immediate payment of salaries to former soldiers, and a halt to any moves to form a force to replace the army.
"The Iraqi army did not fight the U.S. troops because it did not want Saddam Hussein. If it had fought them it would have killed
them and prevented them from invading Iraq," said Talib Kazim, who was wounded in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.
He said he used to get a salary of 92,000 dinars (around $80) a month.
"I have been in the army all my life," said Mohammed Karim, who served first in the regular army and then the elite
Republican Guards.
"America should treat us as it treats employees of other ministries. They come to humiliate us. We do not fear America or
Britain. The million members of the army are able to use a million rifles on U.S. troops but we do not want harm."
Reuters
Sunday, 01 June , 2003, 15:30
Baghdad: Coalition commanders opened weapons collection points around Iraq on Sunday as they began a two-week countdown to the imposition of new firearms controls in a bid to stem post-war lawlessness.
But by midday, none of the designated police stations visited by AFP correspondents reported even a single weapon had been turned in.
Many Iraqis said they were baffled by the policy and would be unwilling to give up their treasured weapons despite the pending ban.
"Why should anyone want to just give away their weapon when they can sell it for good money?" said Arkan al-Zebaki, waving a 1950s vintage Webley and Scott pistol at Baghdad's open-air arms market.
"In any case why would any self-respecting Iraqi want to turn in their weapon to an American, particularly at a police station?"
For the past three days, coalition radio has broadcast appeals to Iraqis to turn in the huge arsenal of military hardware that has passed into civilian hands since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's armed forces.
"We have also been using the loudspeakers that our psychological operations teams have. Flyers in Arabic will be posted around the city," a coalition military spokesman said.
The new regulations that come into force on June 15 will not require Iraqis to completely abandon their love affair with the Kalashnikov.
They will be allowed to retain pistols, shotguns and rifles up to 7.62 mm, the calibre of the famed Russian firearm, for self-defence, provided they do not take them out of their homes and businesses.
Anyone wanting to carry arms on the street will need a special permit from the occupation administration which has laid down detailed procedures for weapons surrenders to prevent coalition troops mistaking them for armed attacks.
Those wanting to hand in weapons are supposed to obtain a clear plastic bag from a collection point, take it home and place the disassembled firearm inside.
"We think it is going to be a successful policy because of the good Iraqi citizens who want to see law and order restored," the military spokesman said.
But at the arms market, which continues an underground existence despite repeated raids by US troops, buyers and sellers alike said they rejected the coalition policy.
"For us a weapon is a badge of honour," said arms dealer Abbas Fadhel. "Even Saddam didn't dare to take away our weapons. In fact he used to give people rifles or shotguns as a present on big state occasions."
Fadhel has only pistols and ammunition on display for fear of another US raid or a robbery in the ultra-lawless looters' market.
But he said he has mortars for 75 dollars and rocket-propelled grenades for 100 dollars in his home just 10 minutes away.
Among the customers there seems to be little understanding of the new weapons policy, despite the publicity campaign. Many are convinced the occupation administration is determined to ban all weapons and leave Iraqis defenceless.
"The Americans are doing this because they are afraid of the Iraqi people, they just want to leave us without any protection," said one, giving his name as Mohammed Mohammed
Another arms dealer, Faris Mohammad, said it was too early to impose the weapons crackdown. "I'm only selling weapons here because I lost my job when they abolished the defence ministry."
"It's the same for most of us here, and it's also true of the hoodlums who create the fear on the streets that we all feed off."
"If the Americans could give people jobs, then the problem would right itself."
Even Abbas Hussein, who shows off two bullet wounds in his right foot, the legacy of a robbery on Friday evening in which he lost 25 dollars, said he had no intention of looking to the Americans for security.
"If I need protection, I'll go buy a gun," he said. "We can't expect foreigners to save us from other Iraqis."
For Ali Mahsen there is only one way to control the gangs who operate out of squats in bombed-out buildings across the city -- "Bring back Saddam's state security people."
"Saddam never needed to take our guns away, he knew how to maintain law and order."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sacked Iraqi troops threaten attacks
By Huda Majeed Saleh and Michael Georgy
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Thousands of sacked Iraqi soldiers have marched on the U.S.-led administration and threatened to
launch suicide attacks on American troops in Baghdad unless they are paid wages and compensation.
More than 3,000 angry soldiers from the disbanded Iraqi army massed outside the administration headquarters, in a
presidential palace, shouting slogans and vowing a wave of attacks on U.S. troops unless they got their money.
"All of us will become suicide bombers," said Khairi Jassim, a former warrant officer. "I will turn my six daughters into bombs
to kill the Americans."
Paul Bremer, the U.S. civil administrator for Iraq, dissolved Saddam Hussein's armed forces, several security bodies and the
defence ministry last month, firing 400,000 people.
Many protestors said they could no longer feed their families.
"I have only 750 dinars (60 U.S. cents) in my pocket. How can I feed my family? I have a crippled child who needs
medicines," said Sabah Abdullah, also a former warrant officer.
Many demonstrators demanded that the Americans leave Iraq. Anger towards U.S. troops has boiled over into violence in
parts of Iraq, which has descended into anarchy since the war ended with widespread looting and violence as well as power
shortages.
By early afternoon around 300 angry protesters were still outside the palace, a line of U.S. soldiers blocking their advance.
"We will carry out attacks on the Americans and we will declare a jihad if our rights are not respected," said Mohan Qahtan,
another former soldier.
"A MILLION RIFLES" Protesters carried banners calling for the swift formation of an elected Iraqi elected government, the
immediate payment of salaries to former soldiers, and a halt to any moves to form a force to replace the army.
"The Iraqi army did not fight the U.S. troops because it did not want Saddam Hussein. If it had fought them it would have killed
them and prevented them from invading Iraq," said Talib Kazim, who was wounded in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.
He said he used to get a salary of 92,000 dinars (around $80) a month.
"I have been in the army all my life," said Mohammed Karim, who served first in the regular army and then the elite
Republican Guards.
"America should treat us as it treats employees of other ministries. They come to humiliate us. We do not fear America or
Britain. The million members of the army are able to use a million rifles on U.S. troops but we do not want harm."
Reuters