A U.S. soldier (left) talking to IOL correspondent

BY Ali Halni, IOL Iraq Correspondent

BAGHDAD, May 15 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - With a large death toll of civilians and world-wide condemnation for a two-week aggression, more than 200,000 U.S. forces tumbled into the Iraqi capital packed with contradictory feelings; partly human, partly “satanic”.

Approaching American soldiers to explore such contradiction has been doomed to failure as they have always laid a security – as well as mental – siege to their posts.

“This is a small part if compared with oppression practiced by Saddam Hussein,” said U.S. lieutenant Jerry Fischer, flanked by two tanks and three Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), when asked about the destruction caused by the invasion amid larger scenes of anarchy and chaos not far away.

The 24-year-old Fischer agreed to allow me interview soldiers at the post, only after being frisked in fear of being “booby-trapped”, something I got used to since I stepped into the Iraqi capital with a Somali passport which I felt acted as a reminder of the U.S. humiliating defeat and pullout of Mogadishu in 1993. 

“The liberation ends, and the current stage is directed for reconstruction works,”  Fischer said.

But some of the new comers suffered a self-torment, with deaths numbered in thousands and injured who could not find even beds in the capital’s hospitals, also hard hit by looting and lawlessness that afflicted the country after the U.S. forces rolled into.

While speaking to Fischer, one of the soldiers came to warn him that “the interviewer might put his hands on your gun and kill you before committing suicide.”

The U.S. forces fear revenge; although they do not want to think of the reasons behind. They never mention such words as occupation and invasion. They always tout others as liberation.

“Do not worry. We have strict rules that the safety of American soldiers is given a priority to every thing, whatever the price is,” said Fischer.

No wonder U.S. forces shot dead 15 people and injured several others few kilometers from here when they demonstrated against the U.S. military presence few days after they celebrated the fall of Saddam’s statue.

The U.S. soldiers justified opening fire saying that some of the protestors threw them with “sandals”

But Washington found a better excuse to relieve the Iraqis’ disgruntle, we have overthrown a tyrannical dictator you have long wished to get rid of.

“Saddam monopolized all this, while the Iraqis were dying of hunger despite all oil riches their country has,” said Fischer.

But Iraqis still suffer insecurity, with their houses looted and their lives threatened by thieves, and even their homeland occupied.