BAGHDAD, June 3 (IslamOnline.net) - A pall was cast on a tempestuous meeting held Monday, June 2, between U.S. officials and Iraqi tribesmen, who were irked by remarks made by an adviser of U.S. civil administrator of Iraq Paul Bremer that the U.S. troops in Iraq were an occupying and not liberating power.

The advisor said he could not help admitting that U.S. troops were occupying Iraq, marring the meeting with a bitter uproar over his provocative remarks.

Sheikh Sakban Mohammad al-Farhoud, a senior tribesman, lashed out the U.S. advisor, saying Iraqis are fed up with American rhetoric such as ‘we will do….there will be’.

“Enough with procrastination and translate your words into action” he shouted at the American official.

Tribesmen highlighted the sufferings of the Iraqi people under the U.S.-led occupation, reiterating demands for security, salaries, electricity and water as well as the formation of an interim Iraqi government representing all Iraqis, Iraqi sources told IslamOnline.net.

Sheikh Yasser Hamdan, a senior leader of one of southern Iraqi clans, said the Iraqis have seen nothing but “hollow promises” from the U.S. troops over the past two months.

“Is the U.S. attention rived now on nothing but the Iraqi oil?” He wondered, urging the U.S. to honor its pledges.

“Thousands of Iraqi breadwinners have not received their salaries over the past two months,” he complained.

Sheikh Mahmoud Gafar al-Bassam, a senior tribesman, threatened Iraqis would turn from demonstrations to confrontations with the U.S. troops if their living standards were not improved.

“Iraqis did not resist (ousted Iraqi president) Saddam Hussein, but now it is a different story,” he stressed.

Bassam further said that the residents of the war-devastated Diali district were in a dire need for a bridge, noting that the U.S. troops had erected a bridge over the Euphrates in just 30 hours to enter Baghdad.

“Although Iraq is best known for its fertile land, it now teeters on the verge of a serious food crisis,” said one of the tribesmen.

He said the irrigation quotas have come to a standstill, stressing that Iraqis were suffering power and water shortage.

For his part, the American advisor told IOL the tribesmen were nervous somehow, noting that he tried to make clear that things would not change overnight.

He said that the U.S. troops in Iraq could not meet their demands as rapid as they think.

Asked how long it would take for the U.S. troops to meet the Iraqis’ requests, Bremer’s advisor said they have starting doing so since mid April.