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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: quehubo who wrote (83530)	3/18/2003 8:42:51 PM
From: NickSE	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Weary Iraqis will welcome the end of tyranny telegraph.co.uk .....Sitting in Baghdad and watching Saddam's last days tick by, Iraq did not strike me as a ruthless dictatorship preparing for war with iron efficiency and determination. Instead, a demoralised population was fatigued beyond belief by 24 years of Saddam's tyranny, combined with endless war, isolation and sanctions. Anyone who spends any time in Iraq knows that loathing for Saddam is almost universal among his people. No better proof can be found than the regime's official demonstrations. These are almost laughably devoid of passion, spontaneity or fervour. Even in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, marshals from the ruling Ba'ath party drilled the demonstrators, telling them when to chant their leader's praises and when to wave their fists. After they had gone through the motions, the chants died away and Saddam's supposed followers dispersed gratefully. In private, I have found that some Iraqis have been surprisingly willing to voice their true feelings. During the last six weeks in Baghdad I have often heard Iraqis describe Saddam as a "murderer" and an "evil man" who they "hate". By contrast there is a complete absence of hostility towards Britons and Americans, who are invariably treated with great friendliness......