Fallujans reluctant to go home, despite aid

By Steven Komarow, USA TODAY
FALLUJAH, Iraq — Food rations, blankets, water and other necessities are stacked high and offered free with a smile to local residents. It's part of the U.S. military's effort to persuade residents of Fallujah to return to their homes. "We try to make it as easy and friendly for them as we possibly can," says Marine Maj. Jim Hensien, the logistics officer in charge of one of several relief sites set up in the past three weeks.

But so far Fallujans are not lining up to return to what's left of their devastated city. The U.S. troops and Iraqi guardsmen waiting to hand out supplies one day this week outnumbered the locals.

About 40,000 Iraqis have visited Fallujah since it was partly re-opened last month, but only a few thousand of the 250,000 who once lived here have moved back in.

Bringing Fallujah back to life is an important part of efforts to persuade Sunni Muslims to abandon the insurgency and participate in elections on Jan. 30.

<snip>

The military also is helping Iraqi officials set up polling places for the Jan. 30 elections. But, in an acknowledgment that few Fallujans will be in their city to vote, the refugee cards issued by the Iraqi government will entitle them to vote elsewhere.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-01-05-fallujah-residents_x.htm

Nevermind that the houses are gone and there is no electricity, water or sewers and that bodies are still rotting beneath the rubble. Our priority is those polling places!

Even if they are not, could it happen again?

And that is in addition to what you said:
"Nevermind that the houses are gone and there is no electricity, water or sewers and that bodies are still rotting beneath the rubble. Our priority is those polling places!"

In the middle of winter without housing or running water, bullets would be the least of their worries.

to move into corpse strewn rubble. The article mentioned "other necessities", but it didn't mention housing of any kind.

I also wonder if those people are not better supplied at their refugee camps. Worse, it is the soldiers handing out the blankets and water -- "with a smile" (as the article said) How much do you want a blanket from someone who just destroyed your home?

As if we were doing Fallujah citizens a service.

That just adds insult to injury. I wonder if they expect the Fallujans to say thank you.

gave them some food and a blanket and then starved them.

Men of military age weren't allowed to leave -- and we've seen the photos of the dead bodies.

If I were a citizen of Fallujah -- I wouldn't trust the US military -- are they just trying to be me there so that they can kill me? My home is destroyed and many of my family members are dead.

The US military is acting like an spouse abuser -- beat the spouse nearly to death and then give her gifts.

I mean, they must have a healthy intuition that the U.S. military will just attack again in six months or a year.

They're reluctant to return to homes that have been turned to rubble, and a city that's filled with rotting, dead bodies. Those Iraqis are just so unreasonable to be obstructing the march of democracy like that.:eyes:

No Shit. "despite aid" Please come back were not done Slaughtering you
yet.

Nothing says welcome home like locating your Families roting corpses wrapped in a new blankie & loaded up on plastic water.

The Pentagon has learned fuck all from Vietnam other than better control of the media.

and they get all reluctant on us. What do they want, a free toothbrush too?

'Nevermind that the houses are gone and there is no electricity, water or sewers and that bodies are still rotting beneath the rubble. Our priority is those polling places!'

or is there even going to be an election this month?

Edit for spelling

They still run this risk of being shot or bombed from what used to be their homes! God forgive America...





US Marines from Lima Company patrol the devastated city of Fallujah, 50 Kms west of Baghdad. This city saw some of the worst fighting between US troops and the insurgency.(AFP/Hrvoje

"yellow stars" on every head of household, forced labor, allowed to move only in certain quarters.... HOME?

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Remember Fallujah!

Bush to THe Hague