G.I.s Padlock Baghdad Paper Critical of U.S.

[kskiska]

BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 28 — American soldiers shut down a popular Baghdad newspaper on Sunday and tightened chains across the doors after the occupation authorities accused it of printing lies that incited violence.

Thousands of outraged Iraqis protested the closing as an act of American hypocrisy, laying bare the hostility many feel toward the United States a year after the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

"No, no, America!" and "Where is democracy now?" screamed protesters who hoisted banners and shook clenched fists in a hastily organized rally against the closing of the newspaper, Al Hawza, a radical Shiite weekly.

The rally drew hundreds and then thousands by nightfall in central Baghdad, where masses of angry Shiite men squared off against a line of American soldiers who rushed to seal off the area.

The closing of the newspaper illustrated the quandary Americans faced in trying to strike a balance between their two main goals — encouraging democracy while maintaining stability. But as the days wind down to the June 30 target date for handing sovereignty back to the Iraqi people, security seems increasingly elusive.

more…
http://nytimes.com/2004/03/29/international/worldspecial/29PRES.html?hp

[pinniped]

1. Everyone has to tune into that America propaganda channel BS.

Guess he didn't get the message.

I bet, pretty soon no more Al Jazeera for you either.

This was pretty stupid and will only cause more anti-US sentiments.

[Zomby Woof]

2. We hate them for their freedoms!

:crazy: :nuke: :hurts:

[Mari333]

3. and the soldiers who dont want to be there are the targets

of the anger. Bush did this.
the whole lot of them did this.
war criminals all of them.
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com

[Chicago Democrat]

4. Title of their Article: Bremer follows the steps of Saddam

On Feb. 26, an article in Al-Hawza claimed that a suicide bombing two weeks earlier that targeted the mostly Shiite town of Iskandariyah, south of Baghdad, was a rocket "fired by an (American) Apache helicopter and not a car bomb." The attack killed 53 people.

In the same edition an article was titled "Bremer follows the steps of Saddam," and criticized coalition work in Iraq.

more coverage at Salon:


http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/03/28/iraqi_paper/index.html

[Chicago Democrat]

5. Ironic huh? (eom)

[havocmom]

6. democracy, just like in the USA

They shoot cameramen too, don't they. Nah, no message in that</sarcasm>