[Peace-discuss] what freedom?

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Road blocks, AMERICANS SHOOTING KIDS, WOMEN, MEN, RANSACKING HOUSE, RAIDS,  
curfews, depleted uranium contamaintion, conventional muniotsn contamaintion, 
lomited to no medical care, etc. occupation of moslem country by U.s. for who 
knows how long?   FREEDOM?  NOT HARDLY! 

Bremer: Iraqis Should Relish Freedoms
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 
Filed at 7:37 p.m. ET

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Iraqis should measure their progress by the freedoms 
they enjoy, not the services they don't have, the top U.S. civilian 
administrator for Iraq said Tuesday.

L. Paul Bremer told a news conference that while Iraqis complain of unsafe 
streets and shortages of power, they must also realize that the fall of Saddam 
Hussein has made their lives better.

``Freedom matters,'' Bremer said. ``I think it's important to ... look beyond 
the shootouts and blackouts and remind ourselves of a range of rights that 
Iraqis enjoy today because of the coalition's military victory.''

Iraqi frustration over power outages and fuel shortages has boiled over in 
recent days. Summer temperatures creeping above 120 have exacerbated the 
problems.

Thousands of people rioted last weekend in the southern city of Basra to 
protest fuel, water and electricity shortages. Crowds have also demonstrated in 
Baghdad and elsewhere demanding jobs they lost after Saddam's government fell in 
early April.

Bremer said the U.S.-led coalition planned to install more generators and 
restore refineries, and repeated promises that Iraqis would gradually regain 
control of their own security. But he said Iraqis should not forget how much the 
country has changed.

``Iraqis are free to stand up and denounce Saddam Hussein,'' he said. ``I 
might add they are also free to stand up and denounce Jerry Bremer, as I judge 
from your reports they do quite often.'' Jerry is Bremer's nickname.

Bremer also rejected criticism that frequent attacks on U.S. forces -- mostly 
in the so-called ``Sunni Triangle'' north and west of Baghdad -- indicate the 
coalition is struggling to keep control of the country.

``I don't accept the definition of a country in chaos. Most of this country 
is at peace,'' Bremer said. ``We have a problem with attacks against coalition 
forces in a small area of the country by a small group of bitter-end people 
who are resisting the new Iraq.''