Iraqi Looting

[sunny shine]

Over the past few days I have seen pictures and news reports of massive looting going on in Iraq. IMO, I say let them take what they want. I in no way condone stealing of any kind, but in this case, they deserve everything they get out of those buildings. The Iraqi regime has lived high during their reign while these people are starving and sleep on dirt floors. I say, take it all and enjoy!!

[streetsoldier]

I agree...the first three days or so will see this hapening, then we can find respected local sheikhs or tribal chieftains, who will restore order and attend the assembly in Nazariyah, where an interim authority OF iraqis BY Iraqis will be initially developed until the country is stable enough for elections to be announced...perhaps as a federal system, such as we have here, where each of the main gropus (Sunni, Shi'a, Kurds and Turkmen) will have their own territory to administer, but will have a united voice to the world.

[Lindaloo]

I agree 100%.

[streetsoldier]

And I reiterate my previous position...the French can do signal service in cleaning toilets and garbage collection, the Germans can wash windows and restore buildings, electricity and water flow, the Russians can man the soup kitchens and repair the streets, and the UN can take on the task of medical and food relief.

But the GOVERNMENT of a post-Saddam Iraq is best left to its people..and ONLY the UK and US can see to that, as the population does NOT appeear to want any "traditional" European influences at all.

I didn't see a single Iraqi saying "Thenk yoo, Meester Shee-rak, Shroh-tar"or "Poo-teen"...did you?

[breeze]

A-men to that, streetsoldier! Those are jobs that they
have only come to deserve!

As far as the looting, I say let 'em have it. They've lived
in poverty for too long while Saddam and his goons
have lived fat and sassy!

[Lindaloo]

LOL Bill!! No we did not see them thanking the above mentioned. And you are correct, we should reserve their rights to clean toilets and washing windows.

[Guest]

Good Post - Streetsoldier. I hope the Iraqi people and leaders form a government that will be allow all the live a better life without sadamns rule.

I think the US and British will play more of a police role until one is created by the new gov't.

As for the looting - as long as it doesn't turn violent and hurt their fellow Iraqi's - go for it....for now...

Patricia

[ColdFront77]

I was thinking the same thing. Looting without violence in this case should be fine, Saddam has wanted to kill the residents of Iraq, nevermind anything else.

[JQ Public]

I agree that they deserve the stuff, but we don't want them to go overboard. there needs to be some sort of order to this chaos. some of the stuff they are taking may be useful to our war efforts.

[breeze]

Chuckling to myself.....saw some looting on MSNBC......
...those are not young men out there doing the looting, either!
Women in the tradional Iraqi dress that covers them (*sorry,
I used to remember what those were called) throwing stuff
up in the back of trucks before they sped away......now,
George Carlin would say, if it's YOUR's, it's "Stuff"...if it's
someone else's, it's SH@#! There's alot of SH@# gettin'
looted in Bagdad, people!

[chadtm80]

Loot
An Iraqi displays Iraqi bank notes he looted from a bank in downtown Baghdad on Thursday. Looters surged across Baghdad, and government buildings were set on fire while U.S. troops battled pockets of resistance around the capital.

[mf_dolphin]

That's what I call real Cash and Carry! LOL

[southerngale]

All of this looting is their way of "venting"

They HATE Saddam.

[ColdFront77]

Very true, there needs to be order sooner rather than later. Also, this Iraqi lotting is said to be occurring orderly, compared to past looting events.

[JQ Public]

Yeh but they looted all the hospitals of beds and medicines...etc. That is in no way helping...especially b/c we don't have enough resources to fill them back up. The lump of the paycheck will go on us and britain b/c we want to go at this alone.

[ColdFront77]

I agree with you, JQ. One thing is for sure, the Iraqi's are not use to freedom, so they are extremely excited.

[streetsoldier]

Note that the vast majority of looters are targeting either regime buildings or businesses owned by Sunni Ba'ath p Party members..and not a few 'humanitarian" offices run by French, German, Russian and UN organizations, who they see as supporters of Saddam.

They have 30 years of hate, brutality and revenge to catch up on, and Arabic justice is a LOT swifter than ours.

[Lake Effect1]

I didn"t understand why they looted the hospitals either. hopefully as things quiet down they will return the medical supplies.

[JQ Public]

yeh they said on the news that major looters will be arrested if they continue to loot. so i think the deadline is this sunday and from then on no more looting i believe.

[M2]

JQ Public quote:

yeh they said on the news that major looters will be arrested if they continue to loot. so i think the deadline is this sunday and from then on no more looting i believe.

Yep JQ - and since it's now Monday over there (they're 10 hrs ahead) then that deadline has passed. But since everyone's split, who is going to enforce the No Loot rule? The 'police' are gone, the gov's gone - and troops are there mainly on a war objective, not a policing objective.

...I wonder where Streetsoldier would weigh in on this one... - Bill?