- BAGHDAD -- Please stay at
home at night. Please be careful when approaching our troops. Please pull
over when our trucks pass through.
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- US forces insist they are liberators not occupiers. But
if a "message to the citizens of Baghdad" distributed here this
week is peppered with "pleases", it makes no bones about exactly
who is in control of Iraq.
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- The text, drafted by US Marines in typed English and
handwritten Arabic, asks Baghdad's five million residents to stay off the
streets between evening prayers and the call to morning prayers.
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- It says the streets of the capital are threatened at
night by "terrorist forces" linked to the ousted regime of Saddam
Hussein, as well as criminals.
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- "To avoid placing Coalition Forces in a position
where we must make a distinction between you and terrorist or criminal
elements during a time of limited visibility, please do not leave your
homes during this time," the US request.
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- "During all hours, please approach Coalition military
positions with extreme caution. Make it as clear as possible to the forces
manning those positions that you are not a threat. Avoid carrying anything
that could be perceived as a weapon."
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- The text printed by the First Marines Division on Monday
is clear about who has the right of way anywhere on Iraqi roads.
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- "If you are driving and you observe a convoy of
coalition military vehicles approaching, please pull over to the right
of the road until the convoy passes. Please do not block military convoys
or position your vehicle in between the vehicles of a military convoy."
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- The message puts out a call for firemen, policemen, doctors
and employees in other key sectors to register with the Marines' operations
center, and urges Baghdadis to report any security threats.
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- "With your help, we can rid Iraq of both the remnants
of the regime and of foreign terrorist elements," it says.
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- The text stresses that US forces "are guests in
your country and will strive to maintain your trust." It pledges to
seek local advice and assistance in building a "free and prosperous"
Iraq.
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- "With the exception of the precautions listed above,
please continue about your normal daily activity as we work together to
restore public services," the message says.
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- It does not say: "Have a nice day."
- http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1348614,00.html
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