Loose Cannons

Weapons for mass destruction...

"We are talking about finding a site of possible weapons of mass destruction." — US Army's 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson Major Ross Coffman on the March 23 discovery of a chemical factory south of Baghdad, April 6.

... of bugs

"They thought it was a nerve agent. That's what it tested. But it is pesticide." — US Army intelligence officer Captain Adam Mastrianni on the results of tests at the alleged "chemical weapons factory".

Set the example

"I hope this makes it clear to the Iraqi people that this [regime] is over and that they can now enjoy their new freedom." — Comment to Associated Press reporters by US brigade commander Colonel David Perkins on April 8 after US soldiers helped themselves to ashtrays, pillows, gold-painted Arab glassware and other souvenirs in one of Saddam Hussein's presidential palaces.

Liberation

"America broke Iraq; now America owns Iraq." — New York Times columnist Thomas Friedmann, April 10.

Irony obviously eludes them

"The border crossing between Jordan and Iraq has been abandoned by Iraqis and in their place US soldiers now greet those passing through with a salute, a smile and the exclamation: 'Welcome to a free Iraq'." — Arab News, April 12.

From Green Left Weekly, April 16, 2003.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 534