In truth, the Americans could hardly be doing more to lose the support even of those who understand and back what they are trying to do in Iraq. Those pictures of the tortured Iraqis are as sickening and appalling as they are catastrophic. Okay, this was -- we are told -- an isolated and wholly unrepresentative incident. And yes, a number of US soldiers are now facing criminal charges and courts-martial as a result. But that still doesn't lessen the shock and disgust that this can have happened at all. As if the torture wasn't bad enough, the images of the soldiers taunting those Iraqi captives and fooling about in front of them for the cameras bespeak a loss of simple humanity and civilised values here which is deeply, deeply disturbing. What kind of society produces such dehumanisation? It's not enough to be alarmed at the likely damaging effect such images will have on the Arab and Muslim world. We should be alarmed and deeply ashamed about what they say about western values.

On top of all that comes the astonishing news of the US withdrawal from Fallujah. First we were told that the US was pulling out and handing over Fallujah to the Iraqis:

'Under a remarkable deal struck late the previous night between coalition delegates, Iraqi Governing Council officials and local chiefs, the Marine battalions are to withdraw in a series of co- ordinated steps to points well beyond the city, and will be replaced by a scratch Iraqi force named the Fallujah Protective Army (FPA).'

Not surprisingly, the marines on the ground reacted with horror and disbelief. After days of being told by President Bush and Tony Blair that the coalition would do whatever it took to quash the insurgency in Fallujah, suddenly it seemed to be turning tail and running. Worse still,' the FPA will be commanded by a Sunni general from Saddam Hussein’s era, and consist of up to 1,100 men largely recruited from the Fallujah area.' Yet it is absolutely imperative that Fallujah, like Najaf, is brought under control. Next, we were told it was a strategically smart decision, to drive a wedge between the Iraqi population and the insurgents. Well if this was such a smart idea, why were the Americans bombing the place to hell until five seconds ago? The Americans can't have been right both times. It looks awfully like a panicky retreat to me.

Washington is now denying it's a retreat or an end to the siege. It sounds like sheer bloody chaos. Does anyone there know what they're doing?

Posted by melanie at April 30, 2004