Sunday, November 30, 2003
7 Spaniards Killed In Iraqi Ambush (washingtonpost.com)
Seven Spanish soldiers were killed in an ambush in Iraq. What's particularly noteworthy about the attack are two things. One, that the attack was carried out by people loyal to Saddam Hussein, not foreigners, and two, who the attackers thought they were killing.
"Praise to the steadfast people!" several people shouted in unison. Others beckoned passing motorists to roll down their windows and then boasted: "Look what we have done to the Americans and the Zionists." It was the deadliest roadside attack on occupation forces since shortly after the capture of Baghdad...
At the site of the attack in Latifiya, not every passing motorist joined in the horn-honking and waving. The driver of a white Toyota sedan rolled down his window and castigated Ali Sarhan and his friends.
"You enjoy what you're doing?" the driver growled. "You're killers."
"We're not killers," replied Sarhan, a student. "We're defending our country."
"By killing innocent civilians?" the driver shot back.
"They're not civilians," Sarhan responded. "They're Zionists."
The driver shot a look of disgust at Sarhan. "You're not going to get rid of them by doing nasty things like this," he said. Then he drove away.
