Al-Shoura [Archives:2004/705/Press Review]

18 Jan 2004
Main headlines
– Government did not withdraw journalism law
– Food poisoning spread among Yemenis
– Forty prisoners at East Secretariat Court send distress calls
– In response to Iraqi foreign ministry demand, deportation of those accused in stealth of Iraqi embassy to Jordan
– Taciturnity regarding an explosion at the war academy
The writer Abdulrahman al-Rayani has devoted his article to talking about the Iraqi resistance to the American occupation saying every now and then the American occupation gives contradictory statements on the extent of effectiveness and force of the Iraqi resistance. Sometimes there is emphasis that the number of attacks does not exceed 11 per day, and sometimes exceeds thirty and on other occasions they confirm the attacks are not organized and just irregular reactions. At other times the occupying forces say the resistance is following a new strategy never before known in guerilla wars. Lately one o the leading officials at the American intelligence has said the Iraqi resistance is pursuing the Chinese-style of guerilla war.
The American allegations that the number of Americans killed because of the resistance was not exceeding one killed or wounded has been belied when the military operations of the resistance have begun to cause a state of argument amidst American decision-makers circles when the fact-finding committee formed by the Congress carried for them unhappy news after the committee had stayed for 20 days in Iraq after which returned to the congress on the first of August to offer its report. He report has mentioned that number of American soldiers killed everyday exceeds ten and ranges between 12-15 soldiers which means h number of the killed is over than 400 every month. The number of those soldiers who escaped till the 1st of last August was 1200 to 1500, i.e. at a rate between 70-100 soldiers a week. The number of the wounded is in thousands. Fifty per cent of the soldiers wish to leave Iraq or to leave as soon as possible. One hundred officers from the American army have signed a letter to the American president pleading him to take a courageous decision for withdrawing the American forces from Iraq immediately in preservation of America's dignity and honour otherwise he should put on the military uniform and go to Iraq, mentioning they were sure he would escape within twenty-four hours.
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