GPC refutes reports by UPI [Archives:2004/785/Front Page]

A press source at the ruling General People's Congress (GPC) Party on Monday 25 Oct. denied that it had accused the Pentagon of pushing thousands of American-Arabs particularly of Yemeni origin troops to the war in Iraq.
The source was so surprised at the news, which he described as absolutely “lacking credibility or ground,” urging media to make sure, they report true and reliable information.
Earlier American news agency UPI had reported the GPC as accusing the Pentagon of pushing American-Arabs, especially Yemenis, to the hell of battles in Iraq.
According to the agency report, Yemenis returning from Iraq were saying they were surprised to find thousands of American soldiers of Arab origin fighting in Iraq, who speak Arabic and with a Yemeni accent in particular.
The news story quoted Mukhtar al-Sharaabi, a Yemeni student who had recently returned from Iraq, as saying he met two American marines of Yemeni origin who told him there were many soldiers of Arab origin who were fighting as part of the American occupation forces.
The student quoted the two marines as saying the U.S. Defense Department uses American-Arab soldiers especially in areas where resistance against the occupation is fierce, such as Fallujah.
The soldiers reportedly said they oppose the idea of confronting their Iraqi brothers, but have no choice but to follow orders.
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