Sergeant Kenneth Wilson said Arabic-speaking US troops made contact with two busloads of Iraqis fleeing south along Route Seven towards Rafit, one of the first friendly meetings with local people for the marines around here. “They had slaughtered lambs and chickens and boiled eggs and potatoes for their journey out of the frontlines,” Wilson said. At one camp, the buses stopped and women passed out food to the troops…Khairi Ilrekibi, 35, a passenger on one of the buses, which broke down near the marine position, said he could speak for the 20 others on board. In broken English he told a correspondent travelling with the marines: “We like Americans,” adding that no one liked Saddam Hussein because “he was not kind.” He said Iraqi civilians living near him were opposed to Saddam Hussein and that most were hiding in their homes and were extremely tired. Lance Corporal David Polikowsky… said he had been moved by comments from local civilians. He said they told him: “We welcome you. What is your name? We will pray for you.” [Agence France Presse, 3/31/03]
