Iranian TV Reviews Anti-American Sentiment in a Baghdad Market

Following are excerpts from a report by Channel 1 of the Iranian TV which was aired on April 30, 2006:

Reporter: Hello, dear viewers. As you can see, we are in Baghdad's central market. Today I chatted with several Iraqis in this crowded market. I was very interested in the personal opinions and true feelings of the Iraqi people towards the American forces. First, we went to a jeweler, and after the greetings, I asked explicitly: Sir, tell me the truth, do you like the Americans or not? The jeweler said to me:

Jeweler: How is it possible to like someone who has occupied our country and caused its destruction? Just like nobody would allow a stranger to enter his home, the Iraqi people will never allow the occupiers to remain here. We will drive them out in the end.

Reporter: Then I asked him: To what would you compare the Americans and occupiers?

Jeweler: Being a jeweler, I'd compare them to fake gold.

Reporter: Let's see what this man compares the Americans to.

Merchant: They are like a pestle and mortar, because they want to crush the people of this land with pressure and force, in order to achieve their goals.

Reporter: This is an herbal remedy shop, and this is the shop owner. After greetings, I presented him with the question, and he answered angrily:

Herbal medicine shop owner: Anyone who likes the Americans and the occupying forces is their accomplice.

Reporter: Then he said he was satisfied with his country's new government, and that Jawad Maleki, like Ja'afri, must never rest until he forms a just, Islamic government. He must make sure we never see the American faces again. Then his son came up to me with dozens of vipers, and said:

Shop owner's son: I would have liked to compare the Americans to vipers, but that would be a shame. The venom of these poor animals is useful to us, but the occupiers have brought us nothing but harm.

Reporter: Let's ask the moneychanger:

Moneychanger :You have come to the wrong place, sir. You will not find any Iraqi who likes the Americans. Their democracy reeks of gunpowder and destruction. I don't even want to hear that word.

Reporter: Then he took out a counterfeit 100 dollar bill, and said:

Moneychanger :The American promises are beautiful, but they are like this money - counterfeit and false.

Reporter: I asked what this man compared the occupiers to, and he said:

Fish merchant: All my merchandise is good. These fish are our national wealth. It would be a shame to compare the occupiers even to the stench of these fish.