WAR ON IRAK

Rense/Al-Jazeera.net: Basra Hunger, Thirst Turning Even More Against US

Days into the US-led war, Iraq's civilians are still waiting for the food, water and other help Washington and London promised they would distribute behind their advancing soldiers.

But with unexpectedly tough combat holding up the humanitarian aid convoys, hope is rapidly turning to anger against the invaders.

"This war has quickly turned us into beggars," an old man who gave his name as Farak said as he sat on the side of a road in southern Iraq Monday.

In this part of the country, at least, years of UN economic sanctions that stripped cupboards have now been replaced by a fierce war which is depleting the few remaining valuable provisions, resulting in a severe penury.

With no running water and no electricity, and food all but gone, the inhabitants of the desertic south have slipped into despair, no longer believing in the US promises they would be taken care of. There are no celebrations to greet the Western troops.

"We've been abandoned to our fate. Nobody has given us anything to eat. Nobody is providing security. All they do is arrive here, attack Saddam's forces, then leave," said Hussein Yaber, a 20-year-old shepherd living in a barn south of Nasiriyah.

On Monday, he was forced to buy 300 litres (65 gallons) of water from various trucks driving down from the north because his family now had no more drinking water.

"We can't remember when the situation has been so bad," he said -- a telling comment in a region with a Muslim Shiite majority long oppressed by the Sunni minority that runs Iraq.

If the (US and British) soldiers are among us for only a short time, we could try to respect them. But if they have come to stay, there are going to be a lot of problems because the United States only wants to destroy Islam," affirmed a young Safwan man driving a car with a white flag flying from its roof.