Fear stalks the US forces every moment of their existence in Iraq . In the beginning of the invasion after the US forces had settled in Iraq , it had appeared that they had won the day and the ‘hearts' of the Iraqi people. The Sunday Times, 11th April 2004, reports: “When order was restored a few weeks later and asemblance of normality returned, US soldiers could be seen shopping in Baghdad 's supermarkets, carrying groceries in their combat helmets or logging on at internet cafes, with their M16 carbines lying on the floor.

This would be unthinkable today. Now US troops travel in convoys of Humvee and Bradley armoured personnel carriers, often guarded by Abrams tanks. Baghdad's ever - present theme tune is the throbbing beat of helicopters flying along the Tigris River, guarding the approaches to the occupation authority's headquarters in the “Green Zone”.

For the first time, US troops face the twin threat of Sunni insurgents and Sadr's Shi'ite gunmen. Rita Emad (a Christian) said: ‘We all hoped things would get better, that we would have peace in Iraq. But there is nothing. There is no difference between Saddam and Bush. Anybody with money is leaving Iraq.”