Our work will speak for itself, U.S. commander

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: A U.S. commander on Monday said that his troops that have replaced British forces in Basra will prove otherwise than what had been reported of them. “We have received information from several sources that Basra residents have general concerns about the performance of U.S. troops…But our deeds in the near future will prove otherwise,” Maj. Jeffrey Smith, a senior U.S. commander, said during an interview with IraqiNews.com news agency. Many residents of the southern province believe that U.S. forces will react violently to security violations, unlike British troops, which would resort to pacification. “Our presence in Basra is upon the request of the Iraqi government,” the official noted. The Shiite city of Basra lies 590 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. SS (P) 1