Indeed, before I left, I witnessed open social hostility to British troops with pedestrians shouting and gesturing at passing jeeps and children throwing rocks.

The BBC were also evicted from their house which is virtually attached, like its ideological position and reporting, to the CPA South. The landlady, a Palestinian woman, informed a friend in Basra that the female reporters had violated her house rules and cultural propriety by bring men home at night. She also stated that at times, at least one of the reporters appeared to be drunk but did not smell of alcohol...

The BBC staff she said, were also demanding. The BBC's reputation amongst Basra residents is one of 'occupation collaborators' due to their lack of any critique of the Occupation or CPA and its lack of grassroots reportage. People also say that the BBC's translator was rude and much disliked and distrusted.

Its no secret that translators are distrusted throughout the country - if they were translating for foreigners under the regime they either were themselves or had to report directly to the Mokhabarat - Secret Intelligence, of which there were 5 separate agencies in Iraq. Many of these secret officers, responsible for the deaths of resistors to the regime, have been re-employed by the Occupation, along with key industrial managers, directors, government ministry, police and military employees, much to the disgust and perpetuated oppression of ordinary working class Iraqi people.

The former home of the BBC may now be rented by a Kuwaiti construction company manager.