Their feelings about America varied widely, and most said they had made up their minds about the speech beforehand. Atheer Dabagh, a welder with dirt-smudged hands, sat in the barber's chair, puffing on a cigarette. 'The left shoe is the same as the right shoe,' he said, referring to Obama and his predecessor George W. Bush. 'America's real intention is to destroy Muslims and Islam.' Dabagh was looking for an apology for America's actions in Iraq, although he added that he didn't want U.S. troops to leave until they had thrown out the politicians they helped empower. 'If someone throws you in the sea, should they let you drown or should they bring you to shore?' he asked. Others had a kinder view of Obama. 'He wants to establish peace between Muslims and the West,' Ammar Ani said. The room, with its hues of lemon and pink, had been scarred by two street bombings and a mortar attack since 2003. One client had been hit by shrapnel as he sat for a haircut. As they watched Obama, Raymun noted that a car had double-parked for about five minutes outside the shop. He worried aloud about the driver who glanced inside. 