"Return to the Land of Wonders"
Mood: Both disgusted and saddened
I just watched a very interesting film (the abovenamed) by Maysoon Pachachi. She returned to Iraq with her father Adnan Pachachi who was involved with the drafting of Iraq's temporary constitution and Bill of Rights. While she was in Iraq she filmed casual interviews with ordinary people in Iraq. Each had a story to tell and it was sobering to listen to them. I'll give you examples from memory.
A man driving with his 15 year old son saw a beaten Iraqi on the road, hands tied, soldiers around. He stopped. They searched his car and found an old pistol. He and his son were arrested. He was sent to Abu Ghraib while his son was sent to a prison several miles to the south of Baghdad. (What had his son done?) While in Abu Ghraib a group of them were shot at with live ammunition. A boy near him, about his son's age, was killed. He prayed for the boy and was asked what he was doing... Eventually he got out and tried to find his son. The Americans denied all knowledge of his son and it was only after painstaking searches and help, that he found him. What had they done to deserve such treatment?
Another person told of an incident where a man's car was not working properly. The carburettor was stuffed and it backfired. The driver was shot. No questions asked.
A woman told of American soldiers invading their homes and taking their gold and cash. The soldier threatened that if they complained he would come back and take them away.
Several complained of arbitrary arrests and shootings. They believe that the Americans and British are inciting civil war and unrest. The Iraqis don't want to kill each other. It's the Americans and British who pretend to be Iraqi and killing other Iraqis which then gives them an excuse to continue occupying the country and controlling everything.
No, they didn't like it under Saddam. But how is it better now? Shootings, thefts, arrests without trial, no electricity, no medicine, no jobs, no wages.
The army was decimated after the Gulf War. Iraq has NEVER been a threat to the US or anyone else especially since that time. The soldiers were unpaid. They didn't want to fight for Saddam but they also didn't want foreigners invading their country (would you?). What choice did they have? There were no jobs.
They told of the planes high up in the sky dropping cluster bombs, tearing people to bits. Then the tanks came in and fired indiscriminately at women, children, buildings. Who are the terrorists here?
When you've seen any Iraqis on TV think about how they're portrayed. I bet they're shown as poor and dirty, the women veiled. When, for example, have you ever seen a clean, well-dressed, articulate, attractive Iraqi woman? Iraqis are portrayed as subhuman not worth the 'privilege' of human rights.
Iraqis I've met have always been intelligent, articulate, and very nice, welcoming people. What have they done to deserve the treatment meted out by the Americans? All they want is their country back, some basic infrastructures put back in place (all destroyed by US in the Gulf War), some independence, freedom to live peacefully. They are very patient, but who could blame them for being angry.
The invasion is not about democracy. After arguing with Americans about their constitution, the Iraqis said among themselves there was no point if the allied rule of law overrode the Iraqi constitution. May as well call yourselves an occupied territory, ruled by the White House. How do you think they would feel about that? Who wants to be ruled by liars and thieves? The Iraqi government is not autonomous and Iraq will never be free while the 'allies' occupy it. And they won't leave. Why? Oil.
More on 'democracy' later.
If you can find a copy of the film, do watch it. It's distributed by Arab Film Distribution in Seattle (sold to institutions. If you're lucky there may be a copy in your library). www.arabfilm.com
