Posted on 06/28/2004 5:43:50 PM PDT by blam
The Iraqis: Death threats, kidnappings and car-jackings are dominating lives
By Jack Fairweather in Baghdad
(Filed: 29/06/2004)
The Kamal family want one thing from their new government. "Security," said Sarmad, a 25-year-old doctor. His family nodded in agreement but who should bring this and how forceful an approach should be taken sparks debate, both at the dinner table of this middle-class Baghdad family and across the country.
Many Iraqis think that only an iron fist will stop the kidnappings, car-jackings and random death threats that have dominated the lives of Iraqis. Others want snap elections. Some even want the US military to stay.
"We must have an elected government," said Sarmad, the idealist of the family.
He believed that only democracy would bring peace to his countrymen, by making them feel their voices were heard.
His older brother Ahmed, 32, a slightly corpulent planning ministry official, disagreed. He said only a military officer could impose order.
"Just look at our history. We need control," he said.
Their mother, Dalal, wanted her family to get behind Iyad Allawi, the prime minister, while the father threw his hands in the air and moaned that nothing could help the situation now.
"Maybe the Americans could stay for longer," whispered Dania, 24, a computer science graduate.
The Kamals' debate reflects the scale of the change that many Iraqis feel sovereignty will bring, although few are optimistic about the future.
They say that the steady decline in security has forced them to temper their hopes for the freedom and democracy they thought American rule would bring.
For the Kamals it's been a bumpy 14 months.
Sarmad, like most students at his medical college, welcomed the openness brought to his campus by the US-led invasion. But since then, he says, religious groups have moved in and begun to impose their austere vision of Islam.
"It really did feel like a liberation until these goons moved in," he said. "It gave us a taste of what democracy would be like."
He had also hoped that the Americans would bring modern laboratory equipment. Instead he rarely has enough electricity for the few pieces that were left over from the looting.
For Ahmed, the war only interrupted for a month his work as assistant director in charge of licensing new construction. Since then, he confesses, he has not had to do very much work.
He used to sign-off 2,000 projects a year. Under the Americans he has awarded only 400 licences. "No one wants to build a house at the moment. They think it will be blown up if they do," he said.
Since last June, Ahmed, who has a four-year-old son, said his salary had jumped from £11 a day to £165. "But we can't spend the money we're earning at the moment because of the security. That's why I want to see a strong leader in charge again."
He has managed to buy some things though. He recently spent £200 on a car and bought a new wardrobe of Turkish clothes.
His wife, Bam, who has a degree in civil engineering, said: "I dream about what life would be like outside Iraq.
"I want to leave Iraq as soon as possible to live in Dubai. But Ahmed refuses. He says we must stay while Iraq needs him."
Dalal, the mother, a 51-year-old teacher at Baghdad School for Girls who also instructs new teachers in western teaching methods, said: "The girls in my class talk and shout a lot more than they used to.
"I think it's good for them so long as they're all shouting about the same thing."
She said that several of her pupils had been kidnapped for ransom over the past few months.
"It's been a tough time but we'll get by so long as we work together," she said.
For her husband, Mohammed, a retired brigadier with the Iraqi army, the past year has been spent sitting on his couch watching his new satellite television. He retired from the army in 1991 but, as a healthy 60-year-old he says he would be happy to serve in the new Iraqi army.
He asked: "No one has approached me, so what am I to do? This country has been ruined by the violence. I don't see very much hope for the future."
His family said he had not visited his local army recruitment centre yet. "We would like him to get out more," said Dalal.
Dania is the only one in the family who wants the Americans to stay. She has just graduated in computer sciences and wants to get a job with an American company.
"They pay very well and are very nice to women," she said. "I shall be sad to see them go."
As the family sat debating the future of Iraq, they were well aware that under Saddam they would not have been able to talk so freely. But, they say, there is only so much value they can attach to words.
"We love being able to talk but when are we going to see a democratic government that will give us hope?" asked Sarmad.
This reporter is working OT to spin the handover as a bad thing.
These two statements paint an interesting picture. I've got an idea!
Hey!
Why don't you get off your ass, quit staring at the TV and LOOK for a democratic government that will give you hope!!!!! Hmm?
Do the Iraqis know that car-jackings, abductions and murders are all-too-common occurences right here in the ol' USA?
We have "security problems" in every major city in the country. Although these problems are not generrally coordinated nor political, they are nonetheless frightening and tragic. Anyone who lives in or near a large city knows there are dangerous places where you don't linger (especially at night)
"I want to leave Iraq as soon as possible to live in Dubai."
Yeah - who wouldn't want to live in Dubai? From what I've learned, it is a beautiful and lavish city.
Yup, the leftist media was highly inconvenienced by the acceleration of the turnover. They hadn't planned to run their dismal prediction pieces until July 1.
I just read 3 Iraqi blogs that are optimistic, courageous and hopeful even after acknowleging the difficulties that lie ahead. And all three give big thanks for Bush, Blair and the coalition.
Prairie
I made the mistake of trying to debate the Accelerated Turnover with some DU'ers. They called me "a**hole" and then had my posting privelege revoked. Which is weird because they are the ones who used vulgarity. All I did was ask them to explain "How is this not good news?"
So, I've learned the hard way: DU is an echo chamber and any dissension is censored. They can't even debate!
Very interesting. Sounds like the contractor saw up close and personal the relationship that al Jazeera has with AQ. And it's not just Arab media, AFP was summoned to photograph at least one attack that I've read about.
I hadn't thought about the Arab press being discombobulated by the turnover acceleration. Very interesing indeed.
Prairie
It's a cesspool over at the DUmp. I've read from others exactly as you describe though, censorship of anything that veers off the party lines.
I never go over there. Don't want to get warts.
Prairie
But good news is welcome.
"All Bush did was install yet another dictatorship in the middle east."
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