.. And why I will not (Iraqis To Protestors: "Not In Our Name")

Guardian ^

[MaineVoter2002]

Iraqi People To Protestors: "Not In Our Name!"

After your march, when you return to your cosy little house basking in a warm self-congratulatory glow at the thought of a job well done, perhaps you'd spare a minute or two to pen a letter to Dr Khalaf [see below] and explain to him why his fellow Iraqis should be left at the mercy of Saddam. I'm sure he'd appreciate it, he might even forward them to his relatives who are still in Iraq - I'm sure they'd be interested in your expert views.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/letters/story/0,3604,895397,00.html Dr B Khalaf

Friday February 14, 2003

The Guardian

I write this to protest against all those people who oppose the war against Saddam Hussein, or as they call it, the "war against Iraq". I am an Iraqi doctor, I worked in the Iraqi army for six years during Iraq-Iran war and four months during Gulf war. All my family still live in Iraq. I am an Arab Sunni, not Kurdish or Shia. I am an ordinary Iraqi not involved with the Iraqi opposition outside Iraq. I am so frustrated by the appalling views of most of the British people, media and politicians. I want to say to all these people who are against the possible war, that if you think by doing so you are serving the interests of Iraqi people or saving them, you are not. You are effectively saving Saddam. You are depriving the Iraqi people of probably their last real chance get rid of him and to get out of this dark era in their history. My family and almost all Iraqi families will feel hurt and anger when Saddam's media shows on the TV, with great happiness, parts of Saturday's demonstration in London. But where were you when thousands of Iraqi people were killed by Saddam's forces at the end of the Gulf war to crush the uprising? Only now when the war is to reach Saddam has everybody become so concerned about the human life in Iraq. Where were you while Saddam has been killing thousands of Iraqis since the early 70s? And where are you are now, given that every week he executes people through the "court of revolution", a summary secret court run by the secret security office. Most of its sentences are executions which Saddam himself signs. I could argue one by one against your reasons for opposing this war. But just ask yourselves why, out of about 500,000 Iraqis in Britain, you will not find even 1,000 of them participating tomorrow? Your anti-war campaign has become mass hysteria and you are no longer able to see things properly. Locum consultant neurologist, London

[snippy_about_it]

ping

[CedarDave]

Worth repeating...

I am so frustrated by the appalling views of most of the British people, media and politicians. I want to say to all these people who are against the possible war, that if you think by doing so you are serving the interests of Iraqi people or saving them, you are not. You are effectively saving Saddam. You are depriving the Iraqi people of probably their last real chance get rid of him and to get out of this dark era in their history.

[Brad’s Gramma]

ping

[Rain-maker]

I didn't see any peacenuts' posters say, "Save Saddam".

Wonder why they don't display the truth?

[tomahawk]

It's nice to see the Guardian publishes the truth occasionally.

[Republic of Texas]

I'd like to see more of this. I bet there are many who feel this way, but the media ignores them.

[SeenTheLight]

This is truly inspiring! I wish we could have linked up with some domestic pro-war Iraqi groups for our counter-protest tomorrow in SF. Maybe next time, 'cause there will be a next time...

[Centurion2000]

bump

[fight_truth_decay]

We need more stories presented like yours.

I too listened today (NPR) as an Iraqi in the US called for the US Government and Britian to go into Iraq and liberate the Iraqi people. "It is their only hope for freedom," he replied.

This reminds me of the Cubans in the US speaking out against Castro. However, their voices are lost and replaced by the Rathers of this country.

[elhombrelibre]

Outstanding letter and a consideration usually missed. Instead we see the selfish and self-centered pious know-nothings that promenade for the cameras but won't lift a finger against Saddam.

[Semper911]

All my family still live in Iraq.

Not for long, I suspect. Brave fellow. If only the peacenics had a clue about the horrors of Saddam and the misery in Iraq.

[moodyskeptic]

You are uncovering a truth about the Peace Movement, one we Freepers knew all along: their only enemy is Republicans, not terrorists, tyrants, butchers or fascists. These thay can live with, Rebublicans in power they cannot.

[Semper911]

their only enemy is Republicans

Where were they when Clinton was lobbing cruise missles? I recall no such protests.

[elhombrelibre]

In fairness to the peace nicks, they knew he never meant Saddam any harm. So they didn't bother protesting.

[MonroeDNA]

The enemy of peaceniks is the free market.

They are all control freaks, every last one of them. They hate the idea of people thinking for themselves, and being left alone to make their own decisions.

They want governments to decide everything, and to think for them.

I despise these socialist/communist/democrat cowards.

They are all the same.

[Republican Party Reptile]

Where were they when Clinton was lobbing cruise missles? I recall no such protests.

Well, to be fair, there were many such protests by the usual suspects against Clinton's actions when his adm. bombed Serbia, Sudan etc., but just not on the same scale.

[concerned about politics]

Your anti-war campaign has become mass hysteria and you are no longer able to see things properly

Good point. No Iraq groups are joining their anti-freedom rallys. Just the communists, socialists, Jew haters and muslim extremists.

[rintense]

Oh geez. This is obviously a creation of the US CIA. /sarcasm

[metalboy]

What? The only protests I could find when the rapist was in office was when the Chinese Embassy was accidentally bombed.....http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9905/09/kosovo.01

I`m still looking for more, but believe me, there ain`t much