One Question

Two days ago, I was going back home. I took a taxi. I almost need 30 or 40 minutes to reach home which is a long time. The usual conversation about the daily suffering of Iraqis, we talked about electricity, water and above all, the security situation. Then the man started talking about things I heard for the first time. his suffering was that kind of suffering we see only in the Indian movies.

His 4 years old sweet daughter cannot neither talk not hear because of an explosion happened during Baghdad invasion operations. He said that an Iraqi missile exploded near his house when his daughter was only two or three months old. The explosion caused this sickness. the doctors in Iraq told him that they didn't have the needed equipments for such conditions and he must take her to one of the neighbor countries which would cost him more than 2000 $ which is a fortune for the poor taxi driver. That was not the end.

During the sectarian violence, the man lost his three brothers. he said that they were killed one night when the militia attacked their neighborhood south east Baghdad. He said "I was defending our neighborhood with other young men in another street. I wasn't at home. I saw big light and I heard the voice of huge explosion near my house. I tried to call my brothers but they didn't answer. I called my wife but she didn't say a word, I run quickly with some men to my house and I saw found out that some terrorists are about to break my family house. we killed them all and I entered my house, I found my wife, my mother and my father in a small room. they were really afraid. My wife said that she couldn't say a word because she was scared to death because the terrorists were shouting and swearing at them.

After the fight and loosing my three sons, my parents got seriously sick and this is another suffering added to my continuous one. Now I live in a rented house because we had to leave our house after the insurgents dominated our neighborhood. A week ago I was about to loose my life because I took a body from the morgue to another neighborhood that is also controlled by insurgents. When I reached the area and the family took the body, I left quickly. I found out that I was chased by some gunmen. They stopped me and one of them pointed his gun to my head and asked me to lay down. I knew he wants to kill me. The only thing came to my mind is my poor family, my wife and my two kids, my parents, my dead brothers' wives and their kids. I'm the only sponsor of this big family.

Suddenly a mini bus stopped, a man got down with a gun and talked to the man who was trying to kill me. The first guy said "sir this is the man" and the other guy asked me why I was in their area. I said I'm here because I helped one of your families to get the body of their men to the house. then the man who got down from the minibus told the other gun man to let me go saying " release him, he is just a dog, release him for the sake of GOD" but the man insisted on killing me. the other guy shouted " I told you leave him" and he addressed me "hey you go now go go" the man who tried to killed me threw the keys and the papers of the car away and told me to pick them. I realized that he still insisting on killing me. I held his hand and i kept my eye on him while searching the land with my hand to find my stuff. I could do it and I'm still alive."

This is a short story I heard and I was unable to say anything. I'm sure there are stories which are even worse But only one question came to my mind

We have more than 100000 US soldiers in Iraq and about 300000 Iraqi security forces. What are they doing? Can Mr. Bush or our Prime Minister Mr. Nouri Al Maliki answer my question?

Thanks Allah (GOD) for everything. Im sure he is the one who protects us not the MNF nor the Iraqi troops.

Comments

[pulitzercenter]

David Enderrs, author of Baghdad Bulletin, is a New york based freelance journalist who has spent over 18 months in Iraq in the last four years. On his most recent trip, Enders reports on the growing refugee crisis in Iraq and the effects of the problem on the rest of the region. To read his blog, go to http://pulitzercenter.typepad.com/death_of_a_nation/
and to learn more about other pulitzer center projects, check out www.pulitzercenter.org

[RJ Adams]

No, my friend, the problem is not that the US didn't send enough troops. The problem is that they sent any. There are many in the West who weep for what is happening to Iraq, and the Middle East generally. It is illegal under international law for one nation to interfere militarily in the domestic politics of another without permission. That was the crime, and the Iraqi people are its victims.

[ljm]

Well of course, Laura, there's that. We shouldn't have gone to Iraq in the first place.

[Laura]

No, ljm, the problem all along was the unjustified and unjustifiable U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Thank you, dear journalist, for bringing into focus what is happening to the innocents. And for saying what is true. The U.S. is not protecting the populace. The surge is failing. There is no military solution, and it's time to stop expecting one, and to work for something else.

The U.S. has no credibility any longer, and really can't lead. But we need to admit this and to seek help from others who can mediate and negotiate. Who will speak for the millions who want peace and cooperation? When will those who can speak--in and out of Iraq--do so? And are there ways for others of us to support them?

Throwing up our hands, wringing our hands, these are not useful. But those of us who care need some guidance about meaningful ways to put our hands to work.

[ljm]

Our senate was in session holding a debate on the Iraq war all night. They wanted to pass an ammendment about changing the direction in Iraq and to start working on redeploying US troops. Although the majority voted for the ammendment, it didn't pass, because they have to have 60 votes. The Republicans wouldn't let them pass it with a simple vote.

I've read that to secure a city the size of Baghdad, it would take many many more troops than are there now. That was the problem all along. The US didn't send enough troops to secure Iraq.