It was about 9 am when I reached one of the most crowded areas near one of the main bus stations in Baghdad. Our mini bus was stuck in the crazy traffic jam.
During our 10 minutes waiting to pass the intersection, I saw a US army convoy, four Humvee vehicles and two 4wheel drive cars among them. OMG, Not again. Everybody was watching the convoy carefully praying so hard that they pass over peacefully. While we were watching, one of the passengers turned back and suddenly he said “death in front, death behind”.
Everybody said “what is wrong with you?” and he said “look what is coming from behind”. I turned back and I saw another US army convoy of four big green tanks, I think it’s the type that is called the striker tanks. It was the longest ten minutes I ever lived.
24 eyes of the 12 men in the minibus were watching every single movement very carefully. The first convoy which was coming from the other side passed and the first reaction came from the old man who was sitting beside me who said “Al Hamdu Li Allah = Thanks God.”
But a young guy answered him quickly “wait until the second convoy passes. The other convoy of the tanks went through the wrong side and the traffic police did his best to open the way to them. When they passed, the young man said “now we can say Al Hamdu Li Allah”
.For myself, I was thinking about the incident of Al Nosoor square and the scene of the shooting and the bullets that tore the bodies of the innocent people came to my mind. I imagined the shouts of the woman whose son was killed in the same car with her. I saw the wreck of the car few days after the incident. I also remembered the tears of the old man that we met who lost his wife in the incident
.I don’t how long we will live with these daily fears.
I am so sorry for people like Brad who condone the invasion and destruction of Iraq and the deaths of more than million of it's people and the death and maiming of US soldiers. All based on proven and known lies.
The thing to remember about the Brads of the world is they lack the basic human trait called compassion.
Pity.
Posted by: Sammy | October 25, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Most veinpopping Leftists have long abandoned the "war for oil" lie. This blog reminds me of the old German woman I met years ago who reminisced about how peaceful and orderly things were in pre-war Nazi Germany, and how terrible it was when Russians and Americans destroyed her country and killed her relatives. Yep, I guess it's so easy to erase from memory mass graves holding hundreds of thousands of Iraqis murdered by Saddam Hussein, or the 5000 Iraqi children who died every month from lack of medicine due to Saddam's military build-up. So easy to be shortsighted and myopic when it fits one's political agenda.
Posted by: Brad | October 25, 2007 at 07:51 PM
The presence of US military in Iraq was never there to provide protection for the Iraqi people. They are there to provide protection for the western corporations that want to make an obscene pile of money off of Iraqi oil. And any American who ever thought otherwise is a silly stupid fool.
I am so sorry that I could not stop this illegal war of aggression, this huge, huge EVIL by my country. I really tried.
Posted by: Susan | October 18, 2007 at 07:53 PM
Iraqi Trade Unions need our backing on this -
http://threescoreyearsandten.blogspot.com/2007/10/key-opening-for-iraqs-trade-unions.html
Posted by: Harry Barnes | October 18, 2007 at 05:04 PM
I am thankful that you and your companions were safe--this time. And still the madness goes on and on. Bombs blowing up civilian bystanders; soldiers killing innocents; mercenaries shooting ordinary Iraqi citizens. This link is to a story about 3 such people shot today--one of the women is a journalist: http://gorillasguides.com/2007/10/18/اصوات-العراق-في-الحادث-الرابع-خلال-شهر/#more-2064. Thank you for all you do to help us understand life in Iraq. May you stay safe.
Posted by: Laura | October 18, 2007 at 03:27 PM
I thought that US presence would provide some sort of protection, but it sounds as thought it does not.
Posted by: Barb | October 18, 2007 at 12:22 PM
this fears moments become very normal and part of our daily program or you are not in iraq i remember once when their cars pass through the street all iraqi cars stopped on the side of the way and one of them is our car and you know the speed of thier cars is so slow . at this moment you may be victom for bombing somthing that planted for them(you and your luck)all of this not important in order to keep safty to US army and to pass without any diffculties 'their safty it`s at the first'
Posted by: noor | October 18, 2007 at 11:46 AM
The first US brigade is to come out of Iraq by the end of the year. I wish it were more.
Posted by: ljm | October 18, 2007 at 08:29 AM