Last Tuesday was one of the most frightful days in my life.

I was 115 miles away from my family sharing my uncle’s family their sorrow for losing my uncle who died last Sunday. It was the second day of the funeral when I heard about the bloody explosions in Baghdad. More than 20 explosions swept the capital killing dozens of innocent  people less than 24 hours after the bloody attack that targeted the Lady of Salvation Church in downtown Baghdad. I called my wife to check about the situation in my neighborhood when she said “ we are not really good because there is a car bomb only few meters from our house." I was shocked by the news and could not believe it for a while. My first reaction was a very big (WHAT). She confirmed the news adding “our neighbor’s young son saw the car near their house. He asked all the neighbors about it and no one could recognize the car. His curiosity pushed him to check the car. He laid down under the car. He saw a blinking green light. He shouted “car bomb” and run and told the security forces.”

At that point, the images of the bloody explosions that I covered during my seven years of work came to my mind. I started giving her some safety instructions. She told me that my brother gathered all the family in the rare rooms which is the safest. While I was talking to my wife, I heard the sound of shooting and when I checked with her, she told me that the police forces evacuated all the houses near the car bomb and they prevented people from coming closer by shooting in the air.

More than  two hours of horror passed. I prayed to God for my family and my neighbors.After long suffering, my wife called and told me the good news. The experts defused the car. They found Different kinds of explosives including C4 and TNT.  My brother talked to the police patrol which was near our house. A lieutenant told him that the explosives in the car were enough to destroy seven to ten houses.

The incident was one more evidence that the security procedures conducted by the Iraqi security authorities are not the reason for saving our lives. Its only God mercy saved my family and all the innocent people in my country. I’m sure the car bomb didn’t fall from the sky. Someone drove the car from somewhere in Baghdad and passed through many security checkpoint. All the checkpoint use the detecting devices but these devices can detect shampoo, dishes washing liquids, oil and perfumes but not explosives.

The 2^nd of  November was not the first bloody day in Iraq and although I pray it would be the last but I am afraid it’s not. Positions and power are the main concern and the at the top of the politicians’ priorities  while Iraqis’ safety is the very bottom of their schedule. This is why we don’t trust the politicians and the political parties but IN GOD AND ONLY GOD WE TRUST