By Nesreen Melek
Monday, Sep 21, 2009
Courtesy Of Axis Of Logic
When people around the world were remembering those who lost their lives on September 11, eight years ago, my thoughts were elsewhere. Memorials were held, speeches were heard, flowers were bought and tears were shed remembering those who never got the chance to say goodbye to their loved ones, who never got the chance to tell their unfinished stories, and who never got the chance to hold their loved ones tight ... to tell them how much they loved them. But my thoughts were with the others on another part of the world.
Iraq's calendar is not the same as the America’s calendar. Since the war started six years ago Iraq's calendar has consisted of one long "September" and the six years have been one long hot day. Iraqis don’t have four seasons; they only have one season ... the “shock and awe season". Bullets fall like rain and bombs are like thunder storms that can occur anytime and in any place.
Iraqis have faced terror every day for 6 long years while people of the U.S. only faced it once - on September 11, 2001. The terrorist who attacked the towers are still at large - just like the terrorists who are still killing the innocent Iraqi people.
The Iraqi’s calendar is marked with one Million Iraqi civilians killed, four million displaced, museums were looted, the infrastructure of the nation destroyed. It is marked by Iraqis raped and tortured in front of their children, children who have lost their parents, women who have lost their husbands and more to come as the invaders are planning to stay for years to come. Apparently, the invaders plan to stay until they drain the Iraq's last drop of oil and even then keep their military bases in Iraq.
Baghdad, beautiful Baghdad, became the city of orphans, widows, and handicapped. The air is polluted, Dijlah is dry, Iraqis aged before their time, agony and pain is what you see on their faces. The unity of the Iraqis and their love to each other were stolen and replaced by walls separating them from each other.
I always wondered if there is any difference between the terror the Americans cause to the Iraqis and the terror which was caused by the people who attacked the towers? Can one form of terror be somehow better than another? Can one be more gentle?
Why do the Americans, killed on September 11, deserve more respect than the Iraqis who have been killed since then and continue to be killed? Everyone is now aware that the Iraqis who are being killed have had nothing to do with the September 11 attacks. Yet, the killing continues in the absurd promises of "democracy and freedom".
In Fallujah, a father buried his son in his back yard as he couldn’t reach the cemetery because the American troops were surrounding the city. Deceased were left on the streets of Baghdad and other cities to be eaten by animals. There are no names for the dead innocent Iraqi people, we don’t have names and we don’t deserve to be remembered.
In my last visit to Baghdad, I wanted to visit my mother’s grave and the graves of my aunt and my father. They all died while I was living in exile but I couldn't visit their graves for security reasons. My relatives wanted to take me there but they could not because they were concerned about their safety and mine. Why do Americans have the right to mourn their deaths and we Iraqis do not?
I will never forget a picture of deceased bodies which were stacked in the back of a truck. All were the bodies of children. The Americans bombed their house while they were sleeping. Surely a family member was looking at Him, maybe asking Him, "Why should children pay the price?"
I hope I will live long enough to watch the Iraqi calendar become like the American’s calendar. I hope I will live long enough to see Iraqis smile again and live like others. I hope I will one day be able to plant a Jasmine flower beside my mother's grave in her memory and the memory of all the Iraqi mothers who suffered during this invasion and occupation. Do you think I am asking too much?
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