Iraq 10 Years Later

10 Years later

Photo from AP

Iraq is still facing a brutal civil war based on ethnic and religious differences fanned by Anglo-American occupation forces
Iraqis do not feel secure in their own homes or streets even among neighbors who are considered life long friends
Iraqi women have seen their rights, freedom and equality in society (Iraqi women enjoyed more equality with men than women in most neighboring countries, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, etc) reduced significantly since 2003.
-Compared to its neighbors, Iraq like Iran holds the record for the highest number of women enrolled in universities, working outside the home and the highest levels of education in society. Making Iraqi society even under Saddam Hussein one of the most literate and semi-equal in countries in the region.
-Baghdad has a long history dating back centuries of being a center of education
More than 1 million Iraqi civilians have been killed since the invasion of Iraq
-Iraqi children have had their childhoods and education cut short and ended by the violence they and their parents have witnessed across the country both the major cities and villages as well
Children in Fallujah are still being born with deformities and experiencing high levels of cancer, leukemia from depleted Uranium bombs, white phosphorous and other poisonous chemicals used in the Bombing of Fallujah
-In addition to PTSD, many children and adults have witnessed or experienced torture in prisons, long detainment and raids on their homes and neighborhoods by occupation forces and Iraqi troops
-Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and President George W. Bush Jr. along with other high officials in Bush-Blair governments have not been tried for war crime and violation of international law.
It is a proven fact that Iraq had no WMDs in 2003
-Nor did Iraqis have any links to 9/11 Hijackers nor was Saddam responsible for instructions
Stolen Iraqi art and artifacts part of the Cradle of Civilization Mesopotamia have not been returned to the country or accounted for by international heritage and art preservation organizations
Nor did American occupation troops made an attempt to stop the 2003 looting of Mesopotamian arts
It is now established that Iraq served as the pretext and foreshadowed the current wars in Libya, Syria, Palestine, Pakistan drone attacks, Mali
-The language used to regime change in Mali and elsewhere follows the similar statements used against the Iraqi government such as "He is killing his own people," "The people want freedom and are tired of this tyrant," "The country needs to building democratic institutions and respect the rule of law," "The war is leading to a sectarian bloodbath," etc.
-The critics of the Iraq war who originally said the war was a lie, a mistake and based on deception were speaking the truth
Iraqi American Raed Jarrar: "We've lost our country"
Jarrar charts his family story of how the war separated his mixed Shia-Sunni family and made his country unrecognizable from his childhood and pre war days and disappearance of a national Iraqi identity since 2003.
Once Upon A Time in Baghdad