rense.com

Iraq - 'This Is Not A Life'

By Dahr Jamail
1-11-5
 
Already today at least 18 Iraqis have died as violence continues to escalate as the so-called elections approach.
 
Suicide car bombers are striking Iraqi Police (IP) stations on nearly a daily basis now.
 
Today's target was in Tikrit, where U.S. military spokesman Major Neal O'Brien said six were killed when the police headquarters was bombed.
 
He also said, "As the Iraqi police continue to get stronger, and continue to pose a threat to the insurgents and terrorists, they will be targeted."
 
Most Iraqis I've spoken with appear to disagree with Mr. O'Brien.
 
"The Iraqi Police are puppets of the Americans," says Abdulla Khassim, an Iraqi man selling vegetables in central Baghdad, "Who can respect them when they are so ashamed themselves many of them wear masks to hide their faces."
 
Of course the IP's who wear the face masks do so for their own security, and that of their families. As anyone seen as a collaborator with the occupiers is immediately subject to attacks by the resistance, as are their families. Many of the Iraqi National Guard, which has now been folded into the Iraqi Army, wear black face masks as well for the same reason.
 
"Nobody respects them because they obviously cannot provide the security," Abu Talat tells me as we drive past a truck with two IP's in it in front of a closed gas station today.
 
During my last trip, I interviewed several IP's who complained of lack of weapons, radios and vehicles from the occupation forces. Their complaints were centered on the fact that the resistance had better weapons than the police.
 
Later in my room we watched a press conference on the television with the so-called interim prime minister Iyad Allawi. A journalist asked him if it was true that the cell phone service would be cut on the 15th of this month because of the upcoming "elections."
 
He dodged the questiondeferring it to the ministry of defense. The same ministry of defense who yesterday announced that the Iraqi Army was 50,000 troops and hoped that it would be increased to 70,000. Just today Allawi announced that it was comprised of 100,000 troops.
 
Of course the gas crisis continues to worsen. Most of the stations in Baghdad are closed.
Rather than cars filling their tanks, strands of razor wire and empty fuel tanker trucks sit in many of them.
 
Ugly reminders of the lack of reconstruction about in Baghdad, like this building that was destroyed during the invasion.
 
Iraqis are reminded daily of the 70% unemployment with the gas shortage driving the costs of everything through the roof. Even petrol is 1000 Iraq Dinars (ID) per liter on the black market, which unless you are willing to endure 12-24 hours waiting in a line, is the only way to get your tank filled.
 
When I was in Iraq one month ago it was 300 ID per liter. Imagine what you would do if in your country you had 70% unemployment, were without a job, and the cost of fuel rose 333% in one month, thus driving the costs of everything from food to heating oil up?
 
Speaking of the gas crisis, this morning a pipeline between Kirkuk and the Beji refinery was exploded, and several lines southwest of Kirkuk were also destroyed.
 
In central Samarra today a car bomb detonated as a US convoy was passing, but no word from the military on casualties, which means there probably were some. A second bomb detonated shortly thereafter, killing at least one Iraqi soldier and a civilian.
 
Also, a roadside bomb intended for a US convoy near Yusufiyah missed and struck a mini-bus, killing 8 Iraqis and wounding three others. For unknown reasons the mini-bus was then attacked by gunmen, who kidnapped three Iraqis.
 
Keep in mind that Yusufiyah, just south of Baghdad and in the "triangle of death" was recently the scene of large scale US/UK military operations to rid the area of resistance fighters. Looks like those operations were about as successful as Fallujah, were fighting also continues on a near daily basis.
 
Driving through Baghdad today, en route to an interview, we are once again spending most of the time sitting in traffic. At most intersections, women and children begging for dinars walk between cars with their hands outpleading.
 
Abu Talat fumbles in his pocket for some dinars while an old man pleading for God to help him stands at the car window.
 
Holding a cane, he is blessing Abu Talat repeatedly for his kindness as he is handed some money.
 
"Look at what has become of Baghdad Dahr," he tells me as the traffic finally begins to inch forward again, "All of us are suffering now. This is not a life."
 
_______________
 
 
More writing, photos and commentary at http://dahrjamailiraq.com
 
You are subscribed to the Dahr Jamail's email Iraq Dispatches because you requested a subscription at some point.
 
You can visit http://dahrjamailiraq.com/email_list/ to subscribe or unsubscribe to the email list.
 
Or, you can unsubscribe by sending an email to iraq_dispatches-request@dahrjamailiraq.com and write unsubscribe in the subject or the body of the email.
 
(c)2004 Dahr Jamail.
 
All images and text are protected by United States and international copyright law. If you would like to reprint Dahr's Dispatches on the web, you need to include this copyright notice and a prominent link to the DahrJamailIraq.com website. Any other use of images and text including, but not limited to, reproduction, use on another website, copying and printing requires the permission of Dahr Jamail. Of course, feel free to forward Dahr's dispatches via email.

Disclaimer






MainPage
http://www.rense.com


This Site Served by TheHostPros