Explosion in Baghdad
Two explosions ripped through an area in Jaderia in Baghdad. It occurred around 8 AM, Nov. 18th.
Their goal was probably the five hotels in the area, where many foreign journalists are staying.
The result was that 8 Iraqis were killed: children, women and men living in the surrounding apartment blocks. In addition 40 people were injured and their homes were in some cases totally destroyed. So they had to leave everything and find lodging with friends and family.
The government does not help, nor does the US army.
One woman, umm Muhammad, said that her family had lost everything. Their home had cost them 10000 dollars.
---Where are we going to live no? This is all Bush's fault she said, weeping.
Another resident said:
--- We have asked the security company to extend the safety barrier, so that our houses would be protected as well. But they refused and said that we were safe.
The resident clearly was right. Because the car bombs that exploded could not get through the barrier and exploded right in front of the apartment blocks. So they had to take all the impact. The hotels that all were inside the barrier, only sustained superficial damages, whereas the residential buildings sustained serious damages. In one case, a building collapsed and some of its residents were trapped beneath the rubble, and had to be dug out. This is were most of the people died!
However, I saw the rescuers carrying out one man whom they had been able to dig out from the underground.
Journalists who normally barely observe and write about these tragedies were for once able to experience it firsthand and perhaps able to empatize with the so badly afflicted Iraqi people.
They are ready, so ready!
Back in Baghdad after a relaxing and enjoyable couple of weeks with family in Basrah. It so easy to forget about the ongoing war and the hardships of every day here in Baghdad. Because the difference between Basrah and Baghdad is like night and day.
Just a couple of hours after my arrival, I am confronted with the realities of Baghdad and the realities of being in a city that is under siege:
My driver (Amer) and I are driving through one of the hot-spots in Baghdad, Al-Adhamiya. The city is dark, apart from the lights of the cars and some shops that are still open.
Just before the college, there is a check point. The Iraqi National Guards that are manning it are busy pulling cars over and searching them. We are pulled over as well.
One of the soldiers asks for our id:s.
I am pulled out by the squad-leader: Where is your badge? Where is your badge, he asks ?
I start going through my bag, looking for it. The thing is when you are driving in Baghdad you do not want to be found with a press card issued by the Americans. So you hide it, and since I was coming from Basrah and was planning on just going straight to the hotel anyway. No need for my badge.
The soldier gets more agitated.
Three rounds are fired next to our car. People start running and yelling. I get nervous. Drop my stuff. Are we under attack? I look at Amer. His face is red. He is steaming.
I glance at the soldier standing outside our car, on the driver's side. On the soldier's finger is his kalashnikov doing a balancing-act as he is going through Amer's documents. The problem is that he has put his rifle barrel down and his finger on the trigger.
We could all have killed! These are the guys that the US has trained that are supposedly ready to establish law and order in Iraq! God have mercy upon us!
The squad leader runs over to the other side where the incident just happened.
--- Iraqi or Arab, he asks my driver?
--- Arab, he answers.
---You are Iraqi. You have an Iraqi passport. How can you say, Arab, the soldier yells ?
--- Are we not Arabs? Are we Iranians or something, Amer replies?
There is definitely an identity-crisis going on in Iraq right now.
What are Iraqis? Who is Iraqi? And where are they going?
