'Embedded
Dancers?' Was That Another
PR Masterpiece?
Cathy Breen, Iraq Peace Team
10 April 2003
Dear Friends,
What to tell
you, I feel so anguished. It seems as though a corner has been turned.
This morning as someone from our group was on their balcony listening
to BBC, others of us were positioned on the other side of the hotel
looking at the Jumhurriya bridge about 1 or 1 1/2 miles away. The streets
in this area were pretty much deserted with the exception of an occasional
car.
As we watched
we were hearing on BBC that US led coalition tanks were crossing the
bridge. We could see and hear explosions around us, but also there was
smoke from explosions and artillery fire near the bridge; planes overhead
and bombs dropping all around. Suddenly there was a great explosion
and we were able to see smoke from a corner of the Palestine hotel across
the way. It had been hit. This is where all of the press people in Baghdad
are staying. I later heard that someone from Reuters had been hit.
There is a deep
sadness overshadowing all of this. When I asked an Iraqi friend about
his family, if they were well, he answered me in a voice filled with
a deep sadness and resignation. "It is my country, it is my country!"
He went on to say that he hopes there will not be civil war. This is
something everyone here fears now.
After our conversation
I began to separate a large and weighty package of dense dates into
smaller plastic bags, thinking folks here would be glad to have them.
Even the few vegetable stores will be closed after today I heard, and
there will be no possibility to get fresh vegetables. It was a task
that I welcomed, slow and methodical, allowing my thoughts to settle.
I realized more
clearly than ever before, there are no victors in this war. There are
no victors. Just senseless death and killing on both sides. Grieving
families left to pick up the pieces. My thoughts were suddenly interrupted
by two great explosions, and I left the dates to run downstairs to see
what had happened.
To my surprise,
Mr. Bush was on the TV giving an address from the Oval office I believe.
It was very difficult to follow his words as it was being translated
into Arabic. There is no electricity presently as the hotel's large
generator broke down yesterday. However there is a small generator downstairs
that permitted this television transmission. I sat down to listen surrounded
by Iraqi friends. No one spoke. After struggling for a time to understand
what was being said, I finally stood to leave when I heard Mr. Bush
speak about having a "vision for peace."
I was sitting
in view of a soft-spoken elderly Iraqi gentleman with whom I've had
an occasional conversation. As I watched the dignity with which he held
himself, my heart broke. I can only imagine what it must be like for
countless Iraqis to be subjected now to an occupation of their proud
country by a foreign power, especially one that has so ruthlessly bombed
and continues to bomb and destroy their proud country. Now they will
be faced with watching their country's oil and resources be divided
up, and with possible civil war.
Last night I
heard that the U.S. military is bringing not only embedded press with
them when they enter, but also 3,000 Iraqis who very well might become
"embedded dancers" frolicking in the streets to demonstrate
how jubilant Iraqis are to be "liberated." Should this happen,
we only hope that there will be a few journalist who will document the
truth. The feeling here is anything but joyous and jubilant.
Last night in
my journal I wrote, "How could either of our countries allow so
much power to be given to one person?" I was thinking of the respective
leaders of each country. I place the greater burden on the U.S. because
we claim to have a democracy. Again I will say with such a heaviness
of heart, there will be no victors in this war. Tragically we in the
states have forced this war on the Iraqi people, a people who only want
peace. Dear God, I don't know how I'll bear it if we in the States now
take on a triumphal attitude and declare ourselves victors and liberators
of the Iraqi people.
I hope you are
all well, as well as can be expected. I think we are all in the same
boat.
Much love to
you all. Please God this will get off to you.
Love Cathy