Seven Questions
And Answers
With Dahr Jamail
By Brian Dominick
24 June, 2004
The New Standard
The
other night, I sent Dahr Jamail a batch of seven questions, culled from
the first several dozen emails his readers sent in response to my recent
appeal for letters. I sent the originals along as well. Dahr is reading
them all and doing his best to reply to those which requested a response.
Here is the first
set of questions and answers...
Q: It seems obvious
that at least some of the "mujahideen" are causing as much
damage to Iraq as they are to the occupiers; maybe more. I desperately
want to be able to support some group or movement in Iraq. Am I missing
something, or is no one -- including the resistance -- worth rooting
for?
Referring to the
mujahideen as one group is a misnomer. They are comprised of numerous
factions, many of which loathe one another. Their bombs (IEDs) continue
to kill Iraqi civilians on a regular basis... yet, overall, they are
responsible for far fewer civilian deaths than the US military, which
has killed at the very least 10,000, including the invasion and occupation.
If you want to support
a group in Iraq, I suggest the Red Crescent Society or Doctors without
Borders -- they both do very good work here for the Iraqi people. I
suggest avoiding any group affiliated with the occupation (CPA). Any
funding or supplies you donate will only be guaranteed to reach Iraqis
directly and timely if you go through the aforementioned aid agencies.
In addition, that way you would help keep the corruption here (which
is rampant) to a minimum.
Q: Is there much bribery or black market trade in day-to-day life;
and if so, how is it affecting people? Has it increased or decreased
since Saddam Hussein left power?
Bribery has decreased
since Saddam has been removed because there is less paperwork and bureaucratic
interference for people needing help, and needing paperwork for identification.
However, this is on the rise again as the US has encouraged the Ministries
to build effective walls inhibiting access to various officials.
As far the black
market, it is alive and well. This has increased very much. And without
it, people would suffer even more. For instance, many medications are
only available on the black market. Oftentimes, patients at hospitals
are asked by doctors to go get the medications/supplies they need from
the black market in order to get proper care, for the hospitals are
unable to obtain what they need from the Ministry of Health.
Also, if it weren't
for black market fuel, those who can afford to purchase it would be
forced to wait 4-6 hours in petrol lines.
Q: How are Iraqis reacting to the recent U.S. missile strike in Fallujah?
Was there a noticable surge in anger, or has the violence become so
constant that it's anger is jus always high, always at a peak?
Most are enraged.
There has been an extremely noticeable surge in anger, on top of the
already high level of violence here. Most Iraqis do not believe that
Zarqawi or his group are in Fallujah, and believe the strike was retribution
for the people of Fallujah effectively ejecting the US military from
the city in April/May. Most Iraqis I've spoken with about it believe
it is yet another war crime committed by the occupiers.
Q: My question regards your ability to witness such suffering and
death and yet maintain psychological balance. I am certain I would be
unable to tolerate for 12 hours the conditions you witness and experiences
for months on end. How do you manage?
Honestly, I have
allowed myself to become a workaholic. Intentionally not giving myself
too much time to think about the atrocities and suffering, because any
time I do I find myself getting very depressed, very fast. However,
I do take time to read books, and laughing at the insanity of it all
with other westerners at my hotel helps to decompress. It is inescapable
here though... for even holing up in the hotel for a rest day I hear
the bombs and gunfire, and friends call with bad news on a regular basis.
Q: Your work is a lifeline for many of us, but I cannot understand
how someone comes to the conclusion that providing information to others
is worth the risks it seems you take, which seem far greater than those
being taken by most other journalists. Why are you willing to put your
life on the line doing the reporting that you are doing?
Thank you for the
kudos. The risks I take are nothing more than those Iraqis face in going
about their daily lives. I believe that witnessing and documenting the
horrendous nature of this brutal occupation is necessary. I believe
the reason the US and British governments are getting away with war
crimes and the looting of Iraq is due to the lack of information being
provided to people back in those countries. I believe if most people
came here and witnessed what I have, they would do the same thing.
Q: I am desperate to believe that the Iraqis do not hate us, Americans,
as people. Do the Iraqi people know that there is a huge percentage
of Americans who oppose the war, and always did? Do they know that many
of us work tirelessly to end the occupation and the ravaging of their
country?
Most Iraqis I speak
with are quick to differentiate between the US government and the citizens
of the US. I make it a point to tell Iraqis, those who do express anti-American
sentiment, that there are millions of Americans who opposed the invasion,
and oppose the occupation, and are working very hard to help this situation.
Most Iraqis blame
the US government, not the people of the US. They are quick to point
out that they remember the worldwide demonstrations against the invasion,
as well as that they believe Mr. Bush was never elected president; thus,
the idea of true democracy existing in the US has been usurped by a
small group.
Q: To what extent is Iraq being "re-Baathified", so to speak?
We see the managerial class, the civil service sector and police chiefs,
army chiefs, former Mokhabarat (secret police) people in key positions.
How is this affecting ordinary people's hopes for a new Iraq?
It is being 're-Baathified'
on many levels -- the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, Iraqi Police, army,
government posts, and many positions in the ministries. Mixed feelings
on this - the response depends on who I talk with. But overall, most
Iraqis are so desperate for security and a return of some type of basic
infrastructure that they are willing to allow this re-Baathification.
I must point out
that most Iraqis were considered Baathists before the invasion, due
to that fact that in order to obtain a decent job, you had to claim
yourself as a member of the Baath Party. So many of these who are being
allowed back into their posts were never 'active' Baath Party members
to begin with.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dahr Jamail is Baghdad
correspondent for The NewStandard. He is an Alaskan devoted to covering
the untold stories from occupied Iraq. You can help Dahr continue his
crucial work in Iraq by making donations. For more information or to
donate to Dahr, visit The
NewStandard.
COPYLEFT NOTICE:
The above message is Copyright © 2004 Dahr Jamail and The NewStandard.
Reprinting for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. Permission
is readily granted for nonprofit purposes as long as (1) adequate credit
is provided, (2) a link back to http://newstandardnews.net/iraqdispatches
is prominently posted along with the text and (3) the journalist's bio
at the end of the text is kept intact.