Freedom for Iraq!!!
What I have just witnessed on TV may perhaps be the most moving and soul-lifting images imaginable. A group of Marines, live on BBC 1, and a crowd of Iraqis pulled down a massive statue of Saddam Hussein, one right in the middle of Baghdad. Baghdadis scrambled around chanting "Death to saddam!!" and other anti-government slogans and after teetering on by its legs (Saddam had evidently built his statues with added leg support to stop just this sort of rejoicing haha) it fell. There was a massive rush of Iraqis who ran to jump up and down on the effigy of a man who had brutally opressed, tortured and killed their fellow Iraqis. It was perhaps the most beautiful sight of my week, which as Mr Bush (as man who's words often seem contrived and emptied) said, demonstrated that "The thirst for freedom is unquenchable".
There was a man in the studio who's name escapes me who is a writer and former UN ambassador, an Iraqi exile for 15 years. He could hardly speak for his voice was choked and there were tears in his eyes. As soon as word gets round to the rest of baghdad there will be some major celebrations. It is truly a glorious day for the Iraqi people who have finally been removed from the crushing oppression of a vile and barbarous regime.
To think all this would not be happening is those 1 million people who marched in London had had their way. I should not be this bitter but to be honest I can see a lot of regret in their conscience as they think about the fact that if they had succeeded this would never have happened. That the Iraqi people would have carried on their days till their eventual death or disappearance under the constant malaise of Saddam Hussein.
The Iraqi people have snatched liberty from the oppressive hands of their dictator thanks to the military intervention of coallition forces. No more will be passed through plsatic shredders, have their family raped in front of them, be forced to appluad the execution of their loved ones or wake up each day to the soul crushing realization that any attempt to change the state of affairs would result in the certain destruction of themselves and their loved ones.
On this day I rejoice with the baghdadi people and the Iraqi people as a whole. My friend Ranj is probably making plans with his family for a vacation to see those they left behind when they fled.
erk this is posted a bit late (infact WAAAY to late, one whole day almost) thanks to what I assume is about 4,000,000 people also posting their views on the news :D
Posted by John Swaine at April 9, 2003 11:02 PM