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The Future of Iraq

As many of you may know I am a person who loves to talk about leadership, skills and etc. Robyn insisted that I created a post regarding my employment. I’m sure many of you are wondering what type of job that I had. Well, I served as junior facilitator to this organization called World Learning contracts with the School for International Training to provide international youth exchanges. This organization with the help of the U.S. Department of State and fund youth leadership programs. This program brings youth from a country and allows them to utilize, enhance, and learn their leadership skills. For the months of July-August, the program brought youths from different regions in Iraq.

I can remember as if it was yesterday when all of the students arrived completely tired from their long flight from Turkey and a 6 hour drive from New York to their destination. In the dark of night, I met the students who I would be living with for the next week or so. Although they were completely exhausted from traveling for such a long time the students had a smile upon their faces anxious for what the next day would bring. I may have been highly excited with “pre-program jitters” because I was unable to get to sleep until 3am. Surprisingly, I got up fairly early and met the students who I would be training. They seemed unbelievably fun and ready to learn.

I then accompanied them to their first workshop which featured a series of circles (we love circles since they are inclusive 8-) and teambuilding activities. I watched in sheer amazement as the students came together with their American counterparts to engage in laughter, joy, and loads of positive energy eager to meet each other. As I watched the students come together there was not any type of anger or hatred among any of the students. In fact, they were engaging in some of the healthiest conversations that I have seen in years. I must tell you that Benjamin Franklin’s quote: “Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear” applies to this situation. It was then that I knew the American media had sadly let its viewers down by portraying Iraq as some war torn country that hates America, which in fact it is trying to rebuild itself despite such negative stereotypes.

The students here were some of the brightest students I have ever seen with English proficiencies that sounded as if they were native speakers. I watched as students different cities, countries, shapes, sizes, colors, and religions came together to unite and become leaders. They were all eager to learn and discuss their past interests and their future dreams. Unfortunately, time progressed and the week flew by filled with experiences that many of us will never forget from drumming, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, ice cream, songs, campfires to public speaking, environmental issues, equal rights, and etc. Each day was filled with cross-cultural communication. Each day was life changing.

This experience reaffirmed in me as to why Robyn and I created “Breaking Perceptions” which is to “Educate. Challenge. Change. Unite.” Upon the departure day at an airport where they went to their different cities to continue the program, I could not help but think about the future of Iraq. I can safely say that the future of Iraq is very bright!

~Cortez Alexander

Today's Celebrations April 17th!

Today is...

FAO Day in Iraq

Independence Day in Cambodia and Syria

Battle Scarred

150,000 british men and women have been to war serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many are young and can be sent to the front line at the beginning of their careers. Many are living with the consequences of serving their country. This documentary loks at the hiden cost of war for the soldiers and their families.

Pte David Forshaw was a paratrooper that served two 6 month tours in Iraq. His mother said that 'he was a born soldier' and loved to be out there. As a teenager Dave was passionate about joining the army. He did not die in Iraq. He died in a car park in South London after he killed himself by inhaling petrol fumes. His family said he had trouble adjusting when he came back and didn't really talk about it. On his second tour he nearly died as his vehicle was hit by a road side bomb when he was in the driver seat.His brother and fellow soldier, Rob Forshaw was also in the vehicle and was injured. Because of his injuries, he was sent to a psychiatrist who helped me through the situation and made him feel better about it all. However Rob says that it was stupid not to do the same for the others, including, Dave, that had been uninjured. After their vehicle had been bombed they were soon sent back to work and 'that would take its toll on anyone because someone has just tried to kill you'.David's landlady said that when he came back, he started doing anotherjob but 'it just wasn't him' and 'he completely lost interest' and when he came back he had to go back to the 'mundane' and had 'no purpose or meaning'.A suicide letter was found in his bedroom and David's severe dyslexia meant it would have taken him months to write. In the letter he requested a st.georges flag be put over his coffin and his mother asked the army if he could be buried in his uniform and if they would send a wreath. They said no to the flag and uniform but sent a wreath. His mother thinks they discarded him because he had taken his own life.

Spr Martin Lindley is 22 and did a tour in Afghanistan in 2007. He was an engineer whose main job was to blow stuff up. Now discharged from the army, he is unemployed and ifnidng life a struggle. he says that when he got back he started dinking a lot more, mainly a litre of vodka a night. He gives the reasons as being that cant sleep at night because he's become paranoid by noises and he uses the alcohol to help him sleep. When he was out in Afghanistan he always had a kife with him and he does now he's back because he doesnt feel safe anymore. He and many of his friends recorded different moments of their tour with their camera phones. Martin has pictures of the 'nice views' and the Afghan people he met that he said were 'really nice and friendly' and then some more disturbing images like dead children, decapitated people and beaten prisoners.One of the first and most frequent operations Martin and his team went out on was to walk the streets and wait for someone to shoot at them and they would then try to spot who shot at them and kill them. They did this twice a day. To help hom readjust after the war, the MOD (Ministry of Defence) sent soldiers, including Martin, to Cyprus and told them to 'get pissed and fight' just to get it out of their system. Then they came back to the UK and play sports and drink for 2 weeks. When he came back from his 6 month tour, he accidentally took back ammunition, which is illegal and lead to him spending 9 months in an army prison and is now discharged. Martin's mother said he had been enjoying life but when he came back from Afghanistan he had really changed.She said that she thought they should all get counselling when they come back because they are trained to kill and then expected to come back and be OK. Although counselling is avaliable if the soldiers ask for it, very few do ask for it because it suggests that they are incapable of handling the stress and could hurt their careers. Martin said that he doesnt see what taking could do and whether it would help. He said he might as well just get on and try to forget it.

Sgt Danny McEneany and CSgt Jason Wilkinson grew up together in Merseyside and both joined the army as teenagers. They were the best men at each others weddings and both served in Iraq together. Danny had recently been released from prison for possessing a firearm. He was in the army for 18 years and served in Northern Ireland and the Gulf but it was when he returned from Southern Iraq in 2005 that he became dangerously paranoid and stole a gun. Like Martin, he couldn't sleep and the slightest noise woke him and made him suspicious. He became paranoid that Muslim fanatics would be coming through his door to kill him. His best friend Jason killed himself. The last time that Danny saw him, Jason told him a secret he had kept for 5 years: he had shot an Iraqi.Danny thought it was the stress of this seret that lead to him killing himself. Jason's marriage had been breaking down and he went to stay with his parents. His mum asked him why and he said it was that he was just full of anger and the breakdown was his fault. His mother said he was in complete turmoil. His mother told him to get help but he refused saying he didn't trust the army. Jason returned to his barracks on the 5th January and hung himself in his room the next day. Like Jason, Danny's marriage broke down when he came back from Iraq. When Danny stole the gun, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder but was still given 5 years in prison. His sentence was reduced on appeal but he still spent 2 years in prison. He was given no treatment for his post-traumatic stress and so his new partner Jules has become his carer.Without her, he would most likely have ended up back in prison.she said she thought he would be in much less stress back in Iraq because he is still in combat mode and ready for anything at anytime.Jason was buried on 16th January 2010 with full military honours. Before he died, Jason told his mum more about the incident. He broke down crying and told his mum that he had killed a man. When he was on patrol, he came under attack so he took cover and just aimed and fired and a hit a man. He said he always thinks of this man at christmas, whether he had children. Jason was filled with guilt all of the time.

The makers of the documentary asked the MOD for their response to the issues raised in the documentary. They gave the following statement:

"The MoD takes the mental health of our personne extremley seriously and extensive prevention and treatment measures are in place both on operations and in the UK.

Mental health professionals provide expert assessment and treatment and the new in-theatre mentoring scheme encourages personnel to talk about concerns reducing any stigma associated with seeking help.

The MoD has also worked with the NHS on community mental health pilots across the UK, tailored specifically for Veterans...we are committed to ensuring this important minority gets the treatment they deserve.

Kevan Jones MP

Minister for Veterans"

If you live in the UK, click here to watch this documentary

Image from: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/00636/news-graphics-2007-_636982a.jpg

Today's Celebrations March 21st!

Today is...

Anniversary of Installation of Sultan of Terengganu in Malaysia

Día de Nacimiento de Benito Ju rez (Birthday of Benito Ju rez) in Mexico

Human Rights Day in South Africa

Independence Day in Namibia

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination All Over The World!

Mother's Day in Egypt and Syria

National Tree Planting Day in Lesotho

Navrus in Tajikistan

Nawroz (New Year's Day ) in Afghanistan

Nevruz Day in Albania

Nooruz (Persian New Year) in Iran and Kyrgyzstan

Nov Ruz Bairam in Turkmenistan

Spring Day in Iraq

Spring Season Opens in Switzerland

Youth Day in Tunisia

World Down Syndrome Day All Over The World!

Alban Eiler (Equinox) (Northern Hemisphere) in Celticism

Alban Elued (Equinox) (Southern Hemisphere) in Celticism

Feast of Naw-Ruz (Bahai New Year) in Baha'i

Hola Mohalla in Sikhism

Mabon - Autumnal Equinox (Southern Hemisphere) in Paganism

Nawroz (New Year's Day ) in Zoroastrian

Ostara - Spring Equinox (Northern Hemisphere) in Paganism

Shunbun no Hi / Vernal Equinox Day in Shinto

Today's Celebrations February 26!

Today is...

Liberation Day in Kuwait

Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet) in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

The Iraq Inquiry in the UK

On the 15th June 2009 the Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that there would be an inquiry to “identify lessons that can be learned from the Iraq conflict”. The inquiry was officially launched on 30th July 2009. At the launch, the chairman of the inquiry Sir John Chilcot said that the inquiry “will consider the period from the summer of 2001 to the end of July 2009, embracing the run-up to the conflict in Iraq, the military action and its aftermath. We will therefore be considering the UK's involvement in Iraq, including the way decisions were made and actions taken, to establish what happened and to identify the lessons that can be learned. Those lessons will help ensure that, if we face similar situations in future, the government of the day is best equipped to respond to those situations in the most effective manner in the best interests of the country."

This inquiry highlights the British public’s displeasure at the decision to go to war in Iraq and seems to be our chance to point the blame and dish out the punishments. In 2009, six out of ten people thought that UK troops shouldn’t have gone to Iraq. “This [inquiry] is our chance to get justice for all those poor soldiers that died in a war that shouldn’t have happened” said one member of the public. In 2003, 46,000 British army personnel were sent to Iraq. Iraqi Mohammed Nayyef, 19, said that many soldiers “were really trying to help and they are friendly but some were terrified in Iraq”. 179 British service personnel were killed between 2003 and 2009.

Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians also died over the same period. Nayyef, who lives in the capital city Baghdad, says that seeing all of the dead bodies “gives you more of a sense for life and flavours it with a bit of sadness”. The majority of deaths have been caused by a high number of suicide bombers in the cities. The most recent event at writing was five days ago; a car bomb that killed eleven and hurt twenty in the city of Ramadi. Fifteen days before that, at least twenty pilgrims were killed on their way to a religious festival in a suicide attack in the city of Karbala and two days before that a female suicide bomber killed at least 41 people and injured over 100. In the Iraqi population it would be difficult to find someone who hasn’t lost a friend or relative and near on impossible to find someone in the cities that hasn’t seen a dead body.

The justifications for the Iraq war began 11 months before, when then Prime Minister Tony Blair told the House of Commons that "Saddam Hussein's regime is despicable, he is developing weapons of mass destruction, and we cannot leave him doing so unchecked. He is a threat to his own people and to the region and, if allowed to develop these weapons, a threat to us also." Later that year, Blair made the infamous claim that “Iraq has chemical and biological weapons, that Saddam has continued to produce them, that he has existing and active military plans for the use of chemical and biological weapons, which could be activated within 45 minutes." This 45 minute claim became controversial after months of searching for weapons in Iraq were unsuccessful and people began to question whether there were actually any WMD (weapons of mass destruction). Two years later during a different inquiry over the war, Blair said “it seems increasingly clear that at the time of invasion, Saddam did not have stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons ready to deploy."

A few months later, Blair changed his position and gave the justification for the war being to end Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq: “The world is a better place with Saddam in prison not in power." Saddam Hussein was President of Iraq for over 20 years and was known for being “the most hated Arab leader”. According to an exiled Iraqi diplomat, "Saddam is a dictator who is ready to sacrifice his country, just so long as he can remain on his throne in Baghdad." When he came into power, Hussein started as he meant to go on by putting to death dozens of his rivals. In the years of his regime, Baghdad authorities tortured and killed opponents of the regime. When asked if this was true, Saddam responded “Of course. What do you expect if they oppose the regime?” Saddam imposed his authority through a terror which went far beyond the arrest and execution of opponents. He used chemical weapons on the Kurdish people of Iraq and put down a Shi’ia rebellion by flattening entire towns and draining the marshlands of water. After running away when the war began, Saddam Hussein was found in the cellar of a farmhouse near his hometown of Tikrit on 14th December 2003. On 5th November 2006 he was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging, which took place on December 30th 2006. Nayyef says that “greater good was made” as although “[the war] needed lots of sacrifice, that war was needed. People were suffering more from Saddam.”

If it had been shown that there were no WMD in 2004 and Saddam Hussein was executed in 2006, why did the UK only end combat operations in Iraq on April 30th 2009? While there are many conspiracy theories related to ex- US President George Bush wanting to use Iraq’s rich oil resource, in 2006 Blair said that this war was part of a wider global struggle between “democracy and violence” and enhanced the ideas of making Iraq a democratic country. However it has come out in the Iraq inquiry that there was a serious lack of planning for what would happen in the aftermath of the Iraq invasion. Thousands of Iraqis died in the months after the invasion as law and order broke down in many parts of the country. Although US officials listened to UK ideas about post-war planning, their input was largely ignored. A Foreign Office official said that “[US officials] had a touching faith that...everybody would be grateful and dancing in the streets and there would be really be no further difficulty. And then the Iraqis would somehow magically take over and restore their state to the democratic state it should be in.” Despite this, Nayyef says many positive things have come out of the war “like freedom and the Iraqis are starting to breathe again. Kids grow up without fears of the future like before” however he admits that there are still many problems with “war destruction, lack of security and terrorism. But Iraq is recovering now”.

It is clear that many mistakes were made with this war and “lessons” certainly do need to be learnt, but is this “shoulda, woulda, coulda” attitude really going to improve things? On a political level, it is important to make sure that no future Prime Minister can ever send the UK to war when so many people are against it. But what about on a social level? What about the people of Iraq? When asked about teenage life in Iraq Nayyef, who is a first year medical student at the medical school of Baghdad, said “being a teenager is a very hard thing in normal situations, so imagine how it is here. Teens can lose faith very easily and grow up in despair. It’s harder here to raise a child because the environment is altered in many ways but we can also say that it’s getting better. Everyday life is getting normal and that’s good!” Surely now our focus should be on the people of Iraq, in particular the youth who deserve, after years of terror and turmoil, an opportunity to grow up in a peaceful society. It’s time to give the Iraqi youths a world where their biggest worry is not whether they will live to see tomorrow, but whether their hair looks OK.

What do you think about the Iraq Inquiry? What do you think about the Iraq War? Are you living in Iraq? Do you know any soldiers in Iraq? Leave a comment and let us know!