By Sarah Price and Nizar Latif July 2009, The Independent Monitor
The run-up to President Barack Obama’s first Middle East address, entitled “A New Beginning,” was wrought with curiosity and speculation. His views on the Middle East during his campaign and early presidency had been difficult to pin down, and reactions to his statements were, thus far, polarizing.He had made outreach to the Muslim world a top priority, releasing aid to Gaza and appearing on Arabic television within days of taking office; but he had also stayed quiet about his Muslim roots and his level of support of Muslims during his presidential campaign, even failing to speak out against negative comments referring to him as an Arab – and by extension, a negative view of Arabs in general – on Arizona Senator John McCain’s campaign trail.His comments to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in June 2008 were also unsettling to the Arab and Muslim world, as they seemed to exhibit a bias toward Israel – even claiming Jerusalem the capital of Israel – and therefore potentially another four-to-eight years of difficulties and disappointments for them.
His address in Cairo focused largely on cases of Muslim extremism; Israeli and Palestinian peace talks; and Pres. Obama’s efforts to remake the image of Islam in the West.But one subject that was largely absent from the speech was that of the current state of, and military pull-out from Iraq.
He made a point of stating that Iraq was a war of choice – a choice made by the previous administration – and that his philosophy was to “leave Iraq to the Iraqis,” claiming that he would stick to the current plan of removing troops from Iraqi cities by July 2009, combat brigades by August 2010, and all remaining troops by December 2011.
In Iraq, a referendum to be held in July 2009 would decide whether U.S. troops should leave sooner than the previously agreed-upon dates.The referendum was expected to pass, with many in Iraq eager to see U.S. troops leave, as they believe that will bring some normalcy to their lives.Still, there is fear that U.S. troops leaving too soon would only open the door to further takeover by militia groups, an increasing Iranian influence, and the collapse of an already weak government and under-trained security forces.
And there was mixed reaction from Iraqis about his motives and true intentions, as well as the tone of his address to the Muslim world.
"Obama said that the war on Iraq was [the U.S.’s] will, and this fact is undisputed, as they came to occupy Iraq for oil and energy, not to liberate the Iraqi people,” said Sheik Saleh Mohammed, a Sahwah (Awakening) Council leader in Saab Al Bour, in northern Baghdad. “I don’t think they will develop Iraq. These are just empty promises. I think that he will withdraw troops in 2012 because he promised the American people and he will fulfill his promise. But he will not withdraw all the troops. He wants to ensure control over oil and energy from Iraq. He said he will make Iraq a real partner and friend, but I ask, why do they have to stay in Iraq? Why do you want a strong relationship with us, if not only for our resources?”
Sheikh Mohammed al-Khafaji, a leader in the al-Sadrist movement, agreed that Obama’s words were empty and, at times, misused, pointing out his apparent misunderstanding of Islam.
"I would disagree with Obama that Islam is an integral part of America,” he said. “It would have been better to say that Muslims are an integral part of America. The establishment of Islam is imposed on Muslims; while in America, there is freedom of religious observance.And it sounds like Obama doesn’t know much about Islam, as he interpreted the claims of Islam wrong.”
In his speech, Pres. Obama said, “The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.” Al- Khafaji feels that he missed the point.
“The verse cited by Obama allows the killing of Obama himself, because his forces in Iraq kill innocent people and steal public money,” he said. “This is the interpretation of that Quran verse.”
He also thought that such a short timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq would cause problems not only for the country, but for the troops as well, stating that he believed there could be violence toward them during the pull-out.
But Dr. Ismail Haddad, a political analyst from Baghdad, was encouraged by Obama’s choice of words.
“He didn’t mention the word terrorism,” he said. “He replaced it with the words extremism and violence, which indicates a change in American policy towards the war on terrorism, focusing on Afghanistan and Pakistan, home to al Qaeda activity, and not focusing only on the military aspects of the fight against extremism and violence.Obama's policy is based on the side of military force to aid the development of areas of activity to undermine the chances of extremism, because extremists use those conditions to recruit new members."
"The world waited a long time for Barack Obama's speech; it was truly unprecedented,” said Dr. Rahman Alkurani, a professor of politics at SulaymaniyahUniversity in Iraqi Kurdistan. “He wanted to send a message, to launch a new phase of friendly relations between his country and the world – the Arab and Muslim relationship based on mutual trust, respect and common interests – and work to end the conflict between the peoples of the region, and to guide the energies of the development and evolution, rather than being squandered in wars and destruction.He has achieved significant success in winning the hearts and minds of this segment and, in particular, young people.
”We have achieved a victory with President Obama as a senior diplomat, and his country as a superpower, and managed to pull the rug from under the feet of extremists,” he added, “creating a civilization that can accept the ideas of pluralism and a spirit of tolerance and peaceful coexistence between followers of different religions and sects.”
He said he believed Pres. Obama exhibited strength and wisdom, and repeated the words of Thomas Jefferson, that he had cited in his speech: "I hope that our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be."
Huda, in the cast, will lose her arm if she cannot get treatment soon. (Photo: N. Latif)
By Sarah Price and Nizar Latif
IRAQ, July 15, (Pal Telegraph) - Asime is 13 and lives in east Baghdad. He has lost both his parents in the last two years, and is now taking care of a sick uncle. With no job opportunities and insufficient help from the Iraqi government, he has had to turn to crime to survive. He hates to steal, but knows that without this, he and his uncle will starve.
"My father died two years ago and then my mother died six months later, so my uncle took me in," he says. "He is poor, but said he wanted me with him because he doesn't have any children, and he knew the orphanage couldn't care for me well. But now, my uncle is seriously ill and cannot work. So, now I have to steal - from shops, or from older people. I steal valuable things, because they can be sold for money.
"I hate to steal. It's bad and I don't have the right to do it. But I have the right to life, and the government doesn't provide enough for me and my sick uncle, so I am compelled to steal, for money and food. My uncle doesn't know what I do. I told him I clean up some of the shops in the market for the money."
But he has been offered work - as part of a gang, which is very active in eastern Baghdad and is known for abducting children of the rich.
"I felt very scared, because this work is very dangerous," he says. "It is reasonable to steal and get the money, but it is not reasonable to engage in terrorist acts for it."
But while he will not turn to kidnapping, he cannot stop stealing. He says he will stop when he can earn enough from a job, or when the Iraqi government will provide enough money to allow him to. But he knows his days are numbered. The Iraqi police will catch him eventually.
Asime is one of approximately 2.5 million children in Iraq who have lost one or both parents due to the war, or sectarian or militia violence. The lack of available work and support from the government or humanitarian organizations has led many children to theft, and some of their mothers to prostitution, just to have food. Those who cannot buy food sift through garbage to find something to feed their families, leading also to health problems that they cannot afford to treat.
Umm Ali lost her husband three years ago. She lives in a very old building in a poor and dirty district in the city of Kut, in southern Iraq. Her apartment has no furniture, does not contain electrical appliances, or cold water to drink to endure the deadly heat of the Iraqi summer.
"My husband was working in the men's clothing store in downtown Kut, when a clash between the Mahdi Army and the U.S. military broke out in the market center of the city," she says. "He was killed in the crossfire. Since then, I have tried to make a better life for my children, but life is very difficult and I cannot provide them with the most basic requirements of life. Sometimes we do not have food for days, and the children have to search for food from the garbage."
Umm Ali talks about the death of her son, Ali, in the photo behind her (Photo: N. Latif)
Sometimes she gets temporary work, which helps feed her six kids, but when she can't work, they find themselves begging for money and help. What money she does get from work lasts only long enough to feed the family for a few days.
In addition to the daily struggles of raising her children alone, she is dealing with a new family tragedy: her son, Ali, 13, was killed by a guided missile that fell near their house, and her daughter Huda, 7, injured by the shrapnel in it, while they were playing outside one day. She could not afford to bury Ali, and had to rely on the help of neighbors and friends. And she has not been able to get medical care for Huda. As a result, Huda's arm is infected, and without prompt medical attention, she could lose it altogether. She says that due to the lack of adequate medical treatment in Iraq, the care Huda has been able to get has not helped her. Her flesh is rotting, and every day that passes without medical attention makes her prognosis worse.
"Our lives were much better when my husband was alive," says Umm Ali. "He was very involved. He provided food and clothing for the family, and solved the problems of my sons, and he was interested in all the details, large and small. But since his death, I think I've lost control of my family, and I worry that they could become criminals and dangerous when they grow up, because I couldn't give them a decent life."
She does get help from some humanitarian organizations, she says, but it's not enough.
"My wish was to see my children get a good education and study in universities and become important people in their community," she says. "But instead they are beggars on the street, and they hardly have any food to eat. They could lose their future and become dangerous to people in their community."
Nisreen al-Musawi, director of the Anwarul organization, which takes care of widows and orphans in Wasit Province in southern Iraq, says, "Widows and orphans suffer total neglect by the Iraqi officials, and the problem has increased significantly over the past three years, especially after the events of community violence, which affected all segments of Iraqi society and the increased numbers of widows and orphans across Iraq."
She points out that while some organizations are trying to help, it is not nearly enough to curb the problems caused by this epidemic:
"We're getting support from some international organizations such as the United Nations and other groups that attempt to provide assistance to widows and orphans," she says, "as well as some support from the Iraqi government, some Iraqi officials, the American forces, and some support from the rich, but the Iraqi support is not sufficient for the needs of this large army of widows and orphans."
She feels that there could have been preventative measures taken to stop this situation from occurring, but that the government did not take care of it when it should have. She fears for the future of these families, as well as the impact it could have on the country.
"Terrorist organizations, militias and al-Qaeda are trying to recruit the largest possible number of widows and orphans to their side in the fight against the U.S. military or Iraqi security forces, and they have succeeded in that because widows and orphans are suffering from neglect in Iraq and suffering from hunger and difficult living conditions," she says. "This is what makes them easy targets for al-Qaeda and militias. There is a huge number of widows and orphans at their disposal."
Umm Mohammed is a widow who lives next door to Umm Ali. The fatigue her life causes her shows on her face and can be heard in her voice. She is the mother of four young boys - Mohammed, 12, Ahmed, 10, Mazin, 8, and Moualk, 3. She has a job cleaning a school nearby so she can provide for them, but comes home so tired she finds it hard to do much more. She is considering taking them out of school so they can work and help her, as school and living costs have risen steeply, and state funds don't cover enough of the expenses.
"The state provides less than $100 per month, which is not enough to take care of the family for three days," she says. "Iraq is a country very rich in resources, sufficient to provide a decent life for all Iraqis. The Iraqi officials should stop the theft of Iraqi funds and channel these funds for the widows and orphans, because we are ready to do anything to get food and clothing."
But she is concerned that her children will also be willing to do anything for money, including turning to crime, and she is very concerned about their future.
"I have many friends who are widows, and they are all suffering from ill-treatment by the Iraqi government," she says. "There are no jobs for them or their children, and they are living in very difficult circumstances. Some of them have to work as prostitutes.
"We do not have the simple necessities of life. We live in apartments built in the sixties, and these apartments may collapse at any moment. We do not have any furniture in my house, and we eat very bad food. Perhaps some animals eat better meals."
With tens of thousands of families living below the poverty level in Wasit Province alone, and no government solution on the horizon, al-Musawi fears the humanitarian crisis will only worsen.
