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From an Iraqi citizen to the American people:

We always have thought that you are citizens; away from the savageness which controls many people in the world because you suffered from the injustice of your own occupation more than two hundred years ago. You picked up weapons against the occupiers until you forced him to go out of your land. It was a great victory for you.

Today your army is occupying our homeland, destroying our homes and killing our men, women, and children. The occupation is leaving this country full of chaos and facing many disasters, including looting and robbery. Sudden attacks and cruel murders have been perpetrated by your army who then prevent people from submitting judicial complaints. This encourages soldiers to kill thoughtlessly without any threat of trial. We have seen our Holy Quran desecrated by soldiers, but you continue to say your soldiers do not do it. Your soldiers did many immoral acts but your government leaders have done even more.

We, the Iraqi people, do not put the responsibility for this on your shoulders because you are a people and not your government. But when the people have a decision in the fate of their country and decide to go in a direction which only benefits the government, this means that the people are satisfied with their government's actions. When you elected Mr. Bush for the second time, this was a declaration from you of being satisfied with all his acts in violation of the holiness of a state which shares a place with yours in the United Nations Security Council.

Has the age of occupation returned back to a place where agreements and treaties and international laws which forbid aggression are useless? When the people who chose to defend their land and reject the occupier are then described by your government as a terrorist? How long have you heard that an occupation which continues will have no resistance against it? Do you refer to the patriots of your own country as terrorists in your history books?

American people, please remember the land of Iraq and remember the Iraqi people and think of yourselves as if you were in our place. In this way you will realize what Iraqis suffer. We wish that other people would realize our suffering now. The people who support these corrupted governments will be responsible for them, and history will hold them responsible for allowing this tragedy to have occurred. This will be a shame on their ancestors who will not be able to hide this black page of history.

I am wishing you reasonableness and the ability to comprehend the truth.


You have been reading excerpts from "Wake Up Calls" by Dahr Jamail. You can read the entire piece in its original context here: dahrjamailiraq.com/weblog/archives/dispatches/000258.php

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