Dinar Iraq News
Iraq: What kind of nation are US troops leaving behind?
By the end of December all 30,000 US soldiers must leave Iraq
17 November 2011
Last updated at 07:43 GMT
As the 31 December
deadline for the pullout of all the American troops from Iraq
approaches, the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Baghdad asks what kind of a
country Washington leaves behind.
"I've been here for over six years," said John, a mulletted,
moustachioed civilian contractor, driving a pickup truck through the
dusty lanes of Camp Kalsu.
"I'm helping to do whatever needs to be done. Take it easy,
see ya!" and with that he cranked up the volume on his iPod, plugged
into the pickup's stereo, and drove off in a blast of country and
western.
John is just one of tens of thousands of Americans - civilian and military - getting out of Iraq.
Camp Kalsu, 50km (31 miles) south of Baghdad, is a glorified military truck-stop. And these days, it's busy.
Every day convoys of military trucks and tanks snake their way onto this base, as they head south towards Kuwait.
There are still some 30,000 US soldiers in Iraq. By the end of December, they must all be gone.
High price
This war has cost America close to $1tn (£635bn). Nearly 4,500 soldiers have lost their lives.
This war has cost America close to $1tn (£635bn). Nearly 4,500 soldiers have lost their lives.
And so, as they pack up, some are inevitably asking the question: was it all worth it?
Jason Kidder, the camp's executive officer, said he and his men were proud of what they had achieved.
"I see the neighbourhoods now, with the markets open, and
they have running water, they have electricity. Co-operation between the
US military and the Iraqi government really brought civilization back
to a tolerable level here.
"And so I'm very proud to say that I was here and I was part of this."
That pride was not shared in the nearby town of Iskenderiyah.
"We still have no water, no electricity, no reconstruction,
no nothing." That was the verdict of Hussein Matar, a taxi driver from
the Shia shrine-city of Karbala, as he tucked into a kebab and pickles
at a roadside eatery.
"The Americans invaded Iraq to liberate us from Saddam
Hussein. But things got even worse. They said Iraq would become
paradise. Where is it?"
The cost of the war to the Unites States is dwarfed by the
price paid by Iraqis. Conservative estimates of the number of people
killed since 2003 exceed 100,000.
Last month, 258 people lost their lives in shootings and explosions - not an unusually high figure.
Iraqis still live with the daily fear of violence. The country's infrastructure is still in tatters.
Old habits die hard
Rightly or wrongly, many Iraqis now blame the departing Americans for all of this, and more.
"Many countries have benefited from what happened here,
including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and even Iran," Hussein Matar continued,
echoing a widely held sentiment.
Some protesters on Tahrir Square allege intimidation by security services
"Because the US is busy in Iraq and in Afghanistan, Iran can do
whatever it wants. Our country has become a place where other nations
settle their scores."
So what is left then for Iraqis asking what the US has ever done for them.
There is democracy, and freedom of speech.
On 25 February 2011, as protest swept across the Arab world, Iraqis too came out onto the streets.
On Baghdad's Tahrir Square people gathered to demand better public services and an end to corruption.
A year earlier, they had voted in a messy coalition government. Now those same voters were voicing their displeasure.
These were scenes that would have been unimaginable under
Saddam Hussein's rule. But in Iraq, old habits die hard. After most of
the local media had left, the security forces were sent in.
"Within a couple of minutes, they had cleared the entire square," says Daniel Smith, an independent journalist and researcher.
The eyes of the world were focused elsewhere in the Middle East. But Mr Smith was there and saw everything.
"For 40 minutes they chased us, shooting. People fell down,
it looked like they were shot but it was tough to tell. Then people
would catch up with them and be beating them with sticks. These were
security forces."
Since that day, Daniel Smith has been back to Tahrir Square
almost every Friday. The intimidation, he says, has become less visible -
but no less effective.
"After the demonstration, four journalists were picked up in a
cafe at the other end of town, arrested and threatened with rape and
other violence. They were told: 'Don't go back to Tahrir'."
"In the months that followed there was a big public smear
campaign on state TV, talking about (the protesters) being Ba'athist
(Saddam Hussein's political party) supporters who wanted to bring down
the government."
Shias in Sadr City chant every Friday: "No, no America!"
When the BBC visited Tahrir Square one Friday this month,
uniformed security forces outnumbered the small crowd of demonstrators.
There was a lively debate between pro- and anti-government protesters.
But there were also members of the intelligence services in
plain clothes. Many activists said they had been arrested in the past.
Their mood was defiant, but also nervous.
'Moqtada's victory'
In recent weeks, about 800 people have been arrested across
the country, accused of being part of a Baathist-terrorist conspiracy.
There are clearly still people in Iraq who are bent on a path
of violence and terror. But it's hard to avoid the conclusion that in
some cases at least, the Baathist-al-Qaeda label is used to silence
awkward critics.
After the invasion in 2003, the process of de-baathification
removed a largely Sunni elite from power and replaced it with leaders
from Iraq's Shiite majority.
It is these people who have, on paper, gained the most from the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.
But it is in Shia neighbourhoods, like Sadr City, that people are most vocal in their opposition to the American presence.
Every Friday, hundreds of men gather in the street to hear
the imam deliver the sermon. Every Friday they chant: "No, no America!
No, no America!"
Moqtada al-Sadr, the cleric who leads these people, also
controls a sizable block in the Iraqi parliament. He himself is mostly
resident in Iran.
His men once fought the US occupying forces in Iraq, and
America's withdrawal at the end of December will be seen by many as Mr
Moqtada's victory.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15762511
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Iraq: Apakah negara tentera AS meninggalkan?
Pada
akhir bulan Disember semua 30.000 askar AS harus meninggalkan Iraq
17 November 2011 Last
updated at 07:43 GMT
Sebagai tarikh akhir 31 Disember untuk kepergian semua tentera Amerika dari Iraq
pendekatan, Gatehouse BBC Gabriel di Baghdad bertanya apa jenis negara Washington
meninggalkan.
"Saya telah berada di sini selama lebih enam tahun," kata John, mulletted, kontraktor
awam moustachioed, memandu trak pikap melalui jalan-jalan yang berdebu Camp Kalsu.
"Saya membantu untuk melakukan apa-apa yang perlu dilakukan. Ambil mudah, lihat
ya!"
dan dengan itu dia cranked kelantangan pada iPod, dipasang ke dalam stereo pickup,
dan memandu dalam letupan negara dan barat.
John hanya salah satu daripada berpuluh-puluh ribu rakyat Amerika - awam dan tentera
- untuk keluar Iraq.
Camp Kalsu, 50km (31 batu) selatan Baghdad, adalah dimuliakan tentera trak-stop.
Dan hari ini, ia sibuk.
Tiap-tiap hari konvoi trak tentera dan kereta kebal ular dengan cara mereka ke atas
asas ini, kerana mereka menuju ke selatan ke arah Kuwait.
Masih terdapat
beberapa 30.000 tentera AS di Iraq.
Menjelang akhir Disember, mereka semua mesti pergi.
Harga yang tinggi
Perang ini telah
menyebabkan hampir Amerika $ 1tn (£ 635bn).
Hampir 4500 askar telah kehilangan nyawa mereka.
Perang ini telah
menyebabkan hampir Amerika $ 1tn (£ 635bn).
Hampir 4500 askar telah kehilangan nyawa mereka.
Dan sebagainya, kerana mereka berkemas, ada yang tidak dapat dielakkan tanya soalan:
semua worth it?
Jason Kidder, pegawai eksekutif kem tersebut, berkata beliau dan orang-orangnya
bangga dengan apa yang mereka telah mencapai.
"Saya melihat kawasan-kawasan perumahan sekarang, dengan pasaran terbuka, dan mereka
mempunyai air yang mengalir, mereka mempunyai bekalan elektrik. Kerjasama antara
tentera AS dan kerajaan Iraq benar-benar membawa tamadun kembali ke tahap yang boleh
diterima di sini.
"Oleh itu, saya amat berbangga untuk mengatakan bahawa saya berada di sini dan saya
adalah sebahagian daripada ini."
Kebanggaan
yang tidak dikongsi bersama di bandar yang berhampiran Iskenderiyah.
"Kami masih mempunyai tiada air, tiada elektrik, pembinaan semula tidak, tiada apa-apa."
Itu adalah keputusan Matar Hussein, seorang pemandu teksi dari Syiah kuil-bandar
Karbala, sebagaimana yang terletak ke kebab dan jeruk di kedai makan tepi jalan.
"Amerika menyerang Iraq untuk membebaskan kita daripada Saddam Hussein. Tetapi keadaan
menjadi lebih buruk lagi. Mereka berkata Iraq akan menjadi syurga. Di mana?"
Kos perang ke Amerika menyatukan dwarfed oleh harga yang dibayar oleh rakyat Iraq
yang.
Anggaran konservatif bilangan orang terbunuh sejak tahun 2003 melebihi 100,000.
Bulan lalu, 258 orang kehilangan nyawa mereka dalam tembakan dan letupan - tidak
dapat memberi angka yang luar biasa tinggi.
Iraq masih hidup
dengan ketakutan harian keganasan.
Infrastruktur di negara ini masih berkeping-keping.
Tabiat lama mati keras
Betul atau salah, Iraq banyak sekarang menyalahkan Amerika berlepas untuk semua
ini, dan banyak lagi.
"Banyak negara telah mendapat manfaat daripada apa yang berlaku di sini, termasuk
Kuwait, Arab Saudi dan Iran," Hussein Matar terus, mengulangi sentimen yang dipegang
secara meluas.
Orang dengan slogan-slogan di Dataran Baghdad Tahrir Sesetengah penunjuk perasaan
di Tahrir Square mendakwa ugutan oleh perkhidmatan keselamatan
"Oleh kerana Amerika Syarikat adalah sibuk di Iraq dan di Afghanistan, Iran boleh
melakukan apa sahaja yang ia mahu. Negara kita telah menjadi tempat di mana negara-negara
lain menyelesaikan markah mereka."
Maka apa yang ditinggalkan, maka Iraq meminta AS pernah dilakukan bagi mereka.
Terdapat demokrasi dan
kebebasan bersuara.
Pada 25 Februari 2011, sebagai bantahan yang melanda dunia Arab, Iraq juga keluar
ke jalan-jalan.
Pada Baghdad di Tahrir Square orang berkumpul untuk menuntut perkhidmatan awam yang
lebih baik dan akhir dengan rasuah.
Setahun sebelum itu, mereka telah mengundi dalam kerajaan campuran yang tidak kemas.
Kini, orang-orang
pengundi yang sama telah menyuarakan tidak berpuas hati mereka.
Ini adalah adegan yang telah tidak dapat dibayangkan di bawah pemerintahan Saddam
Hussein. Tetapi di Iraq, tabiat
lama mati keras.
Selepas kebanyakan media tempatan telah meninggalkan, pasukan keselamatan telah
dihantar.
"Dalam masa beberapa minit, mereka telah dibersihkan persegi keseluruhan," kata
Daniel Smith, seorang wartawan bebas dan penyelidik.
Mata dunia tertumpu di tempat lain di Timur Tengah.
Tetapi Encik Smith berada di
sana dan melihat segala-galanya.
"Selama 40 minit, mereka mengejar kami, menembak. Orang yang jatuh, ia kelihatan
seperti mereka ditembak tetapi ia sukar untuk memberitahu. Kemudian orang akan menangkap
dengan mereka dan memukul mereka dengan kayu. Ini adalah pasukan keselamatan."
Sejak hari itu, Daniel Smith telah kembali ke Tahrir Square hampir setiap hari Jumaat.
Ugutan, beliau berkata, telah menjadi kurang kelihatan - tetapi tidak kurang berkesan.
"Selepas demonstrasi itu, empat wartawan ditahan di kafe pada hujung satu lagi bandar,
ditangkap dan diancam dengan rogol dan keganasan lain Mereka memberitahu: 'Jangan
kembali ke Tahrir'."
"Dalam bulan-bulan yang berikutnya terdapat kempen memburuk-besar awam di TV negeri,
bercakap tentang (penunjuk perasaan) Baath (parti politik Saddam Hussein) penyokong
yang mahu menjatuhkan kerajaan."
Syiah berdoa di Baghdad Sadr City Syiah di Sadr City memuji-muji setiap Jumaat:
"Tidak, tidak Amerika!"
Apabila BBC melawat Tahrir Square salah satu Jumaat bulan ini, pasukan keselamatan
beruniform mengatasi kaunter orang ramai kecil penunjuk perasaan.
Terdapat debat yang meriah antara penunjuk perasaan pro-dan anti-kerajaan.
Tetapi terdapat juga anggota perkhidmatan perisikan dalam pakaian yang nyata.
Ramai aktivis
berkata, mereka telah ditangkap pada masa lalu.
Mood mereka ingkar, tetapi juga saraf.
'Kemenangan Moqtada.'
Dalam beberapa minggu kebelakangan ini, kira-kira 800 orang telah ditangkap di seluruh
negara, yang dituduh menjadi sebahagian daripada konspirasi Baathist-pengganas.
Terdapat jelas masih rakyat di Iraq yang cenderung untuk jalan kekerasan dan keganasan.
Tetapi ia sukar untuk mengelakkan kesimpulan bahawa dalam beberapa kes sekurang-kurangnya,
label Baathist-al-Qaeda adalah digunakan untuk menutup mulut pengkritik janggal.
Selepas pencerobohan pada tahun 2003, proses de baathification dikeluarkan di sebahagian
besar Sunni elit dari kuasa dan digantikan dengan pemimpin-pemimpin dari majoriti
Syiah Iraq.
Ia adalah orang-orang ini yang telah, di atas kertas, mendapat sebahagian dari penggulingan
Saddam Hussein.
Tetapi ia adalah di kawasan kejiranan Syiah, seperti Sadr City, bahawa orang-orang
yang paling lantang menentang kehadiran Amerika.
Setiap Jumaat, beratus-ratus lelaki berkumpul di jalanan untuk mendengar imam menyampaikan
khutbah.
Setiap Jumaat mereka memuji-muji: "Tidak, tiada Amerika Tidak, tiada Amerika!"
Moqtada al-Sadr, ulama yang memimpin orang-orang ini, juga mengawal blok yang agak
besar di parlimen Iraq.
Dia sendiri kebanyakannya bermastautin di Iran.
Orang-orangnya sekali memerangi tentera AS menduduki di Iraq, dan pengeluaran Amerika
pada akhir bulan Disember akan dilihat oleh ramai sebagai kemenangan Encik Moqtada.
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