Correspondents'
Journal
March 23 , 2005
We Remember
Our involvement with AFSC came to a close on March 19. On April 1, we begin working with the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL, online at www.fcnl.org) in Washington, DC, lobbying and advancing peaceful U.S. policies related to Iraq.
Many of you have followed our work in Iraq and writing on the AFSC website. We thank you for your past and future support.
Living and working among our Iraqi friends and neighbors over the past two years has been a remarkable experience—difficult and heart-rending, hopeful and exhilarating. Our respect and belief in Iraq's people, their resilience and determination, inspires and give us hope.
As we conclude our association with AFSC and our time in Iraq and Jordan, we remember...
We remember the countless Iraqis who spoke to us of their pain and suffering and asked for our support, help, and prayers.
the extraordinary hospitality we received and time we shared with Iraqi friends, neighbors, and associates
hot nights and hotter days, as the electric grid failed and temperatures passed 130F
days confined at home because of insecurity on the streets
the countless Iraqis who spoke to us of their pain and suffering and asked for our support, help, and prayers
We remember...
our dear friends Margaret Hassan and Amal Al Ammalachi, the embodiment of the heart and soul of Iraq (Margaret and Amal were brutally murdered by unknown assassins)
the estimated 100,000 Iraqi civilian deaths and the countless children, women and men who have been wounded, orphaned, or maimed for life
our friends and associates at the UN, ICRC, and international NGOs who have been killed or wounded in service to humanity
the more than 1,500 young U.S. military service members who have died and the thousands wounded, many catastrophically; returning home with missing limbs, brain damaged, or serious mental health problems that require a lifetime of care
We remember...
the bombing, looting, and burning of government ministry buildings and the massive destruction to civil institutions and infrastructure as coalition soldiers stood by and watched
the Occupation Authority's decision to dismantle Iraq's military, police, and security forces, precipitating today's chaos
the Occupation's failure to fulfill its obligations under international law, including the restoration of security and the provision of basic services, including safety for civilians, electricity, water, and sanitation
the crimes committed by Coalition Forces at Abu Ghraib and other U.S. controlled prisons; abuse and torture, collective punishment and summary executions; corruption and theft of Iraqi resources and the subsequent lack of accountability by senior military and Administration officials
We remember...
that the latest U.S. elections were not a mandate for war
the recent remarks of President Bush when he stated, "The Lebanese people have the right to determine their future, free from domination by a foreign power." — and we ask: why don't Iraqis hold similar rights?
the administration's imperial intent in building 14 permanent military bases and the world's largest embassy in Iraq
the $18.4 billion approved by Congress in November 2003 for reconstruction and infrastructure, including water, sanitation and electricity projects (only 5 percent of it spent) and the billions subsequently diverted to security for contractors
the administration's recent proposal for funding for Iraq which includes no money for infrastructure
the $9 billion the United States collected from the sale of Iraqi oil and earmarked for humanitarian aid and reconstruction that has "gone missing"
We remember...
the deteriorating health conditions and the millions of Iraqis sickened by waterborne diseases because investment in water and sanitation systems has failed to materialize
We remember declining food supplies and serious inflation further limiting anyone's ability to purchase food and medicine.
declining food supplies and serious inflation further limiting anyone's ability to purchase food and medicine
enduring joblessness and homelessness
occupation-spawned ethnic and religious tensions
We remember...
the Iraqis who participated in recent elections (58 percent), some voting in death shrouds, in an inspiring and empowering statement against the insurrection
our Iraqi partner civil society organizations, Al Amal, Bethany House, Al Maarefa, Good Shepherd, Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq, and others who continue their work in relief and development
the Iraqi women organizations who are committed to a secular state that protects the rights of women and children
the Iraqi people's ongoing struggle for self-determination and the commitment of the vast majority to a peaceful transformation of their country
Having just passed the second anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion, we must recommit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and peace in Iraq. We must double our efforts towards peace. Let us all challenge our respective organizations and associations, members of Congress, and the administration to:
- end the tragic war in Iraq,
- end the occupation, and
- support self-determination for the people and families of Iraq.
Our demands for withdrawal of U.S. troops must include a policy to "leave no bases behind." This will provide much needed space and will encourage Iraqis to come to the table and participate in their own government.
- Rick McDowell and Mary Trotochaud
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