Turning the Page ~ Ambassador Bremer's Message to the Iraqi People

CPA ^ | April 23, 2004 | L. Paul Bremer, III

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Good Evening

Iraq faces a choice.

You could take the path which leads to a new Iraq, a peaceful, democratic Iraq, an Iraq of political freedom and economic opportunity, an Iraq where the majority is not Sunni, Shia, Arab, Kurd or Turcoman, but Iraqi. This is the path to a bright and hopeful future.

Or you could take the path which leads to the dark Iraq of the past where violence and fear rule, where power comes from a gun, and where only the powerful and ruthless are secure.

 

The enemies, domestic and foreign, of your bright future are trying to force you to take the path that leads backwards to brute force, division and hatred. These anti-democratic forces will not disappear by themselves, but working together we can defeat them. We in the Coalition will do our part to restore security. But you must do your part, too.

If you do not defend your beloved country it will not be saved.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I've often wondered what makes a person go into combat and fight and not be really, really afraid. I've come to the conclusion after going into Baghdad and seeing dead bodies and talking to people who are fighting is they are really, really afraid."   "They were willing to do their job....even though they're scared witless."                                                                                                           

      ~

Air Force Chaplain Lt. Col. Charles Davidson

~  ~

Remember your past. Be afraid. Fight anyway.

  

       

 

Dear Lord,
Lest I continue
My complacent way
Help me remember
Somewhere out there
A man died for me today.
As long as there be war
I then must
Ask and answer
Am I worth dying for? * 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Taken from the book, "A Man Called Intrepid" by William Stevenson. ~ TEXOKIE

[Nonstatist]

It's like trying to talk baseball with a goat. They're not interested in "words".

[bogdanPolska12]

RC ignore my ping. I guess I put it too fast. I give you all control from now on. I am sorry.

God Bless America
Bogdan

[Ronin]

I pray to God this works, but I can't help but remember that old saying...

Never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig.

I hope I am wrong...

[McGavin999]

This was an excellent speech. I hope they all got a chance to hear it. I hope they run it over and over and over on Iraqi TV.

[DoughtyOne]

I have no way of knowing what propaganda machine we've had going over there, but it seemed woefully inadequate from here. I can't remember hearing much of anything about a radio free Iraq or some equivelant. Seems to me this would have been such a great thing to have going on. Perhaps it was and I didn't hear about it. I fear Al Jazeera has had a monopoly over there.

[Dolphy]

This was an excellent speech. I hope they all got a chance to hear it. I hope they run it over and over and over on Iraqi TV.

I can't help but be reminded of something a corporate officer told while he was heading up the marriage of two huge companies, with very different cultures, after a merger. A third of the people will be unhappy or resist, a third will just go along and a third will embrace the change. It seems reasonable to expect the same in Iraq. Leadership and ability to win the middle third is vital.

[McGavin999]

No, they don't actually. Most of the Iraqi people resent Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya. There is currently a local Iraqi TV channel (but they are fighting for their lives against being taken over by hard liners) and there is Al Harrua (sp) which is run out of DC. The Iraqi people like Al Harrua a lot but they don't have enough "local" news fast enough. We have fallen down on the job information wise. It needs to be glossed up and have some more local news reporting. They really do need a powerful station located right in Iraq. One of the best things they could do is to have talk shows with call ins. The Iraqi people are STARVING for something like that.

[tillacum]

bogdan, you are a special pearl in America's tiera. Give your brother out heartfelt thanks and your wife a big (((HUG))) from all of us here. She's one of the prongs in the tiera that holds you steadfast. God Bless.

[DoughtyOne]

Your idea of a talk-radio station sounds brilliant. It would allow the rank and file to network and reinforce their desires for a peaceful 'republican' Iraq. (It always bugs me to hear about a democratic Iraq)

I wonder how many Iraqis realize the billions we've poured into their nation to improve their lives and the lives of their children. I wonder how many of them are aware that Hussein pilfered billions while they went hungry.

[DoughtyOne]

btw Thanks for the comments.

[tkathy]

A talk show (with call screening to balance the calls) is a great idea.

[DoughtyOne]

Yeah, the call screening would help. Some dissent is okay though. It gives the reasoned Iraqi a way to shoot down the neanderthal thinking that drives the terrorist.

[Theophilus]

This seems like a lot of long winded crap. If I were a an Iraqi, I think I would rather be Abizaid's potential victim than L. Paul Bremer, III's child. Iraqi freedom might do better with a little benign neglect. Withdraw to permanent bases and supply lines that are easily defended. And then cease to provide aid of any kind to cities that are hostile. If the thugs who take over are too thugish, sack them in the open from the air, with no regard for so-called "holy sites" (such violates the establishment clause) and otherwise let the people deal with their own problems.

In regards to Faluja. We should have annihilated that bridge while the brutes were still celebrating on it, direct ticket to hell, end of story.

[McGavin999]

I just sent the suggestion to the Whitehouse. Maybe it will get to someone who will do something about it. I think involving the people would be a great way for them to feel they are a part of it. And talk radio is cheaper to set up than TV.

[DoughtyOne]

Good for you. I hope someone listens.

[Alia]

Thank you for posting this. I am so moved. And in prayer that the Iraqi people will reclaim their country, their pride in their country; and that the horrid past under Saddam; encourages them to be ever vigilant, that Iraq too becomes known as the "home of the brave, land of the free".

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Lol! I hit the abuse button on myself at least once during a typical war 'news' week. With the nature of 'news' we are bound to cross paths throughout the day, and I am grateful for you, bogdan!

Thank goodness for Freepmail, and I promise to search titles after hunting for pics, and not before, lol.

((Hugs))

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Pinging all who read the speech, some who may not know that our press not only ignores the 'voice' of our troops who are fighting and dying for strangers in Iraq, our press has been ignoring the 'will of the people' - the majority of Iraqis - victims of Saddam and his thugs - since the beginning of the war.

Iraqi bloggers, the more responsible polls, the new Iraqi free press, Iraqi-Americans in contact with loved ones - and our troops, interacting daily with the locals...all show a very different side of Iraq - and a very different Iraqi people, who want a secular nation, and freedom....and who are very grateful to our troops!

They are surrounded by enemy nations, and their air waves and papers filled with enemy agendas - and knowing what happened to their loved ones over the past decades, having the same cruel neighborhood bullies threatening them...they are still joining the Iraqi security forces, and speaking out in public - at the very real risk to their own lives...and trying to be heard over the noise of our enemies - both foreign in domestic - 24/7 - in the local/national/international press.

---

IRAQ THE MODEL
Wednesday, April 21, 2004

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/

A routine day in Iraq.

Today is a special day for me, it's my birthday I woke up early, had many things to arrange, it was a lovely sunny day. One should enjoy looking at April flowers and not stay at home at all, and I will celebrate it just as I should.

Then I heard the news; tens of people killed in terrorist attacks in Basra with many children among them. Omar, my brother, is still in Basra, and we were very worried and didn’t rest until we called a friend there to have some information about the attacks. We still haven’t heard from him, but that's because he doesn't have a telephone or access to the internet in the small town where he works, and we know that he doesn’t usually go downtown at such times.

This is my daily ‘routine’ thoughout 35 years; wars, meaningless death of innocent people, armed people terrorizing us, relatives and friends get killed or disappeared, close gunshot or explosions awaken me from sleeping, our laughs and talks get lost amid sounds of jetfighters in the sky and noise of tanks in street reminding me where I’m I and where I live. It seems that it’s not allowed for me to live a normal life like others do.

I believe in the bright future ahead but I’m upset now and I came here to write and release some of my frustration. I can't bear it alone. why me? Why my country? All that we need is a moment of peace. I really need it now. Why should I bear it with my people? When will it be over and when can we live in peace at last?

The hardest thing is that I have to fight more, and I will, but God, please give me the strength. Why should I be strong while watching others run away; Spain, Honduras, Thailand, human organizations, the UN and all the others who want (and it’s their right I must say) to avoid the dangers. But why did they disappoint us? Why abandon us in this moment when we really need them? Will they come back when conditions improve? Most likely, but who will need them then!!? We don’t need doctors and engineers. We have enough of those and large numbers of Iraqi doctor, teachers and engineers are working abroad. We do export minds, and some of those have returned and are doing their job and some are on their way back. We need political, financial and military support, and once we get rid of the terrorists, WE will show you what we can do, and we will not forget those who helped us, they will remain as friends and allies, that’s from a political point of view. As for me, they will remain as my real family, my brothers and sisters.

One of our friend was angry when he saw the former slaves burn the flag of their liberators (and he has all the right to feel so), but I saw my country being destroyed for 35 years and I’m not desperate because I have faith that it will be rebuild one day. Still, why am I supposed to be the 'superman' who is never allowed to feel angry, sad or frustrated?

Others ask me to demonstrate and show my support to the coalition. Ok I’m with the coalition but I can’t do it my friends. I’m surrounded by armed criminals who wouldn’t hesitate for a minute before shooting me for just speaking out, yet I do speak, and not only on this page.

You, there in the free world, cannot witness against criminals without witness protection programs. We have nothing of this. Just under trained and half corrupted policemen and few newly graduated army soldiers and the law system, we inherited from Saddam and haven’t really changed it yet, is far from being efficient.
Why do others get discouraged easily? Don’t mistake me. I’m upset but will NEVER run away like some people did.

I wasn’t like this before. I was afraid most of the time. I have always looked for safety above all. I lost faith in the whole world and I wasn’t ready at all to make the slightest sacrifice for the sake of others. I was trying to leave my country and find a better job in a safe place, BUT, The brave solders (who don’t hold shares at Halliburton or Bechtel) who crossed seas and oceans and came to my country to fight for our freedom -and don’t anyone dare say the opposite, as I met so many of these soldiers and had hundreds of letters from them and there families and I know their motives; they fight for their country’s safety and for our freedom and they are proud of what they are doing- gave me the faith and showed me that man should not care only about himself, his family or his country, these are not enough to make a human being. These guys are MUCH better than me because I have to fight for my issue and they fight for me. They deserve the respect of the world and so do the people who support them. They always give me hope to go on no matter how difficult it seems.

I think I’ll have to skip celebrating my birthday this year, but that will not make me less determined than before, and I know that even if other countries pull out of Iraq, we will always have the strongest and greatest nation on our side, the wonderful people of the USA, together with the UK, Italy, Japan and the rest of the coalition forces. We owe you a lot and I pray, and I’m sure, that one day we will be able to return some of your favors and I’m talking about the people not the politicians although I don’t deny those the credit they deserve for doing their job as good as they can. When that day finally comes, you will know for sure that the great efforts and sacrifices you’ve made were not in vain.

-By Mohammed.

- posted by Omar @ 18:20

9 posted on 04/21/2004 10:35:17 AM EDT by Valin (Hating people is like burning down your house to kill a rat)

 

More re potential Iraqi Freepers - bloggers, with links.

IRAQ THE MODEL
Wednesday, April 21, 2004

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/

A routine day in Iraq.

Today is a special day for me, it's my birthday I woke up early, had many things to arrange, it was a lovely sunny day. One should enjoy looking at April flowers and not stay at home at all, and I will celebrate it just as I should.

Then I heard the news; tens of people killed in terrorist attacks in Basra with many children among them. Omar, my brother, is still in Basra, and we were very worried and didn’t rest until we called a friend there to have some information about the attacks. We still haven’t heard from him, but that's because he doesn't have a telephone or access to the internet in the small town where he works, and we know that he doesn’t usually go downtown at such times.

This is my daily ‘routine’ thoughout 35 years; wars, meaningless death of innocent people, armed people terrorizing us, relatives and friends get killed or disappeared, close gunshot or explosions awaken me from sleeping, our laughs and talks get lost amid sounds of jetfighters in the sky and noise of tanks in street reminding me where I’m I and where I live. It seems that it’s not allowed for me to live a normal life like others do.

I believe in the bright future ahead but I’m upset now and I came here to write and release some of my frustration. I can't bear it alone. why me? Why my country? All that we need is a moment of peace. I really need it now. Why should I bear it with my people? When will it be over and when can we live in peace at last?

The hardest thing is that I have to fight more, and I will, but God, please give me the strength. Why should I be strong while watching others run away; Spain, Honduras, Thailand, human organizations, the UN and all the others who want (and it’s their right I must say) to avoid the dangers. But why did they disappoint us? Why abandon us in this moment when we really need them? Will they come back when conditions improve? Most likely, but who will need them then!!? We don’t need doctors and engineers. We have enough of those and large numbers of Iraqi doctor, teachers and engineers are working abroad. We do export minds, and some of those have returned and are doing their job and some are on their way back. We need political, financial and military support, and once we get rid of the terrorists, WE will show you what we can do, and we will not forget those who helped us, they will remain as friends and allies, that’s from a political point of view. As for me, they will remain as my real family, my brothers and sisters.

One of our friend was angry when he saw the former slaves burn the flag of their liberators (and he has all the right to feel so), but I saw my country being destroyed for 35 years and I’m not desperate because I have faith that it will be rebuild one day. Still, why am I supposed to be the 'superman' who is never allowed to feel angry, sad or frustrated?

Others ask me to demonstrate and show my support to the coalition. Ok I’m with the coalition but I can’t do it my friends. I’m surrounded by armed criminals who wouldn’t hesitate for a minute before shooting me for just speaking out, yet I do speak, and not only on this page.

You, there in the free world, cannot witness against criminals without witness protection programs. We have nothing of this. Just under trained and half corrupted policemen and few newly graduated army soldiers and the law system, we inherited from Saddam and haven’t really changed it yet, is far from being efficient.
Why do others get discouraged easily? Don’t mistake me. I’m upset but will NEVER run away like some people did.

I wasn’t like this before. I was afraid most of the time. I have always looked for safety above all. I lost faith in the whole world and I wasn’t ready at all to make the slightest sacrifice for the sake of others. I was trying to leave my country and find a better job in a safe place, BUT, The brave solders (who don’t hold shares at Halliburton or Bechtel) who crossed seas and oceans and came to my country to fight for our freedom -and don’t anyone dare say the opposite, as I met so many of these soldiers and had hundreds of letters from them and there families and I know their motives; they fight for their country’s safety and for our freedom and they are proud of what they are doing- gave me the faith and showed me that man should not care only about himself, his family or his country, these are not enough to make a human being. These guys are MUCH better than me because I have to fight for my issue and they fight for me. They deserve the respect of the world and so do the people who support them. They always give me hope to go on no matter how difficult it seems.

I think I’ll have to skip celebrating my birthday this year, but that will not make me less determined than before, and I know that even if other countries pull out of Iraq, we will always have the strongest and greatest nation on our side, the wonderful people of the USA, together with the UK, Italy, Japan and the rest of the coalition forces. We owe you a lot and I pray, and I’m sure, that one day we will be able to return some of your favors and I’m talking about the people not the politicians although I don’t deny those the credit they deserve for doing their job as good as they can. When that day finally comes, you will know for sure that the great efforts and sacrifices you’ve made were not in vain.

-By Mohammed.

- posted by Omar @ 18:20