Iraqi-Americans Demand Iraq's Liberation

Voice of America ^ | Wednesday, February 5, 2003 | James Donahower

[kristinn]

Iraqi-Americans converged outside the United Nations Wednesday to demand what they call the liberation of the Iraqi people from the regime of Saddam Hussein.

A small group of demonstrators hoisted signs emblazoned with the words, stop Saddam's war on the Iraqi people, indict Saddam for war crimes, and Saddam is a criminal and my brother's killer. They also held pictures of victims of Saddam Husseins's mustard gas attack that killed 5,000 Kurds in 1988.

Ten-year-old Huda al-Massiri held a picture of two men in her hands. "These are my two uncles. Saddam killed both of them," said Huda al-Massiri.

The New York police presence was heavy, but Aziz Altaee, Chairman of the Iraqi-American Council, said the demonstration would not exceed the 50 person limit allowed by permit. He says it will be enough, he hopes, to make their point. "The United Nations has been silent," he said. "They have taken no action against Saddam's crimes against humanity. He tortures people, he's used chemical weapons against us. There's pictures of many victims here. Hundreds of thousands of people have died, 200,000 are missing. What did the United Nations do about it? They issued two resolutions, 688 and 1441, and they did not implement them. The United Nations is in material breach of its own Security Council resolutions."

The day long demonstration began as Secretary of State Colin Powell, inside the U.N. Security Council chambers just across the street, was making the case for the use of military force to disarm Iraq.

But Zainab al-Suwaji, executive director of the American Islamic Congress, says the Iraqi people are being forgotten in the quest for disarmament. "Everybody's focusing so much on the weapons that Saddam has, and kind of denying, not focusing on the torture and suffering of the Iraqi people inside Iraq," she said. "They have been suffering for more than three decades. It's about time to stop it and gain their liberation."

Ms. al-Suwaji, who fled Iraq 11 years ago, says disarming Iraq without liberating the Iraqi people will be a hollow victory.

[kristinn]

Aziz Al-Taee spoke at the last two Patriots rallies as a guest of the D.C. Chapter. I'm glad to see the plight of average Iraqis living under tyranny getting reported.

[Mr. Mojo]

I'd like to see a confrontation between Marxist "peaceniks" and Iraqi-Americans on his issue. ....Preferably a violent one.

[lizma]

Iraqi people are being forgotten in the quest for disarmament.

I truly don't think Bush has forgotten and it's part of his motivation.

This will never be reported in the mainstream press. That's who they should be calling to task.

[Tamzee]

I agree... we should be listening to Iraqis who escaped most of all. They have the truest version of the human rights abuses over there...

...while the liberals and their media keep pretending that Saddam is a good guy and Bush is just oil-hounding...

[dixiechick2000]

I think he was talking about the UN when he said that.

President Bush has repeatedly called for the liberation of the Iraqis.

[kristinn]

They know that without President Bush they would not be at this point. They're talking about the U.N. as a whole.

[kristinn]

I checked the wire service photo link on Drudge this evening. There were no photos of the Iraqi-Americans.

There were two photos of anti-war demonstrators at the U.N. and several photos of anti-war protests in the Middle East.

Grrrrr.

[Tamzee]

Exactly... sickening. And yet we hear ENDLESSLY about the small groups of "human shields" and their political position trying to save Saddam.

I'll never know how people can get sooooo warped.

[kristinn]

Public education?

[Tamzee]

must be... then straight into a rarified, communistic college.

Ick.

[kristinn]

Morning bump.

Local TV news channel is having an interview with a representative from the Kurdish community about Saddam's abhorrent treatment of Iraqis.

[Tamzee]

VERY good to hear, thanks! I watched CNN for several hours yesterday and Fox and CSPAN last night... didn't see a single mention of the Iraqis that are trying to be heard :(

The endless optimist, I'll too hope to see something giving them a voice today...

Tammy

[Centurion2000]

Oddball thought .... if we clean up Iraq .... who's going to run the gas stations ?

[tractorman]

If these Iraqi's would be protesting for gay rights and abortion on demand in Iraq,

they'd be all over the news.