"They killed us. They displaced us."

On the eve of the US-led invasion to Iraq, my aunt and I were standing in front of the metal, dark-blue kitchen door facing the garden. We stood there after the last drive I did in Baghdad with my friend M. As we stood together, she sighed and said, “We’ll be like Palestinians one day and say ‘They killed us. They displaced us.’” I kept wondering if what she said would happen. I knew that the situation in Iraq is completely different although Saddam kept saying “Iraq and Palestine are one case.”

My aunt’s words are still in my mind since that day. She is right. Iraq is destroyed. People are displaced. No more schools are open. No more jobs offered. Markets are no longer welcoming customers. Barbers are killed. There is no longer water and electricity. There is no safety. People sleep with guns next to their pillows. Is that what people were dreaming of?

I was just reading the news and an AP headline drew my attention, “U.N. may build camps for Iraqi refugees.” I am going to write whatever comes out of my mouth without polishing it because I am really fed up. People from an oil and minerals- rich country became refugees. Alas. Alas. Jordan and Syria are treating Iraqis like shit. Is that how they show how grateful they are? Of course, their “hero” is gone, so there is no more love and “brotherhood” to Iraq. What a shame. My father was never mistaken calling them “Arab Jarab.” Jarab is a disease which I don’t know it’s translation in English. If someone helps me in that.

"If the situation continues to deteriorate inside Iraq, and if new and major waves of Iraqis start leaving, we might face a situation whereby borders all around Iraq are closed," Radhouane Nouicer told reporters after returning from a visit to the region.

To avoid the closing of borders, UNHCR would set up camps in Jordan, Syria, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, effectively separating the refugees from the local population and economy, he said. Associated press

Refugee camps? What a disgrace to the Iraqi government. Is that what people were waiting to get out of this democracy? Is humiliation and displacement is the reward of those who sacrificed themselves to vote in the elections? Is that how you build the new Iraq? After living in their own houses, having jobs and businesses, and sending their children to schools. After living in their country with their pride. Now they will be sent to refugee camps?!! And not only this? The Jarab Arabs don’t want these camps to be on their lands! Huh! Where are these officials? Won’t they say something? Oh! They will. They will thank the International Community for their kindness.

"The countries neighboring Iraq would prefer that we establish what they call 'safety zones' inside Iraq," he said. "We do not see any area inside Iraq which is completely safe, so we prefer to drop that option." Associated Press

And now what? The Arab Summit started today. The Saudi King is to ask Iraqis to “rewrite the constitution and rebuild the armed forces to accommodate more Sunnis.”

And who the hell he thinks he is to dictate us what to do? Let him purify his country from al-Qaeda whose poison reached everyone in the world first. What do they think they are doing by this? I mean give me a break! They didn't help or support Iraqi people in the beginning and now they open their dirty mouths and complain saying that we should do this and we should do that! Instead of supporting Iraqi people in this hard time, they recruit suicide bombers and send them to Iraq to keep their asses safe. No no and no. The age of “One Arab Homeland” is gone. We don’t need it because it let us down. When Arabs betray each other by helping occupiers and sending suicide bombers to kill their “brothers and sisters”, they should not expect gratitude and respect in return.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com