Since the Lancet report showed up, newspapers, blogs, and TV stations rushed to talk and analyze how terrible the situation in Iraq has become since the invasion. Some people said the number is accurate while others said it was far from being accurate.
What I think is that it does not matter if the report is accurate or not. What matters is the fact that the security situation is going from bad to worse, if not the worst. More than three years have passed and things changed.
To see how the situation these days changed life and opinions of bloggers, I have emailed some Iraqi bloggers and asked them several questions about their opinion with respect to the situation in Iraq and whether they think the war was worth it or not.
Before I leave you to read what the bloggers wrote, I would love to mention what my Iraqi Blogger and friend, Iraqi Konfused Kid, wrote concerning the latest discussion held by Iraqi bloggers via emails. Read all about it here.
The blogs are listed alphabetically:
24 Steps to Liberty
When have you started blogging?
August 2005
How did your perceptions change since?
I don’t think I’ve changed dramatically. I do believe though that when I discuss something in the blog now, I put into consideration that there are more angles to approach a thought. And I now try to discuss as many angles as I can so I don’t become biased in what I write. Also, I now think twice before I write about something, because I have a wide base of different readers, whom I respect and appeal to in my writings.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Before the war, I had fun. I had my family and friends around me. I had a plan for tomorrow. My heart did not ache. But I had no future.
NOW, I don’t have my friends around me because they left the country, and I did too. My heart aches all the time. And if I were in Iraq , I would not be able to plan for tomorrow. But I know I have a better future.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Yes. The war was totally worth it. Why? Because I now decide what I want to do with my life, not the dictator [I am talking about myself, someone who is trying to have a better future and not wait for the Marjiya to tell him what to do.] And also because let it be once and forever, the Iraqis now know how much the hate to live with each other and how much the will lose if the DON’T live with each other. They can decide now.
Chikitita
When have you started blogging?
May 2006
How did your perceptions change since?
I'm afraid they have changed 180 degrees. I used to be full of hope of a better tomorrow, but the aftermath of Feb. 22 has dragged all my foolish hopes down the drain. It was the time I had to wake up to the fact that Iraq will no longer be the same.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
It is hard to compare. Saddam's era has its pros and cons and so has the post invasion era. As for the former, I hated the fact that we the Iraqi people must worship an idol, who wanted to control our lives and suppress our freedom, but it was no big deal, it was easy for me to cope and go with the flow. The latter on the other hand proved to some Iraqis that idols are not hard to break and it felt good to slander the despot without worrying about possible minders. But with time, the invasion spawned hordes of looters, blood-thirsty gangsters and unnecessary spiteful sectarianism and bloodbaths, which have been so unheard of when the Baathists ruled.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
It was seemingly worth it in terms of showing despots that they are not the gods they have been driven to believe they are. What it did actually was encourage others to be just as vile, and as all Iraqis say in unison, "we used to have one Saddam, now we have a million more vicious replicas".
Freedom of Mind
When have you started blogging?
I started blogging in November 2005.
How did your perceptions change since?
My friend introduced to the Iraqi blogg sphere, which is completely different from the mainstream media i used to encounter all the time. it opened my eyes to a lot more, i heard and read about many events that you don’t read or hear about in the media. new opinions and ideas, new perceptions which we can compare to achieve a some kind of solution.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
I’m not living in Iraq now, sadly. But from what i gather it is horrible out there. it is completely different now. Back then we were safe, on a personal level, nobody ever felt fear of going out to the street. We were leading a normal life, the only bad thing is that our rights were denied. But now, we think we have our rights, which we don’t. We think we can practice them, but we cant. we think we have freedom and democracy, but freedom and democracy are won, achieved, not given. That’s why we don’t appreciate it.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
the war was not worth it at all. For one simple reason, it didn’t achieve it goal. And that is for a good reason too, it was a lie. The whole thing was a sham. We are way behind where we were in 2003. Thins war cause a lot of wounds, that won’t heal easily.
Ihath
When have you started blogging?
October, 2003
How did your perceptions change since?
When I started blogging I had a clear idea of what I wanted to say,Now I feel all confused.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was itbefore the war?
I lump my answer to this question with the answer to the question below.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Hard question to answer. I have to admit that there are certainbenefits to the removal of the Saddam regime, even in my personallife. For example, I recently published a book titled "Don't Shoot!... I have another story to tell you". There are certain parts in thatbook I wouldn't have been able to write if Saddam was still in power.Although, I live in Canada, I never dared talk honestly about what isgoing on inside Iraq for fear for the lives of family inside Iraq. Theremoval of the old regime allows me to speak and write in a morehonest way. However, family and relatives back in Iraq are goingthrough hell right now. They live in constant fear for their lives andthings seem very bleak. But then life wasn't that great before the wareither, and now it seems even worse. So it is hard to say if the warwas worth it or not. I don't think it matters to try to answer thatquestion. The meaningful question we should be asking ourselves is, nowthat we are in this mess, what can we do to make it better. Is thereanything we can do?
Iraqi Konfused Kid
When have you started blogging?
July 2005.
How did your perceptions change since?
At first, like most Iraqis, I was just going about my daily life, I was completely ignorant about such things as to who are the current members of the IGC, or the names of the ministers, I used to hear about the important names here and there but basically I was just a normal citizen who just wants to look for his daily bread, however as the days grew I was forced to become interested as the level of internal tensions grew beyond comprehension and became impossible to ignore with the death of thousands of normal citizens, the deportation, the increasing awareness of sects - basically feelings of despair, and most importantly disgust has replaced my neutrality.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
People could walk around streets safely, there was more power and water, you used to fear only one person but now you fear so many, even in your own area you cannot feel safe, not a single minute is spent with complete comfort as the dangers around you are boundless: militas, roadside bombs, et all.
Basically, It's a jungle out there.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Hard to answer, everyone wanted to get rid of Saddam, as for me, I do not question the initaitive of war itself - even though it is based on complete fabrications, because it was supposed to help us create a modern democratic country in which we could relieve those long hard days of toil, but regarding American (and Iraqi) policies and actions after the war which have caused this to happen (most importantly: divisions along sectarian and ethnic lines, disbanding the army) I strongly disapprove of. I do not blame Americans alone in this, but they have the biggest share of them as they have jumped headlong into a society with complex undercurrents they should have known everything about, they deserve every bit of the blame because they started the war, not me. I support their cause for my own reasons, I do not support them like a blind sheep that keeps on babbling about gibberish such as liberty and democracy and a New World Order, we both have common interests: I support a moderate Islamic state that is not based on force, and I believe the only way to achieve that is through democratic ventures.
Micho
When have you started blogging?
September 2005.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Differences before and after the war are uncountable. Before the war, we used to live better. All Iraqis in all ages were able to live normally like going to schools, having the feeling that we have a future and a goal that encourages us to move forward. We used to hang out with family and friends on holidays everywhere. The human being by nature is social and cannot live alone. We used to go out safe as there was no killings, assassinations or sectarian differences like what is happening now. There was no fear or loss. Now fear haunted all of us with no exceptions. We cannot go out during the day or night. After the war, Iraq became a place for ghosts, blood, murder and destruction. There is no hope in life. Nothing encourages us to be hopeful. We feel tired and lost. There is no future. All we need is to live peacefully away from the bloody scenes, sounds of explosions, corpses thrown in the street, kidnappings and killings and away from oppression.
Before the war, we did not know what freedom that America brought means. We did not have mobiles or technology like now but the price of freedom is the souls of the Iraqis. We don’t want freedom now. We want the dictatorship as it provided safety and stability.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
I don’t see any logical reason for this war. We do not want freedom. We did not have the mass destruction weapons as they claim. Even if there were [WMD], I don’t think any country is able to attack America. But I think the main reason is the oil and the desire to control the whole Middle East region because they don’t care about the lives of Iraqis as they claim and do not want to provide peace and freedom. Otherwise, they would have not killed millions of children, women, and youths.
Miraj
When have you started blogging?
January, 2006
How did your perceptions change since?
I faced reality by realizing that our role as Iraqi bloggers is bigger than we have thought and that majority of the people who read our blogs were unaware of the facts and the bitter reality that the war dragged on us. Having said that, I found majority of our readers who supported the war are still insisting that America was right. So basically I have lost faith in American people in General with apologizing for the Americans who were and still against the war and the killing of innocents.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Honestly, I've been very careful not to compare between the two eras as much as I want to because every time I open my mouth about the conditions before the war I find someone accusing me of being a ba'athist. If I was a ba'athist you wouldn't find me here in Iraq suffering just like everyone else. Majority of the Ba'athists are now enjoying their money they stole from us in UAE, Jordan and Europe while the rest of them are killing us by the name of Jihad.
Anyway, despite that before the war I used to beg Allah for a miracle to take Saddam and all his gang members away from us and despite the pain I felt when saw these strangers who invaded our streets and buildings I felt that it was the only way to get rid of him and feel free.
On a personal level, even if I couldn't manage to work for a good company for Saddam's Mukhabart used to control everything and at that time the good jobs used to go mostly to the people with the strong contacts and despite the brutal sanctions imposed on us by the USA , I never had a security problem, I never saw a dead body, I never had to deal with a friend who was raped ,I never had to freak out when ever I try to call a friend with no answer thinking the worse might happened, I never had a problem with what I wear, I used to go out with a bunch of girls up till 10 pm to take long walks either in Alrubai'e street, Mansour or Karrada, I used to take my mother and sister and go visit our aunt and get back home real late, three women in a car in the night in Baghdad (now the idea it self is a good base for a horror movie!!!) .The electricity back then was far better comparing to now, other services were not easy to have but I never had to stand in line for 7 hours to fill my car with fuel nor my parents had to stay for 4 hours on their feet to get oil to the heaters in winter. Long list my friend!
Now we have lost in three years more than we lost in 30 years. You do not have to dig under ground to look for hidden mascaras, the dead bodies are thrown in the streets, a huge operation was preformed against doctors, engineers, writers, journalists, university prophesiers to execute everything that is good in my country. Then if that was not enough, terrorists were encouraged to enter the country from the country's widest open doors, a corrupt government took over and a civil war was provoked. A lot of people fell in that game due to the lack of education since all the educated people were either killed or emigrated from the country and not forgetting the huge gap created by the sanctions which were on educational level as well.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
It was not worth it at all for the reasons above. Adding to that , after more than three years we still hear Saddam making his speeches from behind bars and leading a war by directing his followers while the world is seeing the so called democratic jury on their T.V sets thinking that America is on the right track and this jury is the proof.
Now we do not just have all the miseries I mentioned above but again, we have Saddam
Morbid Smile
When have you started blogging?
I have started blogging a year and a half ago, and I've been blogging non-stop ever since that time.
How did your perceptions change since?
My perception changed widely since I started writing in my blog; I got to know more about the world around me, and I was astonished about how little the other people in the world knew about Iraq and Iraqis. And one of the reasons that made me continued blogging is to let the world know more about the social and daily life of Iraqi people inside, and now outside Iraq .
Compared to the current situation in Iraq , how different was it before the war?
The situation in Iraq now is way different from how it was before the war. It's true that we were living under a dictator regime, but at least there was no killing and terrorism in the country like now. We could go out anytime we wanted before the war without being afraid of getting kidnapped or killed by car-bomb or a maniac suicide bomber.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Not at all! As I said somewhere else before, there could be other ways to get rid of Saddam rather than launching a war against Iraq . And it's obvious now that the U.S. had plans for the war but never thought of after the war, which resulted in all the murdering and chaos in the country.
Nabil’s Blog
When have you started blogging?
I started blogging in Nov. 2003
How did your perceptions change since?
(At first I was pro war.. now I'm anti war)
Compared to the current situation in Iraq , how different was it before the war?
Its was much safer before the war.. I mean from the security side..we used to stay out side our houses all the nights.. now we have to be at home.. at 6 pm.. cause after that time... it would be dangerous on you to go out in the streets.. I want to say.. that we used to live our life... now we can't roam where ever we want.. its like we're locked up in a very big and horrible prison.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
It was worth it from the side.. that we are over with Saddam dictatorship..(even though the situation now is incomparable with the situation when Saddam was is power.. it was way better)..and its not worth it from the side that we lost our safety.. now criminals, gangsters and kidnappers.. roam in the streets.. do whatever they want.. and there is no law to stop them.. as well as for the Islamic militias.
Najma
When have you started blogging?
June 2004
How did your perceptions change since?
I thought Americans were more understanding! This changes entirely as I started getting comments.
I have stopped watching the news because I got tired of hearing about the killing and theft, of freedom and democracy, and of our new so-called government.
I grew confused over which side to take.. There's constant brain-washing in my inbox and it's hard to keep being the old me.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Too different.. Other than higher salaries, the internet and the mobile, nothing became better. Iraq is gradually turning to a big tomb for Iraqis whose families won't know the reasons of their death. Security can't be felt anywhere, you can be lying in your bed and still get a sharpnel or bullet that would kill you.. Whatever side you'd choose, you'll get killed by the other.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Not! For the above reasons.. I'd rather live under Saddam's regime and have peace of mind than live under whatever regime there is now and lose family members, security, peace of mind and myself.
I might have responded differently a year ago, and I surely would've responded differently 3 years ago.. but Iraq is a mess now, and so are my replies!
Sunshine
When have you started blogging?
I started my blog two years ago.
How did your perceptions change since?
It changed a lot , I became more mature , and feel like I have a mission to do , blogging became the most effective thing in my life , I spend my spare time writing posts , answering , & reading my e-mails , people E-mail me saying that after they read my blog their standpoint changed , and they realized that Iraqis are not different people , it makes me happy , and I will continue what I am doing.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Before the war , I used to visit my relatives with my family, and stay there till midnight , we used to go to picnics , & parties , I used to celebrate my birthday with my friends , New year evenings were very special and charming, in which we used to play bingo , monopoly and say jokes, and of course prepare delicious meals and desserts , now we can't do any of these things , our life isn't bright anymore, it is full of danger , fear , and losses.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Well , when I think about the war , I remember all the people I know who were killed , and my relatives who became orphans and widows , my friend who lost her dad , her 2 uncles , 3 cousins , and her aunt's husband , my uncle who was killed by US troops , my relative R who was shot to death inside his house because of absence of security , my aunt and relatives who left Iraq to avoid the dangerous situation , the absence of electricity , fuel , security , the so many terrorists who badly affected the Islam repute by their crimes in the name of Islam , and the list doesn't end , the answer is obviously
NO IT IS NOT WORTHY the only good thing is that Sadam and his regime are jail …but many new Sadam's came to the governorship… internet connection is another good thing..we can now communicate with the others.. ..But Two years ago , I was very optimistic , and thought I will have the perfect life , I was happy and full of hope when the us troops entered Iraq ,I thought at that time that the war is worthy , now I changed my mind .. our life is turning form bad to worse.. The people who died won't be back , the buildings ,the hotels ,the casinos and the place I like won't be back as it was in the past ,the ancient places , Samara and al- malweea is gone for ever,. .. I am very frustrated , and confused ..
Tara
When have you started blogging?
In March 2005.
How did your perceptions change since?
I was regarding the war as liberation at that time. Now I know it’s an occupation!
I hoped that things will be fixed after a short time but now I think leaving the country is the right thing to do, I mean I should leave the country as the American do not want to leave !
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
We were in a big prison & now we are in a huge mess. So, which is better?
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Not worth it. All the deaths, the injured & handicapped people & all those who had forced to leave their homes are big price for what we got today.
Then Some
When have you started blogging?
I started blogging on the 23rd of August, 2004.
How did your perceptions change since?
My perceptions of the situation did not change at all. I expected this to happen. Call me "pessimist", i prefer "realist".
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Yin-yang. Night-and-day. Or let's say: any horrible things we had in Iraq, now we have it 100-fold more. Before there was one dictator, one guy to fear, one side to watch out for. now? there are at least 100 mini-dictators running around, both Sunni and shi'a.
You need only two guys, three rifles, and a bit of guts, to enforce your will on some neighborhood.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Worth it? Not-at-all.
Why? It was based on false pretexts. (WMDs- false, Qaida link- false)
It destabilized the whole region, not just my country, and hastened the appearance of the iranian/syrian/salafi/you-name-it threat.
Three years on, and America itself has not become any safer.
Three years on, Iraq is not better in ANY field which the invading forces said it will be in. democracy? are you kidding me?buildings and structures? great figures on paper, but please show me their location.. security? HAH!
etc..etc..ad nauseum ad infinitum.
i hope nobody starts preaching to me how essential it is to brave the conditions and tough it out and crap like that. i am not in iraq at the moment yet i have been there for the last three years, and i will return to it in the next few days.
Thoughts from Baghdad
When have you started blogging?
Started blogging in March 2006.
How did your perceptions change since?
I had not known that other Iraqi bloggers were out there before Istarted blogging. After I started blogging, I did a search and foundother blogs, and that really opened my eyes to things that wereoccuring in Iraq that I was not aware of, and it also showed me thatwhat I was experiencing was alot more commonplace than I was aware of. Blogging has also made me aware of everything occuring here, makingme take in all the details so that I can record them for peopleoutside Iraq who are not aware of what is happening here.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
I did not live here before the war. Only came for a short visit.Back then, in June/July 2001, I was able to stay outside the housetill 1 am at night, since the war, that is impossible. We were ableto go out for social activities, sit on the river; allimpossible/difficult now. Electricity was much more available then,almost nonexistant now. And of course, the small issue of securityand life, people didn't have thousands of stories of kidnappings andmurders to talk about back then. They were basically safe in theirhomes, if they stayed away from politics.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
This is a very difficult question to answer. Saddam was a tyrant,no doubt about that. People were afraid of him and of opposing him.People had to leave their homes for political differences and otherswere imprisoned/killed. But what is happening now is much worse forthe average person. So many more people are affected by the killingsand random murders that happen by the tens every day. I honestlydon't know that it was worth it, in the short run, at least. Maybe inthe long run, but by then, so many thousands will have died innocently
Zappy
When have you started blogging?
April 2006
How did your perceptions change since?
I always knew that it would get worse i.e., 17 separate states also i prayed that I was wrong; I wanted to hint the simple differences between cultures and civilizations.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
That’s difficult, I hate Saddam and was always annoyed by the Baathies, the UN Sanctions, the difficulties of travel and finding a decent job, but I regret to say it was much safer and we were much happier, nowadays well it’s a total chaotic mess of blood flesh and bones.
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Yes it was worth it, maybe one day we get back on our feet and the average iraqi understands that Islamic Parties are not different from the Baathists. Else we will be like the Iranian who fled Iran back in 1980's.
Zeyad
When have you started blogging?
I started the blog in mid-October 2003.
How did your perceptions change since?
I initially supported the war, as I thought we had a good chance to establish a democratic government in Iraq and put our legacy of dictatorships and decades of bloodshed behind. As months went by, my perceptions changed dramatically. I realised that change was more likely to empower sectarian and religious fundamentalists at the expense of Iraqis, to facilitate the breakup of Iraq into sectarian and ethnic cantons, as well as to invite the intervention of neighbouring countries into our affairs. I witnessed friends, relatives and neighbours abducted by gangs and killed in senseless, wanton violence. and many more leaving the country and taking refuge elsewhere. I was forced to quit my job after receiving threats and my family has broken apart. My life will never be the same again.
Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
We knew how to avoid trouble. There was no fear of being abducted on your way to work or while shopping the market, as long as you did nothing wrong. No fear of being stopped at a random checkpoint and killed because of your last name or because of what you looked like. You were able to work the system to your advantage. Your family and friends were safe. True, there was a lower standard of living but basic services were running and you were safe. There was still no hope for a better future and we were all desperate, but is it really different now?
Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
I'm afraid to answer that question.
