Works In Progress - August 2003

There has been an unfortunate trend in reporting on the people of Iraq. Iraqi civilians are being trivialized; their claims of injustice are being downplayed.

The trend is subtle and this is where the problem lies. Take for example Hamza Hendawi's July 7th article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (available online at http://www.seattlepi.com ) about house raids conducted by the US military. Who are the two Iraqis interviewed? One is a religious leader and lecturer at a university; all fine and good. The other is a retired civil servant, perhaps an educated man and good source. But he is described as being "from Samarra, a stronghold of Saddam supporters and a frequent target of U.S. raids." Now the source is trivialized. This subtly suggests that he might be a Saddam loyalist all riled up because his city is being raided.

Take also Jim Krane's July 7th article, also in the PI, about the opening of two new U.S.-backed city councils in Iraq. We get yet more L. Paul Bremer quotes about how badly those Iraqis need democracy as well as a quote from Joe Rice, council advisor. Notice what's missing? As the article is primarily concerned with Iraqi government, shouldn't we hear from at least one Iraqi? Not even from the questionable New York Times staples, man with gun and anonymous civilian? It is irresponsible to deny an Iraqi voice when it comes to talking about the Iraqi government. The message we receive from this debasing of Iraqi sources is that they don't matter when it comes to rebuilding their country. It's lucky the brown people have us to lead them to civilization, it says between the lines, intention or not. This is not an overstatement. It is a dangerous idea conveyed as a result of simple omissions and descriptions that discredit Iraqi sources.

Hendawi's article provides ample evidence, though we can see it in nearly every article about Iraq. Hendawi spends the first part of the article discussing the soldiers' complete lack of cultural understanding exhibited and brute force exercised during these raids: soldiers kicking down doors screaming and swearing, handcuffing the man of the household in front of his family, women and children in fear. We are shocked and dismayed reading this. A useful primer on Iraqi custom regarding entrance of the home follows; so far, so good. Major Aguto then admits his men are sometimes "forceful." After the quote, Maj. Aguto and his "forceful" men are described as operating "in al-Anbar province, scene of the worst violence against U.S. forces." Hendawi is justifying their actions. It suggests the soldiers are simply reacting to the stress of their situation during the war. This is no valid excuse. Why are they kicking down doors and violently raiding these houses when more culturally appropriate and less severe alternatives can be implemented?

Maj. Aguto goes on to say that "when the use of force was unnecessary," the families were calmed and candy was given to the children. To realize the absurdity of this excuse, imagine this: you've been living under sanctions, the results of which means you've had little or no access to clean water because most treatment facilities have been bombed, food has been at best scarce and hardly nutritious, electricity comes and goes but mostly goes, and half a million of your country's children have died, mostly from treatable diseases during the last thirteen years. Now, soldiers from the country who imposed the sanctions, after more bombing and an invasion, are now looking for weapons and choose your house to search. The man of the house is handcuffed by foreign soldiers screaming in their native tongue while kicking down your doors. They don't find anything. They offer calming words and some Tootsie Rolls to junior and then leave. Would this be satisfying to you? Would this erase your anger and fear? Admittedly, carrying out repairs to these houses is a nice gesture and good step. However, we sit back half a world away in safety wondering why the Iraqi citizenry is mad at us. No amount of housework or candy will repair the emotional damage done and trust lost in the American occupation force by the very people whose country we will "restore."