Our Iraqi guest… and the American World Service Corps

In mid September Peoples Lobby held its second panel dealing with the questions:

What does the military, Gold and Blue Star Moms, and the nation need to address the complexities of the 21st century?

Blue Star Mom Laura Monroe, General Ralph Marinaro, and an Iraqi guest delivered opening remarks. Panelists General Paul Monroe, Gold Star Mom Nadia McCaffrey, and I discussed perceived needs, and whether Peoples Lobby citizen-initiated American World Service Corps proposed congressional legislation addressed those needs.

Our Iraqi keynoter, who was in Fallujah during both sieges giving humanitarian aid, however, delivered the most impassioned comments. Before delivering those comments, our guest requested both cameras be turned off.

Afterwards, I had more conversations with this Iraqi. Rather than try to weave the Iraqi’s forthright comments together, I will quote them for your consideration:

“I do not have bad impression in general with American people. I have been protected by American soldiers in Iraq. I know real soldiers know how to act. I am here to help make the Americans understand what is happening.

“Iraqis means Shia, Sunni, Kurd, and Arab… Americans destroying Iraqi structure and families. America is creating these troubles. We have Sunni families married to Shia. We have persons got Jewish, Christian, all living peacefully until Americans show up in our lives... Americans creating civil war to keep Iraq unstable.

“You are expecting and creating civil war to destroy us… Most Iraqis feel American have caused this -- this civil strife… Go to the web. Go to BBC – and find Martin Asser at BBC web site…. He shows steps to civil war in 2004. Iranians are also involved in this... Problem with America is don't know Persian and Arab history...

“Malaki and others are placed by Americans are not puppets. They are traitors! Traitors, not puppets. They came on American tanks. Don't call them Iraqis. They didn't suffer from embargo. They left 20-30 years ago. As soon as Americans leave, they will leave. They are insect forms. Sewage who will return to sewages.

“New Iraqis politicians are like this. Ex-minister of Defense stole $600 million. He stole weapons in deal with Iraq and Poland. Mazim Ar-shalan was minister. Less than month ago, he stole $600 million to Jordan. He was made by Americans and by Iranian intelligence...

“We can defeat US. But problem is Iran. Iran is eternal enemy for Iraq. Iran and US are not enemies. Under the table, they work together.

“Each new minister has an American advisor -- torturing, drill machine in head, cutting ears, tongues, hands,… all this and more done under watch of Americans. Each minister have American advisors. Iraqis have American, British, Irish, South African, Australian, and Gorkha in Green Zone as mercenaries.

“Your young who want to join army. Why? Mercenaries paid $20-30,000 monthly. They live in best hotels, eat best food. Yet American soldier have $500-2,000 month. And mercenary gets $30,000 per month. Security company pays for it…

“I come here to say to people here. With a message from an Iraqi whose father and daughters killed by American massacre... Your arms kill daughters, wife, and two sons. They have terrible war crimes.

“If American people want to prove not savage, they must have trial of President, Secretary of Defense, then we believe they are different. Bush brought for us destruction, killing, kidnapping. Everything bad brought by Bush administration to Iraq.

“I am here to wake American people... I chose in this way to help. We know not all American people are bad, but more believing. More people believing that every day in my country, in world. If not awake, it will be too late. Must awake now.

“America has taken 16 years from our lives... 1991 where war started. And 1980 was previous war - 26 years. That is life of a generation. We born to love each other. We not born to fight each other. Iraq never any links with Al Queda. Americans must know that.

“If America really want to bring peace, all should leave the country. Chaos because of Americans. Americans continue to destroy our country. Americans say they don't torture, yet we are in jail at their movement.”

I asked, “What would you tell Americans to do to bring peace and stability?”

“Tell them to inform themselves. Go on the web sites. Your news not telling you truth. Inform themselves. America is doing destruction, killing, genocide, and Americans are not informed about this. The world is starting to believe that America won't change. That is the view of the international community. That is the view the international community has for them. If America doesn't change soon, it won’t make any difference in awhile. American people must change quickly.

“Poor Americans are there fighting the war. They don't want to be poor. They are made poor by corporations. America is becoming a machine, killing machine. Really said to see like this. Sad to see American peoples children, their sons, and daughters becoming like killing machines.”

Our Iraqi keynoter raised the underlying question that the world’s leading military power and once leading moral power must address.

What does the world want America to do to address the 21st century’s complexities?

The world wants us to understand the global village and to reduce the ignorance in it by peacefully using our best resources, our strengths to help build stability in it.

Our best resources, our strengths lie:
• Not in bigger and better bunker busters.
• Not in allowing mega-corporations to disperse with little oversight billions of our taxpayers dollars on their projects and their mercenaries.
• But in sending can-do, concerned Americans to build the people based foundations upon which stable, culturally diverse nations are built.

You can help this happen by pushing your Congressional candidates to take a stand on Peoples Lobby written and ready-to-go citizen-initiated American World Service Corps (AWSC) Congressional Proposals during their campaigns. http://www.WorldServiceCorps.us

Support those candidates who have the vision to support having a million peaceful, productive, cost-effective AWSC volunteers annually serving at home or abroad. Help elect those smart candidates. Then push them to enact the legislation early in the next Congress.

If you are concerned about Iraq and our state in the world, help re-involve Americans in the world so they can once again be respected and admired.

Our Iraqi guest and the world can’t wait for us to approach the world differently. It is time to send the American World Service Corps.