War Memories
Since it is the 2nd anniversary, let me tell you some memories which go back two years, to those days of war. A time of total darkness, little water to drink, gunfire & explosions, total stoppage of any kind of communication & wrestling with the transistor radio to grasp any information…etc. Moreover, jetfighters & helicopters touring the sky, tanks wheels screeching at night add fear.
Times of sufferings make people feel closer to each other. We have been living in the district since 1962 & most of our neighbors have been here for the same time. So one can imagine how much memories we share. During nights of war, we used to gather, persons of different ages, in the street and chat till very late time.
It's nice to recall old memories. Recalling old memories shared together was one of the dominating subjects, especially funny events. Each one brings a chair with him; others sit on the ground, and after looting had spread a gun may be brought also. Everyone tells the others the latest news he gained, new ideas to deal with the problems arises in such circumstances. It was very normal that one of us suddenly runs away, because of fear, to take shelter from an approaching jet-fighter or missile voice.
Iraqis have been living constant fears of war since 1980. So one can imagine what kind of stress people here have been living under. And one is to be considered lucky to keep his/her sanity.
Times of sufferings make people feel closer to each other. We have been living in the district since 1962 & most of our neighbors have been here for the same time. So one can imagine how much memories we share. During nights of war, we used to gather, persons of different ages, in the street and chat till very late time.
It's nice to recall old memories. Recalling old memories shared together was one of the dominating subjects, especially funny events. Each one brings a chair with him; others sit on the ground, and after looting had spread a gun may be brought also. Everyone tells the others the latest news he gained, new ideas to deal with the problems arises in such circumstances. It was very normal that one of us suddenly runs away, because of fear, to take shelter from an approaching jet-fighter or missile voice.
Iraqis have been living constant fears of war since 1980. So one can imagine what kind of stress people here have been living under. And one is to be considered lucky to keep his/her sanity.
posted by Ibn_Alrafidain at 5:54 PM
2 Comments:
Very interesting post.
After September 11, many psychologists theorized that there was a mass wave of post traumatic stress which is brought on by singular extreme events or many stressful events over a long period of time.
They used a map starting with New york city and used varyng shades of red in radiating circles to show that those closest to the incident, even if they weren't there directly, but still watching it on TV even, would be the most affected and the ones living further and further out would be less so.
I wonder if you would say that the entire iraq nation was in the center of the "bulls eye" or target area or if people might have suffered this stress similar to the theory...those being closer to the seat of the regime (in demographic location) being most affected
Try imagining life under the rule of saddam husseins two sons. Figure another 20 years of saddam being able to hold control then his sons for another 30 years. That is 50 years of brutality and mass murder compared to 2 years of war
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