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Portions © 2002-2005, Fred Coleman
Iraq a land of civilizations, of prophets, a land of science, where writting was invented. From which came a lot of great scientists that contributed significantly to the development of this world and help make it what it is now. Now this great land is having one of the worst times in its history. It seems that the wars, the dictatorship that Iraq passed through weren't enough. The power and water problems, and the security problems that Iraqis face everyday from bombings and killings never end.
The Iraqi people passed through all this, are still going through it and surviving and not complaining. But now we have a new problem which is as I think if we measure it to all these problems I said would be much worse than all of it. It is the assasintaion and kidnapping and threating of Iraqi scientists. I think this is something that, if it continues, then Iraq may be lost forever. All other problems could be fixed by the presence of the Iraqi scientists. And by the presence of these great minds we can get through anything.
Some examples of what Iraqis are facing here. I am in contact with it everyday because it's happening to my friends, and their families.
Dr. Omar was one of the top heart surgeons in the country, he ran the heart hospital in Iraq before and after the last war. A few months ago he received a threat from an unknown source. He recieved a letter telling him to leave Iraq or he would be killled, along with his family. With the letter there was a bullet.
He didnt complain, he stayed and worked. A week later one of his sons who is my friends was nearly killed when some men opened fire on his car while he was driving home. But god saved him, he wasn't hurt. A few days later, they left Iraq, and Iraq lost a great doctor. Not to mention that Dr. Omar had 4 sons. 3 of them doctors and one is an engineer.
Dr. Ansaf she was a well know doctor in Iraq and she was running a hospital for pregnant women and delivery in baghdad. She also received a letter telling her to leave Iraq or she or her family would get hurt. She also didnt complain, but continued working. A few days later, while driving home, 4 cars stopped her and about 15 armed men kidnapped her. She had an awefull time when she was kidnapped. She was released a few days later, but not until after paying about $80,000 in ransom and promising them to leave Iraq. So she left everything here and got out of Iraq. Her husband was a good doctor too and her daughter was a medical student who is my friend. They've all left Iraq
Dr. Ryiadh, he was my prof. at the college of medicine I attended, he also had a practice. He was really a great prof. and doctor. One of the best that I've met in college. He used to get threating letters too. And he didn't care. But then he recieved a letter with a grenade at his home, but the grenade didnt explode. He left Iraq after that. His place at the college is empty. And we lost another good one.
There are a lot of examples like this. Great Iraqis that have left this way, and many more have been assasinated. Not only this, now even the colleges are targeted. The last year a bomb falled at my brother's college but still killed some students. Few weeks ago a car bomb exploded near my college.
I am an Iraqi citizen and I've lived my life in Iraq. I've lived through all these bad times here and didnt think of it as bad. I used to live that and just try to find the happy way through all this and try to live as normal as I can. As most Iraqis used to do, even with the war and all the bombing and killing.
I believe that for everyone it is already decided when they come to this world and when they leave. So from this belief I would go out, go to college and do what I do. And I thought that if it is written for me to die in a bombed car. So it is and I cant change it.
Even with all this I used to have hope, that it is just a matter of time before we defeat all this and Iraq gets back on it feet and stands again. But now after seeing all this migration and killing of the educated Iraqis, this hope in me dieing.
If this continues much longer we may lose Iraq. Because I think if the educated leave who will rebuild Iraq? The country cant be rebuilt unless by the hands of its own ppl. So if they aren't here to run the hands, it will be mess like it is now. And u cant import this from outside. It must be Iraqis who build Iraq. But now we are losing them, day by day. And we are losing Iraq.
Murad Ghazi, a friend of mine, is a young medical student, in Iraq.