CPTnet
May 15, 2003
IRAQ: Waiting for Garner
by Jerry Levin
[Note: Levin wrote the following piece two days before the U.S. government
removed Jay Garner as the top civil administrator in Iraq. It has been
edited for length. People wishing to receive Levin's undedited report may
send their request to guest.445947@MennoLink.org. (Do NOT hit "reply" to
this posting.) People who wish to receive regularly Levin's "From the Inside
Looking Out" reports may send their request to guest.49296@MennoLink.org.
Put "Jerry Levin" in the subject heading.]
After the fall of Baghdad, the orgy of looting by uncontrollable and
uncountable Iraqis that immediately followed was the most visible reaction
to the city having just been "liberated." However, other thousands of
orderly and presumably equally aggrieved and frustrated Iraqis began to
react quite differently.
Although they too have taken to the streets, they are doing it in an orderly
fashion. Using one of the occupation's tendered benefits-- "freedom of
speech and assembly"--they are exercising this theoretical new right by
heading for the seat of occupation power in order to demonstrate their
concerns and wishes and protest the pace with which they are being
addressed.
The signs and banners they carry proclaim their yearnings and complaints:
"Down with Sadaam. Down with all new repressive policies"
"Iraq is the home of free people civilizations"
"Liberty, Justice, and Independence"
"Free our High School from U. S. Occupation"
"Mr. Gorner (sic). We would like your face (sic)," and near to that sign
this one: "We ask 'Help Us.'"
And finally this one: "Bush said: Day by day Iraqi people come closely from
freedom. We say: Day by day Iraqi people become closely from Hell."
But the problem for most Iraqis, is that despite their efforts to be heard,
they believe that they are not. One frustrated demonstrator asked me, "What
is use of speech freedom, if we cannot know that someone is listening?"
"I know what you mean," I answered, "Bush did not listen to me either."
Another Iraqi in the crowd complained, "Why doesn't Garner talk to us?"
When we come here, it is like our words are stones dropping in the well. We
do not hear them enter the water."
Garner, of course, is retired Lieutenant General Jay Garner. He heads up the
Pentagon's Office of Rehabilitation and Humanitarian Assistance. I stress
"Pentagon," because it is the U. S. military that is running the country
right now. And it will still be controlling events on the ground here after
an interim puppet government of Iraqis is set up.
"You have to understand," said a frequently patronizing and rationalizing
mid-level occupation minion (a Major assigned to facilitate Non-governmental
Organization (NGO) efforts to deal with the consequences of the humanitarian
mess his brothers and sisters in arms created), "that dealing with
humanitarian complaints is your work. We're here to facilitate, but you need
to do it."
Translation of the Major's polemic: If things are going too slow to suit the
Iraqis, it's your fault: meaning the NGOs.
Meanwhile Iraqi protesters waiting more or less helplessly in streets
outside well protected occupation venues are not getting answers to
questions and issues they want addressed.
Frustration at the lack of communication was expressed the other day by a
remarkably good natured Iraqi university graduate waving a placard demanding
that the occupation stop giving jobs to former Baath Party regulars (Sadaam
Hussein's party) and instead give one to him. "Mister," he said, do you know
'Waiting For Godot?'"
"You mean the play about the two men who don't move but talk and talk and
talk while waiting for Mr. Godot; but he never comes?"
"Yes, yes that one."
"So?"
"I think Godot is God. You think so too?"
"Yes, I think that is who the author meant."
"So, Mister? Where is Jay Garner?"
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