CPTnet
June 30, 2003
IRAQ: Letter from Peggy Gish

[Note: The following letter, dated June 21, has been edited for length.]

Dear Family and Friends,

We left for Iraq Tues. morning, June 10th, after a time of prayer. In the
van I was able to talk extensively with our driver, Sattar. He said things
were not good in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. People need to have freedom of
speech and political freedom. But things are worse now. Very few people have
work, enough food and medicines for their families. There is still
widespread looting and robbery; people are afraid to go places. The people
heard the promises of the U.S. and expected that our country would quickly
rebuild the economy and infrastructure and that life would be better than
before, so many welcomed the troops when they came in. Whole units of Iraqi
soldiers didn't resist the U.S. military because they were promised jobs of
good rank in the post-war military. But now the people are disillusioned and
angry and don't believe that the U.S. came to liberate
them, but are here for U.S. interests, mainly for control of the oil.

Even though it was exciting
for me to return again to Iraq, it was also very hard for me to see U.S.
military there taking over the functions of civil society there at the
border. And after being in the country for a week and a half, it has been
even harder to see, all through Iraq and in the streets of Baghdad,
military convoys of armored personnel carriers, and humvees constantly
patrolling the streets with soldiers pointing their guns at the people as
they go by, and military bases in university dorms, schools, and other
public buildings around the city. Sattar said that the soldiers driving up
and down the streets intimidates the people and is producing a lot of anger.

Since being here I hear the majority of the people saying they were glad
that Saddam Hussein is gone, but they do not like the occupation. I hear
that if there is no progress soon on rebuilding the society and meeting the
needs of the people, as well as moving toward Iraqi self-government, there
will be "blood" -- much more violence against the occupiers.

We spent a day and half in Basra, trying to observe the consequences of
the war, and explore possibilities of future work for the ongoing team.
I was sad to see a lot of destruction of buildings from bombs as well as
from burning and looting, mostly of government buildings or wealthy
businesses.

Yet, we sensed that people on the streets were generally more relaxed in
Basra than in Baghdad or Falluja. We think this is connected also with
there being less "in your face" presence on the streets of the British
military, which is in command in Basra. People in Basra still don't have
running water, but have it delivered in containers to their homes.
Electricity is off and on, throughout the day, as it is in other places of
the country.

Greetings of love to each of you and thank you for your encouragement,
prayers and support for me and the team here. Peggy