CPTnet
October 20, 2004

IRAQ REFLECTION: Safety

by Tom Fox

A building near our apartment houses the Baghdad offices of an Iraqi
political party. They have at least two armed guards patrolling outside
with their Kalashnikov rifles 24/7. Most offices, apartment buildings and
hotels (and even places of worship) employ full time armed security guards.
Iraqis consider it acceptable and normal for ordinary people to keep a rifle
or pistol in their homes. The U.S. forces here in Baghdad are armed with a
bit more in their arsenal than rifles and pistols. And last but not least
the small number of insurgents also have weapons. These weapons lack the
sophistication of those used by U.S. Forces. However, the insurgents never
seem to lack for ammunition to use what weapons they've got.

  I have no way of knowing this, but on some level I'm convinced that I'm
living in the most heavily armed city in the world.

Excluding the criminals, terrorists and psychopaths, my sense is that
most people would describe their need to possess a weapon in terms of
safety. I haven't heard people say that specifically here in Iraq, but back
in America I have heard from a number of people, "I need a gun to feel safe
in the areas of the city I have to work in." I've also heard, "I want to
make sure my family is safe, so that's why I keep a gun in my house." So
the link between guns and safety might be a relevant point here in Baghdad
as well.

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like if we had a pistol or rifle in
our CPT apartment here. Well, first I would need to imagine that we all had
been trained in the use of the weapon. Assuming we did have training, would
I feel safer than I do now? As with our neighbors at the political party
office, I would assume we would need to keep the weapon "on display," so to
speak. My sense it that people feel that letting "the bad guys" know that
they have a weapon acts as a deterrent. So would I feel safer? I am sure
that I would not feel safer.

But heck, if I'm wrong and if in fact guns do create a feeling of safety,
then I'm already living in the safest city in the world right now, so what
do I have to worry about?

_____________

CPTnet is a moderated newslist which posts the releases on the work of its
teams throughout the world. When you hit "reply" to a CPTnet posting, it
may bounce to one of four different e-mail addresses and may or may not be
forwarded to the people you wish to reach. To express concerns, criticisms
or affirmations to CPT's Chicago office send messages to
peacemakers [at] cpt [dot] org. To express concerns, criticisms or affirmations to
CPT's Canadian office, send messages to guest.996427 [at] MennoLink [dot] org.