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Civil War in Baghdad This is my experience in the civil war in Baghdad

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Civil War in Baghdad

This is my experience in the civil war in Baghdad. No matter how much you hear or watching news about the civil war in Baghdad, Iraq, but it is not like the way you're living it.  The feeling was mixed of fear, unsafe, worried, fear of death or being disabled. The fear is over faith by trusting God to keep me and my family safe, and due to the military not taking any action the civil war did not end. I have seen personally death, kidnapping, people got shot by snipers, explosions, no electricity and non-potable water. I lived all these situations during 2003 till 2012. At the age of 18, I returned to my hometown, Baghdad, Iraq in 2003, and before 2003, I lived in Libya for 7 years with my family and the life there was opposite than Iraq. We had to leave Libya because my mother's job contract finished. I was traumatized and didn't feel safe in my home country. I was financially responsible for supporting my family and we are a family of six.

The first thing I had noticed when I returned to Iraq was that people were changed because of the bad situation. Also, Muslims had been divided into two parties Shai and Sunni and became against one another. Before the war, we lived all together as one nation. Baghdad had divided into two zones which named by the U.S military as Red Zone and Green Zone. Red Zone which was called the hot area faced explosions, explosive belts, and kidnapping while Green zone was identified safe area because U.S military occupied this area. The divide in the city of Baghdad made me feel sad because Red zone didn't have electricity, water, unsecured area and it wasn't safe. Also, this area was where most local people live. The green zone was secured by U.S military and foreign contractors. This area was safe, had water, electricity and secured. I was working in the green zone with the U.S army, and I enjoyed my work there. Although it was difficult to go to work because I had to switch my routine. I had a lot of fear for my safety.  I had no idea what civil war meant. The civil war was between the two Muslims parties, Shiaa and Sunni, the government, and who control Baghdad. I saw people were fighting and chanted victory with loud voices just because they killed some of their enemies. The aim was to spread terror among people.

I applied for a special immigration visa for translator due to my employment with the U.S army. I did an initial application in 2008 and I had to wait several years, until 2012. The application process was hard while I was waiting and working in Iraq Baghdad, I was not sure about getting approved. I was still fearful for my family's life and my own. I had a strong faith in God and I kept praying for the approval.

I came to the U.S for a better life to complete my education and to pursue my dreams. Because I used to work with the U.S army, I had safety concerns. Because I worked for the U.S army, I was considered a spy and if they saw me, I would be killed.

I wouldn't want to risk my life by going back to Baghdad because it would get me killed. when I was working there, I was targeted that I had to have people walk me home and walk me to my car just for my own safety. Some unknown people send me a threat that had a bullet and a paper asking me to quit my job or face some serious consequences which will lead to me getting killed and that's when I thought about leaving the country for good and not returning back because I know I was being watched and targeted. "There were no casualties but material damage to some of the trucks and their load, the report said. Less than two weeks ago, a group of unidentified gunmen stopped another convoy of trucks carrying military equipment for the US and Coalition forces in Diwaniyah, and set fire to the trucks." (Baghdadpost.com/Iraqi news, 22 July, 2020) this is an example of the continued terror in the country.  "In 2003, he was a brigadier general working on national air defenses when the U.S. invaded, cutting off communication between Iraqi troops and the military command. Jabouri, like thousands of other officers, went home." (15 years after U.S. invasion, some Iraqis are nostalgic for saddam Hussein era, April 30, 2018) this is an example of the continued situation in Iraq.  "A rocket attack on the base in late December killed one American contractor and lead to a series of tit-for-tat attacks between the U.S. and Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups. The attacks culminated in the U.S.-directed killing of top Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani and a senior Iraqi militia leader, Abu Mahdi al-Mohandas." (U.S pulls out of a third base in Iraq, March 29, militarytimes.com/ your military) did the term of exploited belt mean. Militias let a person wear an exploited belt and sent them to any crowed place to exploit himself and killed people as much as he can. Sure, the best place would be such as schools, universities, and markets. That bad day never be forgotten, the bloods and part of some bodies were around the exploited area. Many students were killed in a moment. Why the innocent students were killed? And who killed them? No one knew. The Iraqi people saw so many U.S troops roaming around specific areas and they found it suspicious to why they were placed there. Because of the events I remember I don't feel confident to return to Baghdad I feel unsure about the stability of the national security. My hope and prayer that my country regains the peace and freedom they want.  

 The streets in Baghdad remain open during the civil war which was very difficult and it was a challenge because it was very dangerous, even though the people had to work to survive, and stores had to be opened. I also had to go to work to support my family after finishing my education. Today, I live in the U.S. in a secured and safe place. I am pursuing my education here and working full time job and live with my family. I feel that my life here is better and stable. I don't know what my life would have been if I stayed in Baghdad.

The situation in Baghdad and all other provinces were out of control. Not only Iraqis, but also the U.S troops who came to Iraq at that time to protect the people, many soldiers had been killed in that civil war. "The War in Iraq 2003-2007 the news announced that thousand of US troops had been killed" (December 30, 2007 The Human Costs: U.S. war casualties total nine hundred 2007, making the year "surge" the deadliest yet for U.S. soldiers. As the five-year anniversary approaches, nearly four thousand U.S. troops died in the fighting, and an additional thirty thousand have been wounded.).

The articles about the civil war around the world, but what happen in Iraq during the civil war was unique in that was used to terrify and killed people, threaten people, and destroyed the human values, everything was unique previously and currently.

         If it wasn't for my boss that cared about my safety and my family safety, I would've been in danger. Because of the threats I kept getting from unknown people he suggested that I would book a ticket and not come back to Iraq ever again. I booked a ticket the same day and packed my stuff and left I still remember to this day august 2012 was the day I left Iraq and never came back after it.

I'm grateful for my boss help because without him I wouldn't have had the opportunity to come here and start a new life and with my faith to God and how much I prayed for this day to come I wouldn't have been here. I'm hoping God is always with me and family to protect us from anything and I'm grateful to this day for the opportunity so I can pursue my dreams and continue with my education and have a new fresh start.

I have spent the last nine years living in America when I first came here, I registered in a community college to pursue an accounting degree. And I have finally reunited with my family because I had to go back and forth to Iraq to support my family and I quit the job before I came here and I found a new job as a translator. To help immigrants who don't speak or understand English very well.

And for the past three years I have been pursuing my dream in getting a degree in accounting. I've always dreamt about become an accountant and to finally have an opportunity to study outside my hometown to make this dream come true is something I'm really grateful for everything that has happened to me the past few years of my life and everything that's happening right now without the help of God and my people I wouldn't be where I'm at today.

I'm trying to get my sister to America for her safety and she been trying to come here for the past 12 years. It is really hard for people to find visa's to get to a specific country that they want to go to the process for immigration takes a lot of time no matter what and all you could do is be patient and have faith in God and take this day by day until the opportunity comes to you. The reasons behind the delaying for my sister's visa was because the political issues between the two countries here.

Me personally I have been waiting since 2008-2012 to get here but I kept going back and forth because my family wasn't with me at the time I was in Iraq they came here before I did due to me working I decided to stay but then when it got dangerous for me to stay I decided that it was really my time to go cause the more I delayed the idea of me leaving the more it was for me to stay in Iraq.

If I delayed my flight to here and never thought about my life I would've been killed. It was a reminder after I got the threat that I really had to leave and I can't stay any longer.

                                        Work cited

 

       Baghdadpost.com/Iraqi news, 22 July, 2020

     15 years after U.S. invasion, some Iraqis are nostalgic for Hussein era, April 30, 2018

  U.S pulls out of a third base in Iraq, March 29, militarytimes.com/ your military

December 30, 2007 The Human Costs: U.S. war casualties total nine hundred 2007, making        the year "surge" the deadliest yet for U.S. soldiers. Asaddams the five-year anniversary approaches, nearly four thousand U.S. troops died in the fighting, and an additional thirty thousand have been wounded