Fears Faced and Lessons Learned

My month with the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq gave me a much greater understanding of the U.S. occupation and my role in ending it.

Iraq is a very difficult place to be. A cloud of sadness and hopelessness hangs over the country; I couldn’t help but feel isolated and depressed for most of my time there. The security situation makes it difficult to go anywhere, and the heat and electricity problems keep daily life rather wretched. I struggled with boredom and inactivity as much as I did fear and insecurity.

However, looking back, I realize that I was able to accomplish some amazing things. In one month, I met and interviewed dozens of Iraqis including detainee families, sheiks, priests, activists, doctors, shopkeepers, politicians, fighters, and police. I talked with many US soldiers and commanders, and with other international volunteers and human rights workers. I traveled around Baghdad, into the Green Zone, to Karballa and Fallujah.

My experience leaves me without question that the presence of internationals in Iraq is essential! Dangerous? Yes. Challenging? Of course. Expensive and intimidating? Certainly. But is that ever a reason not to do something? Absolutely not. Many activists, even some in CPT, believe that it is stupid for internationals to be in Iraq right now.

The U.S. has intentionally allowed the security situation to deteriorate in order to justify their presence and scare away international observers. It is stupid for the activist community to let them get away with that, and allow the U.S. a free hand in occupying Iraq undocumented. We will never begin to challenge U.S. imperialism without taking risks and putting our comfort and safety on the line. Only when we realize what a privilege it is to be able to chose danger and then make that choice, will we approach true solidarity.

Iraqis constantly reminded me that my real work is in the U.S. educating and organizing my fellow Americans. My experience in Iraq has greatly enhanced my ability to do this work, and inspired me to help pull our movement out of its passive and predictable rut. The days of signing petitions and holding signs on street corners are over, it’s time to be creative and militant and seriously risk ourselves for justice in American streets.

I call on all international organizations to return to Iraq, and for individuals to organize and take part in fact-finding delegations. Westerners must see what’s truly happening in Iraq, only then can we begin to push for change. Americans must demand the U.S. withdraw from Iraq and end all imperialistic conquests, and we must disrupt the lives of those benefiting from war and occupation. Iraqis risk and give their lives daily in their struggle for freedom, its high time that we join them.