Iraqi journalist speaks

PERTH — On February 20, 250 people attended a forum organised by the WA Peace Network and addressed by Zaki Chehab, an Iraqi journalist for the British Guardian newspaper and author of the recently published book Iraq Ablaze — Inside the Insurgency.

Describing how many Iraqis feel about the failure of the new US-backed regime to bring improvements since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Chehab said: "This is not the liberation we have been promised. This is not the new Iraq ... Iraq is not just dangerous for Westerners. Iraqis prefer to stay indoors. Outside it is like hell."

Last year, 16 journalists were killed and each day 12 to 15 suicide bombings occur. Chehab argued for the different political forces in Iraq to negotiate with the occupation forces for a withdrawal timetable.

Alex Salmon

From Green Left Weekly, March 1, 2006.

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From GLW issue 658