Supposedly, that was what Special Forces troops said once they seized control of Iraqi radio on day one of operation Iraqi Freedom. However, I would like to say the day that so many Iraqis have waited for was April 9, the day the statue fell.
Seeing that statue attacked with hammers, reminding me of Berliners hacking at their wall, warmed my heart. When it finally was toppled, I couldn’t help but cry. I must have watched that damn statue fall 12 different times, but I knew I needed to watch. It is not every day that you see tyranny ended and liberation brought to millions – it was definitely a day to rejoice. I found an old Quaker hymn online that summarized my feelings quite well – “When tyrants tremble, sick with fear, and hear their death knell ringing – when friends rejoice both far and near, How can I keep from singing?” However, along with my joy at seeing so many freed, I was surprised by another feeling that swelled up inside of me. Rage. Utter and pure rage against all those who stood against this day.
France, Russia and Germany are on very thin ice as their collusion with Iraq becomes ever clearer. Connected to this is the fact that the United Nations is a very pointless organization. The “principled” stand it took against the United States was nothing more than a few countries trying to cover their own butts. As Hans Blix rails against the United States for, in his mind, not giving inspections a chance, all we can do is ask him the same question as more and more stockpiles of weapons, missiles and chemicals are found.
To protesters, all I have for you is contempt. All your rhetoric, all your pithy little slogans stand for naught against the visuals we saw that day. “Blood for Oil” seemed far from the Iraqis minds as they realized they could walk the streets without fear of a police state.
I’m sure it was hard for you to visualize the suffering of the Iraqis when you were filled with such pure vitriolic hate at our own government and its commander-in-chief. I’m sure you couldn’t realize it as the only words about Saddam Hussein being bad were spoken as a sort of rhetorical cough before you moved on to your true point about the evils of America.
I know those visuals were hard for you that day as you sat around wondering how that could’ve happened with “inspections.” As the true horrors of his torture cells and the jails he built for children are revealed, the “humanitarianism” you prided yourselves on seems very weak indeed.
It is more telling that for all your supposed compassion for the Iraqi people I never once saw a statement of liberation for the Iraqi people, not one sign saying “Free Iraq.” You would rather see a dictator stay in power than let the “evil” White House topple him and bring freedom and liberation to an entire people.
“Go home Human Shields, you U.S. Wankers” said a sign held by Iraqis on that famous day. I could not have said it any better myself. Indeed, for all of you who stood against this, all I can say is I hope history judges you accordingly.
To President Bush and Tony Blair, who stood as modern-day Churchills against the tide of public opinion, choosing to do what was right rather than what was easy – to the planners at the Pentagon and White House who withstood the sniping of their policies at every quarter – and to the brave men and women of the Coalition Forces, all I can say is God bless and keep up the good work.
Clemm can be reached at rclemm@campustimes.org.
