Iraqi teen shares her diary of war
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I see on TV that US soldiers were entering homes. I see them tying up children and women in Basra. I am writing and the tears are running from my eyes.
The electricity hasn't come.... The water was also cut.... Should we die of thirst? They took [the] airport ... and some say that the Americans are coming into Baghdad and our troops can't resist them.... Protect us, we are scared.
Every day we have to fill buckets of water from downstairs. We hear loud bombing and shooting close to our building ... no one may go up to the roof.
Planes are passing by and bombing so, so hard.... At 3:23 p.m., we hear clashes between US and Iraqi troops. At 4, we heard on the news that the Americans occupied the presidential palace.
The planes come and go, and fear and terror control us completely.... These seem like our final moments, but God responds to our prayers. Every time it calms down, we are getting more worried because we don't know what will happen.
At 4:53 p.m. I see a [American] tank pass by the street next to us ... and Baghdad fell into American hands.
We woke to the loud sound of the radio in Um Mohamed's house, and she was yelling that Baghdad and Iraq was occupied by the US. The news on the radio is that Iraqis are destroying government buildings and stealing ... and that Saddam Hussein and his family have fled. The fear from these robbers is even worse. What is happening to our people, stealing without thought? What will the Americans do?
Iraqis usually go early to the mosque for Friday prayers, but Iraqis are [now] waking to rob the people. We used to trust Saddam Hussein, but we don't know who to trust anymore.... Three tanks went by carrying US soldiers while hospitals are being looted and nobody says anything.
At 5:30 p.m. (Sat.), US tanks stopped at our building and people were greeting the soldiers. Duha and Hibba went over and the soldiers gave them chocolate.These soldiers are nice, but they are moved by Bush. The children surrounded the US tanks and they were happy. The Americans blew up the Iraqi tank and left; the children waved goodbye.
We woke up (Sun.) to ... the American tanks. Mother told me to get some water using the buckets. Dear God, why this torture? Why don't they bring electricity?
At 3:10 p.m., US troops passed by walking, and at 5:20 p.m. they left and the people accompanying them danced to the sound of American music. At 8:30 pm, tanks passed by. I was on Um Saif's balcony. I was afraid. The Americans waved and I waved back, but I was afraid.
At 1:55 p.m., the twins come home and say Americans are walking on the street, and writing their names on children's hands. Hibba's hands have soldiers' names written on them. [The twins] say the soldiers were nice and both are pleased with this happy meeting. Are they really nice? Nobody knows but God.
At 3:30 p.m., we hear the sound of planes . I look from the windows and see calm, birds are flying, children are playing happily. Safety is very nice. No one is talking about America or war.
Two tanks pass the building, the children run, shouting, "Mama, Mama! Look at the beautiful tanks with Americans in them!" These are children; they don't know anything.
The people are asking: "Where is Saddam Hussein? Where is his army?" This was the "final battle" between Iraq and America, as Saddam called it. Nobody knows how the war ended so fast. Thirty years of Saddam's power all gone! Everybody is asking about Hussein. What if he turns up ? Iraqis don't like surprises.
This week, the family's electricity was restored, though it's intermittent. When it's on, they can fill up their water tank. No one is in school yet; radio reports say school may reopen in the middle of May. The family is greatly relieved that brother Ali has returned from the front.
