The Hindu Business Line : For this Iraqi, it's thank you Bush

IN a country where you hear the persistent chant "The Americans are no good. The Americans must leave Iraq," it comes as a big surprise to meet 45-year-old Anwaar, who teaches management at the University of Technology and Management in the Zafaraniya locality of Baghdad.

"The Americans are good for two reasons: First, because they got rid of Saddam Hussein, and second, because they have provided safety and security for the people of Baghdad," she says.

Anwaar has enough reason to be grateful to the Americans. "During Saddam's regime, I used to get a paltry 13,000 Dinars. But now the Americans are paying teachers with my experience about 300,000 Dinars, which is equivalent to about $160." It's a whopping hike, indeed, and the salary is considered a princely sum in Baghdad today. The lecturer, who is single, drives a car of her own; and petrol in this oil-rich country is cheap... if you can get it at the gas station and at the official rate of 50 Dinars a litre. "But it is being sold in the black market by the gas station owners," she says.

For something as simple as filling up her tank, she often needs the help of American soldiers. "When they are there at the gas station, I can fill up my car at the official rate. But if they are not there, the station owner shouts at us to join the long queue. And by the time your turn comes, you will find the `no stock' sign. The stock is then taken to the black market and sold at five times its original price."

Another reason for which Anwaar and her neighbours are grateful to the Americans is the unearthing of an ammunition depot in their neighbourhood. "Saddam Hussein had kept a huge amount of ammunition here. But someone tipped the Americans and they came and cleared the whole place. Had a single lighted matchstick been thrown in that place, the whole area would have blown up, killing — Allah alone knows — how many innocent people."

She insists that things are much better in Baghdad and the situation is improving by the day. "Even you can go around safely in Baghdad; just avoid going out at nights and be very careful about your purse. But otherwise, Baghdad is a safe place, particularly for women like me."

When quizzed on the shortage of food, oil and power, she says, "Believe me, things are getting better. I think that more than food, security and safety are important. If you are afraid, can you eat?"

She recalls with a shudder the horrific times under Saddam Hussein. "He was a tyrant of the worst kind. Nobody can imagine how bad he was. Let me give you an example. Under the `Food for Oil' programme, we used to get supplies of medicines, some of it meant for the sick children in our hospitals. But Saddam would seize the supplies andinstruct paediatric departments or children's hospitals that the medicine should not be given to the children and they should be allowed to die. He would order that once 20 children were dead, their janazas (coffins) should be taken out together so the world could be led to believe that these children were being killed due to the UN sanctions on Iraq. He was heartless. Loads of expired medicines would be thrown away instead of treating sick children. That is why I would like to say: Thank you Mr Bush for getting rid of Saddam."

She adds that in her university each and every student had to compulsory enrol as a member of the Baath party, and the chief administrators were always Sunnis. "For the first time under the Americans, we were allowed to vote and I voted for a Sunni, even though I am a Shia, because he was an able and efficient administrator."

Anwaar is sore at the Iraqis who curse the Americans. "There were only two entities who could have saved Iraq from Saddam: God or the Americans. God did not listen to our prayers. But the Americans came and got rid of him. I would like to ask how many Arab countries came forward to help us? On the contrary, Syria, Egypt and even Iran to a certain extent helped Saddam because they wanted to do business with Iraq."

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