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IN THE MEMORY OF TERROR VICTIMS* (Posted by cetinbayatli at 2005-04-01)

Following the operation made to Iraq by the coalition powers, we witnessed various news of speculative nature in the press. Nobody knows where and what the reality is while exaggerations and anti-American publications are all around! It is as if a person named Saddam never lived in this world! Massacres were not made in Iraq! It’s as if some did not die while refugees around five million were fleeing from the country! It’s as if Kuwait was not occupied! It1s as if compulsory migrations and massacres were not imposed on the Turkmen, Kurd and Arab nations! …etc.

It is not possible to answer what the reality is without forgetting all these. However, especially the Iraqi people in exile in the lead, they are trying to come up with an explanation for the existing situation by forgetting the acts of the Saddam regime. If there is a single party bringing freedom to Iraq that is the coalition powers led by US. This is a fact. I know how important freedom is. Freedom comes first for a real person. Unfortunately, the people of Iraq are not aware of the freedom they live. For this reason, it is not very easy to hear explanations supporting freedom from the political actors in Iraq today as they are not used to it! I feel very sorry to express the population, although a small part of if, wants “pressure”. It does not mater whether it’s from right or left! The suggestions made have always been based on restricting the right of “the other”. What lies on the basis of the quarrels is the logic of “How do I get hold of the power of government in Iraq. When this is the case, the shortest way to power is “populism”! It is very difficult to talk about a political methodology in Iraq. Anyhow, the population is apolitical! The settlement of a liberal movement is very difficult or almost impossible in such a political environment. As this was not possible, terrorists started to be called as “boycotters” and murderers as “combatants”! Those attacking the United Nations, hospital, electricity power plant, petroleum pipeline, American troops were called as “boycotters”! Those attacking the Iraqi police, members of foreign companies, truck drivers, ministers of the state and political leaders started to be called a “combatants” and the press led the population to believe in this way! What lies on the basis of this fact is the anti-American trend in the press! Iran and Syria, two countries supporting terrorism are the neighbors of Iraq and this is bad luck for those supporting freedom in Iraq. The terrorists coming from Syria and Iran are supported by the anti-American press-media propaganda and are continuing to destroy Iraq, hence the people of Iraq in the name of religion and nationalism. The terrorists are supported by means of accommodation and moral assistance through the propaganda of the press and they also get monetary support from bandit countries such as Iran and Syria. Well! What do the bandit countries contribute to peace? While Iran develops missiles to hit the Israeli land and challenges the US and Israel, Syria continues to occupy Lebanon! (1) (As far as I can see) nobody tells that the target of these missiles is Israel, and they constitute a threat for the national security of Turkey! To what extent is it true not to see the imperialist ambitions of Iran and Syria? It is not a consequence that both Iran and Syria use the problem of Palestine. Iran uses the problem of Palestine and armaments itself by using the funds provided by the sentimental Muslims living in Europe and rich countries in order to hide its national problems (cased by theological management) and become the leader of the Islamic world. Syria on the other hand, uses the same method to get monetary and moral support from the nationalist Arab world and legitimates the occupation of Lebanon (2) helps and supports terrorists. Syria has helped and supported the terrorists of PKK that has caused a lot of damage for Turkey for many years.

To whose people asking questions such as “Well! What answer will you give for what happened in the Abu- Garip prison? Was this what the American democracy was about?” I will express that I condemn torture and I will tell them to pay attention to the matters indicated below: 1. Of course, the things that have been lived there is a disgrace for humanity, however, to what extent is it true to blame the American management because of the acts of a group of perverted soldiers? 2. Was it not the Western democracy that allowed the photographs of the tortures to be published? In the event that the same event had taken in any Arab country, which Arab channel or newspaper would have the courage to display those photographs? 3. Did you condemn the Saddam regime that has forced the Muslim population to migrate and exterminate them by chemical weapons before condemning the American soldiers? How many demonstrations took place against Saddam? How many suicide attacks were made against the troops of Saddam? I wonder if those that were killed were not Muslims. 4. Was Saddam not doing the same torture? Well the only difference is that Saddam was awarding those soldiers with medals while the American nation is punishing them. 5. America can not bring democracy if the population in Iraq does not want it. America prepares/tries to prepare the conditions necessary for the implementation of democracy. The backbone of this is to destroy the dicta regime of Saddam and to win back the international prestige of the administration in Iraq, which has been lost long ago. It should not be forgotten that democracy is a culture, a way of living.

The current and the future American management knows by heart that:

It is not possible to bring peace to Iraq and Palestine without making a fundamental change in the administration of bandit countries such as Iran and Syria. We should as this question to ourselves: What is it that we are trying to do without freedom? Or did we already forget the lessons we have derived from the 20th century!

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1. Heading of the ŞALOM newspaper with number 2851, year 55 18 AUGUST.004.
2. When the decisions adopted lately by the American congress are about this matter are reviewed, it is understood that decisions are taken to punish Syria for occupying Lebanon