By
Abdel-Rahim Ali, Aws Al-Sharqi, IOL Iraq Correspondents
BAGHDAD,
March 8 (IslamOnline.net) – With another ferocious U.S.-led military
aggression looming closer and a 12-year long trail of oppressive
sanctions since the 1991 Gulf War, the Iraqis found themselves facing
just only one option; co-existence.
In
the late hours of Friday, the famous Al-Ladeqiya restaurant was buzzing
with activity, as mostly well-off clients relish for a tasty meal only
disturbed by a wave of cold coupled with an apparent fear of a blitz
many here felt inevitable.
But,
not surprising for people witnessed more three extensive wars in little
more than a decade, life goes on smoothly and naturally.
In
the same day, U.N. Security Council session was expected to hear chief
U.N weapons inspectors' progress report on their mission on Iraq, a step
many Washington and London awaits to decide how war prospects are far
from the Arab country.
"People
have been used to experiencing moments of anticipation for war since the
1980s showdown with neighboring Iran," said Osama, a waiter, in a
perceived tone of sadness and resilience.
Osama
is an Egyptian living here since the 1986, and married an Iraqi girl in
1995 some four years after Gulf War that left many of thousands of
Egyptian laborers living here with what can only make their ends meet.
"I
lived in the heart of Baghdad when Americans launched their relentless
attack in 1991. We stayed in our homes for 15 days cracking jokes and
playing backgammon, then we resumed our work," he said.
The
Egyptian man was keen to assure me that only one hour earlier "you
could not step into the restaurant because large numbers of people
inside enjoying their lunch".
"Life
will go on undisturbed, even if prospects of war turns real on
ground," he said, adding that people managed to stockpile foodstuff
and water for three months to come.
But
the government has been ready for war four months earlier, giving
citizens commodities enough to meet their basic life and digging oil
wells in every street not to keep them thirsty during a long period of
anticipated struggle.
No
wonder, prices marked up from 25 per cent to 30 per cent, to add up of
an already tough living and health conditions.
Iraq
repeated U.S. used bombs and missiles containing depleted uranium during
the 1991 Gulf War, which led to many people developing fatal diseases.
The
siege caused the death of more than 1 million Iraqi children and
infected more than another million with dangerous diseases, according to
an official report released here last July.
The
attacks on civil facilities such as power and water purification
stations resulted in the leak of the huge amounts of poisonous materials
to the air, water and soil, completely damaging the environment, it
added.
Always
Steadfast
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IOL
Correspondent with Iraqi youth
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But
as the U.S. counts to ten on Iraq, civilians here obsessed about talking
about what they would do in case of war.
"We
will not accept aggression against our land from any country whatever
the power of the aggressor is," contended Adnan Hemdan.
"The
Iraqis could not knee down in submission, … we would fight against the
Americans with all our power," he vowed.
Millions
of people from all over the world extended a hand of solidarity with the
Iraqis, taking to streets in millions in a firm "NO" to all
governments saying "YES" to U.S. hawkish war plans.
But
as the Iraqis dig tunnels and make sand fortifications, they are
confident of winning victory in the coming unequaled showdown with
heavily-equipped enemies.
The
tone of enthusiasm and tough resistance resonates with many, including
Arab and foreign human shields and volunteers who only come here to
prove that war planners are rather facing the world.
If
someone had told me six months ago that I would become a "human
shield," I would have thought he was crazy," said an Icelandic
fisherman who has hung up his nets to join a group of "human
shields" in Iraq, a country which until recently he could not
pinpoint on the map.
"We
do not fear war, as we have lived at this situation before," said
Wissam, a third preparatory school student in defiance.
"We
will never shut our doors for anticipation of war,… we will lead a
normal life and no one would succeed to insert fears within our
hearts," a friend beside added.
