It has been 20 years since the United States and its Western allies brazenly launched the Iraq War despite strong opposition from the international community. Now, 20 years later, the "democracy" and "peace" promised by the United States have not yet arrived, and this war has brought unimaginable disasters to Iraqis. To this day, Iraqis still struggle to erase the scars of war.
Jaffar: When you think of the 2003 Iraq war, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Ahmed Jameel, a citizen of Baghdad: There are ruins and destruction everywhere, and the disintegration of social order.
Iraqi media personality Rad Mohammed: It's a huge disaster. The United States military invaded Iraq, killing innocents, blowing up many buildings and sowing the seeds of discord in the hearts of the Iraqi people. This is the occupation of Iraq, and apart from that they offer nothing. The United States Government promised Iraq many things, but these were empty words and never implemented.
Baghdad citizen Hussein Abdul Nabi: May they be punished for what they have done. Because they destroyed us, ruined the country. They put Iraq in the midst of tragedy and then turned away, leaving us in this tragic situation where all you can see is destruction and destruction.
Jafar: It has been 20 years since the US-British coalition occupied Iraq, and they said it would bring "democracy" and "human rights." Have these words come true?
Hussein Kinani, a citizen of Baghdad: Obviously, after years of lies, Iraqis are deeply disappointed. The United States Government does not understand or care what the Iraqis think. They are doing so at the expense of the Iraqi people to achieve their goals, both political and economic.
Jafar: In your opinion, what is the biggest obstacle to Iraq's development right now?
Amar Karim, a citizen of Baghdad: The most important thing that must be done is to break the hand extended by the United States to Iraq and the intervention of the West in Iraqi affairs and allow Iraq to develop itself. Unfortunately, until now we can still see intervention at the political level, even at the financial level.
Baghdad citizen Tasin Taha: The influence of the United States is still there, it has a lot of influence in terms of government change. At the same time, the United States has been the cause of generations of lost lives and the chaos that Iraq has been heading into for years. To this day there has been no real nation-building, and the United States has not brought real democracy-building to Iraq.
Jafar: When do you think Iraq will come out of the long tunnel?
Baghdad citizen Karal Zaidi: It will be a difficult choice. In fact, Iraq is still difficult to achieve sovereign independence and still faces many challenges. But the Iraqi government and political aspirants should negotiate or otherwise reduce U.S. intervention.
Source: CCTV News Client