.Voices of Iraqis: More Worries Than Hope
The Associated Press asked people across Iraq their impressions of issues at the heart of the debates in Washington: security, political stability, the economy and whether they see hope for improvements.
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Hawerly Ahmed, 43, a Sunni Kurd who works in the municipal offices in the northern city of Sulaimaniyah:
"The economic situation has become very bad. Prices are high and some items are not available. Added to that is the lack of electricity and fuel ... If the Iraqi government still has sectarian motives and militias are active then there is no hope any progress might be made in the future."
---
Abbas Abdul Sadah Khalaf, 37, a Shiite shop owner in the central city of Hillah:
"We haven't seen any improvement in any aspects of life. Quite the opposite, conditions are becoming worse. Raising fuel prices is the main cause, driving all other prices to increase more and more ... The situation is moving from bad to worse under the administration of this government, which doesn't know how to lead this country. The infrastructure is still in ruins and the political power struggle between rivals continues while the country is heading toward collapse. It is a difficult job to mend what you have demolished. The USA is facing a difficult job in Iraq. They are trying their best to find speedy solutions for a big problem they created in Iraq. We are in a dark tunnel looking for a point of light at the other end and everyday is worse than the previous one."
---
Radhi Jassim Muhsin, 40, a Shiite teacher in Hillah:
"We hoped that this government would bring Iraq to a better situation, but, on the contrary, people are suffering from increasing prices and a bad economic situation that is even worse than the previous year ...The old days were better. There is no hope in the long or short run of a better future while power plays and sectarian struggles are still going on ... Iraq needs a national leadership to bring it to the safe shore."
---
Shakir Mohammed al Azawi, 55, a Sunni in Baqouba northeast of Baghdad:
"Life has become miserable and hard ... Unemployment has spread and al-Qaida in Iraqi and militias are controlling everything here. We hope for some security in Baqouba next year if reconciliation works and local tribes are able to defend themselves."
---
Hussein Abdul Khaliq, 38, a Shiite who works in government offices in the southern city of Najaf:
"We are suffering from bad services such as electricity, running water, fuel and the main thing, which is lack of security ... But, in spite of that, we hope that general situation will improve slowly but steadily."
---
Saeed Mohammed Ali, 42, a Shiite grocery store owner in Najaf:
"The situation is unchanged, if not worse. Chances for work are few and it is bad for everyone. I don't expect that Iraq will improve next year, taking into consideration the party rivalries and struggles for powerful positions. Nothing can be done without national reconciliation."
---
Mohammed Talib, 30, a Sunni government worker in the southern city of Basra:
"There has been no improvement in the situation. My living standards are unchanged, because of political and security problems caused by rival political parties that are controlling everything here. I hope that things will be better in the future despite all the current problems."
---
Murtada Abdul Jabbar, 22, a Shiite street vendor in Basra:
"My life became worse after my father was killed for sectarian motives. The bad security situation forced me and family to leave Baghdad and live in Basra. I lost my job and my properties. I hope that the security situation will be better in the coming year and the general situation will improve."
---
Omar Faruq al-Mshhadani, 38, a Sunni in Ramadi, west of Baghdad:
"There is no stability. Things are deteriorating and there is an increasing burden on people because of the high prices of food and fuel. Rents have become very high as well ... Living standards are very bad."
---
Saad Hameed Flayeh, 46, a Sunni in Ramadi:
"The security situation became better than before. I hope Ramadi will stay secure."
---_
Ali Ameer, 35, a Shiite appliance shop in Baghdad's Karradah neighborhood:
"The situation has become worse during the previous months ... For example, the shortage of electricity has hurt sales of electronics and electrical appliances ... No one wants to buy something they can't operate. We have heard a lot of promises from the government but we got nothing. I think the future will be worse."
MyWay
Read carefully, this is some of the best news I have seen in years.
---
Hawerly Ahmed, 43, a Sunni Kurd who works in the municipal offices in the northern city of Sulaimaniyah:
"The economic situation has become very bad. Prices are high and some items are not available. Added to that is the lack of electricity and fuel ... If the Iraqi government still has sectarian motives and militias are active then there is no hope any progress might be made in the future."
---
Abbas Abdul Sadah Khalaf, 37, a Shiite shop owner in the central city of Hillah:
"We haven't seen any improvement in any aspects of life. Quite the opposite, conditions are becoming worse. Raising fuel prices is the main cause, driving all other prices to increase more and more ... The situation is moving from bad to worse under the administration of this government, which doesn't know how to lead this country. The infrastructure is still in ruins and the political power struggle between rivals continues while the country is heading toward collapse. It is a difficult job to mend what you have demolished. The USA is facing a difficult job in Iraq. They are trying their best to find speedy solutions for a big problem they created in Iraq. We are in a dark tunnel looking for a point of light at the other end and everyday is worse than the previous one."
---
Radhi Jassim Muhsin, 40, a Shiite teacher in Hillah:
"We hoped that this government would bring Iraq to a better situation, but, on the contrary, people are suffering from increasing prices and a bad economic situation that is even worse than the previous year ...The old days were better. There is no hope in the long or short run of a better future while power plays and sectarian struggles are still going on ... Iraq needs a national leadership to bring it to the safe shore."
---
Shakir Mohammed al Azawi, 55, a Sunni in Baqouba northeast of Baghdad:
"Life has become miserable and hard ... Unemployment has spread and al-Qaida in Iraqi and militias are controlling everything here. We hope for some security in Baqouba next year if reconciliation works and local tribes are able to defend themselves."
---
Hussein Abdul Khaliq, 38, a Shiite who works in government offices in the southern city of Najaf:
"We are suffering from bad services such as electricity, running water, fuel and the main thing, which is lack of security ... But, in spite of that, we hope that general situation will improve slowly but steadily."
---
Saeed Mohammed Ali, 42, a Shiite grocery store owner in Najaf:
"The situation is unchanged, if not worse. Chances for work are few and it is bad for everyone. I don't expect that Iraq will improve next year, taking into consideration the party rivalries and struggles for powerful positions. Nothing can be done without national reconciliation."
---
Mohammed Talib, 30, a Sunni government worker in the southern city of Basra:
"There has been no improvement in the situation. My living standards are unchanged, because of political and security problems caused by rival political parties that are controlling everything here. I hope that things will be better in the future despite all the current problems."
---
Murtada Abdul Jabbar, 22, a Shiite street vendor in Basra:
"My life became worse after my father was killed for sectarian motives. The bad security situation forced me and family to leave Baghdad and live in Basra. I lost my job and my properties. I hope that the security situation will be better in the coming year and the general situation will improve."
---
Omar Faruq al-Mshhadani, 38, a Sunni in Ramadi, west of Baghdad:
"There is no stability. Things are deteriorating and there is an increasing burden on people because of the high prices of food and fuel. Rents have become very high as well ... Living standards are very bad."
---
Saad Hameed Flayeh, 46, a Sunni in Ramadi:
"The security situation became better than before. I hope Ramadi will stay secure."
---_
Ali Ameer, 35, a Shiite appliance shop in Baghdad's Karradah neighborhood:
"The situation has become worse during the previous months ... For example, the shortage of electricity has hurt sales of electronics and electrical appliances ... No one wants to buy something they can't operate. We have heard a lot of promises from the government but we got nothing. I think the future will be worse."
MyWay
Read carefully, this is some of the best news I have seen in years.
posted by madtom at 10:47 AM
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