As pacifists gathered to protest on the first anniversary of the conflict against Saddam Hussein's Iraq, Mohammed Fadhil, the oldest of an eloquent trio of Baghdad brothers, gathered his thoughts to write one of the most moving soliloquies yet on what he explains was not a war.

It Was Not a War

Yes, it was not a war. Let everyone and especially the pacifists and all who opposed the coalition that what happened was an operation to free the Iraqi people and eliminate a criminal gang that does not represent any body but itself and its narrow interests and that pauses a serious danger on our country and the others.

That was not a confrontation between two nations nor it was a conflict between different convictions, it was an operation to excise a malignant tumor that was about to destroy everything.

Yes, that was not a war, otherwise we (Iraqis) wouldn’t have waited it impatiently or at least the vast majority of our people who were the victims of a horrible injustice in front of the eyes of all who claim to love humanity and peace. Let me remind you ladies and gentlemen that Saddam ordered his army to take precautions to face the people not the United States and the coalition. The arms of his loyal Dobermans pointed to our chests. His utmost fear was an uprising similar to that happened in 1991. He was getting prepared for another massacre, the stupid dictator believed that America was not able to get to him fast which in his mind would turn the American and public opinion against the coalition and that in his dreams meant that he could survive the American strike and the he would be able to destroy us once we get encouraged by the beginning of the war and the probable softening in his grip over power.

Many parts were outraged and did their best to prevent the downfall of the tyrant. They gave us this horrible scene of hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees and a total destruction that would involve the entire region but none of that happened because, this was not a war.

What happened was the opposite, millions of Iraqis went down to the streets to through flowers to their saviors and slap the face of the tyrant with their shoes and make from destroying Saddam’s pictures and bringing down his statues a clear painting that shows everybody without the slightest doubt that we were all waiting this moment to come.

That was not a war simply because we (the Iraqi people) have no hatred for the others and vice versa. Only Saddam and his gang had the hatred and the lust for destruction. We never shared them that feeling, we were only his hostages. He was threatening frankly to exterminate us once he would be in danger. He showed his determination to do everything and Iraqis will never forget his barbarism and brutality in 1991.

That was not a war because we were not afraid of the missiles falling around us because we knew well that those missiles knew very well their way to the shelters of the tyrant and his allies. But we feared his missiles, tanks and cannons that were situated around us and near our houses. We were afraid that he might gas us once he felt his hour was coming.

That was not a war for sure because now I see clearly the others around us looking forward for similar change demanding strongly what we had. They’re getting murdered by their governments while they scream to get their freedom and this is only one of the results of this operation. Now they see the difference.

It hurts my ears to hear the stupid statements about the “death of innocents” and the “tragedies” that are happening now because everybody knows that these are nothing comparable to the tragedies and losses we suffered in the past and those were for nothing.

And let them know that we’re ready to sacrifice more if that is the price needed to secure and maintain our freedom. Where were those paid off voices when we were murdered in thousands? Where were their ugly voices when Saddam used poisons on innocents?

That was not a war but a hope we were all dreaming of and we will never forget the sacrifices of the others and what they offered in the sake of our freedom.

A heart felt greetings to the heroes of this brave and just operation who never spare an effort to help us and listen to us.

God bless the souls of those heroes who died during this operation.

That was not a war but a salvation and a wonderful dream and unbelievable dream coming true.