War Times

I began creating and working at my own business �" a poultry business to be exact �" while still in university. I was around the age of twenty years old. I had black curly hair, young looking and muscular. Teachers knew me as being most determined. My close friends said that my outlook on life that seemed to be positive. During this time, there was restlessness in the classrooms. The students were voicing their distaste with Iran’s intervention with and in Iraq.

∞

“Hey, Fawzi! Did you listen to the news today?” said one of the boys in the class.

“No, what were they talking about?”

“Something about war in Iraq.”

“Oh. Well this can’t be good. Anything that has to do with Iran never ends well.”

 

Others in the class, including the professor, started to discuss this issue.

“I will do anything for my country,” cried another standing on the bench.

 

The discussions among small groups of individuals, varying ages, were fiery, angry, passionate. I saw everyone full of pride mixed with a sense of fear and uncertainty of what the future holds. People all over the neighbourhood and students start holding protests in the streets after gathering in the halls of the building.

 

Now the conversations continue! “This was meant to happen to us. They are jealous that we have so much more oil than them. I say we let them take some and be done with this mess.” said Abdul, with confidence.

“And then what, huh?  What are we going to do? Just sit back and risk having them bomb us if we say anything? I for one, won’t do such a thing. I will make my father proud since I am Iraqi!” Hazim stated exclusively.

 

“Hazim is right. We need to protect our land, homes, and school. Everything we have is at stake. We can’t and will not stand down. Most of these students have families and we need to protect the little ones as well as anyone who isn’t in the position of helping in the army. They’ll take advantage of us if we look scared of them.”

 

This eventually developed into a physical dispute; the type of dispute that people were often left too afraid to intervene, therefore police were called to the scene as soon as heated arguments begun between one another.  They called our gatherings riots and threatened us all to stop.

 

The police started to beat the patriotic students and fired gunshots. As a result of being against all this mayhem, innocent students who wanted to protect their country were killed. I remember this one girl; her name was Firal. Long jet black hair, natural looking make-up, and a soft soothing voice. She was so young and beautiful. Next thing we know, she was gone. Many people disappeared regardless of age or background.

 

The Iraqi regime, agonizingly, plotted revenge for this act of terror. The Americans encouraged the regime to seek revenge on the Iranians because of the invasion of the American embassy in Tehran. Officials, such as the American ambassadors and cabinets had been taken captive. The reason for encouragement at this point stood as the American embassy had Iraqi hostages.

∞

“People of Iraq. We cannot be left worrying over what has happened. It’s time for fight back. We need to get our family back. America has encouraged us to take retaliate on Iran for what they have done to us.”

“We agree!” stated the protesters

“But there are complications.” stated one of the quieter protesters, causing him to be looked at.

“Which are what, young man?”

“Mothers do NOT want to see their sons killed and we need plenty of time to train for such an attack.

“Well time is not something we have. We need to train with the time left and the supplies we have. Nothing more nothing less. Now what do you all say?”

“Let us go to war with the people the devil sent to destroy our lives!”

                                 ∞

September 21, 1981. The Iraq Air Force bomb most of the Iran Air Force bases. Next we see there is retaliation by Iranians against Iraqi ground forces. At the time the Iraqi regime drafted young men to defend their country against Iranian aggression. This is when these young men who were drafted for duty had been taken from their offices, factories, and self-employment.

 

The war began between both countries when the drafting process begins. The positions are being in the Armed Forces which deals with infantry, the making of tanks, being bombers, and the air defenses.

∞

I was then in my early forties when I begin my duty as the laboratory commander of standard electronic instruments. Being the commander consisted of making electronic devices and instruments and distributing them to those who were science engineers and who are qualified.

☼

The position didn’t give me an opportunity for having much involvement although I was placed in the front lines as a signal communication officer. I was stationed at the corp headquarters. Other men and I coordinate between different divisioned groups and help with their communication, using and teaching them to use cell phones, faxes, etc. I teach people from the highest rank to the lowest rank, from the General to Lieutenant while soldiers were in the field.

 

Each team of the regime was dealing with the Security Council and United Nations facility. The Security Council maintained by five countries, the United States of America, Britain, France, Russia, and China.

 

The agreement between the Security Council and United Nations consists of these five countries having to agree anonymously to cease fire in order to stop the war. The officers with me accompanied the United Nations military observers.

 

I was later transferred to the United Nations headquarter coordinators. I was dealing with chief inspectors.  These types of people make sure that Iraq and Iran followed the treaty or else they intervene into the situation by notifying United Nations and from there, they deal with the problem.

∞

Later on, around five years into the future, I had resigned my duty. I personally felt that it was time because I was in my late forties. I returned back to my business. I realize that I was getting too old for this lifestyle and it took so much time away from my family which I really disliked.  What I truly feel is that being in the war at my age, you don’t have enough energy to fight the enemies.

�-�

Today my lovely granddaughter, who describes me as a determined man but an older version, has come to visit and ask about my past for her short story.

“Hi Jido. Now I am very curious about your past! But I can only ask question because you detail everything you say! ”
“That sounds like a plan. Now what is your question?”

“Why did you decide to marry nana? Did you have to convince her and all since she was your cousin?”
“Some convincing but she wasn’t hard to deal with. I knew her dream was to marry a successful mind like I wanted to be. With this being in my mind, your nana asked me before going to university if I was planning to do anything with my degrees. I told her I will become successful. From then we ended up getting married in the 1970s!”

“What made you move to Canada? I mean how you could leave your home country? It’s a pretty different setting. ”
“We moved to Canada in 1997 while your parents came in 1996. We came because we wanted to reunite with them and meet you for the first time! Your nana and I were going crazy because you are the first granddaughter she ever had!”
“Were you nervous when you were given the job of being the laboratory commander of standard electronics?

“No because I was also known for being confident. I studied for my BSC Electrical Engineering. I found it to be normal that I was in command in the institute due to my knowledge and previous experience as an instructor at university in Kansas while studying post graduate. I was teaching at the time, the proper way to do engineering drawings.”

Reviews

[Novel Minded_75]

Delete That in the sentence, ‘my outlook on life that seemed to be positive’
Add started instead of start
Delete look scared of them. Add either show any fear or show cowardice
Add us in the following: It’s time for to fight back.
Instead of take retaliate, add to take the initiative and issue a retaliatory strike against Iran for its crimes against us.
Delete causing him to be looked at. Add which culminated with everyone looking his way.
Delete, Well, time is not something we have. Instead use, Well, time is a luxury we do not have
Delete, Well time is not something we have. Add, with what time we have left.
There should be a comma as follows: Nothing more, nothing less.
After September 21st, 1981, The Iraqi Air Force bombed not bomb
When the drafting process began not begins
It should be written: Their positions in the Armed Forces consisted of…
I was in my early thirties, omit then
Who were qualified science engineers sounds better
There should be a comma between involvement and although
On the front lines instead of in
Write: I was stationed at the Corps Headquarters (or use HQ as an abbreviation) then add where other men and I
Add coordinated instead of coordinate
Helped instead of help
Omit using and teaching and just use teaching them
I Taught instead of I teach
Use Highest to lowest rank instead of highest rank to lowest rank, delete everything after the word rank until the next paragraph
Use: The Security Council was maintained by five countries
Use consisted instead of consist
Use: which had to agree unanimously not anonymously to initiate a cease fire, in essence, stopping the war.
Use: Five years later, I decided to resign from my duty as the
Use: As I was in my late forties
Use: realized instead of realize
Use this sentence: At my age, I just did not have the time or energy to continue fighting a never-ending war. Delete the current sentence.
Use: “I am very curious about your experiences during the war. I will only ask you a few questions, as you intend to emphasize on every single detail!”
Delete: and all (keep) since she was your cousin.
Use: Some convincing, but she
Write as follows: I mean, how
Use: first granddaughter we ever had
Add a comma between: No and because

[Novel Minded_75]

I enjoyed the story and had memories of 'The Kite Runner' (an excellent book and one of my favorites) as I read the beginning of your story. The ending was a little abrupt, in my honest opinion.
Here are some changes that you could make that will help your writing :)

[Coyote Poetry]

A powerful story. Had the feel of real people and real places. I saw Iraq before and after the war. Was a beautiful place before war came. I liked the characters and the story line. I wanted to read and know more. I love history. Thank you for sharing the powerful story.
Coyote