March 22, 2003

An Iraqi : Life is Better Here

Abdul Al-Timimi fought for Saddam in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, but when asked to rejoin the army for the 199 invasion of Kuwait, he fled with his family, ultimately landing . Today's Tennessean finds Al-Timimi likes it better here.

U.S. Marines and British commandos were fighting to take Basra, and Al-Timimi was standing inside his Nashville garage, one not very different from the shop he kept in southern Iraq - the one he had, that is, before Saddam's government took it. Sure, he'd like to go back to see his hometown and his old garage, "'but only to visit." The U.S. soldiers, he predicted, would be warmly welcomed by the civilians in Iraq. "I guarantee it, 100%. No, no - 1,000%. I promise you 1,000% that the people will be happy. There are only maybe 5,000 people who need Saddam Hussein in that country - the people, you know, who are close to him." The rest of Iraq, he said, will be glad to see him go.