Interviewed by David Swanson
June 5, 2007, Washington,
D.C.
PHOTO: Iraqi Electrical Utility Workers Union President Hashmeya Muhsin Hussein and interpreter Aseel Al-Banna
EXCERPT:
Swanson: In the United States they tell us a lot of strange stories. They told us about weapons of mass destruction, they told us about the attacks of September 11 in the United States in 2001 which Iraq had nothing to do with. Then they told us a lot about the Iraqi people and that we are there for the Iraqi people and their democracy. But recently we don’t hear that so much. Recently we hear that we must occupy Iraq for the US troops, for the US soldiers. To benefit them we must occupy Iraq. When you hear Congress members say why they have to vote for more money, for longer occupation, they say, “This is for the troops.” So it’s not for weapons of mass destruction . . .
Swanson: What do you think of these reasons for continuing the occupation?
Hussein: I want to first understand. The money? The authorization of money in Congress is to help the troops?
Swanson: This is what they tell us. It doesn’t make any sense to me. They say . . .
Hussein: Let me tell you the opinion of the people.
Swanson: Yes, please.
Hussein: It is as simple as this sentence: America came for the oil. They are
all excuses. It was possible they could have removed Saddam Hussein in the first
war, but he actually gave them privileges in the area, in the Middle East, and
many people think that Saddam gave them a signature on a blank piece of paper.
And as a result, Saddam stayed and he managed to oppress and stop the uprising.
Everyone knows that America has interest in the area whether it was geographical
location for the troops in addition to what Iraq has in not just oil but other
resources, Iraq resources. Because Iraq’s land is rich with many metals.
And
now we have a rumor that I don’t know how strong it is that we have mercury,
that Iraq is very rich in red mercury which is the most rare in the world and
still has not been discovered. Therefore, we think that America has
interests.
And the evidence is that we have been suffering for years from the
destruction. It could have throughout the four years, America could have
returned the electricity to the Iraqi people, cleaned up the area, provided
healthy water, paved the destroyed roads. They have cancelled the whole entire
sewer system.
Where is America when we are having all this destruction?
FULL INTERVIEW, AUDIO, PHOTOS, VIDEOS OF MARCH TO U.S. CAPITOL:
