¶ … War in Iraq How Has it Impacted Basra?

Since the war in Iraq has begun, it has become almost impossible to turn on your radio or television without hearing about what has taken place in regard to Saddam Hussein or with our troops so many miles from home. Long before the official first shots were fired, the debate of whether the United States should pursue a war with Iraq has been hot and heavy. But, whether you are for or against the war, most of us can not help feeling a sense of anticipatory anxiety as we wonder what will happen next. But, as an Iraqi citizen, the anticipation must be very frightening to say the least. It is hard not to wonder what the long-term effects will be for the citizens of Iraq. Other than the city of Baghdad, the average American citizen probably knows very little about the rest of Iraq. Although the United States and the coalition troops ultimate goal is most likely to capture the historic capitol city of Baghdad, second on the list of objectives would definitely be the city Basra.

Basra is Iraq's second largest city and also its principal port. It's population is near five hundred thousand inhabitants. Basra has many commercial advantages because of its location near oil fields and it is only 75 miles from the Persian Gulf. The city sports many oil refineries and petroleum products, grains, wool, and dates are heavily exported. Basra was founded (A.D. 636) by the caliph Umar I and was a cultural center under Harun ar-Rashid and later declined with the decay of the Abbasid caliphate. Its possession by Iraq has been disputed by the Persians and the Turks. During World War I, the British occupied Basra and used its ports.. After World War I, the construction of a heavy rail line to capitol city of Baghdad and modernization of its harbor restored the city's importance. The port was consistently bombed by western coalition forces during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Over the past few days, the media...

Basra is one of Iraq's southernmost cites and is only about an hour's drive from Kuwait. Because of its proximity to Saudi Arabia, United States troops secured the city of Basra early on as prior to their march on Baghdad. "They will want a continuing presence in the area to keep potential rebellious Iraqi Shi'ites, who are concentrated around Basra, under control." (Editors et al.) The location of Basra has placed its citizens in a difficult predicament. "They are strategically positioned on the bank of the Shatt al Arab, one of the middle East's busiest waterways. Because of this for nearly 600 years this city has been the target for raiders, including the Persian, Turks and British." (Aparisim)
Even before the war began, the existing conditions in Iraq were dismal. Iraq had to distribute ration cards to its citizens beginning in 2001 after eleven years of sanctions. The ration cards provided Iraqis with basic needs. The citizens of Basra are preparing for this current conflict with the United States to be long lasting. Even with rationing, water has always been more valuable than oil and gas to the common citizens. Iraqi doctors from hospitals in both Basra and Baghdad have been complaining that they are confronted daily by numerous cases of children suffering from intestinal and urinary tract bugs from drinking polluted water, that lead to malnutrition and eventually to death.

The war will only make food and water more scarce. To that end, the citizens of Basra have been forced to stockpile such staple items as flour, rice, sugar and tea. The citizens have also been hoarding the ever important commodities of gasoline and cooking gas, but the majortiy feel that their efforts are futile. "Bush has enough rockets to hit every home in Basra...why should we bother to stock up food when we're all going to be dead soon?" (Aparisim) But this fatalistic views are seldom shared in public because…