Iraq Press Roundup

Iraqis were conditioned to behave in certain ways throughout the oppressive regime of Saddam Hussein, but many other foreign phenomena have appeared in the Iraqi society after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Religion and conservatism are some of the trends that emerged after the diverse Iraqi society witnessed the destitution of war, the Sunni al-Mashriq newspaper said Friday.

The necessary hypocrisy

Economic sanctions encouraged the Iraqi people to behave irrationally. When their men died in the wars of Saddam Hussein, women throughout the 1990s had to resort to prostitution or send their children to beg in the streets in order to put food on the table.

The years following the "liberation" of Iraq, however, were not any better. People regret calling for freedom when it brought only death and chaos. In the new Iraq, the people are yearning for the years of sanctions and oppression.

One of the necessary behaviors people should consider to save lives is women taking the veil simply to satisfy the religious government and other factions. It was unexpected that radicalism would join the "liberation" of Iraq.

After gaining "freedom," the country is ruled by radical and dictatorial leaders. Thus, Iraqis are obliged to follow the instructions of religious and secular authorities; otherwise their lives are in grave danger.

Many sides are to blame for the increased wave of chaos and lack of municipal services, such as electricity, water, fuel, cooking gas and healthcare.

Members of the Baath Party followed the policy of escalating events, then dramatically reversing them in order to announce victory, al-Bayyna newspaper of the Iraqi Hezbollah party said Friday.

Search for the Baath Party

Members of the Baath Party escalated chaos for the Iraqi people to destabilize their lives. The Baath Party created crises and distributed rumors to get people wrapped up in them, all while the government carried out a separate agenda.

Members of the Baath Party created fuel and medicine shortages, for example, to draw people's attention away from the atrocities and the disgraceful plans of the regime.

Since such rumors touched people's lives, Iraqis became busy and distracted from the dirty deals of the government, whether on the national, regional or international scale.

The Baath Party is back interfering in even small aspects of life. It has returned to the government to have a negative impact on stability in the country.

Baathists are behind the tyrannical behavior of the Iraqi police and national army, because they are regaining their influence over these institutions. The shortage in petrol, for example, is caused by Baathists who have a huge influence in the oil sector.

They leave evidence of their involvement in every crisis.

The issue of Iraqi refugees is underestimated in the media and in the discussions of governments faced with hosting displaced Iraqis. Millions of Iraqis have moved to neighboring countries, while thousands of others have resettled, or were smuggled, to Europe.

European ministers endorsed a common asylum and immigration policy to deal with the wave of Iraqi refugees, al-Sabaah al-Jadeed newspaper said Friday.

Who decides the fate of the Iraqi refugees?

A plan between the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, and the European Union is to be drafted with the aim of resettling and protecting thousands of Iraqis who fled the country seeking a safe haven. The plan is to find a solution to contain the situation.

The unstable political situation and the inclusive governments in the Middle East force people to immigrate in search of better opportunities. However, Iraq remains at the top in terms of the number of immigrations. Meanwhile, Iraqis confront persecution outside the country while facing terrorism and insecurity inside the country.

Even if Europe were serious about its intentions to help "homeless" Iraqis, Europe, with the help of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, can make a good life in their own countries available to the displaced. Generally speaking, the problems of asylum seekers and refugees should remain a priority until they can return home.

The shortest way to find a solution for refugees is to examine ways to bring them home, protect them and help them achieve a stable life.