thedrifter
10-26-05, 08:42 AM
A Witness to Terror
By Jamie Glazov
FrontPageMagazine.com | October 26, 2005
Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Jesse Kaveh, a young Iraqi who came to the United States in 1990 after being rescued by a United States Special Forces group operating in the area at the time. He was adopted by an older Irish woman and raised in the Washington DC suburbs ever since. He is currently studying political science and philosophy with the hopes of becoming a college professor.
FP: Jesse Kaveh, welcome to Frontpage Magazine.
Kaveh: Thank you for having me Mr. Glazov. I am very grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts with the American people. I am very honored and humbled.
FP: Well, we are honored to have you here as well. Why don’t we start by you telling us about your childhood and what you and your family experienced under Saddam’s rule. I am very sorry that this is a terribly painful and tragic subject for you.
Kaveh: Under Saddam Hussein, my family witnessed more atrocities than are reported or even imagined by any human rights group. After the gassing of Halabja, my home town, things had never been brought back to any sense of normalcy. There were constant raids upon the town as well as surrounding areas in which Saddam's Fedayheen would randomly storm peoples’ homes and find males between the ages of 16-35 and label them as rebels. Several family members disappeared but no one would say anything.
There were soldiers stationed everywhere and no one knew where Saddam's secret service was. He had agents in what appeared to be every market place and cafe and so people were always looking over their shoulder and would try to avoid large gatherings. Everyone watched what they said and kept conversations to very general terms and people were rarely close.
One night in particular stands out above all other nights. On May 16, 1989 (I only know the date because of what happened), I remember it was raining really hard. My mother had me in her arms and we were over at my uncle’s home -- which was right down the road from where he had a small farm.
A large group of soldiers kicked in the door and started shouting. We all were put on the ground, noses touching the floor, while family members were kicked and one of my cousins I later found out was raped. They had an order from a Baath party official that my uncle was supplying the Iranians with food and he was a traitor. They grabbed him and bound him along with his three sons. Everyone knew what would happen but at the same time we knew there was nothing we could do to stop it.
Raids in my part of Halabja continued until the night my mother and father were murdered. This happened on December 13, 1990. It was dark outside and my mother, father and I were huddled next to the fire. The soldiers in black, as well as several others, came banging on the door that night. They came to round up what they deemed as more rebels. This time it was my father. My father was never a rebel; he was a farmer. Nonetheless, it was Saddam's orders and his personal militia from Tikrit that came and dragged him out of the home. Before they opened the door, my mother told me to go run and hide. I hid in a crawl space in my parents’ room by the stairs. I heard my mother screaming and pleading with the soldiers and a father's deep voice also saying something. After a very short time, BANG, and the deep voice stopped and my mother replaced that voice with screams. Then, BANG, the screams stopped and all that was heard was the jeep leaving.
I didn't know what was going on and then another small group of men entered the home. I thought the men in black had come to get me too and they had found me. The difference was these men in black were U.S. soldiers operating in the area at the time. They came to see what had happened and rescued me and another person.
My family personally witnessed one-third of their relatives dragged away never to be seen again.
FP: I am very sorry Mr. Kaveh. Words cannot express what you have endured. Our hearts are with you and with your whole family and we pray for you and for them.
What are your thoughts about the American liberation of Iraq?
Kaveh: My first response is why didn't the United State do it ten years ago? I understand the UN mandate but it did disappoint me that the first President Bush didn't drive the Iraqi forces straight back to Baghdad and run Saddam out while they had the backing of the Iraqi people.
Today though. I couldn't be more appreciative of the selfless sacrifice that the United States soldiers and citizens have made. Sure, many have been able to point out numerous flaws in the way it was managed, dealing with this battle or that, but nonetheless the battles were won and it has been an absolute success thus far.
Every time I meet a US soldier, I now make a special note to personally go to them, shake their hand and thank them for liberating me, the people of Iraq and inevitably the entire region as a result.
I thank you Mr. Glazov, Front Page Magazine and the conservatives in the United States for being the true champions of human rights and proving it to the world by liberating Afghanistan and Iraq with the goal of bringing true peace to the Middle East through democratic principles.
FP: What do you think about the American Left and what they are saying about the liberation of Iraq?
Kaveh: The American Left in my view has shown their true colors not just to the American people but to the entire world. I have talked with numerous Iraqis and they do not understand the divide between the 'right' and the 'left,' but what they do see is that those holding the title of “liberal” protest the liberation of their people and hold signs that say "Iraqis were better off under Saddam" and "Victory to the Iraqi resistance" and they say to me that these people are Baathists and Saddam supporters.
The Iraqis in this regard are giving the most objective view and one that I hold. They [the left] have for decades been allowed to hold the title of the champions of human rights while they stood in front of the international community and supported the reign of terror of Saddam Hussein -- the same apartheid regime which was directly responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, including my parents as well as close family members. How do you think someone in my shoes would feel towards a group of people like this?
FP: What do you think of the trial of Saddam? What outcome would you like to see?
Kaveh: The trial of Saddam I believe is paramount towards setting the stage for the rule of law to take over. Saddam being put on trial for his crimes and being convicted by laws is just as important as the passing of the Iraqi constitution. The Iraqis and Americans are showing the other dictators and thugs of the region that they are not immune and their crimes have not been forgotten. They soon will share the same fate of Saddam and his regime; the countdown has begun. I would not want Saddam to be executed or all of his lawyers kidnapped. I want the Iraqi court to convict him in the court of law and carry out his sentence outlined under Iraqi law, not another murderous regime's "law."
FP: What do you think would happen if the American Left got its way and the Americans were forced to immediately withdraw from your country?
Kaveh: If the American Left achieved its objective in getting an immediate withdrawal, Iraq would be a bloodbath – and much more than that. Iraqis would be slaughtered in the millions and it would turn into a regional war. There is no doubt that with a power vacuum of that sort, Syria, Iran and other terrorist states would all try to gain as much power as possible due to the vast oil wealth Iraq has. There would also obviously be horrible ethnic rivalries.
A terrorist state, like the one the Taliban controlled, with vast oil resources and Iran as its neighbor (with an open and declared weapons of mass destruction stockpile) would lead to a jihad on a worldwide scale that would make 9/11 seem like a slap in the face.
The United States and the Iraqis cannot afford to allow Iraq to fall as it would have direct national security implications. It would also make U.S. foreign policy less credible amongst the Muslim world as well as in terms of Israeli/Palestinian negotiations and above all to the democratic movements throughout the Eiddle East. Above all, we can not allow another South Vietnam and Cambodia to occur in Iraq as a result of the same leftists demanding another withdrawal.
FP: What is the best way for the U.S. to fight the terrorists in Iraq?
Kaveh: The best way for the U.S. to fight the terrorists in Iraq is to continue exactly what they are doing. Building a strong Iraqi government which is free of Baathists is above all the best way to build confidence among the Iraqis.
Second is training the military and security forces in Iraq the way that they are and slowly turning over power city by city and region by region and the U.S. taking more secondary support roles and eventually slowly pulling out as the Iraqis are better able to replace coalition forces.
The terrorists cannot just be defeated on the battlefield; it must mainly be won ideologically. We must eliminate the environment that breeds and allows these terrorists to continue flowing over the border and live within certain communities. Once we are able to build enough confidence amongst the Iraqis and allow them to take on primary roles, they will be able to find the terrorists more effectively and eventually the terrorists will cease their campaign. They will no longer be able to conduct their operations just as they are not allowed to organize and plan their operations here in the United States.
FP: Mr. Kaveh, thank you for joining us here today. It was an honor to speak with you. You are a great blessing to this country and we wish your nation liberation from the terrorist threat and healing.
Kaveh: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to spread my message to the American people and thank you for believing in the Iraqis and democratic movements in the Middle East. Thank you for not being a racist like those on the American Left whose anti-war stance is based on the insulting assumption that Iraqis can never have, or do not deserve, democracy. The Iraqi people are in debt to you and every other American who believed in us and gave selflessly to us and refused to leave the Iraqis for another 30 years of slaughter by Saddam and the Baathist regime.
Ellie
http://p089.ezboard.com/bthefontmanscommunity
By Jamie Glazov
FrontPageMagazine.com | October 26, 2005
Frontpage Interview’s guest today is Jesse Kaveh, a young Iraqi who came to the United States in 1990 after being rescued by a United States Special Forces group operating in the area at the time. He was adopted by an older Irish woman and raised in the Washington DC suburbs ever since. He is currently studying political science and philosophy with the hopes of becoming a college professor.
FP: Jesse Kaveh, welcome to Frontpage Magazine.
Kaveh: Thank you for having me Mr. Glazov. I am very grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts with the American people. I am very honored and humbled.
FP: Well, we are honored to have you here as well. Why don’t we start by you telling us about your childhood and what you and your family experienced under Saddam’s rule. I am very sorry that this is a terribly painful and tragic subject for you.
Kaveh: Under Saddam Hussein, my family witnessed more atrocities than are reported or even imagined by any human rights group. After the gassing of Halabja, my home town, things had never been brought back to any sense of normalcy. There were constant raids upon the town as well as surrounding areas in which Saddam's Fedayheen would randomly storm peoples’ homes and find males between the ages of 16-35 and label them as rebels. Several family members disappeared but no one would say anything.
There were soldiers stationed everywhere and no one knew where Saddam's secret service was. He had agents in what appeared to be every market place and cafe and so people were always looking over their shoulder and would try to avoid large gatherings. Everyone watched what they said and kept conversations to very general terms and people were rarely close.
One night in particular stands out above all other nights. On May 16, 1989 (I only know the date because of what happened), I remember it was raining really hard. My mother had me in her arms and we were over at my uncle’s home -- which was right down the road from where he had a small farm.
A large group of soldiers kicked in the door and started shouting. We all were put on the ground, noses touching the floor, while family members were kicked and one of my cousins I later found out was raped. They had an order from a Baath party official that my uncle was supplying the Iranians with food and he was a traitor. They grabbed him and bound him along with his three sons. Everyone knew what would happen but at the same time we knew there was nothing we could do to stop it.
Raids in my part of Halabja continued until the night my mother and father were murdered. This happened on December 13, 1990. It was dark outside and my mother, father and I were huddled next to the fire. The soldiers in black, as well as several others, came banging on the door that night. They came to round up what they deemed as more rebels. This time it was my father. My father was never a rebel; he was a farmer. Nonetheless, it was Saddam's orders and his personal militia from Tikrit that came and dragged him out of the home. Before they opened the door, my mother told me to go run and hide. I hid in a crawl space in my parents’ room by the stairs. I heard my mother screaming and pleading with the soldiers and a father's deep voice also saying something. After a very short time, BANG, and the deep voice stopped and my mother replaced that voice with screams. Then, BANG, the screams stopped and all that was heard was the jeep leaving.
I didn't know what was going on and then another small group of men entered the home. I thought the men in black had come to get me too and they had found me. The difference was these men in black were U.S. soldiers operating in the area at the time. They came to see what had happened and rescued me and another person.
My family personally witnessed one-third of their relatives dragged away never to be seen again.
FP: I am very sorry Mr. Kaveh. Words cannot express what you have endured. Our hearts are with you and with your whole family and we pray for you and for them.
What are your thoughts about the American liberation of Iraq?
Kaveh: My first response is why didn't the United State do it ten years ago? I understand the UN mandate but it did disappoint me that the first President Bush didn't drive the Iraqi forces straight back to Baghdad and run Saddam out while they had the backing of the Iraqi people.
Today though. I couldn't be more appreciative of the selfless sacrifice that the United States soldiers and citizens have made. Sure, many have been able to point out numerous flaws in the way it was managed, dealing with this battle or that, but nonetheless the battles were won and it has been an absolute success thus far.
Every time I meet a US soldier, I now make a special note to personally go to them, shake their hand and thank them for liberating me, the people of Iraq and inevitably the entire region as a result.
I thank you Mr. Glazov, Front Page Magazine and the conservatives in the United States for being the true champions of human rights and proving it to the world by liberating Afghanistan and Iraq with the goal of bringing true peace to the Middle East through democratic principles.
FP: What do you think about the American Left and what they are saying about the liberation of Iraq?
Kaveh: The American Left in my view has shown their true colors not just to the American people but to the entire world. I have talked with numerous Iraqis and they do not understand the divide between the 'right' and the 'left,' but what they do see is that those holding the title of “liberal” protest the liberation of their people and hold signs that say "Iraqis were better off under Saddam" and "Victory to the Iraqi resistance" and they say to me that these people are Baathists and Saddam supporters.
The Iraqis in this regard are giving the most objective view and one that I hold. They [the left] have for decades been allowed to hold the title of the champions of human rights while they stood in front of the international community and supported the reign of terror of Saddam Hussein -- the same apartheid regime which was directly responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, including my parents as well as close family members. How do you think someone in my shoes would feel towards a group of people like this?
FP: What do you think of the trial of Saddam? What outcome would you like to see?
Kaveh: The trial of Saddam I believe is paramount towards setting the stage for the rule of law to take over. Saddam being put on trial for his crimes and being convicted by laws is just as important as the passing of the Iraqi constitution. The Iraqis and Americans are showing the other dictators and thugs of the region that they are not immune and their crimes have not been forgotten. They soon will share the same fate of Saddam and his regime; the countdown has begun. I would not want Saddam to be executed or all of his lawyers kidnapped. I want the Iraqi court to convict him in the court of law and carry out his sentence outlined under Iraqi law, not another murderous regime's "law."
FP: What do you think would happen if the American Left got its way and the Americans were forced to immediately withdraw from your country?
Kaveh: If the American Left achieved its objective in getting an immediate withdrawal, Iraq would be a bloodbath – and much more than that. Iraqis would be slaughtered in the millions and it would turn into a regional war. There is no doubt that with a power vacuum of that sort, Syria, Iran and other terrorist states would all try to gain as much power as possible due to the vast oil wealth Iraq has. There would also obviously be horrible ethnic rivalries.
A terrorist state, like the one the Taliban controlled, with vast oil resources and Iran as its neighbor (with an open and declared weapons of mass destruction stockpile) would lead to a jihad on a worldwide scale that would make 9/11 seem like a slap in the face.
The United States and the Iraqis cannot afford to allow Iraq to fall as it would have direct national security implications. It would also make U.S. foreign policy less credible amongst the Muslim world as well as in terms of Israeli/Palestinian negotiations and above all to the democratic movements throughout the Eiddle East. Above all, we can not allow another South Vietnam and Cambodia to occur in Iraq as a result of the same leftists demanding another withdrawal.
FP: What is the best way for the U.S. to fight the terrorists in Iraq?
Kaveh: The best way for the U.S. to fight the terrorists in Iraq is to continue exactly what they are doing. Building a strong Iraqi government which is free of Baathists is above all the best way to build confidence among the Iraqis.
Second is training the military and security forces in Iraq the way that they are and slowly turning over power city by city and region by region and the U.S. taking more secondary support roles and eventually slowly pulling out as the Iraqis are better able to replace coalition forces.
The terrorists cannot just be defeated on the battlefield; it must mainly be won ideologically. We must eliminate the environment that breeds and allows these terrorists to continue flowing over the border and live within certain communities. Once we are able to build enough confidence amongst the Iraqis and allow them to take on primary roles, they will be able to find the terrorists more effectively and eventually the terrorists will cease their campaign. They will no longer be able to conduct their operations just as they are not allowed to organize and plan their operations here in the United States.
FP: Mr. Kaveh, thank you for joining us here today. It was an honor to speak with you. You are a great blessing to this country and we wish your nation liberation from the terrorist threat and healing.
Kaveh: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to spread my message to the American people and thank you for believing in the Iraqis and democratic movements in the Middle East. Thank you for not being a racist like those on the American Left whose anti-war stance is based on the insulting assumption that Iraqis can never have, or do not deserve, democracy. The Iraqi people are in debt to you and every other American who believed in us and gave selflessly to us and refused to leave the Iraqis for another 30 years of slaughter by Saddam and the Baathist regime.
Ellie
http://p089.ezboard.com/bthefontmanscommunity