annedegraaf.com

International—Intrigue—Injustice

Amman and Baghdad

May 2001

Writers’ Workshop

On invitation of Sadaam . . .

He may have been trying to throw sand in the faces of  Muslim fundamentalists, wanting to show them how absolute his hold on power was. The conference for Christians was organized in Iraq and those who attended criss-crossed the country under the protection of Sadaam’s own guard.

 

It was a unique opportunity to visit with the 5% Christian population, at present more under threat than ever.

 

The land between the Tigris and Euphrates is a paradise, with flowing wheat fields.

 

It felt like the old East Germany, though, with everyone watching who is talking to whom, and no one daring to speak out against Sadaam and his family because his spies were everywhere.