Tuesday, January 28, 2003

A former officer in Saddam's army who now lives in Scotland, about Saddam.

Once, Nafna Mohammed fought to defend Iraq from its enemies. He served almost 20 years in Saddam Hussein’s army, and was twice wounded during his nation’s bloody eight-year conflict with Iran. But now he can’t wait for the day when the United States rains bombs and cannon-fire down on the country he once called home.

"Every Iraqi knows that the US declaring war on their country is the only way to get Saddam out," says the former lieutenant-colonel, who now lives on Scotland’s east coast. "Yes, some Iraqis will die. But Saddam has been killing his people for years. So to those who are demanding that George Bush does not declare war on Iraq, I ask this question: what is your solution to help the 25 million people of Iraq?"

And Mohammed wants to do more than watch the US troops invade Iraq - he wants to stand shoulder to shoulder with them when they do. He is among around 70 officers who have defected from the Iraqi army in recent years to seek asylum in European countries while lobbying for democracy in Iraq.

Joining forces as the Iraqi National Coalition Military Alliance (INCMA), they have offered to be guides and interpreters for the US military should its troops invade the land they once defended.

What insight does he have into the Iraq response to the US?

"The Iraqi soldiers will lay their weapons down," he says. "They will welcome the Americans as saviours. In the west people say Iraqis see the US as evil. But it is Saddam they regard as the devil himself. The people of Iraq pray for someone to rescue them from the evil of Saddam. Who will help them if not the US?"

"I want to go into Iraq with the US troops, and tell my people that they are saved," he says. " I want to kiss the ground. I want to be there when the Iraqis lay their weapons down and the US rescues my people from Saddam."

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