All of our dreams have vanished

 

By Jamal Mudhafar

 

Azzaman, December 13, 2005

 

In the days shortly before and shortly after the U.S. invasion, we were given rosy promises some of them by the invaders themselves and some others by Iraqi exiles who returned to the country.

 

We were told each Iraqi family would be given a share of the revenues from our massive oil riches.

 

Iraqis would no longer suffer from lack of food, medicine or housing, we were told.

 

There would be no more jobless Iraqis, they made us to believe, and that the days of constraints and restrictions on our movement would go for ever.

 

They even said there would no more torturing of prisoners, no more summary arrests and nor more extra-judicial killing or imprisonment.

 

We were too naive to believe them.

 

Today, they are reiterating the same pack of lies. They are making similar promises in the run-up to the general elections scheduled for December 15.

 

The incumbent government, for example, is making so many promises none which it bothered to realize during its term in power.

 

Other political factions vying for power are making even rosier promises.

 

Going to polls is a duty which I encourage all eligible voters to do.

 

But before casting our votes, we need to make sure those we select will not deceive us again. Otherwise there is not point in voting.