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'They should have known better': Chilcot report means little to Iraqis mourning Baghdad attack 'They should have known better': Chilcot report means little to Iraqis mourning Baghdad attack
(35 minutes later)
A digger chipped away at the facade of a building on one side of the blackened road. On the other a family stood amid the devastation on the second floor to lay candles for a missing loved one. Inside, people were still picking up the pieces. All around hung posters announcing the deaths of husbands, fathers, sons and cousins. Women died here too, but they were mourned privately. A digger chipped away at the facade of a building on one side of the blackened road. On the other a family stood amid the devastation to lay candles for a missing loved one. All around hung posters announcing the deaths of husbands, fathers, sons and cousins. Women had died here too, but they were mourned privately.
Hundreds had gathered for a fourth day to pick through the ruins of one of the worst atrocities in post-war Iraq, which killed an estimated 250 people and managed to outrage a country that has mostly become inured to loss over 13 painful years. Hundreds of people had gathered for a fourth day to pick through the ruins of one of the worst atrocities in postwar Iraq, which killed an estimated 250 people and managed to outrage a country that has mostly become inured to loss over 13 painful years.
Bystanders in the central Baghdad neighbourhood of Karrada seemed oblivious to the release of the Chilcot report, which roundly condemned Tony Blair’s decision to commit Britain to the war, but was little more than a footnote to most of the crowd. To the mix of mourners staring into the middle distance, desperate relatives wailing for help, forensic officers crouched near puddles and others who stood bewildered by the scale of destruction it merely told them what they already knew: that the war and its aftermath were both grave mistakes. Bystanders in the central Baghdad neighbourhood of Karrada seemed oblivious to the release of the Chilcot report, which roundly condemned Tony Blair’s decision to commit Britain to the war, but which was little more than a footnote to most of the crowd. For the mix of mourners staring into the middle distance, desperate relatives wailing for help, forensic officers crouched near puddles and others who stood bewildered by the scale of destruction, it would merely tell them what they already knew: that the war and its aftermath were both grave mistakes.
The few who had seen brief reports from London on Iraqi television shrugged and pointed at the damage, when asked what they made of what was effectively Britain’s mea culpa. “This is the reason for all this chaos,” said Bassam Jaber Abayati, a Karrada local. “They should have known better. They should have done this [apologised] earlier. The west should be accountable for all this misery.”The few who had seen brief reports from London on Iraqi television shrugged and pointed at the damage, when asked what they made of what was effectively Britain’s mea culpa. “This is the reason for all this chaos,” said Bassam Jaber Abayati, a Karrada local. “They should have known better. They should have done this [apologised] earlier. The west should be accountable for all this misery.”
A second local, Ahmed Ali said: “This is the result of the war. It’s all destroyed. What do you want me to say? If I had money I would not live in Iraq another day. I would go anywhere that would take me.”A second local, Ahmed Ali said: “This is the result of the war. It’s all destroyed. What do you want me to say? If I had money I would not live in Iraq another day. I would go anywhere that would take me.”
“We need honourable men to lead us out of this,” said Shafi Abdul Hassan, stepping gingerly over a pavement slick with soot, candle wax, water, and detritus. “There were enormous mistakes made, but our leaders have not helped us since.” Stepping gingerly over a pavement slick with soot, candle wax, water and detritus, Shafi Abdul Hassan said: “We need honourable men to lead us out of this. There were enormous mistakes made, but our leaders have not helped us since.”
At the base of one of the ruins, a group of volunteers had set up a makeshift table. On one side was a list of names of the missing, which ran to 285 people. On the other side was a petition calling for the expulsion from Iraq of the Qatari and Saudi Arabian ambassadors.At the base of one of the ruins, a group of volunteers had set up a makeshift table. On one side was a list of names of the missing, which ran to 285 people. On the other side was a petition calling for the expulsion from Iraq of the Qatari and Saudi Arabian ambassadors.
Some Iraqis see the hidden hands of neighbouring states behind the blast, which, when the final death toll is settled, will rank among the top five most lethal attacks to have taken place in the country since 2003.Some Iraqis see the hidden hands of neighbouring states behind the blast, which, when the final death toll is settled, will rank among the top five most lethal attacks to have taken place in the country since 2003.
Throughout the eight year occupation and chaotic years since, sectarian war and widespread displacement of communities have ravaged the country. Terror attacks have barely relented, with state-backed militias running riot, and first al-Qaida in Iraq and then Islamic State unleashing murderous savagery.Throughout the eight year occupation and chaotic years since, sectarian war and widespread displacement of communities have ravaged the country. Terror attacks have barely relented, with state-backed militias running riot, and first al-Qaida in Iraq and then Islamic State unleashing murderous savagery.
Related: The view of Chilcot from Iraq: 'Only those with the wounds feel the pain'Related: The view of Chilcot from Iraq: 'Only those with the wounds feel the pain'
Colonel Ahmed Hassan, a police officer attached to the interior ministry, said: “There is no excuse for [the decision to invade]. It was an extermination war. This is not the terrorists behind this. It is states against us. This is what all Iraqis feel. There was a high level of engineering behind this and that is the job of countries.”Colonel Ahmed Hassan, a police officer attached to the interior ministry, said: “There is no excuse for [the decision to invade]. It was an extermination war. This is not the terrorists behind this. It is states against us. This is what all Iraqis feel. There was a high level of engineering behind this and that is the job of countries.”
Trucks from Baghdad’s war weary fire brigade lined the street near the site of the explosion, which had shot fireballs over both sides of the road, penetrating deep inside the shopping centres that had been bustling with people just after midnight on Saturday. Trucks from Baghdad’s war-weary fire brigade lined the street near the site of the explosion, which had shot fireballs over both sides of the road, penetrating deep inside the shopping centres that had been bustling with people just after midnight on Saturday.
There was only one escape from each building – through the fire-ravaged entrances that few people could pass. Nearly all inside were consumed by flames that burned so intensely most rescue efforts proved futile.There was only one escape from each building – through the fire-ravaged entrances that few people could pass. Nearly all inside were consumed by flames that burned so intensely most rescue efforts proved futile.
“I watched the fireman pour water into those flames, and it had no effect,’ said Ahmed Ali. “I swear I’ve not seen a fire like it.” “I watched the fireman pour water into those flames, and it had no effect,” said Ahmed Ali. “I swear I’ve not seen a fire like it.”
Iraq’s television channels and other media continued to focus on recovery efforts, giving perfunctory treatment to the release of the Chilcot report. Many of the themes showcased had been widely canvassed over the past decade, and there was no official response from the country’s leadership, which appeared to be busy celebrating the holiday of Eid after the month-long Ramadan fast.Iraq’s television channels and other media continued to focus on recovery efforts, giving perfunctory treatment to the release of the Chilcot report. Many of the themes showcased had been widely canvassed over the past decade, and there was no official response from the country’s leadership, which appeared to be busy celebrating the holiday of Eid after the month-long Ramadan fast.
But in Karrada, customary festival greetings were eschewed. So too was gift giving. Across the city, funeral services were being held for people who had not been seen since the explosion. A trawl of hospitals and morgues had found no sign of three members of the al-Warde family, who had been at the scene of the blast. So on Wednesday, the clan opened a mourning site for them near the Shia shrine of Imam al-Qadhim in north Baghdad. Similar gatherings have been held across the city all week, and more are planned. But in Karrada, customary festival greetings were eschewed. So too was gift-giving. Across the city, funeral services were being held for people who had not been seen since the explosion. A trawl of hospitals and morgues had found no sign of three members of the al-Warde family, who had been at the scene of the blast. So on Wednesday the clan opened a mourning site for them near the Shia shrine of Imam al-Qadhim, in north Baghdad. Similar gatherings have been held across the city all week, and more are planned.
In southern Iraq, where Britain’s contribution to the war was most visible, locals were also nonplussed by the report’s findings.In southern Iraq, where Britain’s contribution to the war was most visible, locals were also nonplussed by the report’s findings.
Atheer al-Attar, 34, an engineer from Basra, which had been one of four areas controlled by British forces, said: “Basra suffered a lot from Saddam. I wanted him removed, but the how was important. The way they handled things was wrong. If they managed it correctly, we could have had better relations with the British now. I am for the invasion. I think it opened a lot of new horizons, but it could have led to a much better outcome.”Atheer al-Attar, 34, an engineer from Basra, which had been one of four areas controlled by British forces, said: “Basra suffered a lot from Saddam. I wanted him removed, but the how was important. The way they handled things was wrong. If they managed it correctly, we could have had better relations with the British now. I am for the invasion. I think it opened a lot of new horizons, but it could have led to a much better outcome.”
Al-Attar said the failure of many of the war’s goals stemmed from cultural differences that could not be overturned, or imposed through occupation. Attar said the failure of many of the war’s goals stemmed from cultural differences that could not be overturned or imposed through occupation.
“Till the age of 25, I lived in a closed place,” he said. “It was closed culturally, politically and educationally. I don’t think it was a good idea to put a lot of faith in Iraqis to change. Democracy needs to come from a strong platform. To introduce freedoms and new ideologies takes time.” “Till the age of 25 I lived in a closed place,” he said. “It was closed culturally, politically and educationally. I don’t think it was a good idea to put a lot of faith in Iraqis to change. Democracy needs to come from a strong platform. To introduce freedoms and new ideologies takes time.”
Fadi Faris, 35, from Amara, a second area occupied by the British army, said “It was a mistake of excuses. They found the worst two reasons to invade, weapons of mass destruction, and links to terrorism, and they stuck to them. Fadi Faris, 35, from Amara, a second area occupied by the British army, said: “It was a mistake of excuses. They found the worst two reasons to invade, weapons of mass destruction and links to terrorism, and they stuck to them.
“We still live in the way of the dark ages, so we could never use the tools of democracy. It was like bringing a knife and giving it to a child. Under Saddam we had a government with a big problem. Now we don’t have a real government and we only have problems.” “We still live in the way of the dark ages, so we could never use the tools of democracy. It was like bringing a knife and giving it to a child. Under Saddam we had a government with a big problem. Now we don’t have a real government and we only have problems.
“The British when they came to Iraq 100 years ago, they established a good government. Iraq was stable and it was going in a reasonable direction. They learned nothing (about the society) from that time. The US was the real decision maker. Britain was just an ally. It was not a British plan at all.” “The British when they came to Iraq 100 years ago, they established a good government. Iraq was stable and it was going in a reasonable direction. They learned nothing [about the society] from that time. The US was the real decision-maker. Britain was just an ally. It was not a British plan at all.”