Why do you kill?
Jürgen Todenhöfer
The story of Zaid
Jürgen Todenhöfer, who has travelled in Iraq several times before, returned there independently. On this occasion in Ramadi, he met those about whom we know very little: Iraqi resistance fighters from Baathist, nationalist and moderate Islamic groups. His conversations with them revealed shocking personal stories, experienced by people such as Yussuf, a Christian who fights alongside Muslims, Aisha, who speaks for the mothers of the resistance fighters, and 22-year-old Zaid.
Zaid has known nothing but war and poverty all his life. Both his brothers were shot and killed by American GIs. He then joined a resistance group and killed US soldiers. In emotional words, Zaid and his comrades tell their story, speak about their motives and political goals. Their statements make it clear that the Iraqi resistance is also fighting against Al Qaeda terrorists - who are for the most part foreign - and makes a very clear distinction between legitimate resistance and despicable Al Qaeda-style terrorism, which views the death of innocent civilians as unavoidable.
In a detailed epilogue, Jürgen Todenhöfer has honed his view of the relations between the West and Muslim countries into 10 theses. His conclusion: the main cause of terrorism is a tradition of colonialism and neocolonialism going back more than 200 years, and ignorance and condescension in the attitude of the Christian West toward the Islamic East. The West must at last treat the Muslim world just as fairly as other cultures and religions, and give up its policy of waging war on terrorism. For their part, Muslims must make a sustainable commitment to an Islam that stands for progress and tolerance.
Loading...In a blend of reportage, interviews and political commentary, the author’s use of individual examples gives a voice to those who would otherwise not be heard. The approach reveals a different picture of Iraq and the Islamic world to that portrayed by western media.