1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:06,880 This programme contains scenes which some viewers may find upsetting and some strong language. 2 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:18,720 Now, what are your preferences with regards to vaping or not? 3 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,280 Do you... Whatever you want to do, yeah. Yeah? 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:24,040 Whatever makes you feel more relaxed. Thank you. 5 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:42,400 Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, 6 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:45,680 and rescued millions from unspeakable horrors. 7 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,000 This isn't about a lie 8 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,560 or a conspiracy or a deceit or a deception. 9 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,160 It's a decision. 10 00:00:53,160 --> 00:00:57,640 And I do genuinely believe that the world is safer as a result. 11 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,480 The politicians have had their say. 12 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,280 In this series, the story of the Iraq War is told 13 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,600 by the civilians, journalists, and soldiers who lived through 14 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:16,760 the 2003 invasion, and the years of chaos that continue to this day. 15 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:18,840 Anybody can invade a country. 16 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,400 Anybody can go to war. 17 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,120 It's what happens if you win. 18 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:24,720 Through their eyes, 19 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,240 we'll see how events in Iraq have changed the world. 20 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,160 Hi, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Nate Sassaman and the battalion commander 21 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:34,960 for First Battalion Eighth Infantry Regiment... 22 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:39,000 We sowed the seeds of Isis in 2003. 23 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:40,080 We did. 24 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:42,960 HE EXHALES 25 00:01:42,960 --> 00:01:47,400 The only choice you have is either to be a victim, 26 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,200 or to be the killer. 27 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,600 Are we starting? Yeah, we can start. 28 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,160 I'm interested at where you would begin in a series like this. 29 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,120 Oh, man. Um... 30 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:19,240 Well, Iraq should not be connected to 9/11 31 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,000 but unfortunately it is, you know? 32 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:23,440 Go! Go back! 33 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:24,960 That was the kick-off. 34 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,440 Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America 35 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:30,720 and to support terror. 36 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:36,040 States like these and their terrorist allies constitute 37 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:37,680 an axis of evil. 38 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,080 That's when we knew, "Shit. 39 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,400 "We are getting blamed for this." 40 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,760 There was a sense of relief. 41 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,720 Allied troops have begun moving into position near the Iraqi border... 42 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,400 The war plans are finalised, the training is over, 43 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,360 the combat units are at battle positions... 44 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,520 It seems increasingly likely that military action 45 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,880 against Iraq could be imminent. 46 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,760 At the start of 2003, 47 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,760 over 300,000 coalition troops from mostly America and Britain 48 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,520 had been deployed in preparation for the invasion of Iraq. 49 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,880 And the whole country knew war was coming. 50 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:33,960 OK, New York, we're starting the show. 51 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,960 Five, four, three, two, one... 52 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:41,520 Hi, and welcome. I'm Vanessa Ray and today, 53 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,320 we're participating in a historic discussion between the young people 54 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,560 of two countries on the brink of war. 55 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,280 Let's everyone in New York say hi to everyone over in Baghdad. 56 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,120 Hi! 57 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,120 And if you guys could say hi back to us just so we know that you saw us. 58 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,720 Hi! Hi, people of America! 59 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:02,680 It's... 60 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,040 It's very weird looking at yourself, you know? 61 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:10,280 As a young man, I think I was 18 years old at that time. Oh, it's... 62 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,120 I mean, am I wrong or did I sound like Borat?! 63 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:14,600 You know, it's like I don't know... 64 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,880 "Hello, people of America!" 65 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,640 HE LAUGHS 66 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,080 I'm generally interested in computers 67 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,480 and I like internet, I like e-mail and all this stuff. 68 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:30,240 Let's live a happy life, and let's rock and roll. 69 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,560 You know, I love rock a lot. 70 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,760 Listen for some Metallica, it will help you. 71 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,320 Let's take a little bit more of an in-depth look with this first video 72 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,520 from Waleed who, as we all know by now, is a rocker. 73 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:42,560 Let's check it out. 74 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:43,840 ROCK MUSIC 75 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:49,480 So, I formed this little group. 76 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:55,480 And we were the only heavy-metal band in Iraq. 77 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:56,880 Hey, hey, hey! 78 00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:05,120 I was infatuated with the West. 79 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,680 I wanted everything that was Western. 80 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:09,840 It was like... I wanted the blue jeans, 81 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:12,960 I wanted the skateboards, I wanted the headphones, 82 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:17,400 I wanted all of these things that I grew up watching. 83 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,560 And that's how I learned English was from movies and songs. 84 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:26,840 It's a cool place. 85 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:29,160 But it's a fake McDonald. 86 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,640 We thought it's real McDonald, and the first moment that we saw it, 87 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,800 "Oh! We have McDonald's here in Iraq!" 88 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,880 But this is not McDonald's. 89 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,680 There are two girls, very beautiful girls here, are sitting there. 90 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:44,760 You know, I hadn't met that many Americans at that time. 91 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,160 But there are so many things about America 92 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,960 that we appreciated, we like, we want. 93 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,720 So, when I hear, you know, statements like, 94 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,920 "They hate our freedom and our democracy," it's like, 95 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,680 "No, we actually love it! 96 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,400 "We freaking love it! That's all we wanted." 97 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,280 Everybody by Backstreet Boys 98 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Despite 24 years of Saddam's brutal regime, 99 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,800 Baghdad was considered to be one of the most liberal 100 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,520 and cosmopolitan cities in the Middle East. 101 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,240 I want to ask about Backstreet Boys. What do you know about them? 102 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:22,640 What are their latest? 103 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:25,040 I got to be honest, I think the Backstreet Boys 104 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,920 have some really, really catchy tunes. 105 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,120 So, I'm definitely down with the Backstreet Boys. 106 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,840 They are sucks, you know? 107 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,480 I always want to be one of the Backstreet Boys, 108 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:41,240 when I was a teenager. I even know the dances like... 109 00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:48,280 I had the same clothes - the white pants, and the open shirts. 110 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:50,680 # Backstreet's back, all right! # 111 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,120 And I go to high school with these things. 112 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,240 "Sup, my name is Kevin," not Ahmed. 113 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:00,480 No! 114 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,520 Ahmed Albasheer is now a famous comedian. 115 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:09,400 He presents a satirical show that's watched by 19 million Iraqis 116 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,800 and regularly pokes fun at the leaders of Isis. 117 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:26,800 But as a teenager, 118 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,480 he had to hide his interest in the West from his family. 119 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:35,720 I have a tape player and I play it, like, at a very low level. 120 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:40,600 So, sometimes I would put it up to my ear so I can hear the music. 121 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:45,600 And later on, I bring my tapes in the car when I drive the car. 122 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:47,000 Candy Shop by 50 Cent 123 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,680 My father was very religious. 124 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,960 I remove the Koran tape. 125 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,440 I put my music in. 126 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:56,960 # I'll take you to the candy shop... # 127 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,240 I go crazy. The music is very high. 128 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,800 # I'll have you spending all you got 129 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,320 # Keep going until you hit the spot... # 130 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,280 SINGS BEAT TO CANDY SHOP 131 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:16,920 I was always asking myself why I wasn't born in the Western world. 132 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,000 "I shouldn't be born in this world." 133 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:29,000 Being a teenager in Iraq is an interesting time. 134 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:33,160 On the one hand, teenagers are teenagers wherever you are. 135 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,360 But then you have the extra spice of being in Iraq 136 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,000 and Baghdad at that time. 137 00:08:38,680 --> 00:08:40,720 Cos there was darkness in us 138 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:46,120 that was induced by where we are and what was happening all around us, 139 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,080 that is quite dangerous. 140 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:07,600 You have to have a song for Saddam in case the Iraqi intelligence 141 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,320 basically are to come and are like, "Who are these guys? 142 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,280 "Why they singing American music?" 143 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:16,920 # Following our leader Saddam Hussein 144 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,120 # We'll make them fall, we'll drive them all insane 145 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,040 # Following our leader Saddam Hussein 146 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:23,280 # We'll make them fall, we'll drive them all insane... # 147 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,560 Everything was pro-Saddam. 148 00:09:25,560 --> 00:09:28,480 There is no such thing as not pro-Saddam. 149 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:31,320 Like, it doesn't exist. 150 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:33,160 In public? It does not exist. 151 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:34,480 MUSIC PLAYS 152 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,720 Regime propaganda was everywhere, and a whole generation 153 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,280 of Iraqis had grown up only knowing life under Saddam. 154 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:00,760 I remember... 155 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:07,360 ..is when I get into the school, I see paintings of Mickey Mouse... 156 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,280 ..and the picture of Saddam Hussein. 157 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,320 I saw his picture everywhere. 158 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:16,600 CHILDREN SING 159 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:23,680 Whatever his name is mentioned, you not just mentioned his name. 160 00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:27,560 You have to say, "May God protect him, may God save him, 161 00:10:27,560 --> 00:10:30,600 "may Allah give him more life. 162 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,440 "May God take our lives and give it to him 163 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:36,440 "because without him we can't survive." 164 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:44,840 And being a child, I thought he is immortal. 165 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,600 We are humans but he is something different. 166 00:11:00,680 --> 00:11:01,720 APPLAUSE 167 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:05,920 At some point, I thought he's my grandfather. 168 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:08,200 Because I see him everywhere and it was like, 169 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,200 "Yeah, this is my grandfather, he's cute, he's good," blah, blah, blah. 170 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,600 "He's brave." This is what they teach us in the schools. 171 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:18,480 And then when I was, like, 12 or maybe 11-12, 172 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,640 I realised that no, he's the president of the country 173 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:26,120 and I have to never say anything bad about him because I will be killed. 174 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,080 And there's this guy who's like... 175 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:29,160 SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE 176 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:30,640 ..which means, "Shit on Saddam." 177 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:34,080 Every time he says it, it's like, "Oh, my God, just shut the fuck up!" 178 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:35,720 Like, "Sh, sh, zip it!" 179 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,120 And he's like, "So, it's OK to say, 'Fuck God?'" 180 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:39,560 And I was like, "Yes." 181 00:11:39,560 --> 00:11:41,520 But "Fuck Saddam?" And I was like, "No!" 182 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:42,880 HE LAUGHS 183 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,400 Cos you don't know who's listening. 184 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,200 And that's what he created. 185 00:11:48,560 --> 00:11:52,440 The idea that your next-door neighbour, your brother, 186 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,840 your cousin - anyone - could be the one that reports you. 187 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:32,160 MEN SCREAM 188 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:01,080 How many of you feel hopeful that things could resolve themselves? 189 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:05,160 I don't think anybody is hopeful cos President Bush went up 190 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:10,000 and said, "I will bomb Iraq." Do you think we have any hope? 191 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,160 We don't want any more wars, OK? 192 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,840 The infamous deck of cards, the 55. 193 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:24,680 Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash. 194 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,920 She was part of the government - one of the only females 195 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,720 in Saddam's cabinet, you know, this very high-ranking individual, 196 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,640 was sitting as you are sitting, looking right at us. 197 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,240 And she was like, "And know that Iraq depends on you 198 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:45,000 "to transfer a good image about what we truly are all about." 199 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:52,760 I think that Saddam Hussein has had 12 years since the Persian Gulf War 200 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,280 to get rid of his weapons of mass destruction. 201 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,560 And he should be ousted for the sake of the Iraqi people 202 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:01,360 as well as for the sake of peace in the world. 203 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,280 We have a solution. 204 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:09,200 Your government will quit and give up and just turn the soldiers 205 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:13,760 back home and have a rest, and let the world be in peace. 206 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,600 Yet, we were free enough during Saddam's time 207 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:24,440 to go back and forth without worrying about a car bomb 208 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,360 or this Islamic group or that religious group, you know? 209 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,600 That's what Saddam actually provided proper to Iraq. 210 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,200 It was safety and security, 211 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:39,120 from everything else, not from him. 212 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:46,360 Saddam's opponents called his police state the Republic of Fear. 213 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,880 But many Iraqis were genuinely devoted to their president. 214 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,600 He was especially popular with Sunni Muslims. 215 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,920 Though a minority, their sect had governed Iraq for centuries. 216 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:23,320 Iraqis, they love moustache. 217 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:27,000 They think it's very nice and sexy for the men. 218 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,520 And I think in that time, it was trending, the moustache thing. 219 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,680 "We love Saddam very much so we will make this big moustache." 220 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:38,680 People are arse kissers. 221 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:39,960 Arse kissers? Yes. 222 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,800 Though oil had made Iraq rich, 223 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,880 most of the people in rural areas were still living in poverty. 224 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,040 This woman grew up on a farm in Al Alam, 225 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,280 near Saddam's hometown of Tikrit. 226 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,120 Like most of Central Iraq, it was assumed to be loyal to Saddam. 227 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:04,800 I was pro-war. 228 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:07,240 Absolutely pro-war. 229 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,840 Saddam Hussein and his sons 230 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,600 must leave Iraq within 48 hours. 231 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:21,000 Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict. 232 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:27,880 When we started hearing the murmurs that we are about to be invaded, 233 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,040 I was excited. 234 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,200 "It's almost the end! 235 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:33,440 "Let's just push through. 236 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,360 "Let's push through, let's get this shit done, 237 00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:38,280 "and then a better thing is going to come. 238 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:41,920 "The land of dreams." 239 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:53,800 AIR RAID SIRENS 240 00:19:58,200 --> 00:19:59,840 EXPLOSION 241 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:05,120 DISTANT GUNFIRE 242 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,000 EXPLOSION 243 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:04,760 CAR ALARMS BLARE 244 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:35,040 You must've been scared! 245 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:54,440 SIREN BLARES 246 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:12,920 WOMAN WAILS 247 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:32,280 Down with Bush. 248 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,760 All the peoples with Saddam Hussein. 249 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,040 And said, "Here's to Saddam Hussein." 250 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:41,160 PLANE ROARS OVERHEAD 251 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:49,640 RAPID GUNFIRE 252 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,000 I was going out amidst all of that. 253 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:57,920 I was looking for cigarettes. 254 00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:59,680 I'm a heavy smoker. 255 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,600 And I heard that one of the shops are still open 256 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:04,440 and they're still selling cigarettes. 257 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:08,160 So I stole, or took - borrowed - my cousin's small little bike. 258 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,520 So it was a small little bike and here I am, you know... 259 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,360 ..you know, cycling on this thing. 260 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:16,640 GUNFIRE 261 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:20,960 But then all of a sudden, it got dark. 262 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,720 And I look up and there is this black cloud 263 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,600 that engulfed EVERYTHING around me. 264 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:32,800 And I remember, like, I was just like, "What's going on?!" 265 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:38,680 And then I discovered what it was. 266 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:40,000 Here's what Saddam did. 267 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:46,920 They dug wells, and they dumped crude oil in it, 268 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:48,480 and they lit it on fire... 269 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:55,720 ..so that they can create visual distraction for the American pilots. 270 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:04,120 They were thinking that these guys are using visuals to actually bomb, 271 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:06,520 not satellite-guided missiles and stuff like that. 272 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:08,600 They thought that, "Oh, the plane's going to come, 273 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:10,080 "the pilot looks like this, and he's 274 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:11,920 "like, 'Oh, yes, there is a target over here, 275 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:15,120 "'let's shoot right over there!'" HE LAUGHS 276 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,480 So, all of Baghdad - all off a sudden, you had all of these wells 277 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:26,520 of oil burning up and the sky literally just going dark! 278 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,520 SIRENS BLARE 279 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:29,640 GUNFIRE 280 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:34,480 During the invasion, 281 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:38,240 Saddam reassured the country that Iraq was winning the war. 282 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,640 But the Americans were broadcasting a very different message. 283 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,920 The Iraqi soldiers and officers must ask themselves 284 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:59,080 whether they want to die fighting for a doomed regime? 285 00:25:00,360 --> 00:25:04,240 What will follow will not be a repeat of any other conflict. 286 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,360 It will be of a force and scope 287 00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:10,000 and scale beyond what has been seen before. 288 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:16,240 All American! 289 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,000 Where are we? 290 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:22,880 Just crossed the border to Iraq about ten miles ago. 291 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:25,360 Destination North. 292 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,880 As the first bombs fell, 293 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:34,440 an army of over 170,000 coalition troops crossed into Iraq. 294 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:45,680 The American soldiers didn't have much idea what was going on. 295 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:48,720 And they don't really tell you anything when you're 19 296 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:50,600 and you're like a private in the Army. 297 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,080 They thought, "We're going to run up to Baghdad 298 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,400 "and take down Saddam, and then we're going home." 299 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:03,120 Dexter Filkins had come to Iraq after reporting 300 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:05,560 on the Afghan War for the New York Times. 301 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:11,240 People have asked me whether I got addicted to violence and the answer is no. 302 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:15,760 I think what I was addicted to is the kind of largeness of the thing. 303 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:17,720 When you're in an historic situation like that, 304 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,360 it's like the continental plates are slipping. 305 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:22,800 It's incredible. 306 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,080 It's like breathing pure oxygen. 307 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:33,800 The British led a smaller force to the city of Basra while Dexter 308 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:37,280 followed the main invasion as it pushed north to Baghdad. 309 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:45,800 Soon, it will be all over. 310 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:47,720 Iraq will be liberated. 311 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,840 And we will be drinking Jack Daniels to celebrate. 312 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:54,160 HELICOPTER BLADES WHIR 313 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,760 Did you think that Iraq would be victorious? 314 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:04,800 No. 315 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,680 When I used to compare between the American soldier 316 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,840 and the Iraqi soldier, 317 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,040 there is no way to compare them. 318 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:15,600 MEN SING 319 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,760 What can the soldier do in front of Rambo? 320 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,240 Yeah, I mean, this is the way I saw the Americans. 321 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:35,520 I mean, they are Rambo. 322 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,440 And he is not defeatable. 323 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:40,800 He's Rambo. 324 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,680 Brother, could you get me another shot of that tequila? Yeah, buddy. 325 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:47,760 Is this difficult for you to talk about? No. 326 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:49,280 Yeah, maybe. 327 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,080 Here, just give me the bottle, I'll take a swig. 328 00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:58,880 There we go. Thanks, bro. 329 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:04,080 Sergeant Rudy Reyes was one of a small group of elite recon Marines 330 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,680 sent ahead of the main invasion to destroy strategic targets 331 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:10,520 and clear a path for the regular Army. 332 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:12,600 Well, to be a reconnaissance Marine, first of all, 333 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,440 they're like the Jedis of the Marine Corps. 334 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,360 Of 300,000 Marines, there's 300 recon Marines. 335 00:28:17,360 --> 00:28:22,080 We went three weeks straight with no sleep, straight fighting. 336 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:23,480 Three weeks. 337 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:24,640 Yeah. 338 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:30,320 No armour, no doors, no roofs. 339 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,440 Just very capable violent professionals. 340 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:34,640 GUNFIRE 341 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:42,040 It was heavy and as personal and as bloody as you can imagine 342 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,840 except we killed them before they could kill us. 343 00:28:46,920 --> 00:28:50,080 Maybe those bad guys didn't get the word to fucking run. 344 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:54,920 Cos we were so far ahead, 30km ahead. 345 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:01,720 60 men spearheading the blitzkrieg to get to Baghdad. 346 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,480 Damn. 347 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:06,880 That's immense. 348 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,760 My mission was to destroy any capacity 349 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:13,960 they have for artillery or mortars. 350 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,000 And also, of course, the NBC - 351 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,440 nuclear, biological, chemical weapons. 352 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:24,560 It's the smell. 353 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:28,920 The acridness of Iraq and seeing the dust in the eye covers. 354 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:30,640 it actually makes you feel kind of good cos 355 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,640 I knew I could fight in this better than anybody else. 356 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:35,360 Better than the Iraqis. 357 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:41,200 Incoming, outgoing artillery. Small arms, machine guns, 358 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:45,440 birds and rotary wing and the sound of all the engines. 359 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,800 And the radios going nonstop, we're going back and forth. 360 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:54,920 Imagine seeing the freaking Cobras crisscrossing above you. 361 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:58,640 And the bass of the boom, boom, boom, boom... 362 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:01,960 It was godlike. 363 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:05,840 ECHOES OF GUNFIRE 364 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:15,040 We're systematically programmed to kill... 365 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:18,400 ..so there was no issue for me killing. 366 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:22,680 Looking back, I guess that changes you. 367 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:24,760 I didn't even think about my wife. 368 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:29,040 I didn't think about anything except be excellent for my team. 369 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,760 Our purpose in the next few minutes is to acquaint you 370 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,680 with the philosophy behind Marine Corps training - 371 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:41,040 the kind of training which helps keep the Marine Corps ready. 372 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:46,040 Do you know, in our boot camp... 373 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,280 ..do you know how we say the word yes? 374 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:53,040 Kill! 375 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:57,040 That's the only thing you can say for yes. 376 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:58,520 Kill! 377 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:00,360 That loud, every time. 378 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:06,040 When the drill instructor needs recruits to come do something, 379 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,280 "Gimme ten bodies." 380 00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:11,040 We speak of people as bodies... 381 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:15,040 ..and acknowledge an order by screaming "kill". 382 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:19,160 Then we go into ballistics. 383 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:21,360 Then we're watching real world... 384 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:24,880 ..erm, head shots. 385 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,280 Footage of sniper kills. 386 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,000 And then they're slowing it down in slow motion. 387 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,920 Head expanding three times the size... 388 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:39,520 ..then vacuum collapse, then brain, some skull. 389 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:43,280 When I saw that, 390 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,040 I looked at myself inside and I said, 391 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,760 "I don't know if I have what it takes to do this... 392 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:55,520 "..because there is still some human in me." 393 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,680 I was looking for the reaction of the Iraqis... 394 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:13,080 ..and I didn't know what that was going to be, 395 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:16,800 because in Afghanistan, it was a... it was a no-brainer. 396 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,040 People were just, like, euphoric. 397 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,760 You know, they were pulling their turbans off 398 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,920 and people were dancing and they were, like, hugging us. 399 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,040 Much more complicated in Iraq. 400 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:30,560 Much more complicated. 401 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,760 It was much more guarded, much more sad. 402 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:39,560 I mean, first, there was this kind of overwhelming sense of tragedy. 403 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:42,920 Even though they were being told, this is your deliverance, 404 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:45,280 I don't think they really believed that. 405 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:48,120 They were terrified. 406 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,280 They thought that somehow this was going to come back to them. 407 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,600 "We're going to get in trouble for this. 408 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:55,800 "Something bad's going to happen." 409 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:58,040 Cos that's the way it had always been, 410 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:01,040 so there was this kind of feeling of foreboding as well. 411 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:05,040 They had been through so much already 412 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:08,520 that, erm, people were just in shock. 413 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:12,040 And I felt like... 414 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:16,840 I felt like we had pried the doors off a mental institution. 415 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,040 And that's really the first moment when I realised, like, 416 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,560 "Oh, my God, what are we getting into here?" 417 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:38,520 After 13 years of economic sanctions, 418 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:42,520 many Iraqis felt they had been unnecessarily punished by the West. 419 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:48,040 And in southern Iraq, they had extra reason to distrust the Americans. 420 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:51,640 Just two hours ago, 421 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,040 Allied air forces began an attack 422 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:56,600 on military targets in Iraq. 423 00:33:56,600 --> 00:33:58,360 After the first Gulf War, 424 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:01,280 America encouraged Shia Muslims in the south 425 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:04,520 to rise up against Saddam, but didn't protect them 426 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,760 when he sent helicopter gunships to end the rebellion. 427 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:11,000 HEAVY GUNFIRE 428 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:16,520 He massacred over 80,000 of his own people. 429 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:21,680 Saddam was able to strengthen his hold on the country 430 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:25,040 and, for some, the war with America never ended. 431 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:31,760 I started hearing about America in the '90s. 432 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:36,040 But, to be honest, not the war with America. 433 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:41,080 The first thing I heard about America is the name Bill Clinton. 434 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:43,960 Who is Bill Clinton? I don't know. 435 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:50,760 I was told that Bill Clinton bombed Iraq 436 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:52,760 because he hates Iraq. 437 00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:54,160 AIR RAID SIREN 438 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:56,280 I ordered our Armed Forces 439 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:59,520 to strike military and strategic targets in Iraq. 440 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,960 Then, the second name was Rumsfeld. 441 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:05,600 With each passing day, 442 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:10,160 Saddam Hussein advances his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. 443 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:12,440 And then, growing up more... 444 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:15,360 ..I saw Bush. 445 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:17,200 What did you think? 446 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:18,600 I don't like him. 447 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:22,400 He has the devil in his face. 448 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:41,520 This is George W Bush, the President of the United States. 449 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,520 At this moment, the regime of Saddam Hussein 450 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:46,520 is being removed from power 451 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,040 and a long era of fear and cruelty is ending. 452 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:53,520 The government of Iraq and the future of your country 453 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:55,520 will soon belong to you. 454 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:00,080 Just three weeks after the start of the invasion, 455 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,520 American tanks rolled into the heart of Baghdad. 456 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:10,080 Al-Sahhaf, who was the Minister of Media and Information, 457 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:13,680 saying, "We're defeating Americans, we have destroyed them here, 458 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:16,760 "we have destroyed them here, we have destroyed them here." 459 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:18,760 My feelings, as usual, 460 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:21,120 we will slaughter them all. 461 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:23,520 "They're not in Baghdad, they are not near us, 462 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:25,680 "they have not even entered the city." 463 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,840 And literally there was a tank driving over one of the bridges 464 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:30,600 that connects to where he is. 465 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:32,560 HE LAUGHS 466 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:37,680 Those invaders, their tombs will be here in Iraq. 467 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,080 Like, sure, buddy. Sure. HE LAUGHS 468 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:48,560 CHEERING 469 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:08,520 Like most Iraqis, Sally had only ever seen Americans 470 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:10,440 on state approved TV. 471 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,680 SHE LAUGHS 472 00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:06,000 The welcome here has been pretty good. 473 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,520 Everybody's helped us out and been friendly 474 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:10,680 so better than being shot at. 475 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:13,040 Where are you from? From Texas. 476 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:16,760 Is it like Texas being here or a lot different? A lot different. 477 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,760 I can understand what everybody is saying in Texas. 478 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,880 We never thought that Saddam will be removed. Never. 479 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:44,040 Until I saw two American soldiers standing in the street. 480 00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:46,360 I was very happy to see them at that time. 481 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:48,760 "Hi! I can speak English!" 482 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,760 So when I saw them, I felt hope. 483 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:58,280 I had this dream that my country 484 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,920 is becoming one of the good countries in the Middle East. 485 00:39:01,920 --> 00:39:03,720 Or maybe in the world. 486 00:39:03,720 --> 00:39:05,760 A country like America. 487 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:08,520 This was my dream. 488 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:14,280 Actually, that was lots of people's dream. 489 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:26,040 There was a genuine sense of hope. 490 00:39:27,520 --> 00:39:30,120 It was like, "They're here, they're here." 491 00:39:30,120 --> 00:39:31,760 You know? 492 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:38,760 And then when we saw the statue... 493 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:50,520 My uncle looked at us and he was like, 494 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:53,040 "It's over. It's done." 495 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:56,960 CHEERING 496 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:07,040 CHEERING 497 00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:32,520 Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! 498 00:40:32,520 --> 00:40:35,760 Allahu Akbar! Allahu...! 499 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:40,040 Slowly but surely, the belief started becoming 500 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:44,520 more and more cemented that this is actually happening right now. 501 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:49,760 And then, oops, all of a sudden, we see Saddam in the streets. 502 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:51,800 CHEERING 503 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:57,760 At the same time as the Americans were pulling down his statue, 504 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:02,760 Saddam was rallying the people of Baghdad just a few miles away. 505 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:06,080 CHANTING 506 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:15,240 CHEERING 507 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:04,560 And then he disappeared and nobody knew where he was. 508 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:07,040 Just... 509 00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:11,520 ..gone. 510 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:17,040 But, yeah, he just fucking left. 511 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:22,560 Is Saddam going to come back? 512 00:43:22,560 --> 00:43:24,680 Because he wasn't captured. 513 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:29,040 Where was he? Did he have another plan? 514 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:31,040 We didn't know. 515 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:33,840 Allahu Akbar! 516 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:40,640 Things were changing so fast. 517 00:43:40,640 --> 00:43:42,480 We couldn't cope. 518 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:55,280 I remember the day that Baghdad fell. 519 00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,520 We all watched it on the news in the hotel 520 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:00,520 and thought we'd missed the war. 521 00:44:01,720 --> 00:44:03,840 I mean, what we didn't realise was... 522 00:44:04,840 --> 00:44:08,520 ..that the invasion wasn't the war, the war was to come. 523 00:44:12,040 --> 00:44:15,040 Though there hadn't been much resistance in Baghdad, 524 00:44:15,040 --> 00:44:17,760 coalition troops were still fighting in other cities. 525 00:44:17,760 --> 00:44:19,280 GUNFIRE 526 00:44:19,280 --> 00:44:21,040 SUDDEN EXPLOSION 527 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:24,920 Mosul was really, really dangerous. 528 00:44:24,920 --> 00:44:27,680 The situation on the ground was a disaster. 529 00:44:28,680 --> 00:44:31,520 When Ashley Gilbertson arrived in northern Iraq, 530 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:34,360 he was a 26-year-old freelance photographer 531 00:44:34,360 --> 00:44:37,080 with virtually no experience of war. 532 00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:41,000 I had no idea what I was doing. 533 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,040 All of these reporters started coming into the north. 534 00:44:45,040 --> 00:44:46,840 They have all of this shit - 535 00:44:46,840 --> 00:44:50,040 the flak jackets with the plates and the helmets 536 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:53,920 and these chemical masks with the things you screw in the bottom. 537 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:57,520 I didn't have a flak jacket, I didn't have a helmet. 538 00:44:57,520 --> 00:45:00,040 We didn't even have a medical kit in the truck. 539 00:45:01,040 --> 00:45:04,040 And then we filled the truck with beer and whisky 540 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:06,400 and a bit of food and just drove around. 541 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:08,040 We should have been killed. 542 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:10,720 A thousand times over we should have been killed. 543 00:45:11,720 --> 00:45:15,440 Saddam was still the president of Iraq in Mosul... 544 00:45:16,440 --> 00:45:18,200 ..and all the mosques 545 00:45:18,200 --> 00:45:20,760 were preaching the same prayer 546 00:45:20,760 --> 00:45:24,040 of, "May God protect Saddam," 547 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:28,040 and then they start, like, shouting against the Americans. 548 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:35,560 After a few minutes, a Humvee stopped by the mosque 549 00:45:35,560 --> 00:45:39,880 and this very same preacher, all of a sudden, 550 00:45:39,880 --> 00:45:44,680 changed his mind, and he started shouting against Saddam. 551 00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:46,800 I was shocked. 552 00:45:47,800 --> 00:45:49,520 What just happened? 553 00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:57,280 Many people followed him and swapped sides... 554 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:00,040 ..in a moment. 555 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:08,520 And then there was chaos. 556 00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:12,680 You would see people running to everywhere, 557 00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:15,280 stealing things from buildings, 558 00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:18,880 from the schools, from everything. 559 00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:23,280 I was stood by the Central Bank as everybody looted it. 560 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:27,920 They were trying to get into the safe in the basement of the bank. 561 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:31,760 Everyone's banging on this thing with mallets and trying to open it. 562 00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:35,920 Obviously, they're not opening the safe of the Central Bank. 563 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:39,760 Until a guy goes down the driveway leading to the safe 564 00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:44,280 with an RPG on his shoulder and fires the fucking RPG at the safe 565 00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:46,520 and then money starts raining down. 566 00:46:46,520 --> 00:46:48,280 EXPLOSION 567 00:46:48,280 --> 00:46:51,160 It's total bedlam, it's total chaos. 568 00:46:55,520 --> 00:46:58,280 And American soldiers standing by doing nothing. 569 00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:06,280 They are looting everything, destroying everything. 570 00:47:06,280 --> 00:47:07,920 I don't know why. 571 00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:09,360 Goodbye. 572 00:47:10,280 --> 00:47:14,520 When you have years and years of poverty 573 00:47:14,520 --> 00:47:17,680 and then all of a sudden the floodgates are open, 574 00:47:17,680 --> 00:47:19,520 with no supervision... 575 00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:22,520 ..what would you do? 576 00:47:24,280 --> 00:47:27,040 I mean, I was tempted. 577 00:47:28,240 --> 00:47:31,040 And I remember, you know, seeing American soldiers 578 00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:32,880 just waving by, you know, 579 00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:36,760 as people literally just looting every single government building, 580 00:47:36,760 --> 00:47:40,040 schools, hospitals, you name it. 581 00:47:42,040 --> 00:47:44,520 With the exception of the Ministry of Oil. 582 00:47:44,520 --> 00:47:47,520 That was the one ministry that immediately got protection 583 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:49,160 by the American Army. 584 00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:52,280 Everything else was free game. 585 00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:01,040 If you go from a repressive regime, 586 00:48:01,040 --> 00:48:04,920 we've seen in that transition period there's untidiness. 587 00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:09,400 Freedom's untidy and free people are free to make mistakes 588 00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:11,880 and commit crimes and do bad things. 589 00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:14,360 Stuff happens. 590 00:48:16,040 --> 00:48:18,760 You'd hear the stuff coming out of the White House 591 00:48:18,760 --> 00:48:21,280 and it was like, "What are you talking about?" 592 00:48:21,280 --> 00:48:25,760 The whole city, the whole country has been stripped and looted. 593 00:48:25,760 --> 00:48:29,920 There is no government. There is nothing. There's nothing. 594 00:48:37,520 --> 00:48:39,440 How can you let this happen? 595 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:42,760 How can you tell your soldiers to let this happen 596 00:48:42,760 --> 00:48:46,520 and not have a plan for what's going to take place tomorrow? 597 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:49,520 When all the money, when all the currency is gone, 598 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:52,520 when all the hospitals are looted and burned. 599 00:48:53,520 --> 00:48:55,280 What are you going to do? 600 00:48:58,280 --> 00:49:01,040 We need protection very, very, very badly. 601 00:49:02,040 --> 00:49:04,840 You know, when you hold a gun and examine a patient, 602 00:49:04,840 --> 00:49:08,040 he himself will not like that, the patient, 603 00:49:08,040 --> 00:49:11,280 examined by a doctor carrying his machine-gun. 604 00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:13,760 Starting to see that chaos, 605 00:49:13,760 --> 00:49:18,000 I started to question what on earth was going on. 606 00:49:20,280 --> 00:49:23,440 Primarily, our big concern right now is trying to get things 607 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:25,480 back to normal here in Baghdad. 608 00:49:25,480 --> 00:49:28,040 They had a lot of problems with locals out here looting. 609 00:49:28,040 --> 00:49:31,200 It's a pretty tough situation because we're not a police force 610 00:49:31,200 --> 00:49:33,040 and we can't go through patrolling, 611 00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:35,280 acting as policemen, guarding everybody. 612 00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:42,720 We wanted to do something but we were told to stand down. 613 00:49:44,760 --> 00:49:48,040 Then we got the order to go out and help with basic first aid, 614 00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:49,760 medical and water. 615 00:49:52,040 --> 00:49:54,760 We take orders and then execute them. 616 00:49:57,040 --> 00:49:59,360 But there are things that happen 617 00:49:59,360 --> 00:50:02,440 that I really have a hard time remembering. 618 00:50:05,760 --> 00:50:09,760 We killed some civilians 619 00:50:09,760 --> 00:50:14,200 because we put up signs in Arabic. 620 00:50:15,760 --> 00:50:19,520 "This is a roadblock, turn around or else we will engage you." 621 00:50:20,760 --> 00:50:22,920 We didn't know they can't read. 622 00:50:24,760 --> 00:50:27,200 So they came pouring through in their vehicles, 623 00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:29,000 we killed every one of them. 624 00:50:29,000 --> 00:50:31,280 Grandpa, mommy, 625 00:50:31,280 --> 00:50:33,040 and the kids. 626 00:50:40,760 --> 00:50:42,800 I feel sad for them. 627 00:50:43,800 --> 00:50:46,000 But that is the profession. 628 00:50:49,280 --> 00:50:54,040 A threat or possible threat, you must neutralise. 629 00:50:58,040 --> 00:51:02,040 When you look back at your time in Iraq, do you think it was worth it? 630 00:51:06,280 --> 00:51:08,040 Yes, it's worth it. 631 00:51:19,760 --> 00:51:22,080 I mean, it has to be worth it. What's the... 632 00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:24,520 ..what's the alternative? 633 00:51:36,720 --> 00:51:38,760 ECHOES OF GUNFIRE 634 00:51:53,280 --> 00:51:55,520 At least I can have remorse now. 635 00:51:56,520 --> 00:51:59,920 You know, I've been carrying dead bodies with me forever. 636 00:52:02,520 --> 00:52:04,280 But I'm lucky. 637 00:52:04,280 --> 00:52:08,040 Not everybody gets through it as well as I have. 638 00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:17,520 I remember watching the city burn... 639 00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:22,120 ..and, erm, we did nothing. 640 00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:24,520 Baghdad just ripped to pieces. 641 00:52:24,520 --> 00:52:26,760 And I remember thinking, like, 642 00:52:26,760 --> 00:52:28,600 "Oh, my God," like... 643 00:52:29,600 --> 00:52:33,280 .."Never. We're never going to put this back in. 644 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:36,320 "We're never going to get it back in the bottle. Never." 645 00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:38,520 I remember that feeling very well. 646 00:52:42,760 --> 00:52:47,520 The entire public infrastructure of Iraq was stripped clean, 647 00:52:47,520 --> 00:52:49,280 gone to zero, 648 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:50,840 and so... 649 00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:54,680 ..the Americans just dug themselves into this terrible hole. 650 00:52:54,680 --> 00:52:55,960 Terrible. 651 00:52:55,960 --> 00:52:59,440 And they spent the next nine years trying to, like, 652 00:52:59,440 --> 00:53:02,080 stand this thing up on its own. 653 00:53:02,080 --> 00:53:04,920 That's what the whole story of the war is. 654 00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:13,640 Immediately after the invasion, one of the only ways 655 00:53:13,640 --> 00:53:16,760 to earn money in Baghdad was working as a translator. 656 00:53:18,040 --> 00:53:22,200 We were negotiating the price and I didn't know what the rate would be. 657 00:53:22,200 --> 00:53:24,360 I was ready to work for a dollar. 658 00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:29,280 And they were like, "Would $50 be OK?" 659 00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:33,360 And I was like, "$50 a what?", you know, 660 00:53:33,360 --> 00:53:35,360 and I'm trying to compose myself. 661 00:53:35,360 --> 00:53:37,320 And they were like, "A day." 662 00:53:37,320 --> 00:53:39,920 And I was like, 50 fucking bucks?! 663 00:53:39,920 --> 00:53:41,600 That's freaking awesome! 664 00:53:42,600 --> 00:53:46,040 50 bucks was my dad's salary for six months. 665 00:53:47,520 --> 00:53:49,520 I was making it in a day. 666 00:53:49,520 --> 00:53:51,880 And I was like, "All right, we've got a deal." 667 00:53:53,760 --> 00:53:55,520 I would hire a cab, 668 00:53:55,520 --> 00:53:58,640 would take a journalist with me, and we'd just drive around. 669 00:53:59,640 --> 00:54:01,760 This is Mutanabbi Street. 670 00:54:01,760 --> 00:54:05,520 This is one of the most old streets in Baghdad. 671 00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:11,520 And it's such an odd feeling because, before the war started, 672 00:54:11,520 --> 00:54:14,040 shops are open, people are walking, 673 00:54:14,040 --> 00:54:17,280 buying, selling, eating, drinking... 674 00:54:18,280 --> 00:54:21,040 ..and now, it's a ghost town. 675 00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:27,040 There is no police any more, no firefighters, 676 00:54:27,040 --> 00:54:29,760 no electricity, no water. 677 00:54:30,760 --> 00:54:34,760 It's an impossible situation for anyone that was there. 678 00:54:34,760 --> 00:54:36,600 On the one hand, you're hopeful. 679 00:54:36,600 --> 00:54:39,520 Oh, the future's going to be great, and all of that. 680 00:54:39,520 --> 00:54:41,920 At the same time, you're seeing clear evidence that... 681 00:54:43,320 --> 00:54:45,240 ..things are not good. 682 00:54:47,760 --> 00:54:50,040 So we're looking for stories 683 00:54:50,040 --> 00:54:53,520 and we heard of this man in Karbala, 684 00:54:53,520 --> 00:54:55,120 he's a Bedouin. 685 00:55:10,760 --> 00:55:14,280 And then we get to a spot where the car cannot drive any more. 686 00:55:19,480 --> 00:55:22,280 And then I got to see the true face of invasion. 687 00:55:34,280 --> 00:55:36,520 He's saying that this is his home. 688 00:56:10,760 --> 00:56:13,040 According to his story, 689 00:56:13,040 --> 00:56:17,680 in one afternoon, three Apaches came... 690 00:56:18,680 --> 00:56:20,520 ..hovered, 691 00:56:20,520 --> 00:56:24,560 and then they just opened fire on him and his family, 692 00:56:24,560 --> 00:56:27,840 and they just murdered everyone and everything that was alive. 693 00:56:27,840 --> 00:56:29,440 Everything. 694 00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:34,040 Him and another brother of his were the only ones that survived. 695 00:56:38,040 --> 00:56:39,600 Erm... 696 00:56:40,600 --> 00:56:42,680 ..honestly, I had my reservations, 697 00:56:42,680 --> 00:56:45,440 and I was like, "This is just very unreal. 698 00:56:45,440 --> 00:56:48,360 "This is too much. Too much. 699 00:56:48,360 --> 00:56:51,680 "People can't be that bad. They can't be that evil." 700 00:56:53,080 --> 00:56:57,040 And then he starts frantically digging through the sand, 701 00:56:57,040 --> 00:56:59,760 showing us the remnants and the remains 702 00:56:59,760 --> 00:57:03,000 of what used to be his family. 703 00:57:23,760 --> 00:57:25,840 I mean, that doesn't make any sense. 704 00:57:36,480 --> 00:57:38,520 HE SIGHS 705 00:58:00,040 --> 00:58:02,760 We were all hopeful at the beginning. 706 00:58:04,520 --> 00:58:07,040 But then, soon after, 707 00:58:07,040 --> 00:58:09,760 truth started coming up... 708 00:58:10,760 --> 00:58:14,360 ..and the myth that we were sold unravelled itself 709 00:58:14,360 --> 00:58:18,280 into this nightmare that we all knew now we're stuck in. 710 00:58:24,040 --> 00:58:27,040 They had never had that opportunity to vote 711 00:58:27,040 --> 00:58:29,040 and for them it was sheer joy. 712 00:58:29,040 --> 00:58:34,440 This is the core of being a human is...having a voice. 713 00:58:34,440 --> 00:58:36,600 Does that sound naive? 714 00:58:37,600 --> 00:58:40,040 I was super impressed with Colonel Sassaman. 715 00:58:40,040 --> 00:58:43,320 There's some good things happening. The thing could work.