MOLINE – As the war with Iraq comes to a close, the rebuilding begins.
Those who lived under the rule of Saddam Hussein will never forget the man who ruled with an iron fist.
Ramena Gabriel was born and raised under Saddam’s rule. She has witnessed years of torture and looks forward to a new era.
“I was born in Saddam’s regime,” says Gabriel.
She was part of Saddam’s new generation, born in Baghdad blocks from the statue toppled during the fall of Baghdad.
Gabriel left 13 years ago and has never looked back.
“The things I remember about Saddam’s regime,” Gabriel explains, “besides always being in fear, was we didn’t have any choices.”
Ramena says the Iraqi government would not allow her to chose her career path or school. Instead, she was forced to learn how to fight.
“I was 15 years old and trained how to use rifles and targets,” says Gabriel. “We’d learn to shoot well and get prizes from Saddam.”
“Everyone has to participate in war wanted everyone to be a vicious person–no choice.”
