BAGHDAD: "CITY OF WIDOWS" by HAIFA ZANGANA

Haifa Zangana: "Women are saying it is worse in a way because they are losing their freedom of movement and their lives. There have been 1 million civilians killed. Iraqi families consist on average of seven members, the parents and five children.

The killing of every man means a widow left on her own to care and look after and feed five people, plus the extended family. In Baghdad alone there are 300,000 widows.

There is no welfare state or protection net. They are still relying on monthly food rations established under Saddam's regime and which are still feeding 16 million Iraqis. The rations consist of a couple of kilos of lentils, sugar, baby milk, flour, oil for cooking.

End of Occupation

Crofts: Do you see a decline in violence if foreign troops exit Iraq?

Zangana: The end of the occupation is imminent. It's only a matter of when and how. We read history and no occupation lasted forever. It is costing us lives and the Americans lives and the British lives. This is needless for all parties involved.

Al-Qaeda came with the occupation. If the foreign troops leave, the main reason for the violence will leave and perhaps we will have the chance to rebuild the country. This is the only solution for Iraq, America and the stability of the region.

"Today is worse than yesterday and yesterday was worse than the day before." http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pi...