Who cries for Iraq?

'What should British, American and Australian Governments do - apart from apologise –for all the death, suffering and trauma, caused in Iraq and spread to the entire Middle East?'

No one said sorry or expressed empathy.

Deaths alone, due to the Iraq invasion have been estimated from hundreds of thousands to over a million. Add to this, displacement, of three million, physical and psychological injury and trauma, destruction of whole precincts, ground contamination with depleted uranium and the loss and suffering is incalculable.

On the eve of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, I was at a public swimming pool. I noticed a small dark girl aged about four. I looked at her and felt a wave of anguish. I thought. "Tomorrow some little girl like you will be killed, or see her family blown apart by the bombardment in the night."

Shock and Awe, the initial bombardment was christened; but ordinary citizens had no-where to flee. There were no air raid shelters. Could they have imagined what was to come?

Over three thousand missiles were released in and around Baghdad. The spectacle was broadcast live on CNN and Sky News. Operation Iraqi Freedom, was gloriously documented on NBC.

In 2016 John Howard appearing on Lateline, stood by his 'decision' to go to war, despite the findings of the Chilcot seven-year investigation and 2.6 million-word report.

No sorry and no remorse.

Had we done any soul searching regarding the war on Iraq, would we have refrained from bombing Syria on questionable legal grounds in September 2015?

The panel discussion centred on arguments about flawed intelligence and disposing of Saddam, when Tony Jones seemed to recognise a relevant circumstance.

He paused the disputants saying, 'our questioner is an Iraqi as it happens, who has asked a rhetorical question'. He addressed Youssef. 'What do you think should happen?'

I have sat in the dust with imprisoned refugees atWoomera Detention centre. It was difficult for them to articulate their trauma. Youssef explained they had needed help to get rid of Saddam. There was a 'but' that he was unable to utter. No one was hearing him.

We need a slogan declaring 'Muslim lives matter'

Perhaps our politically opportunistic condemnation of refugees for disorderly flight from bombs, makes it impossible for us to empathise with the victims of war.

Youssef half raised his hand for the right of reply, but Jones seemed not to notice that his question had remained unanswered.