Chapter 8: Sacrifice

Summary
Saddam Hussein was a dictator of Iraq, of Sunni background. During the time of his reign,
the Sunni population was the minority of Muslims, spanning only 20% of the population. As
he was the dictator of Iraq, representing the minority, Hussein government suppressed the
Shia majority.
The US conquered Iraq, believing he was a provider to the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda
resulting in the Shias controlling and supressing the Sunni minority.
Sunni rebel uprisings began as a product of the suppression leading terrorist groups to move
into Iraq. Former Sunni military began fighting the newly formed state, resulting in a civil
war.

Chapter 8
The chapter of Sacrifice is set in northern Iraq during the sacred period of Eid: al-Adha, the
feast of sacrifice a seven day Muslim celebration. Megan Stack focusses on two main
political groups: Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. Stack
reports on the experience of suicide bombers at the buildings where 70 people were killed
and 200 were injured.
Ansar al Islam (an insurgent group active in Iraq and Syria) took responsibility for the attack
where they were suspected of having connections with Al Qaeda.

Quotes
Violence is not the point. A bomb, a battle, a bullet is just a hole torn in the fabric of a day.
Violence is all of the smashed things left behind and then the things that grown anyway
defiant
anyone who gets close to violence gets a little bit stuck
Iraq was always a tangle to me, a place where there was personal death and also collective
death
Going into Iraq meant wading into violence

You expected it and it didnt startle you it was a part of every day
A breakdown on a desert highway could kill you
Everything was normal, most of them say. Everything was fine. And then violence reared up
and smacked their little corner of the universe. And nothing was ever normal again:
It is easier to blame a nemesis than to accept chaos as an everyday condition
A suicide bomb is a political statement; it is intended that way
with the salt of a strangers blood in my nose I squinted into my notebook, clenched the inner
skin of my cheek between my teeth and made myself write his words
You have to be strong we see this everyday
there was nothing wrong with me except that all the bombings Id seen were running
together, littering up the back of my mind. My body was shutting down in protest at the
parade of broken humans
Iraq was becoming a country that swallowed its violence and pressed forward
You always think you will never forget this one moment, the on you stand in now but its not
true
Blind faith is the foot bridge that takes us from virtuous religion to self-righteous violence
We have sacrificed enough. Weve spent our lives sacrificing. All we do in this country is
sacrifice

Big Ideas
o Violence is a breeding force
o Violence cures conflict
o The effects of war are not limited to those involved directly
o Exposure to continual conflict can desensitise society
Supplementary
o Jihadi Jake

o American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001

o September 11
o Invasion of Vietnam
Paragraph
Violence is the answer to political problems.
Violence is a reprint of itself, an endless copy. Violence breeds violence. Without an end to
the vicious cycle, violence will always prevail. However, just because it is a constant, does
not mean, violence is the answer to problems of any nature, particularly those of political
background. Violence has been known since the beginning of mankind. But with evolution
of humans, has come the evolution of violence. Current day, political violence has been
publicised as a mass scale viciousness, between large population groups and ethnics. As
shown in Megan Stacks book Every Man in this Village is a Liar where she documents a
politically initiated, suicide bombing in northern Iraq on the eve of Eid al-Adhar, the feast of
sacrifice. Here is the truth about suicide bombings: they are all the same everything was
normal, and then violence reared up and nothing was ever normal again. Violence leaves
scars ingrained on the skin of both; the victim and perpetrator, initiating a reluctant memory
on those bearing the physical wounds. The physical pain may be temporary, but the mental
stain associated with such horrific experiences can never be removed. The idea political and
religious leaders rely is one of complete selfishness, suggesting to the public that their lives
are not of as high importance compared to the political aspirations of the leaders. Since the
American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 approximately twenty two-thousand Afghan
civilians have been killed. Twenty two thousand civilian casualties in Afghanistan, has
resulted in twenty two thousand families, having to bear the consequences of a fight that
wasnt even theirs. The American governments selfish and sinful act is a microscopic
example of the reality experienced by millions worldwide, where innocent individuals are
burdened with
realities due to the consequence of selfish and violent party, whereby
their aspirations are classified more important than the everyday civilians lives. Violence is
a reprint of itself, an endless copy, where the continuum of violent and vicious actions
subsequently results in further violence.