Democracy And The Lions’ Diet

 

I remember one May day in 2003 walking leisurely into a palace in the Tashree in Baghdad; at its entrance stood two statues of Babylonian warriors; the sides of the entrance were engraved with the mythical Babylonian winged lions similar to those guarding the Gate of Xerxes at Persepolis. The Palace was bombed by U.S. missiles during the shock and awe phase of the conflict. Surprisingly, it was not looted by the mobs marauding through the streets of Baghdad. At the time, some courageous Iraqis recognizing a good business opportunity, would walk up to the soldiers manning check points around the People’s Palace and sell them cigarettes, sodas, and trinkets. The currency exchange ratio was $1/4000 Iraqi Dinars. The People’s Palace, located down the street from the 14 July roundabout, would later become home to L. Paul Bremer’s Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and is now the U.S. embassy. At the time, you could walk around Baghdad and feel totally safe; Al Qaeda had not set foot in Iraq yet and Jaysh Al Mahdi was non-existent. It was a period of relative calm. The palace I walked into was a stone’s throw from Al Sujood Palace and across the street from the Ba’ath party headquarters. The whole area is now enclosed within the International Zone.

 

In one side of the garden, there was a big cage. A few soldiers belonging to an Army ODA stood by the cage talking. Inside that cage were two lionesses and a lion. They were emaciated and looked tired. The soldiers informed me that the animals probably hadn’t eaten since the war started. They were discussing how they could help save them. There was the Zawra park zoo a short driving distance from there, but they wouldn’t move the lions without adequate cages, tranquilizer guns, and expert guidance and training. Besides, they had “reconned” the zoo and had found it in shambles: a number of animals had escaped from damaged cages; it lacked water, electricity, and food. The plight of the animals remaining in the zoo was deplorable. The soldiers finally decided that it would be better to just keep the lions in their cages for the time being while feeding them once a day. Decidedly, a bowl of milk would not have being enough. There was an urgent need for fresh meat. Lots of it. One of the soldiers, a chief, informed me that “RUMINT (rumor intelligence) has it that Uday fed these lions people he had a grudge against. Sometimes, when he runs out of options, he would serve them prisoners and was known to stand watching as his lions tore the poor bastards apart.” Feeding them humans, prisoners or not, was totally out of the question; it’s uncivilized.

 

Uday’s palace, along with Qusay’s, was later demolished. The sprawling new U.S. embassy, still unoperational, claimed the lot. 

 

I left the soldiers debating and continued my exploration. Days later, I was informed that the soldiers found a source of meat for the lions. In Saddam’s complex of palaces near the international airport, they located a sizable grassy enclosure housing antelopes. They would hunt one or two antelopes every couple of days and feed them to the lions.

 

Recently, I was strolling among joyous children and their relaxed parents in the Zawra Park when I came upon the lions’ cage. There were a few adult lions and two cubs. Zoo employees say that the adult lions once belonged to Uday. They looked healthy, but still tired. I stood before that cage and looked at them as if recognizing long lost friends. The cubs stayed close to the lionesses.

 

The zoo is entirely restored now and is being hailed as a successful reconstruction project completed by coalition forces. New animals have been brought in; exhibits have been mended; veterinarians have been hired to tend to the animals daily; zoos from around the world and animal rights organizations volunteered trainers to school Iraqi zookeepers. The zoo makeover cost the U.S. $2.15 million. The city also allots $400,000.00 annually for its up keeping. Depending on the security situation, the zoo receives 8000 to 10000 visitors per week. The cover charge is 20 cents a person. The zoo is also one of the few public areas in Baghdad benefiting from a heavy security detail protecting it from the ongoing war in the rest of the country.

 

Sitting on a bench looking at Iraqi parents enjoying quality time with their clamoring children in the security of the zoo, I couldn’t help wonder if, maybe, so many visitors to the zoo come to get a glimpse at what a future Iraq would look like. The zoo animals, after all, are provided uninterrupted utilities and enjoy better security, adequate medical attention, and fresher food than most Iraqis.

 

The lions, looking at the visitors standing before their cages, are probably telling their cubs: “in the old undemocratic good days, we used to eat them.” Not far from the lions’ cage, in a fenced-off area, the zoo raises donkeys. Every other day, a donkey is euthanized and fed to the lions.

 

Nobody speaks for the expendable donkeys. We have so many of them in the Arab world.

 

Ahmed T. B. Copyright © 2008