Thirty years we lived under a black cloud

Not knowing when our lives would end without record.

A knock in the middle of the night would seal our fate

Under a regime we all learned to hate.

The powers that be ruined our lives

In all aspects we became mere puppets

Dancing to the tune of the day

Without knowing the song they were going to play.

All manner of dissent was simply not tolerated

By the tyrant's actions our future was ransomed

To deprivation, starvation and degradation

While the black gold lay in isolation.

When they came to kill us we did not ask for reason

As simple laymen we paid for just a hint of treason

The forces of repression brooked no offence

As mere mortals we could offer no defence.

Death came in many forms

An explosion, an accident, a knife, a bullet or poison gas

Families disappeared without a trace

And the world kept an unmoved face.

Now for thirty days we live under a different cloud

Still not knowing if we will avoid a funeral shroud

Baghdad is under siege from new invading powers

Who know the best solution so we all must cower.

Death came in a different guise

'Collateral damage' - a term used by the wise

To soften the carnage caused by misguided missiles

On innocent civilians who must be sacrificed.

Of course it was not intended the unnecessary deaths

But someone has to pay to achieve your goal

Of destroying that tyrant's grip o­n the nation's soul

So you came, you bombed and you flattened our homes.

Cruise missiles you rained o­n our beloved land

Tons of explosives you delivered without respite

Until the life-blood of our cities you destroyed

Without water and electricity o­nly sewer rats will thrive.

Depleted uranium you vaporised in our air

Spewing its life-sapping evil to plague unborn children

At least we knew and could see our age-old enemy

You liberate us but yet condemn us as walking dead.

Baghdad is now truly free from the tyrant's grip

Looters and carnage go o­n an unending trip

Our beloved homes have become our prison

Anarchy has poisoned minds to act without reason.

The sick and maimed have nowhere to go

Our hospitals have been ransacked floor to floor

Is this the final solution you are offering?

Crowing victory measured by our suffering.

Death now comes in different forms

Disease and pillage is the daily norm

With your deadly force you have transformed

Our skyline and city into a battle zone.

Thousands died under the old dictatorship

And thousands will die for the cry of freedom

Ringing hollow in every Iraqi town and village

As thousands destroy our heritage in wanton pillage.

How much more must we suffer Mister Bush

Ensconced in distant comfort you view a TV rush

As death stalks us we find no difference Mister Bush

From your ill-planned venture, by George! It must be stopped.

Your revenge was bloody swift to annihilate

For the Twin Towers horror we must compensate

With broken bones and destroyed homes we await

The liberators' brand of justice o­n a plate.

The military planners made a major blunder

When they did not foresee the massive plunder

In a Baghdad ravaged and gutted we are dying

Thanks to you Mister Bush there is no denying.

So what's the difference, Mister Bush?

Innocent lives are still being lost

Now without the iron grip of old

Our country's union cannot hold.

But there's a difference in your approach Mister Bush

Our oil reserves you secured with such indecent rush

But left us stricken and dying a demonic irony

The tyrant's gone long live a new tyranny!