Destroyed by war
Iraqi translator Waleed Neysif loved everything about America, until the bombs started raining down…
Waleed Neysif grew up in Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime, dreaming of the America of blue jeans, skateboards, headphones and Mcdonald’s that he’d seen in the movies.
Then, in 2003, when Waleed was 18, US troops invaded Iraq.
‘I was pro war,’ admits Waleed. ‘When we heard we were about to be invaded, I was excited. I thought, “Let’s get this done, then a better thing will come, a land of dreams.”’
This powerful five-part documentary, narrated by actor Andy Serkis, tells the story of the Iraq War through the eyes of journalists, soldiers and ordinary civilians, like Waleed.
Within weeks of the invasion, Iraq was in a chaotic power vacuum, with no infrastructure, police or utilities, and looting of government buildings, schools and hospitals. American soldiers stood by, while the Allies appeared to have no plan at all.
Waleed got a job as a translator, but witnessing war first-hand changed everything for him.
‘We were all hopeful at the beginning, but the myth we were sold unravelled into this nightmare,’ he says.
‘We were free during Saddam’s time to go back and forth without worrying about car bombs or Islamic groups. That’s what Saddam provided – he was safety and security from everyone else.’