Third Regiment: Memoirs of an Iraqi Captive Doctor

Mojtaba Al-Husseini
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2019-3-12

This week, we read the book " Third Regiment: Memories of an Iraqi Captive Doctor". This book is written by Dr. Mojtaba Al-Husseini and translated by Mohammad Hossein Zavar-e-Ka'bah. The "Third Regiment" was first published in 1992 by the Office of Literature and Art of Resistance of the Art Center of Islamic Propaganda Organization. This book is the seventy third book published in the office, and the twenty-second book of it in the form of memories.

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"I donate this book to resistant people and clean-blood that flowed on the earth to raise the word of Allah; and those who chose the red way of martyrdom and used their lungs, hearts, and arms in war against Ba'athist impious regime. And also, I donate it to awakened conscience of nation, to martyrs, and penitent freemen."

Dr. Mojtaba Al-Husseini

Contents:

Writer's Notes / a Years That Was Full of Incidents / from Loving Kindness to Death / Real Symptoms of Conflict / Jefir[1] again / Jefir Center for Relief / Unsolicited Operation / Jefir Logistics Center / Long Summer / Summer Events / Encouragement and Pleasure / Liberator Breeze Blew from Khouzestan[2] / Immediate Wars and Fear of Special Missions / Attack on Saadoun al-Tafg village / the Passage/ Iraqi Forces in Khorramshahr / Khorramshahr[3] liberation / Israeli Triangles / Laylat al-Qadr[4], Night of liberation.

Author's note:

Praise and gratitude to the Lord of the World ... I depend on him and get help from him, and the highest salutation and obedience to honest Mustafa and the house of him.

"The conflict between divine civilization and ignorant civilization have been begun from the emergence of man on the planet, and throughout the ages, between the manifestations of good and evil, i.e. prophets and the elders on one hand and the tyrants and pharaohs on the other hand. Sacred Quran portrays this conflict in its most beautiful verses.

About fourteen centuries ago, divine light appeared on the island of Arabs and in the land of Abraham and Ismail, and the difficult struggle began between the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and his followers on the one hand, and the idolaters, hypocrites and Jews, who shamelessly used to plot, on the other hand. Fortunately, Islam made a conquest in the factors of shyness and hypocrisy over decades, and caused two powerful empires of Rome and Iran to obey, and alighted a vast areas of planet. Since then, million people have been added to the number of supporters of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), although it was initially in low numbers. But the struggles did not end with the achievement of this victory; it went on during the course of history, sometimes in a mild and sometimes intense manner.

The typical example of this struggle is the Crusades that began in the name of Christianity against Muslim nations and lasted for many years, which ultimately led to the victory of Muslims and the breakdown of crusaders. It should be mentioned that Muslims at that time enjoyed solidarity and civilization. Indeed, the Crusades were a useful experience that enemies made profit on it more than Muslims.

The Crusaders returned to their country after suffering a defeat, gradually they prepared themselves how to harass Muslims; they took step ahead and achieved science and technology. While the Muslims were in disarray and dependence. Over time, in the early twentieth century, the Westerns who were equipped modern science and weapons invaded Muslim regions, and broke down Ottoman state, the last fort and political base of Islam. On that time, when General Lunbi entered Jerusalem[5], he declared: "Today, the Crusades are ended."

The assets and properties of Muslims were divided between the heathen Crusaders and their children. The occurrence of such events was no surprise, since the West had been struggling to initiate such an invasion for hundreds of years; While Muslims were in neglect; they retreated instead of advancement and progress. There was a strange match between the parties. The two sides were moving in the opposite direction. In other words, the Westerns were moving toward greatness and power, and Muslims were moving towards degeneration, collapse and reversal. Finally, the land of Muslims, especially the Arabs, was divided into small countries according to the sinister treaty of Sykes Pico, which was concluded between London and Paris. The colonialists, apparently, left the countries after they had given their colonial powers to own followers, who obeyed the orders of their masters unsophisticatedly, in the region. The puppet rulers of the puppet opened the way for colonial powers to penetrate in all spheres of life, whether economic, political or military, and they fought against Islam under the slogan of freedom, progress, and nationality; and provided oil and other natural riches for their masters. Meanwhile, millions of believers and Muslims, whose were interested in Islam and had discovered the false essence of new civilization and the dependence of their rulers, waited for a lifesaver come to the save them from this ignominious condition.

The conflict began between the colonial puppets and the pioneers of the Islamic Movement. Following this conflict, a large number of Muslim fighters were imprisoned and some scholars and ordinary people were executed. Gradually, the false mask was removed from the face of the mercenary rulers, and their hostility against Islam and Islamic was appeared.[6]

In 1979, an extreme movement of Islamic Iran began, and the throne of one of the most tyrannical rulers in the region and the most important puppet of West was destroyed in the hands of combative authority and revolutionary Muslims. When global arrogance found its position destroyed, it mobilized all the forces and facilities of propaganda, economic, and military, as well as its mercenaries and puppets, inside and outside Iran, to fight against this newborn revolution.

The Islamic Revolution was in fact an earthquake that shook the region and world and transformed the political map of Iran's neighbors. Secret figures and faces were revealed. Some contracts was made and some was broken down. East and West temporarily forgot their differences and formed a single line against this new extreme storm of currents. The region's rulers, who were confused, start fight against this movement with their masters. Meanwhile, Muslim masses were happy a lot and gain self-confidence with reliance on their original identity.

Following these developments, the newborn Islamic Revolution of Iran was targeted by intrigues and violations from inside and outside; psychological warfare, propaganda, and economical and military pressures was begun against the revolution. In that time, Ba'ath regime in Iraq invaded Iran from northwest and southwest area on September 22, 1980. Everybody knows the fact that the war began on the basis of American plan and inclination and financial assistance from Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf states, and finally the support was begun by atheist east and misbeliever west, and Muslim people of Iraq was forced to an unintended war against Revolutionary, brotherly and Muslim people of Iran. This war caused a political and intellectual conflict between two Muslim peoples of Iran and Iraq and Muslim community, and for many people it was difficult to recognize the right from vanity. Some raised in favor of Iran and some in the ranks of enemies, and finally others adopted a neutral position. Although this issue was a reminder of The Battle of Siffin[7]  and Nahrawan[8], according to Imam Ali (AS), "To know righteous men, we must know truth before." The war process clarified many truths about the revolution and its enemies and proved that truth, like a daylight, is clear for every conscientious person; it is not a denial.

Thousands were captured during this war, the hearts of millions of Iraqi and Iranian Muslims were harassed, and many economic and social losses were incurred. In addition, the effects of this war may not disappear for a long time, the people of these two countries looked each other hostilely for a long time.

The destination was that I was also one of the victims of this war. Despite I realized the truth, I participated in the war in favor of Iraqi regime due to the my particular circumstances and conditions unlike my personal beliefs and desires, Although I stepped into the battlefield unwittingly, but after suffering two years of difficulty and wandering, I descended from the scene of war willingly, and on October 6, 1982 I survived with the help of God to have quiet body and soul.

Now, as a captive doctor, I write a small booklet of my memoirs in order to be a documentary evidence of the oppression of the Iranian nation and Islamic Revolution as well as to reveal a small part of the essence of this wicked war to all and a lesson for the Muslim generations. I ask Almighty God to accept my confession and grant me mercy and give me success in serving in righteous path. God is one who grants and listen."

 Dr. Mojtaba Al-Husseini/ winter 1991.