Many dreams came to me before my return to Iraq in 2003. I imagined seeing a new democratic society where social justice and equality flourish, and human freedoms are fully realized. I aspired to a society characterized by rationality, diversity, and difference, where everyone can express their opinions freely without fear of oppression or discrimination. I imagined a system governed by the dialectic of freedom and law, where laws are just and applied to all without exception, with mutual respect among citizens regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs.
In this ideal society, I saw the principle of citizenship as the foundation, where all citizens are equal before the law and enjoy the same rights and duties. I dreamed of a just political system applying the principle of "the right person in the right place," where leaders and officials are chosen based on competence and integrity, not favoritism or personal relationships. I aspired to see a new Iraq where the economy, education, and health flourish, and where people live in peace and security, cooperating together to build a better future for coming generations.
The end of dictatorial rule was a crossroads for me, as circumstances allowed me to transform from an exiled scientist and activist opposing the dictatorship in Iraq into an active participant in the process of change. This transformation drove me to take leave from my British university to participate in building the new Iraq. It was a short period full of challenges and difficulties, during which my dreams of change and development faded. I began to feel alienated in my own homeland, hearing remarks suggesting I return to my British university. Some of these remarks came from good intentions and concern for my life from the violence that spread through the body of Iraqi society, while others stemmed from malice and attempts to get rid of me.