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Iraqi In Baghdad: Country Faces 'Black Days' If U.S. Doesn't Help

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Mazin al-Mubarak is an Iraqi who lives in Baghdad and works as a producer for ABC News. He tells Here & Now's Meghna Chakrabarti that the streets are empty, the city is surrounded by militants and there's no way to get out, excerpt by airplane, for those who haven't fled.

Al-Mubarak fears for himself and his family, saying ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) will kill everyone, regardless of whether they're Sunni or Shiite. He says if the U.S. doesn't provide airstrike support, the country faces "black days" ahead.

Interview Highlights

On why all Iraqis should fight back

"You know, some people have lost their beloved at the hands of the Sunni extremists, so they started to have this kind of retaliation against Sunnis. But the problem is if ISIS controls Baghdad and other areas, they will not differentiate in killing Sunnis or Shiites. It's all the same. If a Sunni doesn't fight with ISIS, he will be killed because he is cooperating with Shiites."

On what Obama should do to help

"First thing, he should start using Air Force to have air strikes, to bomb those ISIS fighters. Without an air strike, Iraq will be in danger, really in danger ... Iraqis will have to pay with their lives. There is no military support ... to help the Iraq army to stand against those ISIS fighters. Things will be really bad. It will be black days falling on Iraq."

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Guest

  • Mazin al-Mubarak, Iraqi who lives in Baghdad and works as a producer for ABC News.

This segment aired on June 13, 2014.

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