“It’s ironic how citizens of one country choose their president and citizens of another country take the implications.”

Youssef, 32, Baghdad resident

Foreign policy is not much about the president of the United States; it is rather how presidents and administrations apply the policies of the state. George W Bush went to direct involvement in the Middle East mainly by sending troops, while President Obama fought wars in proxy, especially after pulling troops from Iraq.

President Obama’s approach to Iraq had catastrophic implications, which are not any less than those of Mr Bush. We are still dying every day, due to chaos caused by the invasion. Obama, I would say, was trying to prove that he distanced himself from his predecessor when he pulled troops out of Iraq. In fact, his policy is as radical and fanatic as Bush’s.

It is ironic, how citizens of one country choose their president, and citizens of another country will take the implications. I follow the elections, although I know nothing will change. More death and chaos will fall upon us as Iraqis. We care about politics just to try to figure out how to plan our lives for the coming few years.

We will still be dying; more radical groups will emerge, and militias will continue to rule in my country. Our misery in Iraq is geography and oil.

*As told to Salam Khoder in Istanbul, Turkey