STEVE INSKEEP, host:
An Iraqi who's been telling us his story this week, has been thinking of leaving his country.
Dr. Hassan Khalidy is a 24-year-old dentist from Baghdad. He's been sending us a diary. Doctors and academics are routinely targeted and Hassan's parents worry that his occupation puts him at greater risk of being kidnapped or killed. Hassan is torn between staying in Baghdad or leaving his parents and friends behind.
Dr. HASSAN KHALIDY (Dentist): Most of my friends are young. We are dreaming to have a good future, good life. I hope to live peaceful with my future wife, my children, to build a good family. But how could I do that in this past situation in Iraq? I see my future is dark. Before the invasion of U.S. troops in Iraq, I had many dreams and I thought that this dreams will become true soon because we get right from Saddam Hussein regime, and now we are living in a new generation. But so sorry, all of our dreams disappeared.
So now, I am looking for a good future outside of Iraq. My father always tell me to leave this country. Always my mother and my father tell me that you're a doctor and you're now a target for the terrorist group. And we are so afraid about you and about your future. So please, leave Iraq and go outside.
Imagine, my mother and my father wanted me to leave Iraq, wanted me to leave them. But always I refuse that because at least until now, I have a hope in the future that Iraq will see the sun again. But after four years, this hopeness(ph) was reduced and reduced and reduced. Maybe after a few months will disappear.
Sure, now, I want to leave Baghdad. I want to cry when I'm saying I want to leave Baghdad. It is so hard to me to say that, so hard to me to leave my home, to leave my neighbors, to leave my friends, to leave Tigress and Euphrates. So difficult to me. So difficult to me. So difficult to me. But what can I do? I have to rebuild myself if I can't rebuild my country.
INSKEEP: Dr. Hassan Khalidy is a dentist in Baghdad. He's been sending us his diary all this week on MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.