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# Prophecy
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/prophecy/
- Published: 2003-01-12T00:01:00.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:07:28.000Z
- Description: It is 12 January 2003 and US president Bush has rallied his troops for what he calls “The first war of the 21st century”. What is your view of this crisis, where, briefly, do you stand? This is the question we are putting to people around the world, especially those with their own public reputatio
- Author: Ben Okri
- Tags: Conflict & security, #Migrated, Middle East & North Africa, Writers, artists and civic leaders on the Iraq war, iraq: war or not?, middle east conflicts, conflict, iraq: understanding the handover, #en, #Import 2026-04-09 17:02

A vision of the broken rose

In an inferno of oil and blood

Earth in dying clothes

Unleash the hidden will of God.

Originally published as part of a debate on 12 January 2003[Writers, artists and civic leaders on the War: Pt. 1](http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-2-114-882.jsp#1). 

See also [Writers, artists and civic leaders on the War: Pt. II](http://www.opendemocracy.net/conflict-iraqwarquestions/article%5F960.jsp)