Juliet referred to an incident in Basra from Sayid's past during "One of Us". Basra is a city in Iraq. In 1991, after the first Persian Gulf War, Basra was the site of widespread revolt against Saddam Hussein, which was very violently suppressed. Given that Sayid was known to serve both during and after the Gulf War, this is the most likely incident for him to have been a part of. In 1999, a second revolt took place, leading to mass executions in Basra. In 2003, during the Invasion of Iraq, Basra was invaded by allied forces and occupied mainly by British troops.