Ali, a patient and former soldier, who was once a proudly optimistic man eager to serve his country, is now a shell-shocked shadow traumatized by the bombings. Formerly posted near the Syrian border with a neurotic friend and fellow soldier, Hassan, Ali is appalled by the cruelties of the military police.

However, as opposed to Hassan, he believes that sitting out from the Ba'thist regime is less risky than desertion. When the US and Britain strike reducing his unit to a pool of blood, a ill-shocked Ali wanders on the battlefield holding Hassan's lifeless body in his arms.

He stumbles across the desert until he is picked up by the Iraqi soldiers and accused of desertion, being sentenced by a military court to mutilation and incarceration in a psychiatric institution.

His fearless insanity of his war zoned nation may be the hospital's only hope as he roams the terrorised gun ridden streets for surviving patients. Ali's patriotism may save others, but will it save him.