Hi Friends,
Of course the behavior at Abu Ghraib is terrible and I think everybody agrees; and most certainly the few who perpetrated these actions do not represent anybody but themselves. They have betrayed the Coalition soldiers and all the friends of democracy, before anybody else. However, the Media, and especially the famous Al Jazeera, Al Arabia & Co. are having great time with this affair. It’s like Christmas over there. Saturation coverage, trying all the time to sound objective and merely reporting what the western media are saying.
Well I am an Iraqi, and hate what I saw, but I would like to say in all honesty that compared to the practices of the old Baathists, this is a drop in an ocean. The terrors of Saddam torture houses make this isolated condemned practice by a small group of perverted individuals seem nothing, awful as it is. And more important, the outrages of the Saddam regime were sanctioned and perfectly well known and approved from the highest levels of the state and there was no question of any criminal investigations of the practices, the victims simply buried in any convenient ditch near by. But we never heard any righteous and noisy protests from Any Jazeera or Arabiya, nor did we witness much “Arab” anger during many years when torture, rape and murder were going on a regular basis and massive scale. Perhaps those hundreds of thousands of victims were not “Arabs” and did not deserve the righteous pity of the brotherly Arab masses.
Salaam
Friday, April 30, 2004
Hi,
There is ofcourse, a very fierce propaganda campaign. Everything is suspect. However the military situation is not really too alarming. The main problem is curbing terrorism and end the vulnerability of soldiers and civilians. The main problem is restoring security. This can only be done by the kind of measures advocated by me sometime ago.
Salaam
There is ofcourse, a very fierce propaganda campaign. Everything is suspect. However the military situation is not really too alarming. The main problem is curbing terrorism and end the vulnerability of soldiers and civilians. The main problem is restoring security. This can only be done by the kind of measures advocated by me sometime ago.
Salaam
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Hi Everybody,
You know there is a rather crude and cruel folk recipe for a newly wed man. This recommends for the young man to secretly plant a great big tomcat in his wedding bedroom where he is to spend his first night with his bride. Then as he and the bride are in the room he would surreptitiously provoke the tomcat into some meowing and growling, whereupon he should fake anger and fury and catch the cat and ring its neck savagely in front of his bride. This, they claim would contribute to making a very good and tranquil marriage life. The main thing is that this should be done the very first night, and would not work any other time later.
So we say to our friends, it maybe too late now. Haven’t we recommended to you some certain security measures before, when there was still time? Haven’t we said that it is necessary to control neighborhoods? Haven’t we said so many things?
Well it is harder now but can still be done. There is no alternative to a comprehensive political solution. By now you should realize that the ease with which the Initial campaign succeeded was because the majority wished for your success. It was not because there were cowards here. “The Street” was on your side. Now you must recapture the street, and tanks and firepower cannot do this alone. It is vital both to you and to us to succeed, and it is still possible to succeed, though it was easier earlier, but it must still be done, and you still have credit in you account. It is a matter between you and us alone and nobody else, no foreigners, no neighbors, Arabs and non-Arabs, the former being worse.
As we said before, this is no place for weak hearted people. All the sacrifices and blood must not be in vain.
Good luck to all of us.
Salaam
You know there is a rather crude and cruel folk recipe for a newly wed man. This recommends for the young man to secretly plant a great big tomcat in his wedding bedroom where he is to spend his first night with his bride. Then as he and the bride are in the room he would surreptitiously provoke the tomcat into some meowing and growling, whereupon he should fake anger and fury and catch the cat and ring its neck savagely in front of his bride. This, they claim would contribute to making a very good and tranquil marriage life. The main thing is that this should be done the very first night, and would not work any other time later.
So we say to our friends, it maybe too late now. Haven’t we recommended to you some certain security measures before, when there was still time? Haven’t we said that it is necessary to control neighborhoods? Haven’t we said so many things?
Well it is harder now but can still be done. There is no alternative to a comprehensive political solution. By now you should realize that the ease with which the Initial campaign succeeded was because the majority wished for your success. It was not because there were cowards here. “The Street” was on your side. Now you must recapture the street, and tanks and firepower cannot do this alone. It is vital both to you and to us to succeed, and it is still possible to succeed, though it was easier earlier, but it must still be done, and you still have credit in you account. It is a matter between you and us alone and nobody else, no foreigners, no neighbors, Arabs and non-Arabs, the former being worse.
As we said before, this is no place for weak hearted people. All the sacrifices and blood must not be in vain.
Good luck to all of us.
Salaam
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Zayphar,
1- The people whom the Marines have been talking to may not be representative of the entire Dulaim conglomeration. A veritable conference with all the representatives should be aimed at.
2- Of course the radicals and especially the foreigners don’t much care about the property and lives of the normal people. An Afghan or a Palestinian doesn’t really care, and in fact they want to inflict harm on the ordinary people. The longer the attrition continues the more irritation will grow against these elements, and the contradiction is bound to reach a point when the majority will swing decisively against them. Some patience is required and sooner or later you will have people wanting your help.
3- Those whose authority is undercut as you say, will wish secretly that they be rid of these elements, however they will never admit it publicly. You will even hear them protesting and lamenting loudly, when deep down they have quite different sentiments. This is customary in these parts.
4- Finally my friendly advice is this: 90% Brains; 10% Muscles - that should be the motto.
Salaam
1- The people whom the Marines have been talking to may not be representative of the entire Dulaim conglomeration. A veritable conference with all the representatives should be aimed at.
2- Of course the radicals and especially the foreigners don’t much care about the property and lives of the normal people. An Afghan or a Palestinian doesn’t really care, and in fact they want to inflict harm on the ordinary people. The longer the attrition continues the more irritation will grow against these elements, and the contradiction is bound to reach a point when the majority will swing decisively against them. Some patience is required and sooner or later you will have people wanting your help.
3- Those whose authority is undercut as you say, will wish secretly that they be rid of these elements, however they will never admit it publicly. You will even hear them protesting and lamenting loudly, when deep down they have quite different sentiments. This is customary in these parts.
4- Finally my friendly advice is this: 90% Brains; 10% Muscles - that should be the motto.
Salaam
Hi,
Roger W. wrote:
Alaa,
Relying on history is like driving down the road while only looking in the rear view mirror. Only limited help! Japan,Germany,Bosnia & Kosovo have,true enough, been long range success stories. But, the "peace keeping" process shed very little American blood & had sustainable expenditures. These are already an item in Iraq! And, the daily negative news is a serious drawback. Good luck to us all.
Roger W. USA | Email | Homepage | 04.24.04 - 2:05 am | #
Roger W.,
My retort to you, Roger, is that trying to “make history” without “knowing history” is like trying to write a new chapter of a book without having read and understood the previous chapters. Of course the driver must keep looking ahead, but it is nevertheless important that he checks his rear view mirror, as every driving instructor will tell you.
As far as the present campaign is concerned, in many respects it is a re-enactment of events that took place about 90 years ago but with modern setting and actors. You might be interested to know that some of the arguments and discussions going on at the moment are almost identical to those of one century ago. You can read about it in the Internet: the following link is just one example:
http://www.idc.nl/catalog/result_file.php?file=back/408back.html&c=408&n=Creation+of+Modern+Iraq%3A+British+India+Office+Files%2C+c.+1914-1921&ref=y
In my humble opinion, studying and understanding the British “Mesopotamian” campaign is more relevant and important than all the examples you mention.
The British relied on an educated, high level of intelligence gathering recruiting some very high caliber people including many orientalists and wizards of the culture of the region, who loved the work and considered it as grand romantic adventure; the romantic revivalist movement, with particular fascination with all things oriental, having been one of the main currents of literature, architecture and art in Victorian Britain and Europe in general in the 19th century and its immediate aftermath. The following excerpt from the above link illustrate the point:
“Among those recruited for the work were Arnold Wilson and Reader Bullard, as well as the more well-known travelers and Orientalists of the period, including T.E. Lawrence, Gertrude Bell, and Harry St. John Philby. While political officers such as Bullard and Wilson were sent out to run regional administrations, Bell and her colleagues worked under the auspices of the Arab Bureau's Eastern Branch at Basra, preparing detailed intelligence reports on local personalities, tribes, and political affiliations. When Baghdad was finally captured in March 1917, Cox - now promoted to the post of Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia - appointed Gertrude Bell as his 'Oriental Secretary', the key intelligence post in the administration.”
The British also faced revolts and “Ayatollah’s”, and had to think very hard of the form of Government to install, and how to bring stability and tranquility after the famous 1920 Insurrection. It came to pass that a Kingdom was proclaimed in the early 20’s of the last century, and limited sovereignty under British Mandate continued until 1932, some 15 years after the fall of Baghdad.
The British Empire Just emerging from the Victorian Era certainly had some advantages if compared to the U.S. Republic of today. To start with, although British Democracy is one of the oldest, nevertheless, it was a system dominated by the aristocratic elite, and not as susceptible to the “Public Opinion” of ordinary people as the present U.S. system is. Indeed, even the “Public Opinion” of those days was dominated by elites of intellectuals mostly belonging to the upper classes. Also the British Empire was militaristic, and conquest and military campaigns were the most natural things then. Consequently, British Strategists had all the time they needed and did not have to be constantly looking over their shoulders and worried about domestic political considerations. It may be considered cynical to add that the soldiery who composed the British expeditionary force were mostly composed of Indians and Gurkas (hence, rather more bearably expendable, to use the typical English understatement), and only the officers were actually pure "sang" Englishmen. Also the British Empire had clear objectives defined by Self Interests and protecting the “routes to India”, not to mention Oil, which they knew then of its existence there. The American Project is much more grandiose and ambitious (and hence more difficult to define precisely) as advocated by the goals set out by President Bush, and the school of thought around him; which by the way, are highly admirable from the moral point of view. But to be fair to the Americans, there was not in those days the level of frustration and hatred that exist today, nor were terrorist tactics known or practiced.
An example of what can be practically learnt from previous experience, is the present situation in Fallujah. It might be useful if proper detailed knowledge of the tribal make up and personalities of the Dulaim region is made available to U.S. strategists engaged in the struggle. For instance, in the ongoing negotiations, contacts with, and presence of genuine tribal leaders and influential personalities might be insisted upon, whose cooperation and appeasement might bring real pressures to bear on the rebellious elements. Personally, I think a political solution would be superior and have more lasting effects; since merely storming the town and killing a number of rebels might not bring the decisive results hoped for, whereas intensifying the political and negotiating process under real palpable threat of action, and trying to draw the entire Dulaim tribal structure into this dialogue, might be much more productive in the short and long terms. I certainly hope that this is taken into consideration before precipitate action is initiated thereby losing the pressurizing value of the overhanging threat, not to mention other troubles that might ensue.
Roger W. wrote:
Alaa,
Relying on history is like driving down the road while only looking in the rear view mirror. Only limited help! Japan,Germany,Bosnia & Kosovo have,true enough, been long range success stories. But, the "peace keeping" process shed very little American blood & had sustainable expenditures. These are already an item in Iraq! And, the daily negative news is a serious drawback. Good luck to us all.
Roger W. USA | Email | Homepage | 04.24.04 - 2:05 am | #
Roger W.,
My retort to you, Roger, is that trying to “make history” without “knowing history” is like trying to write a new chapter of a book without having read and understood the previous chapters. Of course the driver must keep looking ahead, but it is nevertheless important that he checks his rear view mirror, as every driving instructor will tell you.
As far as the present campaign is concerned, in many respects it is a re-enactment of events that took place about 90 years ago but with modern setting and actors. You might be interested to know that some of the arguments and discussions going on at the moment are almost identical to those of one century ago. You can read about it in the Internet: the following link is just one example:
http://www.idc.nl/catalog/result_file.php?file=back/408back.html&c=408&n=Creation+of+Modern+Iraq%3A+British+India+Office+Files%2C+c.+1914-1921&ref=y
In my humble opinion, studying and understanding the British “Mesopotamian” campaign is more relevant and important than all the examples you mention.
The British relied on an educated, high level of intelligence gathering recruiting some very high caliber people including many orientalists and wizards of the culture of the region, who loved the work and considered it as grand romantic adventure; the romantic revivalist movement, with particular fascination with all things oriental, having been one of the main currents of literature, architecture and art in Victorian Britain and Europe in general in the 19th century and its immediate aftermath. The following excerpt from the above link illustrate the point:
“Among those recruited for the work were Arnold Wilson and Reader Bullard, as well as the more well-known travelers and Orientalists of the period, including T.E. Lawrence, Gertrude Bell, and Harry St. John Philby. While political officers such as Bullard and Wilson were sent out to run regional administrations, Bell and her colleagues worked under the auspices of the Arab Bureau's Eastern Branch at Basra, preparing detailed intelligence reports on local personalities, tribes, and political affiliations. When Baghdad was finally captured in March 1917, Cox - now promoted to the post of Civil Commissioner in Mesopotamia - appointed Gertrude Bell as his 'Oriental Secretary', the key intelligence post in the administration.”
The British also faced revolts and “Ayatollah’s”, and had to think very hard of the form of Government to install, and how to bring stability and tranquility after the famous 1920 Insurrection. It came to pass that a Kingdom was proclaimed in the early 20’s of the last century, and limited sovereignty under British Mandate continued until 1932, some 15 years after the fall of Baghdad.
The British Empire Just emerging from the Victorian Era certainly had some advantages if compared to the U.S. Republic of today. To start with, although British Democracy is one of the oldest, nevertheless, it was a system dominated by the aristocratic elite, and not as susceptible to the “Public Opinion” of ordinary people as the present U.S. system is. Indeed, even the “Public Opinion” of those days was dominated by elites of intellectuals mostly belonging to the upper classes. Also the British Empire was militaristic, and conquest and military campaigns were the most natural things then. Consequently, British Strategists had all the time they needed and did not have to be constantly looking over their shoulders and worried about domestic political considerations. It may be considered cynical to add that the soldiery who composed the British expeditionary force were mostly composed of Indians and Gurkas (hence, rather more bearably expendable, to use the typical English understatement), and only the officers were actually pure "sang" Englishmen. Also the British Empire had clear objectives defined by Self Interests and protecting the “routes to India”, not to mention Oil, which they knew then of its existence there. The American Project is much more grandiose and ambitious (and hence more difficult to define precisely) as advocated by the goals set out by President Bush, and the school of thought around him; which by the way, are highly admirable from the moral point of view. But to be fair to the Americans, there was not in those days the level of frustration and hatred that exist today, nor were terrorist tactics known or practiced.
An example of what can be practically learnt from previous experience, is the present situation in Fallujah. It might be useful if proper detailed knowledge of the tribal make up and personalities of the Dulaim region is made available to U.S. strategists engaged in the struggle. For instance, in the ongoing negotiations, contacts with, and presence of genuine tribal leaders and influential personalities might be insisted upon, whose cooperation and appeasement might bring real pressures to bear on the rebellious elements. Personally, I think a political solution would be superior and have more lasting effects; since merely storming the town and killing a number of rebels might not bring the decisive results hoped for, whereas intensifying the political and negotiating process under real palpable threat of action, and trying to draw the entire Dulaim tribal structure into this dialogue, might be much more productive in the short and long terms. I certainly hope that this is taken into consideration before precipitate action is initiated thereby losing the pressurizing value of the overhanging threat, not to mention other troubles that might ensue.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Thanks Michael,
For those who want to track down the book, that's Dickson, H.R.P (Harold Richard Patrick), "Kuwait and her neighbours".
Michael, US
The book is actually on the shelf in my library, but I was too lazy to check out the exact title and name. This old book is very entertaining indeed and I recommend it to my friends. It also has a lot of very interesting history and description of this region at the beginning of the last century.
For those who want to track down the book, that's Dickson, H.R.P (Harold Richard Patrick), "Kuwait and her neighbours".
Michael, US
The book is actually on the shelf in my library, but I was too lazy to check out the exact title and name. This old book is very entertaining indeed and I recommend it to my friends. It also has a lot of very interesting history and description of this region at the beginning of the last century.
Mark from Colorado ,
You should not understand that I have anything against Mr. Chalabi, he is a patriot and is the most solid representative of pro democracy, pro western middle class city folk of secular and liberal outlook. Nevertheless the U.S. should not allow its policy to be too much influenced by one faction only. He is the most hated member of the G.C. by all the Al Qaeda sympathisers, the Jordanians and the like. Remember this folk.
Alaa
You should not understand that I have anything against Mr. Chalabi, he is a patriot and is the most solid representative of pro democracy, pro western middle class city folk of secular and liberal outlook. Nevertheless the U.S. should not allow its policy to be too much influenced by one faction only. He is the most hated member of the G.C. by all the Al Qaeda sympathisers, the Jordanians and the like. Remember this folk.
Alaa
Cherice,
Funny and cruel joke. But for all my American friends who think that America is going to leave this particlular neighborhood, I would like to say this: based on my understanding of history and the characteristics of our people, you are not going to go anywhere anytime soon. In fact I estimate that we shall have to live together at least till the end of this century. So we'll just have to learn to get along I suppose.
Salaam
Funny and cruel joke. But for all my American friends who think that America is going to leave this particlular neighborhood, I would like to say this: based on my understanding of history and the characteristics of our people, you are not going to go anywhere anytime soon. In fact I estimate that we shall have to live together at least till the end of this century. So we'll just have to learn to get along I suppose.
Salaam
Hi,
DagneyT – Very touching story. This is the kind of thing that should be popularized by the media. You have Al Hurrah, which is already quite popular, and Al Iraqia. The former is more successful as far as I can judge.
Lisa of New York: How are you old friend?
The “Operations Room”, I think is led by Ayad Allawi, a brilliant man who is member of the G.C. and responsible for the Security “file”. He kind of resigned recently in protest against the latest events claiming that his views were not respected. He seems to have been persuaded to resume work now. I don’t know exactly what they are up to. However, I understand that they are trying to organize some kind of secret police to infiltrate trouble spots. I do believe however, that the recent shift regarding former members of the Baath Party may have a lot to do with the views of this man. He himself was a former Baathist with high responsibilities in Europe. He broke off with the Party long ago, and they tried to assassinate him in one horrific incident, which drove his former wife insane, (this happened in London long time ago). However I do respect this man and I think he may be able to do things.
By the way, I am not Alaa Altamimi, who was elected to the Baghdad City Council recently. He is a brave man and I wish him success. Such men deserve great respect, leaving their safe, well paid jobs in one of the most comfortable and affluent places in the Middle East to do their patriotic duty. His circumstances do bear remarkable resemblance to mine though and I understand why people thought he was I.
Now to serious business:
Now we are entering a crucial month leading up to 30th of June. We have said before that the key to success lies in the ability to orchestrate the military and political moves in a coherent and meaningful strategy avoiding discordant notes, as it were. This is a high art not less skilful than the art of the musician. The old British Empire had wizards and philosophers amongst their military and political staff: Sir Percy Cox, Dixon, Miss Gertrude Bell, etc. etc., if you check the history of the Mesopotamian campaign by the British in World War I you will be simply amazed. Dixon moved to Suk Al Shyookh (A town near Nassirya) in 1916 with one policeman only and managed to control the whole of Southern Iraq single-handed. (c.f. Kuwait and its Neighbors, by Dixon; a most entertaining, cherished and antique book I inherited from one of my late uncles). The British are now revisiting the same places where their ancestors have been, but where are the Sir Percy’s and the Miss Bell’s of yesterday? A bit of old-man nostalgia for the good old classical days!, fights were far more chivalrous then, and terrorism unknown.
Despite the nostalgic historicism expressed above we hope that the solution this time will be different. I shall not attempt to explain this statement, for that will too abstruse and complex for my friends to follow. Suffice it to say, that the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and Constitution that the British installed here, though stable for almost four decades, nevertheless contained the seeds of the problems that we have today.
If you have been following my posts in the past you might have noted that I was one of those people who advocated a different approach to the problem of the Baathists. To be sure, Baathism is the local equivalent of the Nazism of Germany: just substitute Pan Arabism in the place of Aryan Germanic superiority. However, the movement is more of cross between Fascism and Communism with more of the former than the latter. Nevertheless, the Baathists used to force people, especially young people to join the party. This phenomenon is rather similar to the practices of the Communists in Eastern Europe. Consequently, a considerable percentage of Baathists are mere opportunists who joined to further their material interests. Their allegiance to the Party was very fragile, as was demonstrated by the ease with which they abandoned their posts in the latest war. I was not personally of the opinion that they should be dealt with in the manner actually used by the Coalition under the influence of the opposition parties, that surrounded the CPA administration and seemed to influence their decisions too excessively. The party membership numbered hundreds of thousands. Most of these, however, were mere pawns manipulated by a hard core based on tribal and sectarian interests. It is not too difficult, in my opinion, to win back these elements if they are made to feel sufficiently safe and able to benefit from the new order.
But don’t get me wrong, I am not personally fond of these people, however, one must be realistic and for the sake of stability I must say that I cautiously approve of the latest moves without underestimating the dangers and pitfalls that should be carefully understood and guarded against.
Salaam
DagneyT – Very touching story. This is the kind of thing that should be popularized by the media. You have Al Hurrah, which is already quite popular, and Al Iraqia. The former is more successful as far as I can judge.
Lisa of New York: How are you old friend?
The “Operations Room”, I think is led by Ayad Allawi, a brilliant man who is member of the G.C. and responsible for the Security “file”. He kind of resigned recently in protest against the latest events claiming that his views were not respected. He seems to have been persuaded to resume work now. I don’t know exactly what they are up to. However, I understand that they are trying to organize some kind of secret police to infiltrate trouble spots. I do believe however, that the recent shift regarding former members of the Baath Party may have a lot to do with the views of this man. He himself was a former Baathist with high responsibilities in Europe. He broke off with the Party long ago, and they tried to assassinate him in one horrific incident, which drove his former wife insane, (this happened in London long time ago). However I do respect this man and I think he may be able to do things.
By the way, I am not Alaa Altamimi, who was elected to the Baghdad City Council recently. He is a brave man and I wish him success. Such men deserve great respect, leaving their safe, well paid jobs in one of the most comfortable and affluent places in the Middle East to do their patriotic duty. His circumstances do bear remarkable resemblance to mine though and I understand why people thought he was I.
Now to serious business:
Now we are entering a crucial month leading up to 30th of June. We have said before that the key to success lies in the ability to orchestrate the military and political moves in a coherent and meaningful strategy avoiding discordant notes, as it were. This is a high art not less skilful than the art of the musician. The old British Empire had wizards and philosophers amongst their military and political staff: Sir Percy Cox, Dixon, Miss Gertrude Bell, etc. etc., if you check the history of the Mesopotamian campaign by the British in World War I you will be simply amazed. Dixon moved to Suk Al Shyookh (A town near Nassirya) in 1916 with one policeman only and managed to control the whole of Southern Iraq single-handed. (c.f. Kuwait and its Neighbors, by Dixon; a most entertaining, cherished and antique book I inherited from one of my late uncles). The British are now revisiting the same places where their ancestors have been, but where are the Sir Percy’s and the Miss Bell’s of yesterday? A bit of old-man nostalgia for the good old classical days!, fights were far more chivalrous then, and terrorism unknown.
Despite the nostalgic historicism expressed above we hope that the solution this time will be different. I shall not attempt to explain this statement, for that will too abstruse and complex for my friends to follow. Suffice it to say, that the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq and Constitution that the British installed here, though stable for almost four decades, nevertheless contained the seeds of the problems that we have today.
If you have been following my posts in the past you might have noted that I was one of those people who advocated a different approach to the problem of the Baathists. To be sure, Baathism is the local equivalent of the Nazism of Germany: just substitute Pan Arabism in the place of Aryan Germanic superiority. However, the movement is more of cross between Fascism and Communism with more of the former than the latter. Nevertheless, the Baathists used to force people, especially young people to join the party. This phenomenon is rather similar to the practices of the Communists in Eastern Europe. Consequently, a considerable percentage of Baathists are mere opportunists who joined to further their material interests. Their allegiance to the Party was very fragile, as was demonstrated by the ease with which they abandoned their posts in the latest war. I was not personally of the opinion that they should be dealt with in the manner actually used by the Coalition under the influence of the opposition parties, that surrounded the CPA administration and seemed to influence their decisions too excessively. The party membership numbered hundreds of thousands. Most of these, however, were mere pawns manipulated by a hard core based on tribal and sectarian interests. It is not too difficult, in my opinion, to win back these elements if they are made to feel sufficiently safe and able to benefit from the new order.
But don’t get me wrong, I am not personally fond of these people, however, one must be realistic and for the sake of stability I must say that I cautiously approve of the latest moves without underestimating the dangers and pitfalls that should be carefully understood and guarded against.
Salaam
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Greetings everybody,
Today a new alarming terrorist tactic has started; they are now lobbing rockets and mortars randomly at residential areas in Baghdad. They are attacking the Baghdadis at their homes. The message is: Don’t think that by staying home and locking your doors you can escape our intimidation. Two houses in Dawoodi, one in Palestine Street and one in Dora were thus struck by these missiles. Now it is a direct assault on people in their homes. Now is the time to start “draconic” counter terrorist measures. I know that a newly established “Operations Room” has started an attempt at countering this situation. We wish them success. I can only offer my own humble advice as a contribution hoping that it is may be noticed. Meanwhile all the families of Baghdad have a new horror to contend with. Constructive thought does not harm, and may be useful, and as they say two heads are always better than one.
Salaam
Today a new alarming terrorist tactic has started; they are now lobbing rockets and mortars randomly at residential areas in Baghdad. They are attacking the Baghdadis at their homes. The message is: Don’t think that by staying home and locking your doors you can escape our intimidation. Two houses in Dawoodi, one in Palestine Street and one in Dora were thus struck by these missiles. Now it is a direct assault on people in their homes. Now is the time to start “draconic” counter terrorist measures. I know that a newly established “Operations Room” has started an attempt at countering this situation. We wish them success. I can only offer my own humble advice as a contribution hoping that it is may be noticed. Meanwhile all the families of Baghdad have a new horror to contend with. Constructive thought does not harm, and may be useful, and as they say two heads are always better than one.
Salaam
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Hi Friends,
No time to post. However, I would like to translate to you the gist of a report from Basrah by the Arabiya reporter about the heinous crimes today in that City. One of the most irritating phrases that really anger me is the attributing of such crimes to unknown assailants. What do you mean unknown? Which idiot can mistake the identity of these criminals: particularly, the crime of today - all the typical characteristics of Al Qaeda: the simultaneity, the car bombs, the calculation of the time at the rush hour and particularly at the start of schools just when the children are on their way. Everything is so typical. Yet this is what the “objective” reporter Diar Al Ommary (a well known ex-you know who, by the way): “most people are saying that the explosions were caused by rockets fired from Helicopters of the British Army (and he repeats the allegation that it was the American Army!). People say that the actually saw the Helicopters firing the missiles. And you know they say that the British troops avoided these locations today which was contrary to their daily routine” As for the reason why the British (or American) forces should do something like that, it is suggested hurriedly just because they want to attack and hurt the Iraqi people, and on and on of the same talk. This kind of allegation was repeated every time an outrage like this happened, especially immediately in the aftermath of the crimes.
I don’t know whom these people are trying to fool. No gentlemen, it is not the British, nor the Americans, not the Jews. It is your pious “Salafi” friends (your financiers) and a motley collection of assorted criminals so well known by everybody including you.
As for the U.S. and allies, I don’t know why they allow you to spread such lies, when they can crush you like cockroaches with a mere whisper into some certain ears; especially after such heartbreaking outrages. You murder children and don’t even have some remnant of decency left to at least keep quiet, but have to blame it on others, to shelter the true criminals. But let me just tell you this: Every little drop of blood from a severed limb of a child going to school, every school bag with their books and pencils strewn on the scene of the crime, the little poor shoes soaked in blood with bloodied remains of little feet still inside them; these before anything else spell your eternal damnation. You have no God. I mean you may think that you have a God, but it is some terrible bloodthirsty figure of hate and rage, a figment of your insane imagination; most certainly not the Compassionate the Merciful Allah we believe in. Your filthy beards and turbans are covered with blood and excrement forever, rabid dogs, unbelievable monsters, misanthropes.
We say like the Christians say: “Jesus Wept”. Our rendezvous will be in Judgment day when the Lord will be the referee, and it is to him alone that we submit our complaint, most supreme and just being.
Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ileihi Rajioon.
Alaa
No time to post. However, I would like to translate to you the gist of a report from Basrah by the Arabiya reporter about the heinous crimes today in that City. One of the most irritating phrases that really anger me is the attributing of such crimes to unknown assailants. What do you mean unknown? Which idiot can mistake the identity of these criminals: particularly, the crime of today - all the typical characteristics of Al Qaeda: the simultaneity, the car bombs, the calculation of the time at the rush hour and particularly at the start of schools just when the children are on their way. Everything is so typical. Yet this is what the “objective” reporter Diar Al Ommary (a well known ex-you know who, by the way): “most people are saying that the explosions were caused by rockets fired from Helicopters of the British Army (and he repeats the allegation that it was the American Army!). People say that the actually saw the Helicopters firing the missiles. And you know they say that the British troops avoided these locations today which was contrary to their daily routine” As for the reason why the British (or American) forces should do something like that, it is suggested hurriedly just because they want to attack and hurt the Iraqi people, and on and on of the same talk. This kind of allegation was repeated every time an outrage like this happened, especially immediately in the aftermath of the crimes.
I don’t know whom these people are trying to fool. No gentlemen, it is not the British, nor the Americans, not the Jews. It is your pious “Salafi” friends (your financiers) and a motley collection of assorted criminals so well known by everybody including you.
As for the U.S. and allies, I don’t know why they allow you to spread such lies, when they can crush you like cockroaches with a mere whisper into some certain ears; especially after such heartbreaking outrages. You murder children and don’t even have some remnant of decency left to at least keep quiet, but have to blame it on others, to shelter the true criminals. But let me just tell you this: Every little drop of blood from a severed limb of a child going to school, every school bag with their books and pencils strewn on the scene of the crime, the little poor shoes soaked in blood with bloodied remains of little feet still inside them; these before anything else spell your eternal damnation. You have no God. I mean you may think that you have a God, but it is some terrible bloodthirsty figure of hate and rage, a figment of your insane imagination; most certainly not the Compassionate the Merciful Allah we believe in. Your filthy beards and turbans are covered with blood and excrement forever, rabid dogs, unbelievable monsters, misanthropes.
We say like the Christians say: “Jesus Wept”. Our rendezvous will be in Judgment day when the Lord will be the referee, and it is to him alone that we submit our complaint, most supreme and just being.
Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ileihi Rajioon.
Alaa
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Hi Everybody,
With all respect, most of the people who are criticising the Iraqi "people", do not have a real understanding of the situation, not only in Iraq, but probably of history as well. Mighty nations by far exceeding the Iraqis in number and importance were rendered passive and suffered decades of passivity and were led like sheep to dreadful wars and clamities, c.f. the Soviets, the Germans etc. etc., real life is far more complex than some of the notions expressed by some of the commentors. The french philosopher Sartre has written some very interesting stuff about this. I am thinking of his analysis of the "Seriality" and the "Group". How a mere collection of people can be quite ineffective no matter how numerous. Anyway, I do believe that my thinking is understood by some of the decision making circles. Regarding Al Sadr, probably a negotiated settlement is quite likely. An attack on Najaf is going to be a massive mistake, and would give the man much more importance than he actually has, however I do understand the necessity for exerting military pressure. More important, however is to control Baghdad, we are hearing a lot of talk about bringing the fight to Baghdad. Stringent security measures on the lines that I advocated months ago should be put in place immediately, although quite late by now, but still better late than never.
I have not much time to comment today. Inshallah you will have more posts. So far we are still basically confined to our homes. The danger is still great. Now I see the "Baath Party" is rearing its head again and issuing declarations extolling the glories of the April Intifadha as they call the latest events, and attacking an criticising Al Sistani. This was reported in some of the Internet sites. It seems that their hopes are uplifted and they probably seriously dream of a comeback, through the terrorists methods we are witnessing. In any case the Zarqawi manual is being implemented to the letter. This all important document is worth reading and rereading and can serve us as much as it serves the adversary. He did say that they have to come out in the open and control the day as well as the night as the date of the "Handover" approaches.
Regards
Alaa
With all respect, most of the people who are criticising the Iraqi "people", do not have a real understanding of the situation, not only in Iraq, but probably of history as well. Mighty nations by far exceeding the Iraqis in number and importance were rendered passive and suffered decades of passivity and were led like sheep to dreadful wars and clamities, c.f. the Soviets, the Germans etc. etc., real life is far more complex than some of the notions expressed by some of the commentors. The french philosopher Sartre has written some very interesting stuff about this. I am thinking of his analysis of the "Seriality" and the "Group". How a mere collection of people can be quite ineffective no matter how numerous. Anyway, I do believe that my thinking is understood by some of the decision making circles. Regarding Al Sadr, probably a negotiated settlement is quite likely. An attack on Najaf is going to be a massive mistake, and would give the man much more importance than he actually has, however I do understand the necessity for exerting military pressure. More important, however is to control Baghdad, we are hearing a lot of talk about bringing the fight to Baghdad. Stringent security measures on the lines that I advocated months ago should be put in place immediately, although quite late by now, but still better late than never.
I have not much time to comment today. Inshallah you will have more posts. So far we are still basically confined to our homes. The danger is still great. Now I see the "Baath Party" is rearing its head again and issuing declarations extolling the glories of the April Intifadha as they call the latest events, and attacking an criticising Al Sistani. This was reported in some of the Internet sites. It seems that their hopes are uplifted and they probably seriously dream of a comeback, through the terrorists methods we are witnessing. In any case the Zarqawi manual is being implemented to the letter. This all important document is worth reading and rereading and can serve us as much as it serves the adversary. He did say that they have to come out in the open and control the day as well as the night as the date of the "Handover" approaches.
Regards
Alaa
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
URGENT APPEAL
Greetings Friends,
Firmness must not be equated with intransigence. As our Book says, “ If they veer towards peace you do likewise” (Bad translation of the Qoranic verse). There is a very thin line that separates the two methodologies. Firmness must be exercised towards a political end, and must not be allowed to become counterproductive. Now the moderates from all parties who can exert real influence must be given support and attention.
Our previous posts should not tranquilize people to think that the situation is easy. I have advocated long ago the importance to control the neighborhoods, side streets and alleyways of the city. This was not achieved and consequently these are more or less under the control of armed bands at the moment. The new police force and ICDC have sadly become totally intimidated and largely ineffective, especially in Baghdad. This is the sad truth. In the last few days, things have become really bad, especially for the middle class inhabitants of Baghdad. In some areas they are knocking on doors to ask for “donations” in support of the “Mujahideen”. Some of my relatives have left their house and came to our house for refuge to escape them. We fear that the U.S. forces may become isolated in an urban sea of hostile gangs and a majority of powerless intimidated people.
A political solution must be quickly arrived at. The secular democratic forces have no power in this atmosphere since they are not armed and defenseless. The U.S. and Coalition cannot give protection to civilians since they are not a police force, and are engaged in combat. The situation should be defused but without a show of weakness. The most dangerous of the insurgents are those affiliated with the previous regime and their allies. But there are many moderates in the Sunni camp and these should now be given full support. Likewise, strenuous efforts are being undertaken to defuse the Sadr disturbance in Najaf and these should not be shunned.
This is an urgent message for the American people and the Coalition, on behalf of the Baghdadis. We are experiencing a difficult situation at the moment, surrounded by dangers from every side: Insurgents, thieves, kidnappers, you name it. We the civilian population are unarmed and quite helpless in the face of all these dangers, and we don’t have any protection whatsoever. A political settlement is urgently needed. The situation can’t even wait until the 30th of June. Any Iraqi Government without a real, reliable security apparatus that can counteract the armed gangs will be immediately toppled and God only knows what will happen. Therefore such a Government must be acceptable to all the main groups. The real terrorists and saboteurs should be isolated politically and not just combated militarily.
That is all for now.
Salaam
Firmness must not be equated with intransigence. As our Book says, “ If they veer towards peace you do likewise” (Bad translation of the Qoranic verse). There is a very thin line that separates the two methodologies. Firmness must be exercised towards a political end, and must not be allowed to become counterproductive. Now the moderates from all parties who can exert real influence must be given support and attention.
Our previous posts should not tranquilize people to think that the situation is easy. I have advocated long ago the importance to control the neighborhoods, side streets and alleyways of the city. This was not achieved and consequently these are more or less under the control of armed bands at the moment. The new police force and ICDC have sadly become totally intimidated and largely ineffective, especially in Baghdad. This is the sad truth. In the last few days, things have become really bad, especially for the middle class inhabitants of Baghdad. In some areas they are knocking on doors to ask for “donations” in support of the “Mujahideen”. Some of my relatives have left their house and came to our house for refuge to escape them. We fear that the U.S. forces may become isolated in an urban sea of hostile gangs and a majority of powerless intimidated people.
A political solution must be quickly arrived at. The secular democratic forces have no power in this atmosphere since they are not armed and defenseless. The U.S. and Coalition cannot give protection to civilians since they are not a police force, and are engaged in combat. The situation should be defused but without a show of weakness. The most dangerous of the insurgents are those affiliated with the previous regime and their allies. But there are many moderates in the Sunni camp and these should now be given full support. Likewise, strenuous efforts are being undertaken to defuse the Sadr disturbance in Najaf and these should not be shunned.
This is an urgent message for the American people and the Coalition, on behalf of the Baghdadis. We are experiencing a difficult situation at the moment, surrounded by dangers from every side: Insurgents, thieves, kidnappers, you name it. We the civilian population are unarmed and quite helpless in the face of all these dangers, and we don’t have any protection whatsoever. A political settlement is urgently needed. The situation can’t even wait until the 30th of June. Any Iraqi Government without a real, reliable security apparatus that can counteract the armed gangs will be immediately toppled and God only knows what will happen. Therefore such a Government must be acceptable to all the main groups. The real terrorists and saboteurs should be isolated politically and not just combated militarily.
That is all for now.
Salaam
Monday, April 12, 2004
Hi,
You are going to be amazed what a little bit of firmness can produce.
I have very little time today. Also I don’t like to talk too much, neither are you too fond of too many words I suspect. The opportunity should not be now lost to reach a comprehensive agreement especially with the fierce Dulaim tribe, populating the Anbar western province of which Fallujah is part. They have been the main source of trouble and a definitive pact must be made with them in particular, the agreement should be to cease all hostile actions everywhere, and to come on board the democratic process. There are cool heads. See what they really want. Once everybody understand that the U.S. is not going to be shaken, and they are watching the polls anxiously, and that she will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and can be ruthless, you will start seeing results. The more the U.S. public rallies behind their president, the more the enemy is going to be disillusioned, conversely the best service you can give the terrorists is to give them the impression that they are succeeding in swaying the western public, this will encourage them to escalate their actions. And remember that most Iraqis out there do not have identical agendas with Al Qaeda and Qaeda like groups or any of the other foreign groups (c.f. Zarqawi letter), it is only a temporary alliance of convenience, and can be undone if the right incentives are given.
Decent Iraqis don’t really care how many Sunnis or Shiaa or Christians or even some damn Buddhists there will be in the new government, provided they are decent people and follow the rules of the New Iraq.
The present situation must be escalated politically, and even under duress if need be, towards a full engagement across the whole political spectrum towards the formation of the New effective government satisfying everybody, to receive the promised sovereignty on the famous date.
The most important thing is that this government adheres to the new rules of conduct, no matter what its composition may be. As far as the Mehdi Army and Al Sadr are concerned, you will soon see how this soap bubble explodes harmlessly into thin air.
Salaam
You are going to be amazed what a little bit of firmness can produce.
I have very little time today. Also I don’t like to talk too much, neither are you too fond of too many words I suspect. The opportunity should not be now lost to reach a comprehensive agreement especially with the fierce Dulaim tribe, populating the Anbar western province of which Fallujah is part. They have been the main source of trouble and a definitive pact must be made with them in particular, the agreement should be to cease all hostile actions everywhere, and to come on board the democratic process. There are cool heads. See what they really want. Once everybody understand that the U.S. is not going to be shaken, and they are watching the polls anxiously, and that she will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and can be ruthless, you will start seeing results. The more the U.S. public rallies behind their president, the more the enemy is going to be disillusioned, conversely the best service you can give the terrorists is to give them the impression that they are succeeding in swaying the western public, this will encourage them to escalate their actions. And remember that most Iraqis out there do not have identical agendas with Al Qaeda and Qaeda like groups or any of the other foreign groups (c.f. Zarqawi letter), it is only a temporary alliance of convenience, and can be undone if the right incentives are given.
Decent Iraqis don’t really care how many Sunnis or Shiaa or Christians or even some damn Buddhists there will be in the new government, provided they are decent people and follow the rules of the New Iraq.
The present situation must be escalated politically, and even under duress if need be, towards a full engagement across the whole political spectrum towards the formation of the New effective government satisfying everybody, to receive the promised sovereignty on the famous date.
The most important thing is that this government adheres to the new rules of conduct, no matter what its composition may be. As far as the Mehdi Army and Al Sadr are concerned, you will soon see how this soap bubble explodes harmlessly into thin air.
Salaam
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Hi Friends,
You know, contrary to the generally prevalent mood, I think that the latest developments are rather encouraging. You may be surprised at this conclusion, but if you look at the situation more analytically you will come up with some unexpected conclusions. I can see a way, a method and a possible strategy to reach some more decisive objectives. The battle lines are better drawn and the adversaries have more or less been brought out in the open and their capabilities and true nature are better exposed. I see that it is a duty to speak up my mind. And this is no idle exercise on my part, but an attempt at contributing some thinking. I do hope that somebody close to the decision-making circles reads this blog. I am not presuming or being conceited, but honestly I believe I have something to contribute.
Therefore, during this week I shall try (Inshallah) to mobilize time and energy to talk about my own personal views regarding possible strategic methodology in this critical phase of this campaign, which for us is a matter of destiny and life and death. I shall try to give my perspective as a middle class Baghdadi and consider how actions and counteractions can interact with our society taking into account the structure, nature and customs of the various classes and groups that make up the Iraqi population of which I am a member, and therefore more intimately acquainted than any external observer.
Since I and many other people of my class, in Iraq, are profoundly interested in the eventual goals which we still think the U.S. and Allies are trying to achieve, and since we have a perception that the latest events were not some unforeseen chaotic and alarming developments but seem to have some underlying deliberate and premeditated planning and that the initiative did not come from the adversaries but rather from the Coalition, it is important that we make our views known. We are most anxious that there should be no more mistakes, especially as there seems to be so little time before that handover date, which, although we are looking forward to, but which is nevertheless fraught with so many dangers and uncertainties.
It is wise to listen to the advice of those who really wish you success, especially if that success is beneficial, nay crucial to them.
Salaam
You know, contrary to the generally prevalent mood, I think that the latest developments are rather encouraging. You may be surprised at this conclusion, but if you look at the situation more analytically you will come up with some unexpected conclusions. I can see a way, a method and a possible strategy to reach some more decisive objectives. The battle lines are better drawn and the adversaries have more or less been brought out in the open and their capabilities and true nature are better exposed. I see that it is a duty to speak up my mind. And this is no idle exercise on my part, but an attempt at contributing some thinking. I do hope that somebody close to the decision-making circles reads this blog. I am not presuming or being conceited, but honestly I believe I have something to contribute.
Therefore, during this week I shall try (Inshallah) to mobilize time and energy to talk about my own personal views regarding possible strategic methodology in this critical phase of this campaign, which for us is a matter of destiny and life and death. I shall try to give my perspective as a middle class Baghdadi and consider how actions and counteractions can interact with our society taking into account the structure, nature and customs of the various classes and groups that make up the Iraqi population of which I am a member, and therefore more intimately acquainted than any external observer.
Since I and many other people of my class, in Iraq, are profoundly interested in the eventual goals which we still think the U.S. and Allies are trying to achieve, and since we have a perception that the latest events were not some unforeseen chaotic and alarming developments but seem to have some underlying deliberate and premeditated planning and that the initiative did not come from the adversaries but rather from the Coalition, it is important that we make our views known. We are most anxious that there should be no more mistakes, especially as there seems to be so little time before that handover date, which, although we are looking forward to, but which is nevertheless fraught with so many dangers and uncertainties.
It is wise to listen to the advice of those who really wish you success, especially if that success is beneficial, nay crucial to them.
Salaam
Saturday, April 10, 2004
Hi Friends,
I hope you all realize that a major objective of the enemy is to produce defeatism in the U.S. and allied nations home front, counting on the democratic process to force the hand of policy makers. The War in fact never stopped from the first day of the fall of the Icon. All the events you have witnessed are part of a sustained and escalating campaign by all the forces opposed to the “Project”. I don’t presume to be able to give a knowledgeable critique about U.S. and Allied strategy, like everybody seems to be fond of doing nowadays (and there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of Gurus of the subject). Firmness would have been much easier to apply at a much earlier stage. When I say “Firmness”, it must not be construed to mean brutality. Nevertheless, and undeniably, the use of force is part of the thing, but it must be precise, measured and proportionate. This, of course, is almost stating the obvious.
One thing is fundamental though: Once you start exercising firmness it will be disastrous if you falter and show weakness again. Diplomacy and politics are essential of course, but the arguments of the strong are always much more convincing.
In any case I ask all our friends not to be too emotional and weak stomached, and above all not to help the enemy in what he is desperate to achieve, i.e. defeatism and despair.
Salaam
I hope you all realize that a major objective of the enemy is to produce defeatism in the U.S. and allied nations home front, counting on the democratic process to force the hand of policy makers. The War in fact never stopped from the first day of the fall of the Icon. All the events you have witnessed are part of a sustained and escalating campaign by all the forces opposed to the “Project”. I don’t presume to be able to give a knowledgeable critique about U.S. and Allied strategy, like everybody seems to be fond of doing nowadays (and there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of Gurus of the subject). Firmness would have been much easier to apply at a much earlier stage. When I say “Firmness”, it must not be construed to mean brutality. Nevertheless, and undeniably, the use of force is part of the thing, but it must be precise, measured and proportionate. This, of course, is almost stating the obvious.
One thing is fundamental though: Once you start exercising firmness it will be disastrous if you falter and show weakness again. Diplomacy and politics are essential of course, but the arguments of the strong are always much more convincing.
In any case I ask all our friends not to be too emotional and weak stomached, and above all not to help the enemy in what he is desperate to achieve, i.e. defeatism and despair.
Salaam
Friday, April 09, 2004
THE ECONOMIC WEAPON
Hi Friends,
When we speak of labor-intensive projects, this does not necessarily mean just low tech. work. I would like to tell you some of my thoughts about it.
As I said before, I think that an economic “campaign” aiming at solving the unemployment problem as well as pushing forward of the reconstruction effort can go a long way towards achieving the goals we all desire. Certainly the funds that were promised by the U.S. and others, in addition to Iraq’s own resources should be of help and must be handled with the greatest care and wisdom and should not be considered an opportunity for profiteering by anybody. Legitimate profit making is not wrong, and there will be plenty of opportunities later on “Inshallah”, but now the situation is critical and spending must be governed by political considerations aimed at bolstering the cause of stability and pacification, as well as hopefully allowing the Coalition to reduce its military presence and expenditure gradually, thereby allowing the gradual transformation from military to economic commitment. And we must never loose sight of the fact that in the end of the day it is economic success that will bring the desired results, c.f. Germany and Japan. Those who think that this comparison between Iraq and the aforementioned countries is not realistic or valid are quite wrong; the correct precedent for the present situation is precisely that and not any other. The reason I say this, is because I personally know that here we have all the requisites for an economic revival and on considerable scale.
In the eighties of the last century, there was a brief period when the relations between the U.S. and the Iraqi governments saw some improvement which led to the reopening of the U.S. embassy and some interesting investment ideas. For example there was a project called P.C.2, which consisted of building a very large Petrochemical complex near Baghdad, together with a refinery to supply the project. This project was a kind of joint venture between a consortium led by Bechtel and the Iraqi Ministry of Oil. Years of work were spent in the preparations for this project and construction work was actually started just before the first Gulf War. This was said to be the second largest complex of its kind in the World and would have provided thousands of job opportunities for Iraqis at various levels of Skill as well as reviving a large area of almost uninhabited land. Now this kind of investment is very interesting. Converting crude oil to synthetic products greatly increases the value of the natural resource. Just selling crude oil is not going to bring in the amount of cash required to achieve the ambitions of the U.S. and the Iraqis and the kind of prosperity that would really make a difference. Also it would bring a kind of closer integration with the U.S. economy and clearly be of mutual interest to both sides. The Consortium was to be responsible for worldwide marketing as far as I know. So this was not a simple contract but rather an ambitious long-term engagement. Another project was started with General Motors to build an automobile factory near the town of Iskandariya, which is one of the main industrial centers for mechanical industry. This is another very interesting project and can give a great boost to a wide range of secondary and subsidiary economic activities. Mr. Bremmer was giving the influx of about half a million cars into the country as an example of progress. Now if that number paid for by hard cash by the Iraqi citizens to purchase old European and Japanese autos had been invested in bringing in new American models sold to the population at reasonable prices, this might have been a better idea. Somebody mentioned some ideas about manufacturing SUV’s locally sometime ago. Well the market is there, and the project is there, and this would be another example of bringing the two economies together and promoting the kind of the relationship that strengthen the ties between the two peoples. And I could go on and on about many such opportunities to revive some important industries all over the country.
What I am really driving at is my belief that the emphasis of the “reconstruction program” should transcend the mere rebuilding of the basic infrastructure to the kind of large-scale corporate engagement such as the kind of projects mentioned above. And you know, we have historical precedence to support the feasibility of this idea. For example the operations of the Iraq Petroleum Company (mainly British Owned), before the nationalization of 1972 relied mainly on local staff, and it was very successful and those were the happiest days ever known in Kirkuk. The company only provided higher management and the local staff was very happy, stable and well looked after people. Later on came the era of very large State run enterprises and the Iraqis became very accustomed to working in this kind of big organizations. Almost every province in the country has some large industrial enterprise of this kind, now almost all paralyzed. What about the Western and Mainly American corporations trying to revive some of these enterprises, injecting modern technology and management and making use of available resources and manpower (much cheaper than elsewhere) to turn them into viable industries at least to cover local demand if not the surrounding markets?
As for the security concerns, like someone said, if they are working for you they are not going to shoot at you. Imagine if some of these kinds of projects employ a couple of thousands of people even in Falujah or Tikrit, wouldn’t that be more effective than night raids and shooting matches, in appeasing and tranquilizing people? Moreover, “insurgents” will not be able to go shooting all these thousands of their own kin for “collaboration”. Indeed even the U.S. military personnel can be put in charge, where civilians fear to tread, so to speak.
Just some ideas for our American and Allied friends to think about, and maybe we shall have more to say about it.
Salaam
Alaa
When we speak of labor-intensive projects, this does not necessarily mean just low tech. work. I would like to tell you some of my thoughts about it.
As I said before, I think that an economic “campaign” aiming at solving the unemployment problem as well as pushing forward of the reconstruction effort can go a long way towards achieving the goals we all desire. Certainly the funds that were promised by the U.S. and others, in addition to Iraq’s own resources should be of help and must be handled with the greatest care and wisdom and should not be considered an opportunity for profiteering by anybody. Legitimate profit making is not wrong, and there will be plenty of opportunities later on “Inshallah”, but now the situation is critical and spending must be governed by political considerations aimed at bolstering the cause of stability and pacification, as well as hopefully allowing the Coalition to reduce its military presence and expenditure gradually, thereby allowing the gradual transformation from military to economic commitment. And we must never loose sight of the fact that in the end of the day it is economic success that will bring the desired results, c.f. Germany and Japan. Those who think that this comparison between Iraq and the aforementioned countries is not realistic or valid are quite wrong; the correct precedent for the present situation is precisely that and not any other. The reason I say this, is because I personally know that here we have all the requisites for an economic revival and on considerable scale.
In the eighties of the last century, there was a brief period when the relations between the U.S. and the Iraqi governments saw some improvement which led to the reopening of the U.S. embassy and some interesting investment ideas. For example there was a project called P.C.2, which consisted of building a very large Petrochemical complex near Baghdad, together with a refinery to supply the project. This project was a kind of joint venture between a consortium led by Bechtel and the Iraqi Ministry of Oil. Years of work were spent in the preparations for this project and construction work was actually started just before the first Gulf War. This was said to be the second largest complex of its kind in the World and would have provided thousands of job opportunities for Iraqis at various levels of Skill as well as reviving a large area of almost uninhabited land. Now this kind of investment is very interesting. Converting crude oil to synthetic products greatly increases the value of the natural resource. Just selling crude oil is not going to bring in the amount of cash required to achieve the ambitions of the U.S. and the Iraqis and the kind of prosperity that would really make a difference. Also it would bring a kind of closer integration with the U.S. economy and clearly be of mutual interest to both sides. The Consortium was to be responsible for worldwide marketing as far as I know. So this was not a simple contract but rather an ambitious long-term engagement. Another project was started with General Motors to build an automobile factory near the town of Iskandariya, which is one of the main industrial centers for mechanical industry. This is another very interesting project and can give a great boost to a wide range of secondary and subsidiary economic activities. Mr. Bremmer was giving the influx of about half a million cars into the country as an example of progress. Now if that number paid for by hard cash by the Iraqi citizens to purchase old European and Japanese autos had been invested in bringing in new American models sold to the population at reasonable prices, this might have been a better idea. Somebody mentioned some ideas about manufacturing SUV’s locally sometime ago. Well the market is there, and the project is there, and this would be another example of bringing the two economies together and promoting the kind of the relationship that strengthen the ties between the two peoples. And I could go on and on about many such opportunities to revive some important industries all over the country.
What I am really driving at is my belief that the emphasis of the “reconstruction program” should transcend the mere rebuilding of the basic infrastructure to the kind of large-scale corporate engagement such as the kind of projects mentioned above. And you know, we have historical precedence to support the feasibility of this idea. For example the operations of the Iraq Petroleum Company (mainly British Owned), before the nationalization of 1972 relied mainly on local staff, and it was very successful and those were the happiest days ever known in Kirkuk. The company only provided higher management and the local staff was very happy, stable and well looked after people. Later on came the era of very large State run enterprises and the Iraqis became very accustomed to working in this kind of big organizations. Almost every province in the country has some large industrial enterprise of this kind, now almost all paralyzed. What about the Western and Mainly American corporations trying to revive some of these enterprises, injecting modern technology and management and making use of available resources and manpower (much cheaper than elsewhere) to turn them into viable industries at least to cover local demand if not the surrounding markets?
As for the security concerns, like someone said, if they are working for you they are not going to shoot at you. Imagine if some of these kinds of projects employ a couple of thousands of people even in Falujah or Tikrit, wouldn’t that be more effective than night raids and shooting matches, in appeasing and tranquilizing people? Moreover, “insurgents” will not be able to go shooting all these thousands of their own kin for “collaboration”. Indeed even the U.S. military personnel can be put in charge, where civilians fear to tread, so to speak.
Just some ideas for our American and Allied friends to think about, and maybe we shall have more to say about it.
Salaam
Alaa
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Friends,
What has been demonstrated now is the almost certain scenario to be expected if the U.S. decided to suddenly withdraw and leave the matter to local hands. The Country will be divided to three regions in no time. Those who will be in control in two of these regions will be precisely those against whom the Coalition is battling at the moment, the third will be under the control of the Kurds of course. Civil war between these groups will inevitably ensue very quickly. It is now clearly demonstrated that there are no viable local forces to stand against these elements. In addition, terrible pogroms and atrocities will be perpetrated against all the democratic movements and individuals and ordinary people.
However, you will be astonished that the solution is not as hard as you might imagine . Aggressive commitment and firmness by the Coalition coupled with a political approach to be simultaneously launched to form a government that is more convincing than the present set up, and one that can be capable of exercising real authority. The impetus of military action should be immediately and urgently used to press for the political end.
At the same time I believe that an economic offensive of labor-intensive projects should be initiated with the main objective of creating employment in economically feasible ways. This effort should be evenly spread in the provinces. The great response to recruitment in the police and security forces despite all the dangers demonstrates the dire need for employment. Less dangerous employment will surely attract even greater numbers. I have in mind a number of ways to do this and I have been trying to find time to tell you about it for some time now.
Salaam
What has been demonstrated now is the almost certain scenario to be expected if the U.S. decided to suddenly withdraw and leave the matter to local hands. The Country will be divided to three regions in no time. Those who will be in control in two of these regions will be precisely those against whom the Coalition is battling at the moment, the third will be under the control of the Kurds of course. Civil war between these groups will inevitably ensue very quickly. It is now clearly demonstrated that there are no viable local forces to stand against these elements. In addition, terrible pogroms and atrocities will be perpetrated against all the democratic movements and individuals and ordinary people.
However, you will be astonished that the solution is not as hard as you might imagine . Aggressive commitment and firmness by the Coalition coupled with a political approach to be simultaneously launched to form a government that is more convincing than the present set up, and one that can be capable of exercising real authority. The impetus of military action should be immediately and urgently used to press for the political end.
At the same time I believe that an economic offensive of labor-intensive projects should be initiated with the main objective of creating employment in economically feasible ways. This effort should be evenly spread in the provinces. The great response to recruitment in the police and security forces despite all the dangers demonstrates the dire need for employment. Less dangerous employment will surely attract even greater numbers. I have in mind a number of ways to do this and I have been trying to find time to tell you about it for some time now.
Salaam
بسم الله الرØمن الرØيالرØيم
Hi Friends,
Thanks to my dear friends for expressing concern about my fate. It has been a fearful week. So far, thanks God my family is still all right. Our neighborhood has up to now been out of the way, but I don’t know how long this will last though. Our life, however, is paralyzed at the moment.
If you check my fellow bloggers you will get more or less the feeling of the decent, helpless (or should I say hapless) majority. I can tell you without any hesitation that you get a much better insight by reading us than all the media reports. Please don’t believe what they are telling you about us. Some of the bloggers are Shiaa like myself, and some are Sunni like Ziad, and about this you will find our feelings are quite similar both regarding the zombies of Fallujah or the thieves of the Mehdi Army. My family is hiding in the house with doors locked and bracing for trouble.
I don’t know if it has been wise to open this front at this particular time. But sooner or later it just had to come. I hope that you all realize that this is the true battle for Iraq, and that the fight against Saddam was easy compared with this. Because now all the demons of peasant thievery and savagery have been let loose, and it will be a hell of a job trying to put them back in the bottle. But if you study history you will find that it is doable, with a bit of firmness. I refer you to my post sometime ago about the nature of the relation of cities and surrounding peasantry in Iraq. However, I cannot but feel alarm and consternation about the safety of families and innocents both in Fallujah and elsewhere in our afflicted country. And with all my soul I hope the Coalition forces take all care not to hurt these, although some have already been sadly affected.
Thieves and Thugs of the World Unite, and Converge on the long suffering people of Iraq - that seems to be the battle cry of the moment, and I suppose it had to come sooner or later. And the first victim of all this is religion itself. As you know, I am personally a believer in God and a “practicing” Moslem, as you might say; but I tell you quite bluntly that I am firmly convinced that “Clerics” should not interfere in politics and should be strictly kept out of it. And this applies to all sects and denominations.
These forces have been in the arena from the beginning and I am not quite sure that the Coalition forces have known how to deal with them right from the start, I mean a few curfews and preventing the looting and arson in the first few days, may have changed the whole sad course of events. And as I said before, this is a security and not a military matter. But what is important is to know what to do now. I have made my views and proposals known sometime ago and I am getting more and more convinced of the necessity for such measures.
It is extremely depressing to see some of the Arab media, and I think you know by now the ones we are referring to, playing an extremely subversive role and doing their best to pour oil on the fire, without any regard for the safety of our people or the stability in our country. They will not desist. And it seems remarkable that these media are operating in places that owe their safety, prosperity and very existence to the protection and patronage of the Western countries, primarily the U.S.; after the grace and will of God of course. It seems remarkable that the U.S. cannot bring pressure to bear on these subversive media to desist in their feverish efforts to encourage chaos and terror abusing the much-vaunted "freedom of the press". I tell you that they influence events on the ground, especially in these days when we spend so much time watching these media nervously trying to check what all are saying.
Finally, I would like to post more but the turmoil and worries of the situation have a paralyzing effect.
Salaam
Hi Friends,
Thanks to my dear friends for expressing concern about my fate. It has been a fearful week. So far, thanks God my family is still all right. Our neighborhood has up to now been out of the way, but I don’t know how long this will last though. Our life, however, is paralyzed at the moment.
If you check my fellow bloggers you will get more or less the feeling of the decent, helpless (or should I say hapless) majority. I can tell you without any hesitation that you get a much better insight by reading us than all the media reports. Please don’t believe what they are telling you about us. Some of the bloggers are Shiaa like myself, and some are Sunni like Ziad, and about this you will find our feelings are quite similar both regarding the zombies of Fallujah or the thieves of the Mehdi Army. My family is hiding in the house with doors locked and bracing for trouble.
I don’t know if it has been wise to open this front at this particular time. But sooner or later it just had to come. I hope that you all realize that this is the true battle for Iraq, and that the fight against Saddam was easy compared with this. Because now all the demons of peasant thievery and savagery have been let loose, and it will be a hell of a job trying to put them back in the bottle. But if you study history you will find that it is doable, with a bit of firmness. I refer you to my post sometime ago about the nature of the relation of cities and surrounding peasantry in Iraq. However, I cannot but feel alarm and consternation about the safety of families and innocents both in Fallujah and elsewhere in our afflicted country. And with all my soul I hope the Coalition forces take all care not to hurt these, although some have already been sadly affected.
Thieves and Thugs of the World Unite, and Converge on the long suffering people of Iraq - that seems to be the battle cry of the moment, and I suppose it had to come sooner or later. And the first victim of all this is religion itself. As you know, I am personally a believer in God and a “practicing” Moslem, as you might say; but I tell you quite bluntly that I am firmly convinced that “Clerics” should not interfere in politics and should be strictly kept out of it. And this applies to all sects and denominations.
These forces have been in the arena from the beginning and I am not quite sure that the Coalition forces have known how to deal with them right from the start, I mean a few curfews and preventing the looting and arson in the first few days, may have changed the whole sad course of events. And as I said before, this is a security and not a military matter. But what is important is to know what to do now. I have made my views and proposals known sometime ago and I am getting more and more convinced of the necessity for such measures.
It is extremely depressing to see some of the Arab media, and I think you know by now the ones we are referring to, playing an extremely subversive role and doing their best to pour oil on the fire, without any regard for the safety of our people or the stability in our country. They will not desist. And it seems remarkable that these media are operating in places that owe their safety, prosperity and very existence to the protection and patronage of the Western countries, primarily the U.S.; after the grace and will of God of course. It seems remarkable that the U.S. cannot bring pressure to bear on these subversive media to desist in their feverish efforts to encourage chaos and terror abusing the much-vaunted "freedom of the press". I tell you that they influence events on the ground, especially in these days when we spend so much time watching these media nervously trying to check what all are saying.
Finally, I would like to post more but the turmoil and worries of the situation have a paralyzing effect.
Salaam
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Friday, April 02, 2004
Beware that no one escapes the blockade. Beware. They will try to organise a diversionary terror campaign in Baghdad mainly and elsewhere. This may be the turning point battle. Mobilise everthing and all the professionalism and wisdom required. May be they have committed the fatal error, at last. Beware that you don't hurt the innocent though. It will be a campaign not to destroy Fallujah but to save it, even from its own folly and disease.
Salaam
Salaam
Well what can we say? Mohammed said it for me. My initial reaction was to wish that everyone in that crowd of zombies be strung up on that very same bridge. So you see what we are up against, and have been for the last forty years or so? I try to think coolly if possible. It is difficult though. But I really think it was planned. Yes this was no random act of barbarism. This was planned. Remember how many times I told you things that later on you saw to be true. This was no random event. This was done with Somalia in mind to frighten off and disgust the American people. And they are all in it, the whole bunch of zombies and monkeys, including the propaganda media of the Wahabis and their employees, because we know who finance these media and who run them. They have execused the savagery of Saddam before, nay loved it; so it is not surprising that they don't mind this in the least.
And we are sick and tired of the whole bunch of them: "Clerics" claiming to represent the people, politicians manoeuvering, thieves robbing etc. etc.; the same faces; the same worn out cliches and the same sickening noises.
May be we shall have to discuss this later after the shock has eased to give place to this constant pain that eats the heart. Meanwhile remember everyone, this was designed to shock and dismay and bring despair. We shall not give them that satisfaction.
Salaam
And we are sick and tired of the whole bunch of them: "Clerics" claiming to represent the people, politicians manoeuvering, thieves robbing etc. etc.; the same faces; the same worn out cliches and the same sickening noises.
May be we shall have to discuss this later after the shock has eased to give place to this constant pain that eats the heart. Meanwhile remember everyone, this was designed to shock and dismay and bring despair. We shall not give them that satisfaction.
Salaam
Saturday, March 27, 2004
Hi Friends,
This is another article of interest concerning the matter, which has aroused the greatest response and heated arguments amongst my friends. Also a kind of introduction to what I am going to say:
Iraq-Israel relations could 'be the best'
Baghdad-born Iraq maven David Sasson on Israel's mistakes in pre-Saddam Iraq and the opportunities that beckon now
By: Isabel Kershner
David Sasson has always believed in peace between Israel, Iraq and the rest of the Arab world. Now, asserts this retired, Iraqi-born Israeli businessman, who has maintained contacts over the years with influential Arabs and particularly Iraqi exiles, including leading mem-bers of the Iraqi opposition, it is up to Israel to open itself up to the possibility of peace and not to repeat past wrongs. "We've made a lot of mistakes, " Sasson states to The Report in the wake of the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. "No Israeli politicians understood anything about the Arabs. They could never read the map of the Middle East. "
For an Israeli, Sasson probably has more experience of the Middle East than most. Born in Baghdad in 1931, he studied not at the Jewish school, but at a government school with his Arab Muslim neighbors. "I spent my best time there", he reminisces. But in 1950, along with tens of thousands of other Iraqi Jews, he fled to Israel, in his case via Iran. He studied at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, was "taken" into the army, then worked for many years in the travel business.
After the 1973 war, however, he wanted to leave the country. "I said the Israelis know how to make war, not peace, " he recalls today. Sas-son headed for the shah's Iran, where he be-came a partner in an Arabic-speaking business until he was forced to escape again, this time from the Khomeini revolution of 1979. Next stop was Cairo, where he lived for three years and established a trading business, shipping various goods between Israel and the port of Alexandria. After the war in Lebanon in 1982, though, "everything stopped. I felt very bad as an Israeli Jew Living in Cairo while Israel was bombing Beirut. "
At that point Sasson says he got "tired of the Middle East." Together with an Egyptian colonel from Nasser's rev-olution, he formed a commodities investment company in London. Now retired, he splits his time between London and an apartment in Tel Aviv.
In 1997, he founded the Iraqi-Israeli Friendship Committee in Tel Aviv, in solidarity with the Iraqi people, along with other prominent Iraqi-born Israelis such as Tel Aviv University Prof. Sasson Somekh and author Sami Michael. And now he says he is the only Israeli and Jew involved in the recently formed Development Fund for the Re-building of Iraq, a London-based forum of Iraqi-born businesspeople dedicated to helping the free Iraq get back on its feet.
An Iraqi version of a macher, Sasson counts among his best friends an old Baghdad school buddy who rose to become vice-president of OPEC and an exceedingly wealthy Iraqi exile whose family owned all the land on which Saddam 's palaces were built. He says he now plans on bringing them to Israel to address a meeting of former Iraqis living in the Jewish State.
The Jerusalem Report: You speak about Israel having made mistakes, and its politicians not having read the Middle East-ern map correctly. Are you convinced Iraq and the Arab world wanted peace with Israel?
David Sasson: I can tell you one thing: Following the 1958 revolution in Iraq, the new ruler, Qassem, was against Nasser and Arab nationalism, and wanted to make peace with Israel. The Is-raelis said he was mad and foolish, because he went with the Soviets against the British ... Then there was a coup against him and the Ba'athists came, [ending with] Saddam.
How did your Iraqi Muslim friends in exile react to the solidarity committee you established in Israel?
They sent me faxes you couldn't imagine. One said that the Iraqi Jews have more rights in Iraq than anyone else in the world. In the days of the caliph Harun al-Rashid, Baghdad was over 70 percent Jewish! My good friend is the editor of Al-Mu'tamar (the Iraqi opposition paper published in London). Now he's gone to Kuwait to establish Somer, a new paper for Baghdad, and he asked me to find Iraqi Jewish writers from Israel, Can you imagine that?
What is the nature of your activity in the Iraq Development Fund project?
It is not for raising mon-ey, only for making connec-tions between big firms from all over the world and the people in Iraq. There will be another meeting in June, to which I will invite Israelis to speak, and I will bring some big Iraqi businesspeo-ple from London to Israel.
Have they expressed a willingness to come?
Yes. They said they are ready to come to a meeting in Israel and speak. This is my life. I'd like my people to live in peace. I'm an Israeli. In all the pages of Al-Mu'tamar, you won't find anything about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They don't like the Palestinians because they went with Saddam in 1991.
How do you see things developing politically in Baghdad?
The Americans must quickly establish a new Iraqi government with a Prime Minister for a period of six months to a year, until elections can be held. I hope they won't stay beyond that time.
Do you foresee relations with Israel at some point?
They will be the best. Better than Israel's relations with Egypt or anyone else. I know the opposition leaders. They like us.
Are you in contact with Israeli politicians and leaders?
No. If they want, they know all about me. Why should I contact them?
Will you go back to Baghdad?
I want to visit. I don't know about going to live there. I'd like to go back to see my school. I could go if I wanted, even with my Israeli passport. I have the contacts.
When do you think other Israelis will be able to go to Iraq?
Speak to me in another six months.
From: The Jerusalem Report May 5, 2003
Salaam
This is another article of interest concerning the matter, which has aroused the greatest response and heated arguments amongst my friends. Also a kind of introduction to what I am going to say:
Iraq-Israel relations could 'be the best'
Baghdad-born Iraq maven David Sasson on Israel's mistakes in pre-Saddam Iraq and the opportunities that beckon now
By: Isabel Kershner
David Sasson has always believed in peace between Israel, Iraq and the rest of the Arab world. Now, asserts this retired, Iraqi-born Israeli businessman, who has maintained contacts over the years with influential Arabs and particularly Iraqi exiles, including leading mem-bers of the Iraqi opposition, it is up to Israel to open itself up to the possibility of peace and not to repeat past wrongs. "We've made a lot of mistakes, " Sasson states to The Report in the wake of the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. "No Israeli politicians understood anything about the Arabs. They could never read the map of the Middle East. "
For an Israeli, Sasson probably has more experience of the Middle East than most. Born in Baghdad in 1931, he studied not at the Jewish school, but at a government school with his Arab Muslim neighbors. "I spent my best time there", he reminisces. But in 1950, along with tens of thousands of other Iraqi Jews, he fled to Israel, in his case via Iran. He studied at Jerusalem's Hebrew University, was "taken" into the army, then worked for many years in the travel business.
After the 1973 war, however, he wanted to leave the country. "I said the Israelis know how to make war, not peace, " he recalls today. Sas-son headed for the shah's Iran, where he be-came a partner in an Arabic-speaking business until he was forced to escape again, this time from the Khomeini revolution of 1979. Next stop was Cairo, where he lived for three years and established a trading business, shipping various goods between Israel and the port of Alexandria. After the war in Lebanon in 1982, though, "everything stopped. I felt very bad as an Israeli Jew Living in Cairo while Israel was bombing Beirut. "
At that point Sasson says he got "tired of the Middle East." Together with an Egyptian colonel from Nasser's rev-olution, he formed a commodities investment company in London. Now retired, he splits his time between London and an apartment in Tel Aviv.
In 1997, he founded the Iraqi-Israeli Friendship Committee in Tel Aviv, in solidarity with the Iraqi people, along with other prominent Iraqi-born Israelis such as Tel Aviv University Prof. Sasson Somekh and author Sami Michael. And now he says he is the only Israeli and Jew involved in the recently formed Development Fund for the Re-building of Iraq, a London-based forum of Iraqi-born businesspeople dedicated to helping the free Iraq get back on its feet.
An Iraqi version of a macher, Sasson counts among his best friends an old Baghdad school buddy who rose to become vice-president of OPEC and an exceedingly wealthy Iraqi exile whose family owned all the land on which Saddam 's palaces were built. He says he now plans on bringing them to Israel to address a meeting of former Iraqis living in the Jewish State.
The Jerusalem Report: You speak about Israel having made mistakes, and its politicians not having read the Middle East-ern map correctly. Are you convinced Iraq and the Arab world wanted peace with Israel?
David Sasson: I can tell you one thing: Following the 1958 revolution in Iraq, the new ruler, Qassem, was against Nasser and Arab nationalism, and wanted to make peace with Israel. The Is-raelis said he was mad and foolish, because he went with the Soviets against the British ... Then there was a coup against him and the Ba'athists came, [ending with] Saddam.
How did your Iraqi Muslim friends in exile react to the solidarity committee you established in Israel?
They sent me faxes you couldn't imagine. One said that the Iraqi Jews have more rights in Iraq than anyone else in the world. In the days of the caliph Harun al-Rashid, Baghdad was over 70 percent Jewish! My good friend is the editor of Al-Mu'tamar (the Iraqi opposition paper published in London). Now he's gone to Kuwait to establish Somer, a new paper for Baghdad, and he asked me to find Iraqi Jewish writers from Israel, Can you imagine that?
What is the nature of your activity in the Iraq Development Fund project?
It is not for raising mon-ey, only for making connec-tions between big firms from all over the world and the people in Iraq. There will be another meeting in June, to which I will invite Israelis to speak, and I will bring some big Iraqi businesspeo-ple from London to Israel.
Have they expressed a willingness to come?
Yes. They said they are ready to come to a meeting in Israel and speak. This is my life. I'd like my people to live in peace. I'm an Israeli. In all the pages of Al-Mu'tamar, you won't find anything about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They don't like the Palestinians because they went with Saddam in 1991.
How do you see things developing politically in Baghdad?
The Americans must quickly establish a new Iraqi government with a Prime Minister for a period of six months to a year, until elections can be held. I hope they won't stay beyond that time.
Do you foresee relations with Israel at some point?
They will be the best. Better than Israel's relations with Egypt or anyone else. I know the opposition leaders. They like us.
Are you in contact with Israeli politicians and leaders?
No. If they want, they know all about me. Why should I contact them?
Will you go back to Baghdad?
I want to visit. I don't know about going to live there. I'd like to go back to see my school. I could go if I wanted, even with my Israeli passport. I have the contacts.
When do you think other Israelis will be able to go to Iraq?
Speak to me in another six months.
From: The Jerusalem Report May 5, 2003
Salaam
Friday, March 26, 2004
As a kind of introduction to the relation of the "Jewish Question" and modern day Iraq, I thought this article might be of interest as a kind of historical background together with a recent experience.
Where Judaism Began
From the Jewish Report
By Yigal Schleifer
Babylon looms large in Jewish history. It represents the land from which the patriarch Abraham emerged, and it is a name that nearly a millennium later became almost synonymous with the term "Diaspora" - the place where "we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion." Ezekiel died here in exile, and Ezra returned from here to help re-establish the Jewish presence in Jerusalem. Babylon, too, was the capital of the country, where in many ways, the Jewish practice of today was developed and codified, in the form of the Babylonian Talmud. Indeed though Iraq's modern-day Jews left almost entirely en masse a half-century ago, the unbroken presence of a Jewish community over a period of nearly two and a half millennia has left Iraq with many physical reminders of their time here.
History in Iraq is measured in cycles of thousands of years. Travelling through the land, one get the sense that Iraq's almost overwhelmingly rich past continuously in-forms its often-violent present. Past and present live side by side, sometimes jarringly.
For many of us. a place like Babylon is something of an abstraction, a fairy-tale place shaped in our consciousness by Bib-lical stories. In Iraq, it is a national treasure, but also, at one time, a place for collecting building supplies and, more recently, a place to-pick up an air conditioner and some office furniture.
If anyone was aware of the power of the country's history, it was Saddam Hussein. "He used Mesopotamian history for nation-building in Iraq," says Amatzia Baram, a professor of Middle East politics at Haifa University, who has written extensively about Saddam. "He created, you can say, a new myth that today's Iraqis are the bi-ological offspring of the Sumerians, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, and the cul-tural heirs of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization.
"Saddam would appear in pictures with depictions of Nebuchadnezzar, with Ham-murabi," who founded the original Baby-lonian dynasty in 1792 BCE. "There was an attempt to create an Iraqi national myth that goes back 5,000 years," adds Baram. "This would also give Saddam an ideolog-ical basis for hegemony in the Arab world."
Saddam was trying to cast himself as a link in a long chain of Mesopotamian rulers. At Babylon, the bricks inscribed with his name are copies of the originals that are engraved with Nebuchadnezzar's name, a crude attempt at making himself eternal. Presenting himself as a latter-day Nebuchadnezzar, who conquered the Jew-ish kingdom of Judea in 586 BCE, fit in nicely with Saddam's efforts to portray himself as the leading Arab figure fighting Israel.
A major part of that long history is the area's Jewish past, which stretches back to the very beginnings of Judaism. The ruins of Ur, described in the Torah as the birth-place of Abraham, are in southern Iraq. In the north of the country, the remains of Nineveh, to which the Lord sent a reluctant prophet named Jonah to warn the residents of the Assyrian capital of their city's im-minent destruction, can be found in the middle of the contemporary city of Mosul. And then there's the actual Jewish pres-ence, beginning with the conquest of Judah in the 6th century BCE. "It's an area where there was continuous Jewish settlement longer than in Eretz Yisrael — 2,500 years." says Jacob Neusner, professor of religion and theology at Bard College, in New York. "There's no equal to that anywhere. It's quite an incredible record." "The [Diaspora] produced the Torah and the Talmud in Babylonia. What else mat-ters?" Neusner says. "The rabbis [of the Tal-mudic period] were ruling about the life of a regular, ethnic community that's not so dif-ferent from the Sunnis and Shi'ites of today," Neusner continues. "It's a polyglot, polycul-tural region. It's what it was and it's what it is today. You had Jews living side by side with Persians, Arabs and people speaking Arama-ic who were not Jewish. It was a mosaic. It was a meeting ground of peoples."
Almost all of Iraq's modern Jews, more than 100,000 people, left the country in air-lifts after the establishment of Israel in 1948. Today, fewer than 40 Jews remain in Baghdad
One of the prophets who warned against the destruction of the kingdom of Judah, Ezekiel was carried off to Babylon along with other members of the Jerusalem aristocracy 11 years before the destruction of the Temple, in 597 BCE. In exile, Ezekiel became the comforter of his people, a prophet who both helped explain to his people the reason for the their exile and provide them with a vision for a return to Zion.
I headed out of Baghdad in search of Ezekiel's Tomb. We headed south in the direction of Hilla, looking for a smaller town called Ki-fl. Avishur had told me Kifl might have been the site of Sura, one of the two academies of the Talmudic period, the oth-er being Pumbedita. It is an area that most Jews probably know little about and surely have rarely visited, but it was in this place that the Babylonian Talmud was compiled, an undertaking that, to a large extent, set the course of Jewish life from that time onward.
Kifl itself is a dusty, forlorn-feeling town of one-story mud-brick homes. Finding the site of Ezekiel's grave was surprisingly easy — the ziggurat-like, mud-colored top of the shrine built around it was visible as soon as we entered the town.
A small, covered bazaar led to a doorway into a large, open courtyard surrounded by very ancient-looking mud-brick buildings, some of them partially collapsed, revealing interiors with vaulted ceilings. A man in a white robe who was passing by told us the col-lapse was the result of a rocket that hit during the recent fight-ing. Another rocket fell on a house adjacent to another side of the tomb, but the shrine it-self was spared any damage, the man told us. A rocket or an artillery shell also hit his own house, the man said, killing his two-year-old son, flung across a room from the explosion, his head split open. He pulled up his robe to show a deep gash running across a meaty leg.
Soon somebody came to tell us the shrine was open and as we approached it, we stepped around the gray-colored sewage that was running down the mid-dle of the narrow alleyways.
According to former Baghdady Jews, large numbers of them would make a pil-grimage to the shrine for the holiday of Shavuot, sleeping in the small rooms of the building that encloses the peaceful court-yard, where olive, palm and fig trees grow.
Little is known about the death of Ezekiel, but his tomb is mentioned by the 12th-century Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela, who describes it as revered by both Jews and Muslims, though in the care of Jews, with a large library of Jewish books inside, including some dating from the time of the First Temple.
We took off our shoes and entered the shrine through a green wooden door into what was clearly once a synagogue, with Hebrew writing running across one wall. Under one arched doorway, a Hebrew in-scription reads, "And this gravestone is the gravestone of our prophet Ezekiel." Two elderly Muslim men were in one corner, prostrating themselves in prayer. In another room also filled with Hebrew inscriptions, under a spectacular roof cre-ated out of right angles, sits a large wood-panelled vault. The walls, which are painted with a floral design that is faded but still exquisite, also have glass inlaid in them, giving the room a jewel-like quality. The caretaker, a 50-year-old named Abu Khadum, opened a small door near the front of the crypt and told me to look inside. The wood was covering a much older stone tomb that had two tablets engraved with Hebrew at the front. I couldn't make out the writing on them except for one word, which was the name "Yehezkel."
Abu Khadum said his family had been watching over the place since Ottoman times, appointed by the sultan. He told us the build-ing was 750 years old, and that "this is the burial place of a prophet of God, and it is mentioned in the Koran." He left Kifl for a few days during the recent fighting and came back to find the door open and a marble tablet and a seven-arm silver candelabrum missing. No Jews had come to visit in decades, but before the 1991 Gulf War, European tourists would visit occasionally.
"I think more tourists will come now," Abu Khadum, a quiet man with a stubbly beard and a tan, wizened face, said. "I think Jews will start coming also.
A few days later, we headed farther south to look for the tomb of Ezra the Scribe. Ezra, with official permission from the king of Persia, which by his time-ruled Babylonia, led a return to Judah of Jewish exiles in 458 BCE.
Ezra, the son of a priest, set about to restore Jewish life in the land and was re-sponsible, to a large extent, for codifying various aspects of Jewish practice, helping create the weekly division of Torah por-tions, for example. He died in Persia, ac-cording to historical sources, which could explain his being buried in southern Iraq, near the border with Iran.
The tomb, is located on the bank of the muddy and fast-flowing Tigris River in a town called Al-Uzair, some 250 miles south of Baghdad. Al-Uzair, like Kifl, is a run-down place filled with mud brick homes, its main street lined with peddlers selling vegetables and live chickens. The shrine of Ezra sticks out among the drabness, topped with a blue-tiled dome and enclosed with a high cement wall that has what seems like a small minaret rising from one corner.
Leaving our shoes outside, we entered the shrine and met Zayir Zahlan, an 80-year-old man in a grayish robe and white keffiya, who has been watching the tomb since the last Jewish family left town in 1950. Zahlan, who has a white beard and cloudy eyes, said he had guarded the shrine during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, when most people had fled Al-Uzair, which was close to the front. He stayed here as well during the 1991 Gulf War and during the most recent fighting, he said. "I saw the prophet [Ezra] in a dream, arid he told me, 'Don't leave me, and I won't leave you,'" Zahlan said.
The 250-year-old building was renovat-ed two years ago with help from the Sad-dam government. Less ornate than Ezekiel's tomb, it also has a front room that leads into a domed chamber holding a large tomb covered in green cloth. The dome, painted white with blue outlines, has the name of God, YHWH, written in large He-brew letters on one side. Next door to the shrine stands what used to be a synagogue. White plastic lawn chairs were lined up against the walls of the room, which is used as an Islamic study center now. The caretaker and his grand-son, a 25-year-old Shi'ite imam with a wispy black beard, pointed to a large patched segment of the brick ceiling. An Iranian rocket came through that spot dur-ing the 1980s, tearing a hole in the ceiling but not exploding, they said. I asked if any old books remained from the time when the building was a syna-gogue. No, said the young imam, but we do have another book.
Walking over to a table lined with books in Arabic, the young man pulled out a brown hardback volume that turned out to be a Hebrew-Arabic dictionary, donated by a member of the local community. I asked Zahlan if any of the old Jewish residents of the town had come back to visit since they left. He said many years ago some Jews had arrived, disguised in robes and keffiyas, but no Jew has come since. "They are afraid of the government," he said.
Back in baghdad, I visited a shrine, also topped with a blue-tile dome, that Iraqi Jews consider to be the burial place of Jeshua the High Priest, who helped lead the return from the Babylonian exile in the 5th century BCE and was instrumental in restoring the Temple in Jerusalem. In the years since the Jews stopped com-ing to visit the domed Baghdad shrine, some confusion seems to have developed over whose remains it accommodates. A fairly new-looking tile inscription in Ara-bic declares it to be the grave site of Joshua, (Yehoshua Bin Nun), the disciple of Moses who led the children of Israel into the Holy Land. An old woman, who gave us direc-tions told us "the son of Moses" was buried there. Hassan Abu Nur, the 61-year-old caretaker of the shrine, wasn't sure, but said he knew it was a prophet and that he was dedicated to maintaining the place. "I'm a Muslim, but I don't distinguish between Muslims, Jews and Christians," said Abu Nur, who has a wild look in his eyes and a prominent nose. "We should honour every religion." Abu Nur showed us a spot where the old graves of two Jewish teachers were once located un-til the government had them destroyed in 1986. What look like the remains of a marble tombstone could be seen stick-ing out of the ground. "They wanted to destroy this shrine, so that the Jews wouldn't come back." Abu Nur said.
The condition of the Jewish shrines is actually much better than most of Iraq's other cul-tural-heritage sites. Like Baby-lon, Iraq's museums and ar-chaeological sites were picked over by looters during the final days of the war, the cost of the damage they inflicted so far unknown.
Salaam
Where Judaism Began
From the Jewish Report
By Yigal Schleifer
Babylon looms large in Jewish history. It represents the land from which the patriarch Abraham emerged, and it is a name that nearly a millennium later became almost synonymous with the term "Diaspora" - the place where "we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion." Ezekiel died here in exile, and Ezra returned from here to help re-establish the Jewish presence in Jerusalem. Babylon, too, was the capital of the country, where in many ways, the Jewish practice of today was developed and codified, in the form of the Babylonian Talmud. Indeed though Iraq's modern-day Jews left almost entirely en masse a half-century ago, the unbroken presence of a Jewish community over a period of nearly two and a half millennia has left Iraq with many physical reminders of their time here.
History in Iraq is measured in cycles of thousands of years. Travelling through the land, one get the sense that Iraq's almost overwhelmingly rich past continuously in-forms its often-violent present. Past and present live side by side, sometimes jarringly.
For many of us. a place like Babylon is something of an abstraction, a fairy-tale place shaped in our consciousness by Bib-lical stories. In Iraq, it is a national treasure, but also, at one time, a place for collecting building supplies and, more recently, a place to-pick up an air conditioner and some office furniture.
If anyone was aware of the power of the country's history, it was Saddam Hussein. "He used Mesopotamian history for nation-building in Iraq," says Amatzia Baram, a professor of Middle East politics at Haifa University, who has written extensively about Saddam. "He created, you can say, a new myth that today's Iraqis are the bi-ological offspring of the Sumerians, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, and the cul-tural heirs of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization.
"Saddam would appear in pictures with depictions of Nebuchadnezzar, with Ham-murabi," who founded the original Baby-lonian dynasty in 1792 BCE. "There was an attempt to create an Iraqi national myth that goes back 5,000 years," adds Baram. "This would also give Saddam an ideolog-ical basis for hegemony in the Arab world."
Saddam was trying to cast himself as a link in a long chain of Mesopotamian rulers. At Babylon, the bricks inscribed with his name are copies of the originals that are engraved with Nebuchadnezzar's name, a crude attempt at making himself eternal. Presenting himself as a latter-day Nebuchadnezzar, who conquered the Jew-ish kingdom of Judea in 586 BCE, fit in nicely with Saddam's efforts to portray himself as the leading Arab figure fighting Israel.
A major part of that long history is the area's Jewish past, which stretches back to the very beginnings of Judaism. The ruins of Ur, described in the Torah as the birth-place of Abraham, are in southern Iraq. In the north of the country, the remains of Nineveh, to which the Lord sent a reluctant prophet named Jonah to warn the residents of the Assyrian capital of their city's im-minent destruction, can be found in the middle of the contemporary city of Mosul. And then there's the actual Jewish pres-ence, beginning with the conquest of Judah in the 6th century BCE. "It's an area where there was continuous Jewish settlement longer than in Eretz Yisrael — 2,500 years." says Jacob Neusner, professor of religion and theology at Bard College, in New York. "There's no equal to that anywhere. It's quite an incredible record." "The [Diaspora] produced the Torah and the Talmud in Babylonia. What else mat-ters?" Neusner says. "The rabbis [of the Tal-mudic period] were ruling about the life of a regular, ethnic community that's not so dif-ferent from the Sunnis and Shi'ites of today," Neusner continues. "It's a polyglot, polycul-tural region. It's what it was and it's what it is today. You had Jews living side by side with Persians, Arabs and people speaking Arama-ic who were not Jewish. It was a mosaic. It was a meeting ground of peoples."
Almost all of Iraq's modern Jews, more than 100,000 people, left the country in air-lifts after the establishment of Israel in 1948. Today, fewer than 40 Jews remain in Baghdad
One of the prophets who warned against the destruction of the kingdom of Judah, Ezekiel was carried off to Babylon along with other members of the Jerusalem aristocracy 11 years before the destruction of the Temple, in 597 BCE. In exile, Ezekiel became the comforter of his people, a prophet who both helped explain to his people the reason for the their exile and provide them with a vision for a return to Zion.
I headed out of Baghdad in search of Ezekiel's Tomb. We headed south in the direction of Hilla, looking for a smaller town called Ki-fl. Avishur had told me Kifl might have been the site of Sura, one of the two academies of the Talmudic period, the oth-er being Pumbedita. It is an area that most Jews probably know little about and surely have rarely visited, but it was in this place that the Babylonian Talmud was compiled, an undertaking that, to a large extent, set the course of Jewish life from that time onward.
Kifl itself is a dusty, forlorn-feeling town of one-story mud-brick homes. Finding the site of Ezekiel's grave was surprisingly easy — the ziggurat-like, mud-colored top of the shrine built around it was visible as soon as we entered the town.
A small, covered bazaar led to a doorway into a large, open courtyard surrounded by very ancient-looking mud-brick buildings, some of them partially collapsed, revealing interiors with vaulted ceilings. A man in a white robe who was passing by told us the col-lapse was the result of a rocket that hit during the recent fight-ing. Another rocket fell on a house adjacent to another side of the tomb, but the shrine it-self was spared any damage, the man told us. A rocket or an artillery shell also hit his own house, the man said, killing his two-year-old son, flung across a room from the explosion, his head split open. He pulled up his robe to show a deep gash running across a meaty leg.
Soon somebody came to tell us the shrine was open and as we approached it, we stepped around the gray-colored sewage that was running down the mid-dle of the narrow alleyways.
According to former Baghdady Jews, large numbers of them would make a pil-grimage to the shrine for the holiday of Shavuot, sleeping in the small rooms of the building that encloses the peaceful court-yard, where olive, palm and fig trees grow.
Little is known about the death of Ezekiel, but his tomb is mentioned by the 12th-century Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela, who describes it as revered by both Jews and Muslims, though in the care of Jews, with a large library of Jewish books inside, including some dating from the time of the First Temple.
We took off our shoes and entered the shrine through a green wooden door into what was clearly once a synagogue, with Hebrew writing running across one wall. Under one arched doorway, a Hebrew in-scription reads, "And this gravestone is the gravestone of our prophet Ezekiel." Two elderly Muslim men were in one corner, prostrating themselves in prayer. In another room also filled with Hebrew inscriptions, under a spectacular roof cre-ated out of right angles, sits a large wood-panelled vault. The walls, which are painted with a floral design that is faded but still exquisite, also have glass inlaid in them, giving the room a jewel-like quality. The caretaker, a 50-year-old named Abu Khadum, opened a small door near the front of the crypt and told me to look inside. The wood was covering a much older stone tomb that had two tablets engraved with Hebrew at the front. I couldn't make out the writing on them except for one word, which was the name "Yehezkel."
Abu Khadum said his family had been watching over the place since Ottoman times, appointed by the sultan. He told us the build-ing was 750 years old, and that "this is the burial place of a prophet of God, and it is mentioned in the Koran." He left Kifl for a few days during the recent fighting and came back to find the door open and a marble tablet and a seven-arm silver candelabrum missing. No Jews had come to visit in decades, but before the 1991 Gulf War, European tourists would visit occasionally.
"I think more tourists will come now," Abu Khadum, a quiet man with a stubbly beard and a tan, wizened face, said. "I think Jews will start coming also.
A few days later, we headed farther south to look for the tomb of Ezra the Scribe. Ezra, with official permission from the king of Persia, which by his time-ruled Babylonia, led a return to Judah of Jewish exiles in 458 BCE.
Ezra, the son of a priest, set about to restore Jewish life in the land and was re-sponsible, to a large extent, for codifying various aspects of Jewish practice, helping create the weekly division of Torah por-tions, for example. He died in Persia, ac-cording to historical sources, which could explain his being buried in southern Iraq, near the border with Iran.
The tomb, is located on the bank of the muddy and fast-flowing Tigris River in a town called Al-Uzair, some 250 miles south of Baghdad. Al-Uzair, like Kifl, is a run-down place filled with mud brick homes, its main street lined with peddlers selling vegetables and live chickens. The shrine of Ezra sticks out among the drabness, topped with a blue-tiled dome and enclosed with a high cement wall that has what seems like a small minaret rising from one corner.
Leaving our shoes outside, we entered the shrine and met Zayir Zahlan, an 80-year-old man in a grayish robe and white keffiya, who has been watching the tomb since the last Jewish family left town in 1950. Zahlan, who has a white beard and cloudy eyes, said he had guarded the shrine during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, when most people had fled Al-Uzair, which was close to the front. He stayed here as well during the 1991 Gulf War and during the most recent fighting, he said. "I saw the prophet [Ezra] in a dream, arid he told me, 'Don't leave me, and I won't leave you,'" Zahlan said.
The 250-year-old building was renovat-ed two years ago with help from the Sad-dam government. Less ornate than Ezekiel's tomb, it also has a front room that leads into a domed chamber holding a large tomb covered in green cloth. The dome, painted white with blue outlines, has the name of God, YHWH, written in large He-brew letters on one side. Next door to the shrine stands what used to be a synagogue. White plastic lawn chairs were lined up against the walls of the room, which is used as an Islamic study center now. The caretaker and his grand-son, a 25-year-old Shi'ite imam with a wispy black beard, pointed to a large patched segment of the brick ceiling. An Iranian rocket came through that spot dur-ing the 1980s, tearing a hole in the ceiling but not exploding, they said. I asked if any old books remained from the time when the building was a syna-gogue. No, said the young imam, but we do have another book.
Walking over to a table lined with books in Arabic, the young man pulled out a brown hardback volume that turned out to be a Hebrew-Arabic dictionary, donated by a member of the local community. I asked Zahlan if any of the old Jewish residents of the town had come back to visit since they left. He said many years ago some Jews had arrived, disguised in robes and keffiyas, but no Jew has come since. "They are afraid of the government," he said.
Back in baghdad, I visited a shrine, also topped with a blue-tile dome, that Iraqi Jews consider to be the burial place of Jeshua the High Priest, who helped lead the return from the Babylonian exile in the 5th century BCE and was instrumental in restoring the Temple in Jerusalem. In the years since the Jews stopped com-ing to visit the domed Baghdad shrine, some confusion seems to have developed over whose remains it accommodates. A fairly new-looking tile inscription in Ara-bic declares it to be the grave site of Joshua, (Yehoshua Bin Nun), the disciple of Moses who led the children of Israel into the Holy Land. An old woman, who gave us direc-tions told us "the son of Moses" was buried there. Hassan Abu Nur, the 61-year-old caretaker of the shrine, wasn't sure, but said he knew it was a prophet and that he was dedicated to maintaining the place. "I'm a Muslim, but I don't distinguish between Muslims, Jews and Christians," said Abu Nur, who has a wild look in his eyes and a prominent nose. "We should honour every religion." Abu Nur showed us a spot where the old graves of two Jewish teachers were once located un-til the government had them destroyed in 1986. What look like the remains of a marble tombstone could be seen stick-ing out of the ground. "They wanted to destroy this shrine, so that the Jews wouldn't come back." Abu Nur said.
The condition of the Jewish shrines is actually much better than most of Iraq's other cul-tural-heritage sites. Like Baby-lon, Iraq's museums and ar-chaeological sites were picked over by looters during the final days of the war, the cost of the damage they inflicted so far unknown.
Salaam
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Hi Friends,
Well, well, well!! I can’t say that I did not expect this avalanche of comments or their nature. I have tried to avoid this subject before exactly because it will completely distract us from our subject about Iraq. But can you really avoid it; especially if we are concerned about terrorism, and the root causes of it, at least in this part of the world? And does not the situation out there have a direct bearing and impact on the events down here? It seems unfortunately that we just cannot ignore that excruciating and horrible problem. We cannot hide our heads in the sand and pretend that the problem out there does not concern us. But do we have to open that wound? Do we have to rub that chronic sore? I hesitate truly. It is not that I am afraid to speak out my mind, given this wonderful Internet that lets you say what you want in comparative safety and have people read it too.
To be sure, I have definite views, and you probably won’t like them, not that I care much about that, but it would completely change the subject for this blog site. But let me at least say this:
What we have here is a completely different situation to that in Palestine.
Here there has been an act of liberation and an effort at reconstruction. Here, there is no danger of settlements or colonization of our country. Here, there is a sincere effort at building a democracy and a modern political system. Here, at least 85% of the population opposes the departure of Coalition troops, despite all vociferous manifestations colorfully amplified by modern media, suggesting otherwise. Here the “resistance” and terrorism are directed at delaying and sabotaging the emergence of a new “shining example” in the region. Here, the terrorism is more directed against the indigenous people rather than against the foreign troops. Here, then almost in every respect the situation is diametrically opposite to that existing out there.
And what concerns us most of all is that nothing should jeopardize this “experiment”, whose success may be the very key to solving all the apparently irresolvable problems in the region.
As for the Jewish question, I have absolutely no problem to tell all what I think about it; when I have enough leisure; another vain promise …
Salaam
Well, well, well!! I can’t say that I did not expect this avalanche of comments or their nature. I have tried to avoid this subject before exactly because it will completely distract us from our subject about Iraq. But can you really avoid it; especially if we are concerned about terrorism, and the root causes of it, at least in this part of the world? And does not the situation out there have a direct bearing and impact on the events down here? It seems unfortunately that we just cannot ignore that excruciating and horrible problem. We cannot hide our heads in the sand and pretend that the problem out there does not concern us. But do we have to open that wound? Do we have to rub that chronic sore? I hesitate truly. It is not that I am afraid to speak out my mind, given this wonderful Internet that lets you say what you want in comparative safety and have people read it too.
To be sure, I have definite views, and you probably won’t like them, not that I care much about that, but it would completely change the subject for this blog site. But let me at least say this:
What we have here is a completely different situation to that in Palestine.
Here there has been an act of liberation and an effort at reconstruction. Here, there is no danger of settlements or colonization of our country. Here, there is a sincere effort at building a democracy and a modern political system. Here, at least 85% of the population opposes the departure of Coalition troops, despite all vociferous manifestations colorfully amplified by modern media, suggesting otherwise. Here the “resistance” and terrorism are directed at delaying and sabotaging the emergence of a new “shining example” in the region. Here, the terrorism is more directed against the indigenous people rather than against the foreign troops. Here, then almost in every respect the situation is diametrically opposite to that existing out there.
And what concerns us most of all is that nothing should jeopardize this “experiment”, whose success may be the very key to solving all the apparently irresolvable problems in the region.
As for the Jewish question, I have absolutely no problem to tell all what I think about it; when I have enough leisure; another vain promise …
Salaam
Monday, March 22, 2004
J'ACCUSE
Hi,
I am beside myself with rage. Perhaps I should not post today and wait a bit until I can think in a more dispassionate way. But I cannot wait really. Mr. Sharon: Usama Bin Laden and his friends are delighted and send you their best regards. This stupid and senseless killing of an old invalid is a Godsend to all the terrorists in the region and has been timed at exactly the right moment. It is a stab in the back aimed at the U.S. and allied efforts and a direct attack on all their friends in the region.
America beware, and watch your step very carefully, your risks are enormous. This does not serve anybody, least of all the Jewish communities in the world, and most certainly does not help in the fight against terrorism, but quite the opposite.
Perhaps then, what they say is true. Perhaps it does not suit some people for the U.S. to make friends in this region. But enough of all this; I am too disgusted to continue.
Salaam
I am beside myself with rage. Perhaps I should not post today and wait a bit until I can think in a more dispassionate way. But I cannot wait really. Mr. Sharon: Usama Bin Laden and his friends are delighted and send you their best regards. This stupid and senseless killing of an old invalid is a Godsend to all the terrorists in the region and has been timed at exactly the right moment. It is a stab in the back aimed at the U.S. and allied efforts and a direct attack on all their friends in the region.
America beware, and watch your step very carefully, your risks are enormous. This does not serve anybody, least of all the Jewish communities in the world, and most certainly does not help in the fight against terrorism, but quite the opposite.
Perhaps then, what they say is true. Perhaps it does not suit some people for the U.S. to make friends in this region. But enough of all this; I am too disgusted to continue.
Salaam
Friday, March 19, 2004
بسم الله الرØمن الرØيم
Hi,
I have just listened to President Bush’s speech on CNN. I just couldn’t leave the keyboard without saying something. Because the warmth of the Presidents’ words of friendship and commitment to our people really did make my eyes moisten. Not even the openly hostile report by the CNN reporter could spoil the feeling.
God will be on the side of good men, and it is clear for this middle-aged man who the good men are.
Hail dear El Bush. Thanks to you and all the Coalition men and women. Long may live our alliance and friendship. Victory by the Grace and Help of Allah is assured.
Alaa
Hi,
I have just listened to President Bush’s speech on CNN. I just couldn’t leave the keyboard without saying something. Because the warmth of the Presidents’ words of friendship and commitment to our people really did make my eyes moisten. Not even the openly hostile report by the CNN reporter could spoil the feeling.
God will be on the side of good men, and it is clear for this middle-aged man who the good men are.
Hail dear El Bush. Thanks to you and all the Coalition men and women. Long may live our alliance and friendship. Victory by the Grace and Help of Allah is assured.
Alaa
Greetings Friends,
The results of the poll with I have posted are interesting, indeed. A careful reading of Al Zarqawi letter, which I think is one on the most important documents that has ever come to light, together with the results of this poll show quite remarkable agreement. Consider, for example the last line posted:
On "Coalition should leave now"
Sunni: yes=29%, Shia: yes=12%, Kurds: yes=2%
Compare with these results:
On question of "Are attacks on Coalition forces acceptable?"
Sunni: acceptable=36% unacceptable=57%
Shia: acceptable=12% unacceptable=85%
Kurds: acceptable=2% unacceptable=96%
The percentages for the Shia and Kurds are exactly the same for both questions, which is consistent. However it is the position of the Sunnis that is interesting: 36% think that attacks on Coalition forces are acceptable (still a minority, but a sizable one), only 29% however think that the Coalition should leave immediately. A friend has noticed this difference and speculates that perhaps this 7% like the target practice!
But seriously, although we are loath to this sectarian classification of our people, we have to be realistic and admit that this problem of sectarianism (i.e. the religious division of the people) is real and is an important factor in the present situation. The policies of the defunct regime have much to do with this. For the Saddamist regime, having no solid foundation, had increasingly turned to sectarianism and tribalism in its attempt to find a solid base of support, and had encouraged these tendencies quite openly, and actually practiced blatant discrimination on all fronts down to the pettiest details of daily life. I am not going to explain this in more detail, because I think the practices of the Baathist regime have been quite extensively exposed, although I still think that many of these practices are still not really known, and for western people would be quite difficult to believe or even imagine.
If you consider the actual numerical weight of each community and multiply by the percentages above you will come up with an astonishing figure supporting the Coalition and the continuation of its mission. Lets do this simple arithmetic:
Should the Coalition leave now: 29% x 23% + 12% x 55% + 2% x 15% (quite conservative estimates in favor of the proposition) = 13.57% of 93% of the population. This assumes 7% for other minorities, which is an underestimate. Whatever error margin there is, say the overall percentage is about 15% of the population. This means that 85% percent of the population supports the continued mission of the Coalition. Personally I believe the actual percentage is even greater.
Now, I did not make up this poll. And I don’t think many can cast doubt on the integrity of the organization, which has produced it.
So we would request all those who comment and lecture and appoint themselves as spokesmen for our people to take note. Also American and allied people, take note. Despite of all our sacrifices, and life of terror and discomfiture, this is the true sentiment of the people in mathematical form.
Just read Al Zarqawi letter carefully and how I wish you could read the original eloquent magnificent classical Arabic of this diabolical and absolutely authentic document, and you will feel the hatred against the Iraqi people in all their sects and ethnicities not least the Sunnies jumping up at you from the lines of this text of hatred and lunacy. The greatest task is to rescue our brothers, compatriots and fellow countrymen in Ramadi, Fallujah, Tikrit, Mosul, Diala etc. from the murderous influence of such foreigners who do not wish them any good.
This is what he has to say of the majority of Sunnis:
As regards the Sunnis ……
1. The Masses
These masses are the silent majority, absent even though present. “Barbarians and Scum; following every screamer ( actually the noise an owl makes - Alaa). They did not seek enlightenment from the light of science and did not take refuge in a safe corner.( i.e the Wahabi and Salafi creed – Alaa)” These, even if in general they hate the Americans,wish them to vanish and to have their black cloud dissolve ( Indeed ?! : consult the poll figures- Alaa). But, despite that, they look forward to a sunny tomorrow, a prosperous future, a carefree life, comfort, and favor (which is an illegitimate aspiration according to this misfit – Alaa). They look ahead to that day and are thus easy prey for cunning information [media] and political enticement whose hiss rings out…. In any event, they are people of Iraq (a telling admission of hate : after all they are Iraqis too ! - Alaa ).
Fellow Iraqis, this is what they think of you.
American and Allied friends of the Iraqi people, take note and don’t be deceived by the hysterical propaganda of our common enemies.
Salaam
Alaa
The results of the poll with I have posted are interesting, indeed. A careful reading of Al Zarqawi letter, which I think is one on the most important documents that has ever come to light, together with the results of this poll show quite remarkable agreement. Consider, for example the last line posted:
On "Coalition should leave now"
Sunni: yes=29%, Shia: yes=12%, Kurds: yes=2%
Compare with these results:
On question of "Are attacks on Coalition forces acceptable?"
Sunni: acceptable=36% unacceptable=57%
Shia: acceptable=12% unacceptable=85%
Kurds: acceptable=2% unacceptable=96%
The percentages for the Shia and Kurds are exactly the same for both questions, which is consistent. However it is the position of the Sunnis that is interesting: 36% think that attacks on Coalition forces are acceptable (still a minority, but a sizable one), only 29% however think that the Coalition should leave immediately. A friend has noticed this difference and speculates that perhaps this 7% like the target practice!
But seriously, although we are loath to this sectarian classification of our people, we have to be realistic and admit that this problem of sectarianism (i.e. the religious division of the people) is real and is an important factor in the present situation. The policies of the defunct regime have much to do with this. For the Saddamist regime, having no solid foundation, had increasingly turned to sectarianism and tribalism in its attempt to find a solid base of support, and had encouraged these tendencies quite openly, and actually practiced blatant discrimination on all fronts down to the pettiest details of daily life. I am not going to explain this in more detail, because I think the practices of the Baathist regime have been quite extensively exposed, although I still think that many of these practices are still not really known, and for western people would be quite difficult to believe or even imagine.
If you consider the actual numerical weight of each community and multiply by the percentages above you will come up with an astonishing figure supporting the Coalition and the continuation of its mission. Lets do this simple arithmetic:
Should the Coalition leave now: 29% x 23% + 12% x 55% + 2% x 15% (quite conservative estimates in favor of the proposition) = 13.57% of 93% of the population. This assumes 7% for other minorities, which is an underestimate. Whatever error margin there is, say the overall percentage is about 15% of the population. This means that 85% percent of the population supports the continued mission of the Coalition. Personally I believe the actual percentage is even greater.
Now, I did not make up this poll. And I don’t think many can cast doubt on the integrity of the organization, which has produced it.
So we would request all those who comment and lecture and appoint themselves as spokesmen for our people to take note. Also American and allied people, take note. Despite of all our sacrifices, and life of terror and discomfiture, this is the true sentiment of the people in mathematical form.
Just read Al Zarqawi letter carefully and how I wish you could read the original eloquent magnificent classical Arabic of this diabolical and absolutely authentic document, and you will feel the hatred against the Iraqi people in all their sects and ethnicities not least the Sunnies jumping up at you from the lines of this text of hatred and lunacy. The greatest task is to rescue our brothers, compatriots and fellow countrymen in Ramadi, Fallujah, Tikrit, Mosul, Diala etc. from the murderous influence of such foreigners who do not wish them any good.
This is what he has to say of the majority of Sunnis:
As regards the Sunnis ……
1. The Masses
These masses are the silent majority, absent even though present. “Barbarians and Scum; following every screamer ( actually the noise an owl makes - Alaa). They did not seek enlightenment from the light of science and did not take refuge in a safe corner.( i.e the Wahabi and Salafi creed – Alaa)” These, even if in general they hate the Americans,wish them to vanish and to have their black cloud dissolve ( Indeed ?! : consult the poll figures- Alaa). But, despite that, they look forward to a sunny tomorrow, a prosperous future, a carefree life, comfort, and favor (which is an illegitimate aspiration according to this misfit – Alaa). They look ahead to that day and are thus easy prey for cunning information [media] and political enticement whose hiss rings out…. In any event, they are people of Iraq (a telling admission of hate : after all they are Iraqis too ! - Alaa ).
Fellow Iraqis, this is what they think of you.
American and Allied friends of the Iraqi people, take note and don’t be deceived by the hysterical propaganda of our common enemies.
Salaam
Alaa
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Nadia:
Are your questions supposed to insinuate that I am not Iraqi? Unlike you probably comfortable in the States or Europe, I live in Baghdad, and long for peace and security for myself, my children and all our people. As far as the South is concerned, despite all the trouble, they have never been happier, rest assured.
Are your questions supposed to insinuate that I am not Iraqi? Unlike you probably comfortable in the States or Europe, I live in Baghdad, and long for peace and security for myself, my children and all our people. As far as the South is concerned, despite all the trouble, they have never been happier, rest assured.
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Hi,
Jason- yes I think it was Fawaz. I have said it before, every non-Iraqi Arab commenting about Iraq should be regarded with great suspicion, for many reasons. Even the Arab staff working for some of the western media. As we say " there is much dust under the carpet"
Nadia - What is this interest in Al Amara - "Shlown Dag Al Amara, Heich w Heich"
This is very interesting and rings true to me.
ABC News has released more details from its poll of over 2,500 Iraqis. This time they break the statistics down by ethno-religious groups: Sunni Arab, Shia Arab, or Kurd.
http://abcnews.go.com/images/pdf/949a2SunniShia.pdf
On the question of "Was the US-led invasion right or wrong?",
Sunni: right=24% wrong=63%
Shia: right=51% wrong=35%
Kurds: right=87% wrong=9%
On question of "Are attacks on Coalition forces acceptable?"
Sunni: acceptable=36% unacceptable=57%
Shia: acceptable=12% unacceptable=85%
Kurds: acceptable=2% unacceptable=96%
On "Coalition should leave now"
Sunni: yes=29%, Shia: yes=12%, Kurds: yes=2%
I think George Bush could more easily get elected in Kurdistan than in the USA!
Results & Methodoloy:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/PollVault/PollVault.html
Jeff | Email | Homepage | 03.17.04 - 11:08 pm | # --
Salaam
Jason- yes I think it was Fawaz. I have said it before, every non-Iraqi Arab commenting about Iraq should be regarded with great suspicion, for many reasons. Even the Arab staff working for some of the western media. As we say " there is much dust under the carpet"
Nadia - What is this interest in Al Amara - "Shlown Dag Al Amara, Heich w Heich"
This is very interesting and rings true to me.
ABC News has released more details from its poll of over 2,500 Iraqis. This time they break the statistics down by ethno-religious groups: Sunni Arab, Shia Arab, or Kurd.
http://abcnews.go.com/images/pdf/949a2SunniShia.pdf
On the question of "Was the US-led invasion right or wrong?",
Sunni: right=24% wrong=63%
Shia: right=51% wrong=35%
Kurds: right=87% wrong=9%
On question of "Are attacks on Coalition forces acceptable?"
Sunni: acceptable=36% unacceptable=57%
Shia: acceptable=12% unacceptable=85%
Kurds: acceptable=2% unacceptable=96%
On "Coalition should leave now"
Sunni: yes=29%, Shia: yes=12%, Kurds: yes=2%
I think George Bush could more easily get elected in Kurdistan than in the USA!
Results & Methodoloy:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/PollVault/PollVault.html
Jeff | Email | Homepage | 03.17.04 - 11:08 pm | # --
Salaam
Hi,
I have wanted to say this since long time now. There is need for an imaginative economic policy. The main objective should not be just to restore the infrastructure, but more importantly provide sizable employment to the people. There is need for a kind of economic offensive, and especially in the troubled regions. This I believe will probably be more productive than military and security measures in the final analysis. Economically feasible Labor-intensive projects may be conceived. Again I have to promise to do it later, if something awful doesn’t happen meanwhile “Inshallah”.
Salaam
I have wanted to say this since long time now. There is need for an imaginative economic policy. The main objective should not be just to restore the infrastructure, but more importantly provide sizable employment to the people. There is need for a kind of economic offensive, and especially in the troubled regions. This I believe will probably be more productive than military and security measures in the final analysis. Economically feasible Labor-intensive projects may be conceived. Again I have to promise to do it later, if something awful doesn’t happen meanwhile “Inshallah”.
Salaam
Hi,
It is time to counterattack, the b…. s must be given a firm message. It is World War against terrorism isn’t it? Impose curfews, surround neighborhoods and areas, search every blasted house (courteously please! since this may include my own house, and don’t smash the furniture either!), and check vehicles. The reaction must be firm and punishing. We demand to find the perpetrators, to make their identities known to the public. Stop pretending it is a normal situation and that all the refinements of western democracy and normalcy should be fully observed. It is an emergency and a grave emergency. Neither the Iraqi, nor the American peoples can afford to loose this battle. Firmness works, check the last post by Kevin. Time to act and act quickly. It is a question of taking the initiative, It is not right for the Greatest Power on Earth, supported by the majority of the people of the country to be harassed in this way by gangs of thugs and murderers.
It is time to act.
Salaam to friends only
It is time to counterattack, the b…. s must be given a firm message. It is World War against terrorism isn’t it? Impose curfews, surround neighborhoods and areas, search every blasted house (courteously please! since this may include my own house, and don’t smash the furniture either!), and check vehicles. The reaction must be firm and punishing. We demand to find the perpetrators, to make their identities known to the public. Stop pretending it is a normal situation and that all the refinements of western democracy and normalcy should be fully observed. It is an emergency and a grave emergency. Neither the Iraqi, nor the American peoples can afford to loose this battle. Firmness works, check the last post by Kevin. Time to act and act quickly. It is a question of taking the initiative, It is not right for the Greatest Power on Earth, supported by the majority of the people of the country to be harassed in this way by gangs of thugs and murderers.
It is time to act.
Salaam to friends only
Friends,
The last two posts were written this morning but it seems that they did not go through. Just now another outrage; pure dastardly terrorism.
We are resigned to fate, but as with the prophet (PBU) at the death of his son, "the heart is hurting and the eyes are tearful". We are sad at the losses. So many good people are falling.
The last two posts were written this morning but it seems that they did not go through. Just now another outrage; pure dastardly terrorism.
We are resigned to fate, but as with the prophet (PBU) at the death of his son, "the heart is hurting and the eyes are tearful". We are sad at the losses. So many good people are falling.
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
WARNING
The comming anniversary of the fall of the regime at the hand of Allied armies will see an intensified campaign of terror from the enemy to show that they are here. They have ambitions, very wild ambitions. Expect trouble.
Hi,
IN THE NAME OF GOD THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL
Hi,
Each time that I intend to indulge myself to some relaxation and contemplation, which is good for the soul and the mind; I find that urgent events on the ground do not permit this kind of respite. It was my intention to start a kind of series of notes trying to analyze the phenomenon of terrorism from various angles, and to sound the views of my friends about it, but it seems that the thick of the battle does not allow such leisure, and the project has to be put off for now.
I wrote the above paragraph yesterday, but did not post it. I am trying to find time for some important things that I want to tell you. Meanwhile the ex-Saddam security agents together with their wahabi friends and with foreigners who sneaked into the country from “brotherly” neighboring states perpetrate the most heinous crimes daily against soldiers, welfare workers, women, completely innocent individuals, simply because of their kinship to some G.C. members, etc. etc. One of their latest victims was a fellow blogger Bob Zangas, a wonderful youth so full of good. These gangs are roaming the country with no serious attempt to stop them. They are getting away with their atrocities. The allied Forces and the Iraqi security forces might as well go home and cut the expense and trouble.
No, these losses are not acceptable and I blame those in charge of failure to put an end to this situation. Difficult you say? I say not. The thugs are known, those who shelter them are known, the areas from which they launch their attacks are known, and this is a World War against terrorism. For each innocent soul they have to pay tenfold. The blood of good Iraqis and their friends such as Bob Zangas must cost them dearly.
We shall have more to say about this “Inshallah”.
IN THE NAME OF GOD THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL
Hi,
Each time that I intend to indulge myself to some relaxation and contemplation, which is good for the soul and the mind; I find that urgent events on the ground do not permit this kind of respite. It was my intention to start a kind of series of notes trying to analyze the phenomenon of terrorism from various angles, and to sound the views of my friends about it, but it seems that the thick of the battle does not allow such leisure, and the project has to be put off for now.
I wrote the above paragraph yesterday, but did not post it. I am trying to find time for some important things that I want to tell you. Meanwhile the ex-Saddam security agents together with their wahabi friends and with foreigners who sneaked into the country from “brotherly” neighboring states perpetrate the most heinous crimes daily against soldiers, welfare workers, women, completely innocent individuals, simply because of their kinship to some G.C. members, etc. etc. One of their latest victims was a fellow blogger Bob Zangas, a wonderful youth so full of good. These gangs are roaming the country with no serious attempt to stop them. They are getting away with their atrocities. The allied Forces and the Iraqi security forces might as well go home and cut the expense and trouble.
No, these losses are not acceptable and I blame those in charge of failure to put an end to this situation. Difficult you say? I say not. The thugs are known, those who shelter them are known, the areas from which they launch their attacks are known, and this is a World War against terrorism. For each innocent soul they have to pay tenfold. The blood of good Iraqis and their friends such as Bob Zangas must cost them dearly.
We shall have more to say about this “Inshallah”.
Hi,
The murder of Bob Zangas has made me very sad indeed. A real friend of our people. I feel it as almost a personal loss. I tried to leave my condolence message to his family, but I don't think it worked. He is a martyr of the Iraqi people. He joins the long list with Al Hakim and the others. After all these sacrifices, can we retreat? No we shall not, in honour of our martyrs, we shall not. As for the vile murderers, revenge will come, by God it will come.
The murder of Bob Zangas has made me very sad indeed. A real friend of our people. I feel it as almost a personal loss. I tried to leave my condolence message to his family, but I don't think it worked. He is a martyr of the Iraqi people. He joins the long list with Al Hakim and the others. After all these sacrifices, can we retreat? No we shall not, in honour of our martyrs, we shall not. As for the vile murderers, revenge will come, by God it will come.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Dear Friends
I must admit this kind of debate is more to my liking; especially the comments by “thinker”, not to belittle the remarks by the other friends. I don’t claim to be some kind of guru or know it all but I hope to look at the matter in as detached a way as possible which is like watching a dissection of your own body, as might happen in some kind of a nightmare, since I and my family are right in the middle of the quagmire at this particular time, not to mention the lost decades of misery.
The task is difficult but necessary. Correct remedies cannot be conceived without proper understanding. This might sound obvious and therefore unnecessary to say. But after all I am not a professional writer, merely a poor blogger. But to share some sincere and honest effort at understanding with my cyber friends may not be an unworthy effort. Perhaps I can do it in brief installments, as time permits. But it will be a kind of groping for an understanding, with the help of some earnest dialogue something might emerge. It might be interesting this interaction of ideas from both sides of the fence, as it were.
What is important is to put all one’s cards on the table and that there should be no taboos, because we are not politicians, and we don’t really care what effect our words might produce. We have no hidden agendas apart from our love of Life, Peace and Happiness and consequently abhorrence of the opposite i.e., Death, Violence and Misery. If that is considered subjective and prejudicial, then I should admit it beforehand.
What I would like to request from my friends is to use the Comments section mainly and not E mail; it is proving impossible for me to service my mail.
Salaam
I must admit this kind of debate is more to my liking; especially the comments by “thinker”, not to belittle the remarks by the other friends. I don’t claim to be some kind of guru or know it all but I hope to look at the matter in as detached a way as possible which is like watching a dissection of your own body, as might happen in some kind of a nightmare, since I and my family are right in the middle of the quagmire at this particular time, not to mention the lost decades of misery.
The task is difficult but necessary. Correct remedies cannot be conceived without proper understanding. This might sound obvious and therefore unnecessary to say. But after all I am not a professional writer, merely a poor blogger. But to share some sincere and honest effort at understanding with my cyber friends may not be an unworthy effort. Perhaps I can do it in brief installments, as time permits. But it will be a kind of groping for an understanding, with the help of some earnest dialogue something might emerge. It might be interesting this interaction of ideas from both sides of the fence, as it were.
What is important is to put all one’s cards on the table and that there should be no taboos, because we are not politicians, and we don’t really care what effect our words might produce. We have no hidden agendas apart from our love of Life, Peace and Happiness and consequently abhorrence of the opposite i.e., Death, Violence and Misery. If that is considered subjective and prejudicial, then I should admit it beforehand.
What I would like to request from my friends is to use the Comments section mainly and not E mail; it is proving impossible for me to service my mail.
Salaam
Friday, March 12, 2004
Hi Friends,
I see from the latest comments that many still feel bewildered and can't understand what is it all about. I mean some nice people cannot comprehend the motives and the passion that drive some to the extremes of terrorism. It seems that we have to do much to explain this phenomenon. The unfortunate infestation of the Islamic religion of fanatics of a particular minority sect who despite their relatively small number nevertheless have caused big damage needs to be investigated. The general western public is still quite uninformed and tends to view the matter in simplistic and naive terms.
The subject is complex and requires profound study. I hope I can find time to contribute to a better understanding of the phenomenon. Meanwhile I consider the Zarqawi letter an important document and a rare glimpse into the inner mind of an Al Qaeda terrorist, I suggest that this document be read carefully as a kind of preparatory work to a more careful consideration of the subject.
I see from the latest comments that many still feel bewildered and can't understand what is it all about. I mean some nice people cannot comprehend the motives and the passion that drive some to the extremes of terrorism. It seems that we have to do much to explain this phenomenon. The unfortunate infestation of the Islamic religion of fanatics of a particular minority sect who despite their relatively small number nevertheless have caused big damage needs to be investigated. The general western public is still quite uninformed and tends to view the matter in simplistic and naive terms.
The subject is complex and requires profound study. I hope I can find time to contribute to a better understanding of the phenomenon. Meanwhile I consider the Zarqawi letter an important document and a rare glimpse into the inner mind of an Al Qaeda terrorist, I suggest that this document be read carefully as a kind of preparatory work to a more careful consideration of the subject.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Scott,
Defeating them in Iraq, not just simply in military terms, but also by succeeding in creating the model we all hope for, and cleaning up the place of their infestation, will deal a mortal blow to their whole ideology and raison d’etre, so to speak, and will be the beginning of the end of this obnoxious phenomenon worldwide. This is what I am trying to say.
Defeating them in Iraq, not just simply in military terms, but also by succeeding in creating the model we all hope for, and cleaning up the place of their infestation, will deal a mortal blow to their whole ideology and raison d’etre, so to speak, and will be the beginning of the end of this obnoxious phenomenon worldwide. This is what I am trying to say.
Hi,
Scot from Oregon writes:
Alaa, I ain't nothing but a white guy who can't be mistaken for anything else. I am told to wake up because terror is loose in the world. So now I am supposed to look hard at every Man and woman of middle Eastern 'look', and suspect something evil. You probably have that 'look', yes? The sick reality about all of these bombings is I am being asked to not trust you first... then go from there. Aside from the loss of life, this is the most heinous aspect of these people. And I hate them for it....
Scott from Oregon | Email | 03.11.04 - 5:14 pm.
No Scott, the way to fight terrorism is not to suspect every person of Middle Eastern look. They have flocked to our land, and the main battleground is right here. If they are beaten and annihilated here, this will deal them a mortal blow. Just give us sufficient support and we shall rid the world of them.
Scot from Oregon writes:
Alaa, I ain't nothing but a white guy who can't be mistaken for anything else. I am told to wake up because terror is loose in the world. So now I am supposed to look hard at every Man and woman of middle Eastern 'look', and suspect something evil. You probably have that 'look', yes? The sick reality about all of these bombings is I am being asked to not trust you first... then go from there. Aside from the loss of life, this is the most heinous aspect of these people. And I hate them for it....
Scott from Oregon | Email | 03.11.04 - 5:14 pm.
No Scott, the way to fight terrorism is not to suspect every person of Middle Eastern look. They have flocked to our land, and the main battleground is right here. If they are beaten and annihilated here, this will deal them a mortal blow. Just give us sufficient support and we shall rid the world of them.
WAKE UP PEOPLE OF EUROPE
THIS IS THE TIME TO START THE REAL GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM. WE ARE IN THE FRONT LINE. WAKE UP PEOPLE OF THE WORLD.
Hi Friends,
1- The Salafis have issued frequent threats against the allies of the US in Iraq.
2- It is their hallmark to attack unsuspecting soft targets. And Spain is one of the easiest targets.
3- Massive simultaneous and multiple bombings designed to cause maximum civilian casualties are their usual technique.
4- ETA has never attacked in this way and they usually target individuals such as politicians and policemen.
I say it is they. Remember my words.
Alaa
1- The Salafis have issued frequent threats against the allies of the US in Iraq.
2- It is their hallmark to attack unsuspecting soft targets. And Spain is one of the easiest targets.
3- Massive simultaneous and multiple bombings designed to cause maximum civilian casualties are their usual technique.
4- ETA has never attacked in this way and they usually target individuals such as politicians and policemen.
I say it is they. Remember my words.
Alaa
Hi,
I a Moslem and an Iraqi would be very surprised if the criminal attack in Spain was the work of ETA. I say this is the work of the same animals who are at work in our country. Mark my words friends at this early stage.
To express condolences to the Spanish people is too empty and not enough. We pledge to them that we, the Iraqi people shall be in the forefront and will be the first line fighters to exterminate these monsters.
Alaa
I a Moslem and an Iraqi would be very surprised if the criminal attack in Spain was the work of ETA. I say this is the work of the same animals who are at work in our country. Mark my words friends at this early stage.
To express condolences to the Spanish people is too empty and not enough. We pledge to them that we, the Iraqi people shall be in the forefront and will be the first line fighters to exterminate these monsters.
Alaa
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Hi,
Some time ago one friend commented something about my being anti-Bush!! And It has been in the back of mind ever since to say something about this. Me, anti-Bush!!!
Regardless of any election campaign, this man has already established himself in our hearts and minds, and forever. And it is one of my cherished dreams that one day his statue will stand in the middle of Baghdad and that all the people realize finally and unequivocally the friendship that this president of America had for them and the great favor that he has done them.
We sure wish that he be re-elected to complete the great work that he started. The job does not need any new experimenting and trial and error. But of course this is not for us to decide and we have to wait for the decision of the American people.
Nevertheless, and for my self I wish to send my heartfelt best wishes to my favorite American, El Bush, the Liberator, the Avenger.
Salaam
Some time ago one friend commented something about my being anti-Bush!! And It has been in the back of mind ever since to say something about this. Me, anti-Bush!!!
Regardless of any election campaign, this man has already established himself in our hearts and minds, and forever. And it is one of my cherished dreams that one day his statue will stand in the middle of Baghdad and that all the people realize finally and unequivocally the friendship that this president of America had for them and the great favor that he has done them.
We sure wish that he be re-elected to complete the great work that he started. The job does not need any new experimenting and trial and error. But of course this is not for us to decide and we have to wait for the decision of the American people.
Nevertheless, and for my self I wish to send my heartfelt best wishes to my favorite American, El Bush, the Liberator, the Avenger.
Salaam
Saturday, March 06, 2004
Hi Friends,
A frieds comments:
Alaa,
I read on Fox News website today that Iraqi mourners are blaming the US for the deaths in the suicide bombings the other day. Just wondered what your take on this is.
Leathan Lund | Email | Homepage | 03.03.04 - 6:53 pm | #
I have been studying the Zarqawi letter very carefully and I think this is a most interesting and important document. Cynically speaking, it may be one of the most accurate and faithful appraisals of the situation in Iraq, notwithstanding the blind hatred and vituperation. Of course the chorus of monkeys have been jumping up and down and squeaking and screaming ever since its publication- It is a CIA forgery, American propaganda etc. etc.!! What I say is this: If the Americans are so clever as to produce this masterpiece of counterfeit, it might have been more worthwhile for them to do something about the missing WMD’s and the like. I mean if the CIA has such fine understanding of the mind of these people and such historical and theological depth a lot of this trouble might have been avoided. Forgive me for saying this folks; the “Americans” are just too dumb to produce something like this.
As for blaming the U.S. for the deaths and terrorism, well what do you expect Leathan? You should learn not to pay attention to this sort of thing. In addition to the terrorists themselves, there is the Monkey chorus and the anti U.S. motley crowd of all kinds and shape and description, Iraqis and non-Iraqis. Well, you may accuse the U.S. of ineptitude and carelessness, but nobody really believes the other ridiculous accusations. In any case all slanders have obvious ideological agendas and everybody knows that. They try to exploit anything and particularly to get it through the Media. Unfortunately they are being assisted even by the Western media, sometimes for some hidden agendas that have nothing to do with Iraq and the Iraqi people. But remember: if the U.S. has enemies, it also has friends here in Iraq, and these are by no means the minority.
Anyway we should examine very carefully the Zarqawi letter, for it gives a very important insight that could be most useful in understanding the whole situation. This I hope to do in a post soon.
Salaam
A frieds comments:
Alaa,
I read on Fox News website today that Iraqi mourners are blaming the US for the deaths in the suicide bombings the other day. Just wondered what your take on this is.
Leathan Lund | Email | Homepage | 03.03.04 - 6:53 pm | #
I have been studying the Zarqawi letter very carefully and I think this is a most interesting and important document. Cynically speaking, it may be one of the most accurate and faithful appraisals of the situation in Iraq, notwithstanding the blind hatred and vituperation. Of course the chorus of monkeys have been jumping up and down and squeaking and screaming ever since its publication- It is a CIA forgery, American propaganda etc. etc.!! What I say is this: If the Americans are so clever as to produce this masterpiece of counterfeit, it might have been more worthwhile for them to do something about the missing WMD’s and the like. I mean if the CIA has such fine understanding of the mind of these people and such historical and theological depth a lot of this trouble might have been avoided. Forgive me for saying this folks; the “Americans” are just too dumb to produce something like this.
As for blaming the U.S. for the deaths and terrorism, well what do you expect Leathan? You should learn not to pay attention to this sort of thing. In addition to the terrorists themselves, there is the Monkey chorus and the anti U.S. motley crowd of all kinds and shape and description, Iraqis and non-Iraqis. Well, you may accuse the U.S. of ineptitude and carelessness, but nobody really believes the other ridiculous accusations. In any case all slanders have obvious ideological agendas and everybody knows that. They try to exploit anything and particularly to get it through the Media. Unfortunately they are being assisted even by the Western media, sometimes for some hidden agendas that have nothing to do with Iraq and the Iraqi people. But remember: if the U.S. has enemies, it also has friends here in Iraq, and these are by no means the minority.
Anyway we should examine very carefully the Zarqawi letter, for it gives a very important insight that could be most useful in understanding the whole situation. This I hope to do in a post soon.
Salaam
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Hi Friends,
It is not my habit to pay attention to “trolls” but this is interesting:
“Read Alaa's rant carefully. Do you want a violent savage like that living next door?
Anonymous | 03.02.04 - 10:03 am | #”
This is more sinister than mere “trolling”. It is our turn to say: read this kind of ranting more carefully. Read between the lines. Why is it that he gets so incensed precisely when we are calling for more drastic measures against the terrorists? Of course the enemy is extremely interested in driving a wedge between the American public and the people in Iraq. Of course the images of discontent against the Coalition forces are extremely useful for this purpose. The fact that there are tens of thousands of Iraqi security forces “collaborating” and suffering and dying but never deserting or wavering is not mentioned at all. The many other positive things are never touched upon. But what is really interesting is this venom and hatred exactly when our anger against the terrorists is expressed in more emphatic ways? Is it that the enemy is honoring us with his presence disguised with false anti-Islamic and sort of white supremacist mask? Well, he is cunning and lives in our midst.
I wonder.
Salaam
Alaa
It is not my habit to pay attention to “trolls” but this is interesting:
“Read Alaa's rant carefully. Do you want a violent savage like that living next door?
Anonymous | 03.02.04 - 10:03 am | #”
This is more sinister than mere “trolling”. It is our turn to say: read this kind of ranting more carefully. Read between the lines. Why is it that he gets so incensed precisely when we are calling for more drastic measures against the terrorists? Of course the enemy is extremely interested in driving a wedge between the American public and the people in Iraq. Of course the images of discontent against the Coalition forces are extremely useful for this purpose. The fact that there are tens of thousands of Iraqi security forces “collaborating” and suffering and dying but never deserting or wavering is not mentioned at all. The many other positive things are never touched upon. But what is really interesting is this venom and hatred exactly when our anger against the terrorists is expressed in more emphatic ways? Is it that the enemy is honoring us with his presence disguised with false anti-Islamic and sort of white supremacist mask? Well, he is cunning and lives in our midst.
I wonder.
Salaam
Alaa
MASS MURDERS
Greetings friends,
Before, the Saddamist racist sectarian criminals used their security, police, army and all the other instruments of their camel-shit fascism to intimidate the poor people and suppress these Shiaa religious rites. Whether you like these rituals or not, and I am pesonally not very enthusiastic about them, it is the right of the people to practice them if they are peaceful.
Today the same elements, loose and free to perpetrate their atrocities have committed a most outrageous crime. The very same mass murderers who perpetrated the mass graves and all the other things so well known, have struck to demonstrate to the people that they are still around to intimidate and murder them and that they have not really become free to practice their religious customs. Is it not time to put an end to these insects and wipe them off of the face of this earth; If not for the sake of the Iraqi people, at least for the sake of the honour of the U.S. forces and allies, against whom they are spreading rumours and slanderous accusations? Those very Americans who made it possible to practice these rites for the first time in decades. Is it not time for the sacred revenge against the enemies of mankind, those very same who perpetrated 9/11 ? Is it not time ?
Alaa
Before, the Saddamist racist sectarian criminals used their security, police, army and all the other instruments of their camel-shit fascism to intimidate the poor people and suppress these Shiaa religious rites. Whether you like these rituals or not, and I am pesonally not very enthusiastic about them, it is the right of the people to practice them if they are peaceful.
Today the same elements, loose and free to perpetrate their atrocities have committed a most outrageous crime. The very same mass murderers who perpetrated the mass graves and all the other things so well known, have struck to demonstrate to the people that they are still around to intimidate and murder them and that they have not really become free to practice their religious customs. Is it not time to put an end to these insects and wipe them off of the face of this earth; If not for the sake of the Iraqi people, at least for the sake of the honour of the U.S. forces and allies, against whom they are spreading rumours and slanderous accusations? Those very Americans who made it possible to practice these rites for the first time in decades. Is it not time for the sacred revenge against the enemies of mankind, those very same who perpetrated 9/11 ? Is it not time ?
Alaa
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Alaa
Hi Friends,
My latest post should not be misunderstood. But I am trying to sound the alarm bell. If you want to know, we can tell you exactly who are the terrorists and how they operate, and where they are based. The Baath party should not be underestimated. They were stunned by the American “Blitz” and collapsed as a government, but now they are reorganized and operating as a terrorist organization, after getting emboldened by the lax security situation and the lukewarm response to their outrages. This kind of role is more congenial to the nature of this party than running the state and responsible government. The party was basically evicted and expelled from most of the southern area and of course they have no presence in the Kurdish region. So they are concentrated in the “triangle” and certain neighborhoods of the capital. As for the foreigners, they had before the war several thousands of these and they were going to be used as the suicide weapon. The ex- information minister Al-Sahaf frequently boasted this. Well, if only one thousand of these remain they are sufficient for a couple of years at the present rate of suicide operations. These people are hosted and financed by the Party and by the Elders of sectarianism. An alliance has now been formed between the Sectarians and the Party and outside moral and financial aid is available to both.
The Sectarian system in Iraq has always relied on one main method to control the population, and that is the intimidation and murder weapon. In Saddam times this was pushed to infernal extremes, and we hardly need to explain this as many details have come to light to the whole world. And now they resort to the same old practice. They are issuing all kinds of threats and following words with action. The targets: All those cooperating with the CPA; all those working for Western companies with exceptions (their own people), and of course all their natural enemies from the Majority of Iraqis. The intimidation campaign against those who work for western concerns has been quite effective and is extremely harmful to the effort of reconstruction.
The balance of forces is quite worrying. If the Coalition forces were not there, I would say that the forces of the New Iraq would be in trouble, especially in the Center. The important point though, is to think of the necessary course of action, especially in the next few months before the hand over of authority.
Personally, I think there is no alternative but to serious beefing up and strengthening of the Civil Defense Corps in particular, which should be done on an urgent basis. Then this force should go on the offensive, particularly in the areas where subversives are known to be concentrated. The objective should be to turn the balance of intimidation the other way. This may have a chance of success while the Coalition forces are still there for support and backup. At the same time, political moves should be considered to isolate the die hard subversives within the Baath party whose use of intimidation is not confined to their enemies only but extends to others previously affiliated to the Party but who may not be now very enthusiastic about the old regime if given the chance and not harassed by the new order. Thus, for instance, a general amnesty may be considered provided that those willing to benefit come forward within a time limit.
In any case, all these thoughts and suggestions should not be taken advantage of by those who just have their own agenda and vendetta against the U.S. and allies and just want to pick on the negative things for their endless polemics. No, what we say is motivated by zeal and concern that the mission should succeed, because our life, future and the good of the whole of humanity depend on that.
Salaam
Alaa
Hi Friends,
My latest post should not be misunderstood. But I am trying to sound the alarm bell. If you want to know, we can tell you exactly who are the terrorists and how they operate, and where they are based. The Baath party should not be underestimated. They were stunned by the American “Blitz” and collapsed as a government, but now they are reorganized and operating as a terrorist organization, after getting emboldened by the lax security situation and the lukewarm response to their outrages. This kind of role is more congenial to the nature of this party than running the state and responsible government. The party was basically evicted and expelled from most of the southern area and of course they have no presence in the Kurdish region. So they are concentrated in the “triangle” and certain neighborhoods of the capital. As for the foreigners, they had before the war several thousands of these and they were going to be used as the suicide weapon. The ex- information minister Al-Sahaf frequently boasted this. Well, if only one thousand of these remain they are sufficient for a couple of years at the present rate of suicide operations. These people are hosted and financed by the Party and by the Elders of sectarianism. An alliance has now been formed between the Sectarians and the Party and outside moral and financial aid is available to both.
The Sectarian system in Iraq has always relied on one main method to control the population, and that is the intimidation and murder weapon. In Saddam times this was pushed to infernal extremes, and we hardly need to explain this as many details have come to light to the whole world. And now they resort to the same old practice. They are issuing all kinds of threats and following words with action. The targets: All those cooperating with the CPA; all those working for Western companies with exceptions (their own people), and of course all their natural enemies from the Majority of Iraqis. The intimidation campaign against those who work for western concerns has been quite effective and is extremely harmful to the effort of reconstruction.
The balance of forces is quite worrying. If the Coalition forces were not there, I would say that the forces of the New Iraq would be in trouble, especially in the Center. The important point though, is to think of the necessary course of action, especially in the next few months before the hand over of authority.
Personally, I think there is no alternative but to serious beefing up and strengthening of the Civil Defense Corps in particular, which should be done on an urgent basis. Then this force should go on the offensive, particularly in the areas where subversives are known to be concentrated. The objective should be to turn the balance of intimidation the other way. This may have a chance of success while the Coalition forces are still there for support and backup. At the same time, political moves should be considered to isolate the die hard subversives within the Baath party whose use of intimidation is not confined to their enemies only but extends to others previously affiliated to the Party but who may not be now very enthusiastic about the old regime if given the chance and not harassed by the new order. Thus, for instance, a general amnesty may be considered provided that those willing to benefit come forward within a time limit.
In any case, all these thoughts and suggestions should not be taken advantage of by those who just have their own agenda and vendetta against the U.S. and allies and just want to pick on the negative things for their endless polemics. No, what we say is motivated by zeal and concern that the mission should succeed, because our life, future and the good of the whole of humanity depend on that.
Salaam
Alaa
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)