How may we bring appropriate attention to Iraqis that are being kidnapped?

Any ideas. I would like to brainstorm about this important topic that few people have addressed in detail. I believe we must raise awareness about the fact that Iraqis are being kidnapped at a higher rate than foreigners. It almost falls under the paradigm of Iraqi lives being worth less than American lives. How many lives is one American worth versus one Iraqi? Most people in the west think Iraqi lives are worth less, let's face it. While some say it's useless to point out and raise awareness about the fact that Iraqis are people, too, with families, hopes, and dreams. I grow tired of this constant dehumanization of Iraqis in the American, British, and other western press. Is it just visible racism that will take a long time to eradicate? Or is it that sense that 'the other' is "uncivilized" therefore doesn't deserve to be held by the mortality standards of a Eurocentric Press?

Do you remember "We don't do body counts" ?

Let's put some of our minds together regarding this issue. That's one of the reasons we're all here, isn't it?

If not, then why are we here? To be a place where one can bump into a bunch of "others" online...a sort of living, breathing museum of "others"?

If we're not engaging with one another in a more meaningful and efficient way (and please nobody take offense--esp. Emigre, because this is my favorite website really), then why are we here together?

Ok...maybe I've stepped on some toes, but I think I got my point across. APOLOGIES in advance if I have offended anybody. Again that is not my intention. I just wanna stir things up a bit.

Love over Fear,
Liminal

Review review's

Just in case anyone's site metres have been playing up lately, you might want to go check what Dean is up too... Dave on Dean's site does weekly features, Iraq weblogs, ubertraffico. Are you in this weeks edition?

Thanking you Dean, from the bottom of my blog. (Ihath, purely coincidental comparison. Probably just spooky premoniscent powers manifesting again. Good excuse to sneak in link).

Meanwhile, Mark Glasser is hosting an interesting exchange between Iraqi civilian bloggers and US soldiers.

Yes.

The Simonas are free.
YES.
Thank you Allah...

I am happy beyond words.

Good news from Iraq

The two simona's have been released. The two Iraqis captured with them were released as well. Finally, some good news. I was so happy when I heard this. Lets hope for a release of all hostages.

New Blog!

Iraq Today. Another new blog from Mosul by Ibrahim Khalil. He posts stories from his position in Iraq today. A few paragraphs caught my eye. Now before some stray haggler gets all geared up to bust themselves silly abusing me in the comments, let me just say that Ibrahim seems like a fairly optimistic (polite) and even trusting kind of guy. He is optimistic about a new government in Iraq, very glad to see the end of Saddam (frequently referred to as "the tyrant") and happy to see Ayad Allawi (Ibrahim even calls Allawi "prime minister") meet up with George Bush junior. Now, here are the paragraphs that caught my eye;

I thought that the immigration would stop after the last war, especially after all the Iraqis thought the situation would improve, and more than that, maybe some of those who left the country would return. But that has not happened. The immigration and leaving the country stopped in the first months after the liberation from the tyrant mostly because there was no way to travel and passports were not issued and so on.

Ibrahim goes on to say that he sees people still leaving, or currently considering leaving, Iraq.

The other two paragraphs that caught my eye were these;

Other changes occurred, such as the type of freedom for women. It is a large difference between Christian women and Moslem women. Before the war women had a little bit more freedom to wear what they wanted, but now they dress carefully for fear of offending the Muslim community and facing harassment.

As well as being fearful of how they dress, women, both Christians and Moslems, do not go out in certain public places because they are afraid of getting in trouble? Moreover, in some of Iraqi places like in some parts of Baghdad and Faluja and other places which the Americans are not there, the fundamentalist Moslems obligate all the women hairdressers and the beauty salons to stop their work and close their shops. They obligate women to dress in accordance to Moslem law.

It would be unwise to ignore observations such as these. I know it's unsettling for some, but history has a habit of providing indicators and all too often those signals are overlooked in preference for that which is more palatable. If i were night driving and headlights shone on a "left turn here" sign, i probably would.

New Today: 1
Total: 79

I told you!

when they announced that they killed the Simonas, i just felt that they are alive, and that it was a false announcment.
now Jordanian (why Jordanian? dont ask me) govermental resourcessaid that they are sure the Italian hostages are fine.
I am so worried about the two Iraqi hostages too.
me*

One eventful weekend

check it out:)
me*

Blog Counting

My Life. Another one from Mosul, by Othman Qasim.

Cheers to hnk !

New Today: 1
Total: 78

Blog Count Update

Psssst. AnaRki13 has graced this page with a few comments. Keep an eye open for him (and visit his site).

Update Simona

Links from an anonymous commenter re Simona and Simona.

China Daily and the Hindustan Times have also picked it up. More here.

I'm really sorry, to those who know these women. These most recent reports don't seem to have been verified yet. Apparently the announcement was published on a site not normally used by militant groups for posting hostage threat/seizure/execution statements. There is no mention of Ra'ad Ali Abdul Azziz and Mahnoaz Bassam, the two Iraqi aid workers who were kidnapped with Simona Pari and Torretta from the Un Ponte Per office. These four do not seem to have been held hostage for (perhaps realizable) financial gain but rather, it appears, in an attempt to pressure Italian prime minister Berlusconi to withdraw troops. Which Berlusconi is unlikely to do, if Enzo Baldini's fate is any indication. I am hesitant in publishing this. I am wary of giving credence to kidnappings. There are enough kidnappings as is, let alone providing more free promotional material. Yet, this story has some questionable peculiarites about it.

As always, some bloggers have doubts.

Forward this to EVERYONE

Another we-feel-like-killing festival a pilot reports unarmed civilians walkin gthe streets of falluja and requestas permission to "take them out" and gets it in a blink, after killing them he says: awwww dude!
enjoy libration.
forward this to everybody you know, start with the war supporters, and the forums you usually visit.
The world needs to know how things are in Iraq.
khalid*

Pain and Sadness

The last few days were really horrible... the number of car bombs in the street is more than the number of the regular cars :*( so many explosions everywhere...So many kills everyday, a very small percentage of them ( the killed people) are American or from the occupation forces, and the rest are Iraqi people. Quran states that whoever kills an innocent soul is like he killed every soul on earth, i cant imagine that anyone can consider himself a Muslim would do that. so many theories about the party behind all that, you just open the discussion and hear every funny theory in the world.
today a taxi driver told me that he *knows* who is putting car bombs in front of the army employing offices, he said: they are Iran and Syria
and i was like "huh?" and i said: "why the heck would they do that?!"
he said "its all an American plan! The Americans are planning to make an Iraqi army that is strong enough to invade Iran, that's the plan they will invade Iran using the Iraqi army! And Iran and Syria want to make sure that doesn't happen!"
i pretended that i didn't hear that, and i didn't say a word:)
the other day i was sleeping, and then a really strong explosion happened, although i found out later that the car bomb was few kilometers away from my place, but yet it was strong enough o slap the doors inside the house, so of course i woke up, i panicked for a small part of a second before my brain realized it was only an explosion and got back to sleep, the thing that happened for the rest of the second that i panicked in, is that i was telling myself: what's up big guy, are you getting soft? Now an explosion wakes you up in panic?
well, it was only a small part of a second, but yet, it wasn't normal!
many people ask me, why don't you leave, you have a place in jordan, go live there, day after day, Baghdad is becoming intolerable, this evening i drove by some metal junk on the airport street, which are what's left of a car that exploded yesterday, and the cars that were around it, it just doesnt look real to me, all this, i deal with it like its a movie, i don't think that it could be me in any of these cars, i just continued my way, and thought that some trees beside the street were beautiful. (did i mention that i was in my way to the dentist? Isn't it just horrible this drill he uses to torture people who don't brush their teeth long enough?)
i had to do some paper work, in Karrada, it takes few hours to go there and come back, although its a few kilometers trip only, the traffic is just unbelievable, you would never expect to see that number of cars in one place in your life, over 1 000 000 cars entered Iraq since the invasion, and the number of streets is decreasing day by day, the occupation closes more streets to insure their safety.
is this ever gonna end?
the airport street used to be a small part of the heavens, so beautiful, trees and flowers, green grass and palm trees, now its ugly sand, with tanks hiding between what's left of the trees, after the occupation cut and burned every tree to make sure no one hides there.
the street itself used to be one of the finest and smoothest, i remember driving over 200km/hr when i wanted to test our car, the one that was hijacked, now its more like Swiss cheese, filled with holes coming form so many explosions happens on daily bases, increasing sometimes and disappearing other times.
Baghdad, the city of peace and love, the city of science and literature, doesn't exist anymore. Baghdad, where everybody is proud, where everybody can smile, is no longer there!
an ugly occupation, millions of unemployed people, economic crises, looong lines o get fuel for your car, suffocating traffic jam, killing, looting, hijacking and explosions, that is what Baghdad is all about today.
when one walks in the street, you look behind your shoulder, you are afraid to be kidnapped, or killed by thieves, or by the occupation army, by mistake, as usual, or get a bullet from no where, but still when i walk i remember the words of our National anthem:

My homeland...My homeland..
your youngesters shall not get tired, of wanting independency, and dying in their way to have it.
we would rather drink from the glass of death, but we wont be slaves for the enemies...
we shall not accept, an everlasting humiliation and a miserable life...
we shall not accept that..And we will restore your great glory...
My homeland....my homeland...

and i let my tears flow down....
me*(

WwoOowoOowoOHHHaaaaaaaaa:))))

Woooohhaaaaaaaa!!
I did it!! I did it!
i finally did it!
I passed!! i am in my senior year now!
Wooohooooo! Yaaaahheeeee!! Woooheeeeeee! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
I am more than 3/4 Engineer now :D
Hey world! Eng Khalid is coming soon!
:)))
I am happy! I am happy! all thank to GOD:)))

me*

Update on Un Ponte Per Baghdad Kidnapping

From Free Our Friends:

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Speculation about kidnappers


Deputy Iraqi Foreign Minister Hamid al-Bayati, said during a visit to Italy: "From the information at our disposal, they were kidnapped by criminal organisations that could have sold them to members of al-Zarqawi's group," (Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is a Jordanian member of al Qaeda). Bayati also said he had received information that they have been transferred to Falluja.

Meanwhile Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill speculated that foreign intelligence services might be involved, aiming to discredit the Iraqi resistance and scare away foreign peace activists. They base their argument on comments by Sheikh al-Kubaisi, on the peculiar style of the kidnapping and by asking who might benefit from this situation.

However there does not seem to be any hard facts about the identity of the kidnappers, which makes it difficult to know what to do to work for our friends freedom. All we can do is continue to pray and gather support from the whole world, hoping that whoever the kidnappers are they may be swayed by this and show mercy to four people who are loved so dearly and have given so much of themselves to help Iraq.

Also, here's the story in full.

Personally, I don't think things add up still with regard to this specific kidnapping. I think hard facts are witnesses. And there are several witnesses to what happened at the Un Ponte office. Most importantly, I, too, hope mercy is shown to the four that so many people are so fond of both inside and outside of Iraq & all other people that are in danger because of being kidnapped.

Update: I just vented on the comment section and corrected/clarified my view here. I should have disclaimed the fact that I am appalled at all kidnappings inside Iraq before frothing at the mouth because I am so appalled by this specific one. See comment for details of my opinion on the matter. It's all very sad, really.

lim

I dont feel like blogging!

I dont feel like blogging these days, i dont know why.
i am kind of depressed i think, the whole situation is so sad.
i read some news, i chat with alot of people, the thing i didnt use to do, i am reading alot, but i dont feel like blogging! i am discovering great blogs and sites though.
recommend one? i dont feel like it too! not now:)
anywas, incase you didnt know, river bend is blogging again, and so is majid, the youngest Jarrar.
i hope that you are doing better:)

---------------------------

A very interesting live dialogue feature, a specialized section about Iraq news and issues, and also all what you need to know about Islam and Islamic culture, all in one place.

---------------------------

Thank you for your time, have a good day:) me*

Pattern

Disappearing webloggers/close friends of webloggers. Still no news re Simona Pari, Simona Torretta, Ra'ad Ali Abdul Azziz and Mahnoaz Bassam, the four aid workers who were kidnapped 11 days ago from the Un Ponte Per office in Baghdad. Regular updates here.

Following the abduction and execution of Italian journalist Enzo Baldini three weeks ago, the kidnapping of aid workers has uncomfortable implications. Let us look at the consistencies; Enzo Baldini weblogged from Iraq. At least two of the aid workers are connected closely with people who weblog from Iraq. All have been openly outspoken against the war and ensuing occupation in Iraq. All are/were located in Iraq. One of the kidnapped aid workers has a first name surprisingly similar to that of a well known and controversial weblogger who also has been openly outspoken, online, in weblogs, about current events in Iraq. Hostage takers in both kidnapping cases have threatened to kill their hostages if Italy does not withdraw military support, within 36 hours in the case of the aid workers. Berlusconi is unlikely to withdraw support, much less likely within 36 hours.

If only some webloggers paid as much attention to that which disappears as they do to that which is forged.

No, it is not funny.

Blog Counting

Shhh, listen, whats that sound? Ahh, it is the sound of Iraq at her keyboard...

Oh, and one for the soldier's blogroll from Dave, who says 26/08/04 "I was informed today that I will not be returning to Iraq, and will in all likelihood be discharged from the Army".

New Today: 1
Total: 77

Consensus Report: Celsius 11/9

It is always amazing to me, how two people can watch the same movie or read the same book and leave with completely different impressions. If there was ever a controversial movie it would have to be Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore. I have found two reviews of the movie on the Iraqi blogosphere that view it in completely different ways. There is the recent post by Riverbend and an earlier post on Iraq The Model. Riverbend liked the movie, Iraq The Model dissects it to pieces.

I myself, was not going to see the movie because I was expecting it to be one long rant about how Bush is a moron. In the end I was forced to go because my dad didn’t want to go by himself, so I had to go with him. I have to admit that the movie was better than I thought. It contained hard facts and entertaining bits from Moore. I found the portrayal of Iraq as this happy happy place before the war, with happy kids flying kites, from outer space. Clearly Mr. Moore hasn’t read Amnesty International human rights reports about Iraq. The other bit that I thought was exaggerated was the fixation on Bush minutes after the incident happened. Yeah! He was in shock, all of us were, I don’t see why that is such a big deal. The bit I remember the most is the live filming of a raid on an Iraqi house. I couldn’t believe how aggressive that Iraqi translator chick was. She was yelling left right and center. The American soldiers barely got a word in.

All in all, I think the movie was worth seeing despite some the overdone bits.

I do wish that Michael Moore would visit Iraq and have one of his mass movie screenings in Baghdad. Now that would be radical.

Teabreak

Because some things are best said with discretion.

Part Two of Interview with Simona Torretta

Heads-up. 'Democracy Now!' carries part two of the interview held with Simona Torretta in February.

If you read Italian, please visit Enzo Baldoni's blog in memorium.

Remember to pay a visit to Free Our Friends, the blog created to bring attention and information to the world about the kidnapping situation of the two Simonas, Mahnoaz, and Ra'ad. This is especially cogent because the supposed 'deadline' passed. And this is an especially important situation because these are people who worked for the longest serving Non-Governmental Organization that had nothing but the best intentions of Iraq in mind, so they should not be harmed by any means. You are not Iraqi if you harm such honorable people.

As far as the Italian connection goes: I'd like to just point out how far apart a fascist like Berlusconi is from the caliber and class of individuals who gave a part of the prime of their lives for Iraq and Iraqis. They are selfless, Berlusconi is a narcissist. Simona Torretta and Simona Pari are both exceptional people who clearly love Iraq, and they are against the occupation that the Italian president is for...while Berlusconi amounts to nothing more than a slimey meglomaniacal thug.

------------------------
think-tanks or think-blanks?
------------------------
CSIS released the Report Progress or Peril?" If you don't want to read 108 pages, here is a summary.

I think it is particularly interesting to compare the CSIS reports. This one is a fairly sober estimate, while earlier ones sometimes smacked of idealism and addressed things in such a complex and multi-layered manner befitting a more useless think-tank. I've read about half of it and it's worth gleaning over. Go to CSIS's website to see the other reports or to page 17-18 on the latest report where you'll find an array of links.

Another paper to check out it Chatham House's Iraq in Transition: Vortex or Catalyst?

Are these useful or not?

I have mixed feelings about such reports, especially when they are obviously not grounded in reality. I found it all-pervasive that finally in the latest report they realized that they had not figured in the "Iraqi voice" into matters as carefully as they should have. Well, good job...but a little too late. I would like to say 'better late than never', but in this situation it's very hard to do so. Seeing as how so many people (291 Iraqis according to one estimate ..see juan cole's latest post for that link) have lost their lives in just the first two weeks of September, things are not going well these days to say the very least.

So, there is no reason to lose four gems who worked for Un Ponte Per Baghdad. They represent what is good about humanity and that cannot be sacrificed for anything when Iraq is in such dire need of such people.

American Friends: We Are Afraid To Email You!!

I would have posted here too, but the width of IBC makes it defficlut cause i need long lines.
so, lets check today's story:

"Thanks again for blogging! You've brought up so many points that I think about over and over. Most of my friends think I'm nutty, but I still tell them about your family and how miserable we've made your lives by occupying Iraq. I told my daughter about it, and she was surprised. She really didn't know how awful and wrong the US occupation of Iraq is. I guess I'd better visit her in person very soon and tell her why Bush is so awful for everyone - not just Iraqis! I was a bit afraid to tell her on the cell phone - Big Brother might just hide me away somewhere. But I can't fear that anymore. Some things are too important. I might get locked away as a crazy person for telling everyone to read Iraqi blogs and vote against Bush and his policies, but at least I know in my heart I'm not crazy - Bush is!".

after posting with few mintes only, i received the first responce from an american friend:
You are so right Khalid! I am afraid each time I open your blog, or any of your families blog! I am afraid that somewhere in America there is a room full of powerful computors and men in black monitoring private computors. I am afraid that someone will come to my door and take me away. I am afraid to talk to some friends that I have known for 25 years because they think George Bushwa is some kind of hero! I fear that they will turn me in. Sounds really paranoid doesn't it? Well, with the Patriot Act they have taken away some freedom. I hate what the leaders of my country is doing to all of you! And to us. I hate that there are blind sheep in my country that eat up the Pap that the Bushwas are feeding them. I can't understand how they can believe him!!! Why are their eyes not open??? I am sure we are alike you and I. And like you have said and your mother has said, we are all human beings. Underserving of the fear that is in our world. By the way, do you have the word Bushwa in your language? It is slang for Bovine defecation! Forgive me for being vulgar but I think of little Bush that way! Thank you for continuing to blog and bring information to those of us who care for you all. I wish I were powerful and could defeat the tyrants that are plagueing your country, and the world. I was reading Salam Pax blog yesterday and he has a report by G in baghdad about the car bombing yesterday....he was there and took pictures of the horrors. He was overwhelmed with the terror. I want to print that report and put it everywhere! But someone would just tear it down and it would not be there anyway. It makes me angry that we are supposed to have a free press and all they talk about now is the weather and murder trials and those damnable Bush campaign ads. I wish I could stop it. Oh, stop listening to me and to live your life! I like that you say that. I am sorry for my rant. But you are right, we are afraid.

I pray this ends soon for all of you and all of us"

how come that people didnt hae that fear few years ago????
aw!
i guess you know the answer.
me*
"

Held Hostage?

Interesting verification process here. Media doesn't seem to want to be burned by another hoax just yet. I have only one thing to say;

1). When traveling in war zones be sure to register with your local embassy, if it is still standing.

Update; Verification continues. ABC speaks with hostage negotiator on condition of anonymity.

"There are four"...Un Pont Per Baghdad

I remember before the most recent war began, I had an exchange with one of the still kidnapped Simonas. I do not have the emails with me now, nor do I remember even which one it was...but this has been a difficult thing to see unfold for me because I know how dedicated this organization was to Iraq. There is a new blog, Free Our Friends, that people should check out and offer their support by signing the petition among other things.

Also, at the end of the most recent 'Democracy Now!' show they have an excerpt of an interview with one Simona. Before the interview, though, there is somebody from Un Ponte that says to Amy Goodman..."we want people to remember, there are four". And of course she's referring to the two Iraqis that were kidnapped along with them, Ra'ad Ali Abdul Azziz and Mahnoaz Bassam. There are two real streams, mp3, and transcripts of this highly informative show with Seymor Hersh. If you have the time, check it out and visit Free Our Friends, too.

And again, I think it's important we send regards to Gaith for his unbelievable reporting and for surviving that terrible situation.

My thoughts are now with the people touched viciously by the events earlier today.

Do i talk alot?

tell me a secret!
i promise this one is shorter than the last one:))
me*

Blogs New & Censored.

Iraq the Future. Blogged by an Iraqi/American quartet; Nabil, Yasser, Rosemary and Kathleen A.

1000 Words from Iraq. Blogged by Buffbabe220, a military journalist in Mosul Iraq. She reposts this story (by Christopher Cooper from the Wall Street Journal) about a weblogging soldier who has been relieved of duties and "confined to base". He tenaciously continues web logging about his war experience in Iraq by publishing items he finds online about things that are not now happening to him. You can read about what is not now happening to CBFTW here and you can read even more about what other people are saying about what is not now happening to CBFTW here (i know, i know, it's the lazy bloggers link, sorry). CBFTW excerpt;

To give you guys a better idea of what we're going through right now, here is an artcile on CNN's website that I found:

U.S. targeting insurgents in northern Iraq
Dozens dead in fighting at terrorist 'haven'

Lol. What more can one do.

Got an hour?

Baghdad is sinking in darkness since 4 am, its 1 pm now and we didnt have electricity yet.

my suicidal freind, Ghaith, who you know as G, was in Haifa street when the American army had a little we-feel-like-killing-today festival.

Ghaith says:

"More kids ventured into the street, looking with curiosity at the dead and injured. Then someone shouted "Helicopters!" and we ran. I turned and saw two small helicopters, black and evil. Frightened, I ran back to my shelter where I heard two more big explosions. At the end of the street the man in the orange overall was still sweeping the street.The man with the bent knee was unconscious now, his face flat on the curb. Some kids came and said, "He is dead."
I screamed at them. "Don't say that! He is still alive! Don't scare him." I asked him if he was OK, but he didn't reply."

Click on the link above to read the rest of the article.

Many kiling festivals take place everyday, but as long as there isnt reporters filming, its all cool.up to 13 000 civilians killed till now, and still counting, "only" 2 000 out of them were killed during the war time (is it over?) .

More stupid policy, more kiling, leads to more anger, more violance, The administration wants to shift $1.804 billion now earmarked for water, sewage and electricity projects to expand Iraqi police and other security forces, says http://www.iraq-war.ru/tiki-index.php , where you can also find interesting news and facts about iraq and war.

Have you met Kathy Kelly? if not, hell you missed too much fun!

'Time to consider Iraq withdrawal'Financial Times Editorial, 10 September, 2004, which requires registration, so i thought i'd better copy paste it to you here:'Time to consider Iraq withdrawal'Financial Times Editorial, 10 September, 2004This week a macabre milestone was passed in Iraq. More than 1,000 American soldiers have now been killed since the US-led invasion of the country began nearly 18 months ago. The overwhelming majority lost their lives after President George W. Bush declared major combat operations over in his now infamous "Mission Accomplished" photo-opportunity in May last year.In that time, an unknown number of mostly civilian Iraqis, certainly not less than 10,000 and possibly three times that number, have perished, and hundreds more are dying each week. After an invasion and occupation that promised them freedom, Iraqis have seen their security evaporate, their state smashed and their country fragment into a lawless archipelago ruled by militias, bandits and kidnappers.The transitional political process, designed to lead to constituent assembly and general elections next year, has been undermined because the nervous US-dominated occupation authority has insisted on hand-picking various permutations of interim Iraqi governors, mostly exiles or expatriates with no standing among their people. Whatever Iraqis thought about the Americans on their way in - and it was never what these emigr?© politicians told Washington they would be thinking - an overwhelming majority now views US forces as occupiers rather than liberators and wants them out.The aftermath of a war won so quickly has been so utterly bungled, moreover, that the US is down to the last vestiges of its always exiguous allied support, at the time when Iraq needs every bit of help it can get. The occupation has lost control of big swathes of the country. Having decided that all those who lived and worked in Iraq under Saddam Hussein bore some degree of collective guilt, Washington's viceroys purged the country's armed forces, civil service and institutions to a degree that broke the back of the state, marginalised internal political forces, sidelined many with the skills to rebuild Iraq's services and utilities and, of course, fuelled an insurgency US forces have yet to identify accurately, let alone get to grips with.There are signs that US officials are beginning to "get it" - in the phrase Donald Rumsfeld, US defence secretary, patronisingly used this week to characterise Iraqis' grasp of the security situation. But if they are increasingly aware that what they have created in Iraq is a disaster, they seem at a loss to know what to do about it.The core question to be addressed is this: is the continuing presence of US military forces in Iraq part of the solution or part of the problem?As occupying power, the US bears responsibility for Iraq under international law, and is duty-bound to try to leave it in better shape than it found it. But there is no sign of that happening.The time has therefore come to consider whether a structured withdrawal of US and remaining allied troops, in tandem with a workable handover of security to Iraqi forces and a legitimate and inclusive political process, can chart a path out of the current chaos.Faced with a withdrawal timetable, Iraqis who currently feel helpless will know that the opportunity to craft a better future lies in their hands.Take security. Iraqi forces are being rebuilt to take over front-line tasks. This is slow work, but that is not the real problem. It is that those forces already trained cannot stand alongside a US military that daily rains thousands of tonnes of projectiles and high explosives on their compatriots. Each time there is a siege of Fallujah or Najaf, with the US using firepower that kills civilians by the hundred, these Iraqi forces melt away. Until eventual withdrawal, there would have to be a policy of military restraint, imposed above all on those US commanders who have operated without reference to their own superiors, let alone the notionally sovereign Iraqi government.Politically, if next year's elections are to have any chance of reflecting the will of the Iraqi people, the process must be opened up. Last month's national conference or proto-assembly was monopolised by expatriate politicians aligned with the interim government of Iyad Allawi. The only way national coalitions can be woven from Iraq's religious and ethnic patchwork is by including the opposition to the occupation. That means negotiating with the insurgents, probably through religious leaders of the stature of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. It also means an amnesty, which should help Iraqi authorities acquire the legitimacy to crush jihadist and other hold-outs.Ideally, the US would accompany withdrawal by stating it has no intention of establishing bases in Iraq, and instead wishes to facilitate regional security agreements. That would be more stabilising than the current policy of bullying neighbours such as Iran and Syria, whose borders with Iraq the US in any case cannot control.None of this will be less than messy. But whether Mr Bush or John Kerry wins the upcoming election, the US will eventually have to do something like this. Chaos is a great risk, and occupiers through the ages have pointed to that risk as their reason for staying put. But chaos is already here, and the power that is in large part responsible for it must start preparing now to step aside and let the Iraqis try to emerge from it.--Milan RaiJustice Not Vengeancelandline 0845 458 9571 (UK) +44 1424 428 792 (int)mobile phone (0)7980 748 555www.j-n-v.org.

Enough for now, i think,,, have a good day.me*

Changed my blog

Please, everybody tell me what you think. Najma was the first to recommend it, so I dedicate the changes to her.

I just finished reading Gaith's account in the Guardian article, "He's just sleeping, I kept telling myself" and making some references on my latest post. I'm beside myself. What a chilling account of the incident. I don't believe he was there, still. Wow, I have chills running up and down my spine and my hair is standing up.

Let's do a mood check. How's everybody doing?

Circle

I see i hath left a link for us "emigre, have you found this blog yet?" she prompts, and i am looking at the url and thinking, hmmm, now why does that look so familiar, i have seen that name but no i don't think i have seen that blog.... ahh, it dawns, now i remember why i recognise that name ;) this is the weblog of Um Hakima;

Now, I am not Iraqi, I am an American woman living in Indiana who happens to be married to an expat Iraqi...

Um Hakima is waiting for the safe return of her hubby, who has gone of to be heroic and do those heroic things that hero's do when they return to their homelands. In the meantime Um Hakima takes care of other important things, like mommy test's and stuff.

Radio

I listened to this program this morning, it airs again 7pm Tuesday Australian eastern standard time, you can either tune into radio or download and listen to the stream from their website. The broadcast covers in the first half oil pipeline sabotage and in the second the role of security companies. I hear a lot about kidnappings and other emotive issues that grab peoples attention but little about what is happening in Iraq's unpopulated areas, this program touches some of what i can't see from my geographic location. I thought some of you might be interested in hearing it too, it runs for approximately an hour and is food for thought.

Humans, and numbers.

"Brunhilda,Let's make this very, very simple. You want Americans to die. This American wants you to die.If I could, I would put a bullet right between your eyes that would go in clean and blow the back of your head off. I know an enemy when I see one. This is way past argument, Brunhilda. We both know that. It's survival. You get a cheap thrill when American soldiers die. The planes flying into the Twin Towers warms your heart. I would smile as blood bubbles from your mouth in your last seconds. Let's cut the bull, Brunhilda."

this was what jeffery said in one of the comments, few artivles ago.
it shocks me everytime i see such a "thing".
i remember, when i was bothering reading his blog, i read somethign just like what he said, in the comments section, but there was one line that he forgot to mention: you are like bacteria, marines are the antibiotic.

it really amazes me how much hate some people can have.

you, my friend, know alot of statisttics and fancy surveys, alot of resources and links, alot of openions and studies, but you sure dont know, what is it to be a human.
me*

New Blog

Then Some from AnaRki13, a 22 year old in Jordan soon returning to Iraq. Visit AnaRki13 and increase your vocabulary. Must ishtahh now nachir hawasim webloggers, before some shroogi m'aydi commenter slips a pffft with a qaffa9 nagari.

New Today: 1
Total: 76
Finders Credit: Blake (who's profile is switched off).

NOWWWWWWWWW

please go there nowwwwww
me*

NOWWWW

please everyone go here NOW

I was just looking around and!!!

I was surfing the net coz I was bored and gealous from some people.. Then I tripped with two Iraqi blogs.

• The Pin Cushion: written by a 16-year-old femle from Baghdad, Iraq. She said about herself:

  internet. Trying to make the best out of my life, sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't. Either ways, I try!
  

  
  And it looks like, unlike me, she hates school:
  

  I DON WANNA GO TO SCHOOL
  I DON NEED NO EDUCATION
  I DON WANNA BE LIKE YOU
  I DON WANNA SAVE THE NATION
  I JUST WANNA LIVE MY LIFE
  EVERYDAY A CELEBRATION
  ONE DAY IMMA LEAVE THIS WORLD
  IM WAITING FOR THE REVELATION
  
  

  And she hasn't posted since the 27th of August.. So, I don't know if she still is going to blog.
  
  
• Welcome To My World !!!
This one is written by a male, Huthaifa Auf.. I really liked what he writes. He has a great sense of humor as it's so obvious in his posts..

New today; 2
Total; 75

Collaborators

Was looking for new weblogs, didn't find any and got distracted by the TTLB ecosystem (vanity makes me do it. IBC current status in the TTLB Blogosphere Ecosystem ~ slithering reptile). Anyway, TTLB have just launched Campaign Truth 2004.

The intent of Campaign Truth is to provide a portal where bloggers and other interested folk can gather links to information which sheds light on where the candidates stand on issues in the (US) 2004 Presidential Campaign.

Hmm you wonder, where is this going and what has it to do with Iraq? Well, upon careful scrutiny it appears there are two whole pages dedicated to Iraq. One page for Kerry-Edwards and one for Bush-Cheney (there are also two whole pages dedicated to Iran as per previous). It seemed ever so slightly relevant, seeing as some of you reading will probably be voting in this election. Campaign Truth 2004 is a collaborative project, if you're interested just pop along and read the campaign FAQ. My favourite FAQ ~

Q: Can I post my screed about why Candidate X is a lying evil menace who eats small children for breakfast?

A: We'd really rather you didn't. The emphasis here is on facts, and on well-argued, rational opinion pieces. If, on the other hand, you have actual evidence of Candidate X's fondness for toddlers with his morning coffee, then that is fair game.

Pathetic, I know.

its about 3 am here, and everyone except me, is having his/her sixth or seventh dream by now.
and i spent over 4 hours on the net, reading stuffs and chatting.
then i decided to go check whats on TV?
ok, the regule tour, news, some light thigns, then the movie channel, where i saw this old movie, Boys and Girls, and i watched it, for the fourht of fifth time maybe.
its about this calm cute guy, in uni, single and not looking, and one of his friends, this very good looking girl, who doesnt mind sleeping with anyone she meets in any party right after they leave, anyways, i forgot their names by now ( damn it i just finihsed watching, terrible memory!), but i iwll refer to them by "he" and "she", so he and she were good friends, they hang out together, she tells im about her dates and stuff, and he knew al about her, how she is afraid of commetments, how she runs away when is gets serious, but he and she were just friends, and everything was going ok, till, one night she was sad and crying, and as usual he was there for her, then out of the blue there was this moment and he...kissed her, and she kissed him back, and they spent the night in her place.
when he woke up next morning, she was dressing up... "where are you going?" "i gotta go i am have classes" " but you never go to classes" "ahh, umm, thats why i must go now, stay as much as you want, you know where everything is " and she left.
he realised what happened, and se startd to feel guilt cause she knows that he doesnt take these things lightly, and that he will expect their relation to change, while she only wanted to have fun, no commetments, but she didnt want to hurt him, so next day the meet, they walk together for a while and she says " maybe we must talk " "hooff yes please we must talk" "we eed to talk about what happened last night" " yes i agree totaly" "it was a huge mistake" he was shocked, but didnt want to humilate himself so he said " yes exactly, a huge mistake" "we dont want thigns to change between us" "no no we dont want that" and as you expect, he remembered that he got to study, and left her there, and in the comin gweeks he kept avoiding meeting her, then she graduates, and getting ready to leave to Italy for Summer vacation, she looks for him and finds him " Rayan Walker where the hell have you been? (yay i remembered his name) "
" studying" "do you want to go do something?" "no i am busy, i gotta go study again" "but..but..i am leaving to Italy in few days, arent you gonna make me a good bye party?" "ahh, i gotta go" a paaauuseeee, he starts walking away, she says " whats wrong? whats going on?"
"wana talk? tell me why was it a mistake? why is it a mistake? me and you? ha? wana knwo whats going on? that night was the best thing that happened to me, i was happy without having to plan for it so much, everything seemed to be so right, like its a huge perfect plan that i got nothing to do with it, and nothing will ever hurt me as much as your reaction to that same experience" "i am sorry, if i could take it all away i would, if i knew it would ruin our friendship i would have never done it" "well, me too....me too" and he walks away.....
in real life, story ends here, he stays with a broken heart, she go find dark handsome guys in italy.
in holywood, its another thing:
in her way to the airport she remembers his words "why is it a mistake you and me? ..." and gets off the airport car, runs fast to catch him before he leaves to his house in LA, she buys a ticket in the same plane he is on, and runs in the plane looking for him and shouts " Rayan i love you, i love you, you were right, i was afraid of letting you in my heart, i want to spend my life with you, i want to lablabalabla".
Bulshit! it never happens in real life!! hahaha, if it does, it wouldnt make sence to make a movie about it, and people wouldnt buy a ticket to go watch that movie, and movie cannel wouldnt go buy it and put it on, so pathetic single people who cant find anything to do watch it at 3 am.
those peopel play with our feelings and brains to get some money! they must be sued!
ok this was a PS, pointless story, but as i told you, ia m alone, and its 3 am, and usually people call a friend to talk, but i have the chance to talk to few thousands, so i used it and i used you good people to take the mixture of strange feelings out of my heart.
thank you.
and sorry:)
me*

1000!

Hey...
the number 1000 had come in front of my eyes twice today, so i decidedd to write somethign about it...
first time, most of you already know it, is that today the total sum of american soldures killed iniraq become 1000 person, it measn we have 1000 grieving mother, one thousand crying wife, or maybe one thousand orphan, and thousands of sad friends.
all of the soldures, and their beloved ones, are victums of the decission of one sick person.
the other 1000, is the unread emails in mom's email account.
hmmm, i would love to chat with you, if you are interested, add me to your msn messenger as khalidjarrar@hotmail.com or to yahoo messenger as khalidjarrar
thank you..
me*

Removed By Author

;)
me*

More horrible details:(

this is the link for the terrible terrible accedent, my italian friens and an iraqi engineer who is also my friend were kidnapped.
its disgusting how things are done in the name of religions, Bosh goes to war in the name of Christ, criminals kidnap innocent people in the name of Islam, then all out of the sudden, they want 5 million Dollars, last time i checked they wanted to stop the hijab law?
BULSHIT.
UPP, Un Ponte Per, the NGO they work for, believes in peace, and refuses to keep a single weapon in their Organization.
me*(

Terrible, Horrible news :*(((

I just knew that two of my closest Italina friends, and an Iraqi engineer who i know very well too, were kidnapped :*(((
they all work for a humanitarian NGO.
me*

Wal Poll

I promise i won't make a habit of this, but some propositions do sometimes turn up in a mailbox that one simply must blog a reply to. From Wal;

Dear Friend

I was surfing the internet and found your website related to Iraq. I invite you to add for free a poll about Iraq. For more info, please go to: (Wal's link to poll code was here). To view the poll on a website, kindly visit: http://www.iraqjungle.com/ (warning ~ link content may disturb). The poll is automatically updated regularly. You wont need to change the code. If you post the poll on your website, please let me know and I will link back to you on the poll results page.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Wal

Dear Wal

Thanks for your mail. You have an interesting site but i'm feeling a bit queasy and couldn't bring myself to add a poll that asks one to vote for entertainment on the odds of someone else's imminent death. It's just all too Madame Defarge for me at the moment.

Hope you understand.

e

Update: Iraq Jungle.com is a sponsor, rather then Wal's site (see Wal comment for more info).

Speaking of rumors...

I heard that Alyawir and the minister have been involved in an affair for years, and they had a baby, yes you guessed, its Allawi, and now since Allawi grew up and became famous Alyawir had to marry the minister , who was working in a small market back then, to avoid a scandal. Ok i made up the whole story, just kidding:)))
anyways.... i hope the French journalists will be released soon, news about them are good this far. i don't know who to blame for these actions, should we blame the extremists who make these things, or the "other side" whoever that is?
Am i for kidnapping innocent people? No! Am i for kidnapping at the first place? Sure not! But wait, when some crazy guys kidnapped some drivers and workers, they actually made their countries pull out their forces from Iraq, is that a good thing?
War is an extremists' action, kidnapping seems like a reasonable reaction, for some.
Its all a dirty job, i know, and i grieve the Italian journalist, who was also working for the red cross, and i hope that the French journalists go home safe...
The French issue is puzzling me... Why does the French government want a problem with the Muslims in France? We all know it wont work nicely with this new law, that prohibits religious symbols in schools.
In away, this law effects Muslims speciously, since hijab, is not a symbol, its a must, a girl cant go out without wearing it, while wearing a crucifix is not a must, and the same goes for the Jewish small hat that i don't know its name. Franca always took a good stand towards Arab and Muslims, this law is something i cant understand.
Since Brazil is IN these days, i agree with what Carolina says about this... i hope all this mess ends soon...
me*

Alaskan Seeking Penpal

Sorry, no new blogs to count today but do have an Alaskan seeking penpal;

Dear Iraqi Blog Count

I heard about Iraqi blogs on the radio the other day and was given the address "iraqblogcount.blogspot.com" as a link to your site. I am an American woman living in Alaska and I wanted to know if I would be allowed to interact on your blogs so that I can come to know Iraq and the Iraqi people. I know this must sound stupid but it's the truth. I have been trying very hard to find Iraqi pen-pals (and/or email pals) ever since the war started but without any success. Can you help me? I'll tell you about me so I'm not so mysterious:

I am 29 years old, living in Fairbanks Alaska where I am studying Geology, Italian, and Arabic at the University of Alaska. I have lived in Bahrain where I worked as a helicopter mechanic while serving in the U.S. Navy. I am White and Crow Indian (a plains-indian tribe found in Montana) and Catholic. I have tons of hobbies and interests: horses, exploring the world, weaving, singing opera, playing Celtic fiddle, writing (a favorite!), art, and exploring cultures through music, art, and exchanging letters/emails.

I hope that you won't be offended by this email or by my desire to come to know the Iraqi people on a personal level. I believe that this kind of communication is what is going to erode ignorance and prejudice around the world.

I am not anti-Muslim OR Anti-American. I refrain from bashing and name-calling. I also refrain from immodest dress, immodest music, drinking, smoking, and all the other things both Muslims and Catholics both avoid. So you won't have to worry about me being crude on a blog or in a mail.

Thanks for your time! I hope that you have a good day.
-Michelle Therese White Horse Woman

Dear Michelle

Thank you for your graceful introduction. If only more people who chose to comment on web blogs had such instinctively good sense of etiquette. I am only responsible for Iraq blog Count and myself and cannot speak for any other blogger but as far as i'm concerned you are welcome to comment on Iraq Blog Count.

I hope you don't mind me posting your email here, but as you say you are looking for penpals i thought that maybe Iraq Blog Count could start a penpal service? Of course, i can hold no responsibility for the replies you may or may not receive and suggest you treat any replies as you would from any advertisement placed in any regular newspaper personals column.

Good luck and peace to you (you may need both).

If anyone would like to contact Michelle confidentially just send a short descriptive email with "Penpal" in the subject heading to; iraqblogcount@hotmail.com and Iraq Blog Count will forward it to her.

Al-Yawar marries Nesrin Barwari ??????????

Sorry Najma for pushing down your post, & congratulations on becoming an auntie :) I just heard that Ghazi Al-Yawar (Iraqi President) has married the Public & Work Minister, Nesrin Barwari ...

Is this true ? If yes why the hell they didn't invite me for the party ?!!!!!! I love dancing in weddings !

Changing my display name

Isn't that great... I became an aunt two days ago, and I liked people calling me Aunt Najma or auntie Najma. So here I am, calling myself aunt Najma...

Just look down there.. See! Posted by Aunt Najma.

Here's a poem by Elya Abu Madhi, I took it from here, and I thought you might like it..

I came not knowing from where, but I came.
And I saw a pathway in front of me, so I walked.
And I will remain walking, whether I want this or not.
How did I come? How did I see my pathway?
I do not know!
Am I new or am I old in this existence?
Am I free and unrestrained, or do I walk in chains?
Do I lead myself in my life, or am I being led?
I wish I know, but…
I do not know!
And my path, oh what is my path? Is it long or is it short?
Am I ascending in it, or am I going down and sinking?
Am I the one who is walking on the road,
or is it the road that is moving?
Or are we both standing, but it is the time that is running?
I do not know!
Before I became a full human, do you see
if I were nothing, impossible? Or do you see that I was something?
Is there an answer to this puzzle, or will it remain eternal?
I do not know ... and why do I not know??
I do not know!

It's much better in Arabic. Do you want it...? I won't write it for you now. I wasn't going to post it but I thought my post will be silly without it... I know, it's still silly.
I'll push publish post... Bye

Consensus Report: Teeth

Has anybody noticed the high percentage of dentists in the Iraqi blogosphere. Ays from Iraq at a glance is a dentist, so is Zeyad from HealingIraq. Two of the brothers posting on Iraq The model are dentists as well. What's up with that?

Is there maybe something about being a dentist that makes somebody want to blog as well. You know how dentists always talk with you when you can't answer back because your mouth is open and you are in pain? Perhaps all dentists like a captive audience.

Or maybe it is an Iraqi conspiracy to get people in the west to brush their teeth three times a day. There might be subliminal messages in hidden in their posts.

Which begs the question:
How many dentists does it take to change a light bulb in Iraq?
Non, why bother the electricity is hardly on.

Florida

GOD is punishing Florida for exporting Bush, the poor people are facing another tornedo.
i hope no on egets hurt.
check this funny link:D
http://www.georgewbush.org/news/secondchance.asp
thanks:))
me*