Take and Give Away?

This is funny! It is like the opposite to the "give and take" situation! Maybe because it happened on the same day and within minutes that I read two pieces of news on Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates!

The first news headline is about Abu Dhabi hospitals charging patients up to Dhs 1,000 ($272) for swine flu tests, which are free in Dubai, by the way, according to The National website. Patients, wary of the side effects of Tamiflu, have been demanding the tests in order to avoid taking the anti-viral drug unless they are specifically infected. However, the tests are often unnecessary, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it recommends that otherwise healthy patients who have flu-like symptoms but no other complications need not be treated with antivirals or tested for the virus.

The second piece of news is concerning a $150 million gift from the government of Abu Dhabi to the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, with the aim of developing tools and processes to reduce the pain children experience before, during and after surgery. According to the New York Times, the gift to the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington will be used for pain research. “Our hope is that this gift will be transformative and lead to new medical technology and breakthroughs that improve health care for children around the world,” said Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States.

The full article from the New York Times is here, interesting read telling the story of how this gift was given and a background on this institute.

Arabian / Persian Gulf

I didn’t pay attention until last month when I found out about a group on Facebook that support Google’s Earth decision to put Arabian Gulf instead of Persian Gulf on the water bed separating Iran and Gulf states.

The name has always been contentious between the Arabs and Iranians – this is matter of strengthening identity upon land and sea – more to that, it is about pride and nationalism through history.

Yet, such a dispute on naming was of no importance to the west (or any where else in the world): for centuries, western civilization has its reference to this issue based on their ancient philosopher’s writings, where historic documents, maps (even treaties) used Persian Gulf as the official name. In addition, many important Muslim geographers in early Islam used in their documents two terms: Bahr Faris (Arabic for Persian Sea) or Khalij Faris (Persian Gulf). This has been referred to by many of history and geography books, which indicated that the name in fact came from Arabic/Muslim books. One main reason was that ancient written sources used that name due to the importance and the power that the Persian Empire on many lands used to have on each side of the Gulf, including Iraq and some of what now consists of the Gulf states. With the decline of power of that mighty empire and then its fall to the hands of the Muslim army, there were some focus on the name and by many historians who saw the need to change the name of the gulf to carry instead the name of that of the victorious party i.e. The Arabs.

I won’t go into details about attempts by many powers and countries to change the name to other than the two disputed ones, but I give examples of such attemptes: “Britain Sea” when British forces attempted to take control of the region in late 18 century; the attempt of Iran itself to change the name to “Islamic Gulf” after Khomeini's Islamic revolution – some sort of divertion to the common knowledge, and that a new power is born on the remains of ancient Persia; and there are who simply called it “the Gulf”, as heard by people on street, without attaching it to certain nationality or language or an ethnic group.

Time has went by, the rise of Arab nationalism in mid 1960’s calls by Arab countries to change the name to Arabian Gulf, or Arab Gulf, became louder than ever. With the oil booming in the region and businesses became the core engine behind interests from east and west - that gave some countries to feel the power and control of the region with such economic weapon, the dispute over the name reached a higher level, each side write the desired name in their dealings with other countries.

That did not force the non-Arabic speaking countries or written books to change the name.

The dramatic change in modern history Iran, and since the 1979 Khomeini revolution, the country was considered the ultimate enemy of the western civilization

Forget about Bush’s axis of evil, we know the story and what was planned

Iran became the biggest threat to the interests of the west in the region, especially the Unites States (because Germany and France, for example, did good business after the change of the regime in Iran).

To some extent, Iran’s influence diminished – or was only propaganda? This was achieved when a mad man called Saddam Hussain launched a bloody and very costly war that lasted for 8 long years. The west was backing Saddam with everything, militarily and propaganda wise.

Yet, the name of that bed of water did not change on the maps and books of history in Europe and else where.

Back to Facebook group: One of the members on that group neglected what is written in most of modern history books all around the world, and said "who cares what history books else where would say. Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine, this is a known fact, however, this has never been mentioned or written in history books published else where!"

Valid argument, isn't it?

Many agree that the decision by Google Earth by putting "Arabian Gulf" instead of "Persian Gulf" is politically motivated i.e. something to do with the ongoing tension between the United States and Iran - one way of “punishing” Iran.

I, for one, used to hear the word “Persian Gulf” in ALL movies I have seen in my life. The first time I heard the word "Arabian Gulf" in a Hollywood movie was in “Transformers” (2007), when a military official disclosed information about an attack (by un-identified object) on “military base in Qatar” located on “the Arabian Gulf”.

Sarah Palin: Bad Disney Movie

This is the view of Actor Matt Damon on the U.S. V.P. candidate Sarh Palin. Why there are so many people dislike that woman? Why Europe want Obama to be the next U.S. president - well, those Dutch female politicians might be an exception, but there is a feeling of fear from a reality where McCain and Palin winning elections!

I wonder if awareness among Americans (including celebrities such as Damon) is now bigger than before that the country wants someone who could really make changes and not amend to the mistakes of the past.

No Security Pact!

This is big news! Iraq's Prime Minister comes out with the statement that the long-term security pact between Iraq and the United States has reach a dead end! This news came out days after optimistic voices were heard of a consensus between the two governments and a long time debate about how such an agreement will affect Iraq's sovereignty.

I find the statement by Maliki a bit strong: "...we found that the U.S. demands hugely infringe on the sovereignty of Iraq, and this we can never accept".

Has this decision by the Iraqi Prime Minister anything to do with his latest visit to Iran? maybe and maybe not! Or is it really the conditions put by the US, namely, regarding immunity for its soldiers on Iraqi soil has raised some eyebrows!

As a conclusion, are we going to see more violence in Iraq (as if Iraqis now are not hearing anymore these deafening blasts or the rattling of machine guns day and night! Are we going to see more instability in the northern regions??? Of course not to forget that the same optimistic voices came out from Washington abut the agreement or pact, the same will shout booing Maliki and his government for corruption and lack of strength to deal with violence. It happened before, why not now going through the same circle one more time?

No News On Iraq!!

It is the same curious man I see him at work from time to time. a couple of weeks ago we had lunch together – among other colleagues. We talked about everything, as usual, joked about different things, and before the end of the lunch I could see the question written in his eyes. He managed to steel some silence in between the different subjects and jokes and dropped the question: “how are things in Iraq? It has been some time since the last time I saw some news about Iraq? and with semi-confidence he added "I heard it is getting better and better... I think the new troops surge last year helped improving the situation after all!”

That question reminds me of a story a cousin of mine told me long ago. He used to study in the United Kingdom from late 1970’s to late 1980’s when he went back to Iraq – something he regret to this day, as far as I know because instead of having the government taking advantage of his expertise and higher education in the field of technology, he has been dumped for years to come as a soldier in the Iraqi army. After a period of depression like sitting alone in a dark room, eating very little and smoke more than a coal train can make, his father managed to get him serve military services in the capital Baghdad till the end of the second gulf war where he was released afterwards, arranged his traveling papers and left Iraq for good to this day.

In mid 1980’s that cousin of mine decided to spend his New Year’s vacation with his faily and among his relatives in Iraq. During that time Iraq was engaged deeply in the war against Iran and more and more lives were eaten up by this slaughtering machine called warfare. On one of these days, I was at his house, and he told me how someone sent a letter to the BBC wondering why is that no more coverage for the war between Iraq and Iran as it used to be in the early years?

Back to today and seeing the same question being popped up, also from a person who lives in the west, I decided to follow the news here on Iraq more carefully, not that I don't follow the news in Iraq, but I decided to check out different channels and focus mainly on Dutch news. The man was right, the coverage of the news in Iraq compare it to the real events on the street is far from being the same!

It did not bother me when that colleague asked me about the lack of news about Iraq on TV. What bothered me most is my colleague's comment about the improvement of the situation when he said "... I guess the new troops surge last year helped improving the situation after all..." That was like a slap on my head, because from the news we get from people we know in Iraq and what we read on the internet the situation did not improve, not even a little, because there is still self-suicide attacks, still people are being killed, still men and women are fleeing the country in thousands... so I don't see the improvement whatsoever that make the western public believe in such, and that the U.S. government did find the solution to the problem when they added more troops. Not to forget the new propaganda in these days about the "Armageddon of Iraq" that has began a couple of days ago, where the last battle will be taken place in Mosul (north of Iraq) to get rid of the Al Qaeda forever! However, I believe more pumping into the war propaganda is needed, especially that "Iron Man" or "Indiana Jones" latest blockbusters do carry more interesting action scenes indeed.

Yet, I am not a clairvoyant, so I can't say when will be the big end scene (Like in any other movie where we see an end to the story) but I am sure there will be another big action scene close to the presidential elections in the United States... we will see suddenly Bin Laden broadcasting another of his threatening messages, we will see the danger alert level in the United States rises to Red because of a possible terrorist attack, we will see rising in the number of suicide attacks and more policemen get killed...etc All part of the same tragic reality show: just a dynamic movement of events ups and downs with whatever situation that maybe. However, one thing remains static for certain: More Iraqis are either displaced or killed!

media strike image courtesy of Sfinal

Fox News Hates Bloggers???

Many media companies found bloggers as a good and reliable source of news. I read a couple of months ago on the internet that high precentage of Italian public believe more the news read out blogs than these on news bulletins and official news broadcasters. In addition, British and Australian media like the BBC have endorsed bloggers, even there are some bloggers who started their journalism career with support of such media giants. There are also many American newspapers who enjoy this kind of cooperation between them and bloggers. However, what's the problem with FOX news channel? Why do they hate bloggerss by calling them "vicious", for example?

Captain Iraq

Below is the latest work by, Lattuf, a cartoonist from Brazil. His work is inspired by Captain America comics character who fought the Nazis during world war II.

Is it really that hard for humanity to persecute those who committed crimes against humanity that we are desperate for a super hero to act on our behalf?

Bush Visit To Dubai

I didn't think that such a fiasco has been created during the last visit of the American president to Dubai. Adventures in Dubai blog summoned everything up here

An Opinion

Artist's Comments:
this is clearly a street sign and a stop sign but when you look at them at a sertin angle you read them like this!!!War: A useless invention and tool of man...well I think you no MY opinion... it is a statement but also a work of my clever mind... any who there you have it!!!!

Courtesy of ~random-shadow

Retirement & Consciousness

Another retired military/intelligence expert decided to come out and admit using harsh treatment to prisoners. How come the notorious Donald Rumsfeld didn’t follow suit like Lieutenant General Ricardo S. Sanchez? It seems that those guys looked in the mirror more often after retirement and decided collectively to take the next step for them to clear consciousness, and to disclose either their disgust with their superior’s policy or admitting doing wrong (soft word for crime against humanity).

P.S. picture is courtesy of Eddi The Yetti

Easy To Take Baghdad Back!

I read today a very article on the New Yorker I read today. In it, not a lot of new to what we know has been unveiled, but the most interesting part from that article is related to the interview with Sheikh Zaidan al-Awad, a tribal leader from Anbar. The Sheikh answered the questions about the purpose Iraqi tribes had a change of heart towards the Americans. He replied that "“We’ve already taken our revenge,” he said. “We’re the ones who’ve made them crawl on their stomachs, and now we’re the ones to pick them up.” He added, “Once Anbar is settled, we must take control of Baghdad, and we will.” There would have to be a lot more fighting before the capital was taken back from the Shiites, he said. “The Anbaris will take charge of the purge. What the whole world failed to do in Anbar, we have done overnight. Baghdad will be a lot easier.”

Is this a talk from strength point of view, or is it just some kind of mockery? Taking into the consideration Al Mahdi Army emergence after the end of the security plan very soon, and the rise of an equal Sunni force in the west, extending towards Baghdad, is that Sheikh trying to say that a real Civil War is destined to be taking place in Baghdad? What does he mean by saying that the capital will be taken back from the Shiites? or is it just translation fault?

Is this the fate of the Iraqi people? everytime they start to immitate normal life after bloodshed, another warning comes out from the east or from the west to remind them that they shouldn't forget that Iraq is not for the Iraqis?!!

Don't Blame The Government!

Eariler today I read two articles about Iraq; both share a common theme: "who should the US administration blame for the ongoing failures in Iraq?" The first article from ABC news, which explains how public and private exchange of accusations among former and current US officials (including the White House) has reached a new peak, by directing blame regrading the deteriorating situation in Iraq on one person in particular; Paul Bremer, head of Constitutional Provisional Authority. The other article is also an interesting one from AlterNet, which goes further with the US government "blame theme". The writer of that article is assuming that any pull out of Iraq will means total failure, therefore, putting the US administration under pressure for that purpose by the American people and others around the world will not help the cause, and the American people must take full blame for that!

I find blaming the American people for being ungrateful or impatient with their government's attitude towards actions and decisions on Iraq repulsive! Repudiate one's responsibility and mistakes towards certain decisions is far worse than sitting and doing nothing in time of crisis.

Sarcasm

Someone asked me the other day about the situation in Iraq now. I answered him with what I am hearing and reading recently from people and on the Internet: "the situation in Baghdad, in particular, is becoming much safer than ever. People started to go to shops... drive their cars around normally, more or less like in any other city in the world. However, not entirely safe, but much better". His was surprised, and asked "so the American surge plan in Iraq has finally succeeded?" I replied "No, I think the Iranian penetration plan in Iraq has succeeded"!

So What?

Few days ago, CBS broke out the news of disclosing the true identity of the man code named "Curve Ball". He is considered responsible for providing evidence to build the case for the invasion of Iraq.

The CNN video below focus on Colin Powel, then Secretary of State then, and how he was skeptical about the whole report, which he himself presented during the security council session about Iraq prior to the war



Two questions: first, if this news is true, who should pay the price for what happened to Iraq till now? Second question, so what? will this bring back innocents got killed to their loved ones?

Sarkozy In 60 Minutes

This is an excerpt of an interview run by CBS's news program 60 minutes two weeks before the divorce of French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, from his wife Cecilia, after he has been asked about the divorce



Below is from FOX, just some sort of "analysis" on "Sarko" (as American media like to call him) attitude during the 60 minutes interview



It is the interesting the note among the many comments on the second video:
"I love how Fox News always defines pro-Bush as "pro-American," whereas the French who don't like Bush and his repeated lies about Iraq are "anti-American". You right-wingers need to get over yourselves. You ain't America. " I tend to agree with that!

However, from both videos above one can conclude that the new French president is one focus of attention - a big one - by American media.

Football Match

I am not a big fan of football (soccer for those who mix it up with American football), but this match is unique! Supporters are not that much; there are some but a lot left the stadium looking for more interesting things to do! The remaining supporters can be sighted easily, because they shattered sitting here and there among the empty seats. Some of them are focused on the game beneath; others show emotions from sadness to despise, because of the foul play and the very obvious cheating among players. One can easily observe that no single honesty in that match. The first team consists of players from different countries: there is the Iranian player who wants to score at any cost, taking advantage of having his Iraqi co-player on different positions on the fields to pass the ball to him so he can get deeper in and score; the Iraqi player, though, has no chance of either to keep the ball or to score – they must pass the ball only to the other players; There is also the American player! like a bulldozer, run heavily and aggressively, always want to keep the ball to himself, never want to pass the ball to anyone, not even to his British (who play left and right wing) or European players! There are other players in that team but with a less tempo, such as the Turkish player, but when time comes (according to their evaluation it seems) they display fantastic energy and effort! This team does not show some harmony among its players, there is some feud, such as the player with a beard who seems to have a problem with his American co-player! They are both playing in the same team, but they don’t like each other… It happens, you know. There are other players from different backgrounds and countries playing in this team, but I thought it's worth it mentioning the toughest among them.

It is a tough game, the team is fully prepared, they had training, best equipments and facilities to ensure they are fit and have victory.

But wait, what about the other team? Yes, they are doing great, they are trying their best compare it to the humble training and facilities. They can be easily recognized, because each one of them is wearing a three striped colors T-Shirt: red on top, white, and black! When they stood next to each other before the start of the game, they formed the Iraqi flag. The interesting thing is that each Iraqi player is originally from different cities and villages' allover Iraq. They also come from entirely different ethnic, social and religious backgrounds! Despite that, they illustrated most amazing harmony during their play.

The more the Iraqi team defends his goal, the more the other team becomes more aggressive, and as I mentioned earlier, many foul plays took place but the referee seems to be in a different reality. He just whistles and warns players not to do this or that, but no red cards, not even a yellow card.

The match goes on and on and honestly there were some Iraqi scores that made the public sitting at the benches jump and dance with happiness, but they were very little! Some of the Iraqi team supporters were carrying crosses, others carrying their holy books and praying, many others just watch with tears mudding their eyes, shouting endlessly with tired voices words of encouragement, all hoping that the Iraqi team will come out victorious.

Where Did Everybody Go?

Two days ago I watched a program on TV about the issue related to the immunity of the security gang band, Blackwater, in Iraq. The guest was the head of Iraqi Lawyers Union who is happen to be in Damascus, Syria at that. The interview began with a question on Paul Bremer, head of the Coalition Provisional Authority then, who granted immunity from persecution in Iraq or the United States for security companies (among other foreign companies) working in Iraq at that time. The question that triggered the discussion and emphasis was the fact that such a decision practically should not be valid anymore after the dissolution of the Coalition Provisional Authority and the end of Bremer's term in Iraq! Therefore these companies must be persecuted for any crime they committed! The dilemma in that interview is not about what juridicially acceptable and what is not, when I looked at the top right of the screen, it says "LIVE" and below it its written "Damascus"! I was wondering if the head of Iraqi lawyers union was in Damascus for work (that might give him some sort of a better position to discuss such issues on a formal or official manner), or he is among the thousands of Iraqis who took Syria as a safe haven due to the fact that law and order is something with no significance.

This will bring me to the second bit of news I read two days ago; it is about prime minister Malaki who suddenly slammed the Iraqi constitution against the wall by appointing two new ministers in his cabinet without the consensus of the majority of the parliament. Two questions: First, what in God’s name the prime minister of Iraq is doing? Second question: Where is the rest of the members of the parliament go? That prompt me to ask a third question: why is it that many decisions require discussion and voting have been always adjourned, either due to withdrawal of some members or there is no enough votes due to absence of others? Where did everybody go?

This is the first time I hear members of parliament and other political leaders (not exiled opposition leaders I mean) run the country from outside the country…. With a remote control, I guess!!

Loyalty And Friendship!!

This time it is about a new book on former British Prime Minister Tony Blair! According to the book, Blair claimed that he had turned down a last-minute offer from US President George W Bush to stay out of the Iraq war, as the former felt it would look "pathetic."

The rest of the article below:

Bush forwarded the offer in the wake of apprehensions expressed by the US embassy in London just before the crucial Commons vote on the war that the Blair government could be brought down on the issue, The Independent quoted the book, as saying.

The book-- 'Blair Unbound' by Anthony Seldon, Peter Snowdon and Daniel Collings, to be published by Simon and Schuster next Monday-- says that Bush was so worried that he picked up the telephone and personally offered Blair a surprise opt-out.

Nine days before the Commons backed the military action, Bush astonished his then National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice by suggesting that Britain need not join the invasion and could play a less controversial role during the aftermath.

The book further claims that the US embassy in London was sending Washington worrying accounts of Blair's position.

"We were talking to backbenchers. What we heard was a fairly strident message that there was only so far that we could go, and the UN was extremely important. We heard some very ominous analyses of what could happen," one official was quoted, as saying.

Rice told the book's authors: "I remember standing in the Oval Office, and the President said, 'We can't have the British Government fall because of this decision over war.' I said: 'So what are you saying?' He said, 'I have to tell Tony that he doesn't have to do this.'"

Her first thought was to call Sir David Manning, her opposite number in Downing Street, to prepare the ground, but Bush judged there was no time. "I'm going to call him right now," he said.

"What I want to say to you is that my last choice is to have your government go down," Bush was quoted as telling Blair, adding, "We don't want that to happen under any circumstances. I really mean that."

If it would help, he would let Blair "drop out of the coalition" and the US would find some other way for Britain to participate. Rice described the conversation as "very emotional" for the President.

Blair replied: "I said I'm with you. I mean it." One confidant explained: "Having taken it so far, backing out seemed to him a rather pathetic thing to do.

"The book goes on to claim that Colin Powell, who was Secretary of State, plotted with Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, to persuade Blair to restrain Bush. But Blair did not stand up to him when the crunch came."

In the end, Blair would always support the President. I found this very surprising... Jack (Straw) and I would get him all pumped up about an issue. And, he'd be ready to say 'look here, George.' But as soon as he saw the President he would lose his steam," Powell told the authors.

In 2002, according to the book, Blair decided to write to Bush to express his concern that the momentum towards war was growing too fast. But he "faltered and pulled his punches" and in effect told the President: "You know, George, whatever you decide to do, I'll be with you."

Is that an attempt to put all the blame on Blair, and clear up the case of his fellow politicians from both Labour and Conservative parties? On the other hand, I wish that people who oppose the war and those who want to stop the extinction of the Iraqi people day after day can be that close, loyal and bonded to each other, and with such a determination, the way this book depicted Bush and Blair??

Joke Of The Day

The Man in the photo smiling is Lieutenant General Carter F. Ham. He is the chief of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US army, of course. He said today during an interview with a French News agency that Iraq would take the defense of its national sovereignty "quite seriously" in the event of a Turkish incursion. Actually he said “It is important to note that Iraq is a sovereign nation, and they would take their sovereignty and the defense of their territory quite seriously."

The rest of the article is here

Can you feel how he emphasize when he say "it is important to note..."?? I wasn’t aware that an occupied country can also be considered a sovereign state!! Is this man stoned or something? Or did foreign forces left the country yesterday night while I was sleeping?

Four Years Ago

Congratulations!
It’s been four years
since bombs fell from the sky!
Signs… to be liberated
from the demon that plagued the nation.
Children will have a shinny future.
Happy life to come, for the population



When the invasion of the United Satetes on Iraq began four years ago, I called my cousin in Baghdad. He described to me the magnitude of the bombardment, and how he and his family were terrified of the events to come. He told me the sound of the explosion is so loud that almost tear up his ears… “It has a different sound if we compare it with the bombings during the 1991 war… The impact is shaking… the bang it makes when it reaches the ground is deafening”. Well, that was the awe and shock the media kept on telling from the mouths of the US administration, but it was the Iraqi people who got it, not their brutal regime.




Betrayal is the reason, some say!
Others did not care
They’ve been trapped in the fire bay
Leaving behind their uniforms
Thrown into the water
Left lying there on the floor
Melted down within the crowd of frightened society
It is the best and only way to do

Not all of the people I was sitting with were happy with the pictures shown on 9 April 2003 of Iraqis gathering around the huge statue of Saddam in Al Firdous square with US tanks surrounding them and troops assisting them to bring that statue down. Actually, we all had mixed feelings; some were in shock of how easy Baghdad has fallen, some was sorry because it took an invasion to get rid of a brutal dictatorship, and some were relieved because the moment had come when they became sure enough that Saddam and his regime was gone, for good. However, when the American soldier put his country’s flag on the statue, agony filled up the hearts, and tears came rolling down from people’s eyes!

From the deep of the darkness
masses came out with rage.
Tired eyes, but full of joy
Burning pictures with breath of relief.
No trace of the demon
He ripped off the country and vanished
Strangers landed with eyes focused
And fingers trembling on the trigger
They kept on watching the country’s violation
Saluting chaos, except for the black gold mine

The whole country, its past, present and the unknown future has been looted immediately after the war ended. The looting was enormous, with no mercy burning, smashing, breaking, and even killing too place. The national museum, the central bank, presidential palaces, grocery shops, public libraries, the main TV station building…etc all were targets of looting, sabotage and revenge!



People in Baghdad and other cities in Iraq started to feel the fear of events to come. They have been victims of Saddam’s adventures and tyranny for decades, but they also realized for years to come that they became victims of different kind; this time they became the victims of chaos, invaders, terrorists and different militia groups. In spite of such horrible feeling, love for life remained an Iraqi instinct. If anyone wants to learn a lesson on survival in life, then he or she must have an Iraqi as their teacher. There are many examples of that: I was happy to see during the first months followed the end of the war ordinary people going to Saddam’s palaces and transform them into public parks. Such a thing has been noticed in Mosul, north of Iraq. I wonder if this still the case, because of what I heard that all these presidential palaces became either checkpoints or bases for US forces, they became government compounds.

For four years that followed the occupation Iraqis saw many new faces come to their country and go; people from big western enterprises, or groups of pilgrims traveling to holy shrines, or entrepreneurs from all corners of the earth who decided to try their chances thinking that Iraq with its economic potential can be their golden opportunity ever, spies, diplomats, medical groups..etc It didn’t take that long for many of those to realize that Iraq was far from becoming the flourish and stable country within the timeframe they estimated. Many ran away, many got killed, many were kidnapped and then released, and all that due to the increasing violence taking over every part of the country. Organized crimes, the flow of terrorists, and resistance against the occupier, the actions of the occupier, all were sources of death and sorrow. Around that time and until now the “smashing doors and storm in” has become the most familiar method to arrest the old and young, men and woman alike.

I was shocked not long after the war ended when I saw an interview on TV with a woman who was sitting on a sofa in the middle of a wrecked living room. Broken doors and smashed cupboards, clothes and books shattered on the floor around her. The woman was crying while telling the story of how the US forces stormed into their house and arrested her son and husband.

The son of that woman is one of my closest friends from childhood days.

Hail for freedom
Liberators bring humiliation with them
Dogs are barking
Belts and wooden sticks in their hands
Soldiers smiling
At the sight of degradation

Then the Abu Ghraib torture scandal took place. No one will ever write about the past four years would for a minute forget these pictures of terrified prisoners being humiliated when they have been forced by their liberators to pause naked in different positions. The whole case has been categorized, according to the US government, as an isolated incident uncharacteristic of American actions in Iraq! Still, no Iraqi will ever forget that the people who liberated them from the humiliation of their tyrant did the same to them. This incident followed by more, but committed by British forces in Basra. In the years that followed death squads, criminals and militias of all sorts committed more atrocities, which reached levels beyond imagination; girls were raped, men have been tortured, families were either executed at once or burned alive in their own houses.

Hail for democracy
Free to choose the leader
He will be the guide
he will be the preacher
Proud of the drying ink on my finger
Will it be a bright and future?
Or is it just a brainteaser?

Happiness did not last long when the opportunity has been given to Iraqis world wide to choose their government for the first time in their history, because of the way political parties behaved and the way political alliances have been formed. The majority of these political parties followed a path based on sectarian and ethnic grounds. I don’t blame them, because this how the first government has been formed in the post-war period and remained based on the same principle. On one hand, the elections proved to be successful only from one aspect; when Iraqis challenged terrorists’ threats and went to voting poles - Iraqis showed the whole world again their love for life instinct and their ability to survive, but they added to that another quality: their determination to build a better future for them and for their country. On the other hand, I, like many others talked to did not consider the elections entirely successful, because of the way different political parties conduct before and during the elections campaign: there is who boycott the process, another decided to take part later, a third decided to form some sort of an alliance with the wrong party, another decided to take the opportunity to press on separation from the homeland…etc

After the war ended in 2003 and until last elections, three Iraqi governments either were appointed by the US or have been freely elected. None has proven to be efficient or capable to handle the situation in a country devastated by war and violence. Some put the blame on the prime minister by being weak or ba’thist or bias to the Shiite majority on the account of other ethnic or sectarian groups. Some say that the prime minister is a good person but the people around him are giving the government a bad name because of corruption, black-male, secret torture of detainee, humiliation of people on check points and inside their houses…etc

The funny and frustrating thing is when we suddenly hear or see (on TV) that one of those politicians leaving Iraq and become in a semi-hiding situation in another country, and that he will continue the struggle and effort for his beloved country men and women!

2005 and 2006 were the years of grand exodus for Iraqis who escaped threats, kidnapping, killing, torture and blackmail. The majority of them left to neighboring countries such as Syria and Jordan and many thousands to Egypt, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. Big numbers of my relatives were among people headed and stayed in Syria. Some of those relatives went back to Iraq after few months, especially when they heard about the progress of Baghdad’s new security plan. Others remained in Syria, because of their children who already enrolled in Syrian schools. Sadly, some of my relatives did not escape inevitable death: A female cousin of mine died in a horrible car accident last year on the highway between the Syrian-Iraqi borders. She left Iraq with her husband, because of fear from the violence consuming people’s lives on daily basis. I remember her as a gorgeous little girl when I was in Iraq, with her gorgeous face, her white skin like clean ivory, and her cute little curls of her dark brown hair. She was 19 years old.

Despite the sorrow that engulfed Iraq, there were some happy moments related to the events took place during the past four years, but like many other occasions and events I mentioned before, happiness has never been completed. Happiness is like a very hasty visitor for Iraqis – Ilham al Madfaý’s song can apply perfectly to the way Iraqis live. However, I regard the capture of Saddam is one of my happiest moments ever, yet, I was terrified of the thought of him dying in prison like Slobodan Milosevic’s of Serbia before justice takes place. However, he stood trial and was sentenced to death. Was it a happy moment? Yes, but once again this happiness was doomed because of the “Muqtada… Muqtada…” chanting and all the fuzz about hanging him on the first day of the Eid.

I have a picture of the world
Its rules and regulations
written deep down in my fantasy
achieving them is the ultimate ecstasy
It’s my sacred obligation
Are you with me?
Or shall you be against me
Its for you to have the choice!
These are the rules of my sanity

On its fourth anniversary, President Bush of the United States did not come out with something new in his speech, he asked his people for more patience, though. He reiterated that victory needs time, and that “the situation in Iraq is getting better” and “we are making progress” in Iraq! I wish to believe that, but when two third of the Iraqi people feel unsafe after four years followed the US invasion, the only conclusion I can take is that progress in the eyes of the American president is far from been translated into reality on the ground.

This US administration kept on demonstrating one thing with perfection: Miscalculation! from the initial planning for the invasion and until this very moment: the Bush administration’s planning and implementation for this dangerously expensive adventure was simply based on past experience that goes back to the 1991 war. I am wondering if Bush, the father, was also present during the stages of putting plans for the war (there are no plans for the post-war, to be specific). One of the first actions taken were by the Pentagon; by establishing a new entity they called it “The Office of Humanitarian and Reconstruction Aid”. Its sole purpose was depending on two factors: the first factor is the Iraqi people. The Office of Humanitarian and Reconstruction Aid was to provide tens of thousands of tents for Iraqis fleeing their homes when the war begins i.e. provide shelter. The second factor to gather the thousands of Iraqi soldiers who will be captured or surrender to the allied forces, putting them in groups and enroll them into reconstruction projects or workshops planned for implementation after the war machine goes to silence. However, reality showed that neither thousands of Iraqis left their homes, nor thousands of soldiers surrendered to the allied forces. Another demonstration of perfect miscalculation when efforts by the US administration to form the Iraqi government immediately after the end of the war. One of the biggest mistakes was to form a government in Iraq based on any ethnic or sectarian ground. This move was solely supported and has been supervised by the notorious Paul Bremer. The consequences for such a move made Iraq on the verge of a civil war at any minute because power has been given to a bunch of people who either believe Iraq is Sunni or Shiite, and the good person among them either was killed (or threatened to be killed) or forced to leave the country for good.

One might wonder if the countless miscalculations by the US administration over the past four years gave reason can be regarded as the direct (or indirect) cause to rapture its own alliance of the willing, as President Bush calls it. With more opposition to the war in Iraq, countries like the Netherlands, Spain and Italy already withdrew from Iraq! In the meantime, the government of Tony Blair of Britain has brought some calm to the increasing angry voices among its people when announcing the withdrawal of some thousand troops out of Iraq in the coming months. In addition, this alliance might also cost some government leaders their political careers, such is the case with Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who already faced charges submitted by families of veterans for sending troops to Iraq: According to these families, the Prime Minister violated the constitution that indicates that Danish troops can only be involved in military combat when a either a threat to Denmark as a country exists, or when the United Nations gives permission for such an involvement.

The death toll kept on rising horrifically in 2007: Violence is eating up the population in markets, inside their houses and on the road. Violence is eating up soldiers who traveled thousands of miles through air and sea to fight and get killed based on lies and for no honorable purpose. Violence is eating up souls of brainwashed youth crossing the borders to kill others in the name of Islam, or to let be killed, thinking that suicide is the same as martyrdom.

Are we playing the role of God?
To judge, never be judged?
How can we lay down the rails…
And watch them fall out of the edge?
Cradle of all the civilized
Became a hole for skeletons to rot
Blind fighters from west and east
Trapped in red and fatal mud
Yet, Tigris will wash evil out
And the Euphrates smiles at the site
of the Gathering of the lovers of life
Cuddling with the seeds of faith
Through their sweat, with their tears
Garden of Eden is green again