They'll Go... We'll Stay...

31 Dec. 2011

Muqtada's MPs Show What They're Really Made of!

They no nothing but destruction...

SOFA and the "Monkeys"

I know this is a strange title of sorts... What is the relation between the Status Of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and monkeys?!

As you know, there is so much talking nowadays about the Iraqi-US Agreement that outlines the Status of US Forces in Iraq after the expiration of the UN mandate on 31 Dec. 2008.

Now who are the monkeys, you may wonder.

There is an Iraqi proverb, describing someone whose reactions are not based on principle or common sense, but on narrow perspective of personal interests. The proverb cannot be translated word-for-word without triggering a beeper, if you know what i mean, but you'll find a description of the offensive word in italics.

"They are like a monkey: If you give it, it would put its hand on its head; if you don't, it would put its hand on what's below its tail."

Now this proverb fits two Iraqi "politicians" who wear the fake mask of religion, and who were two of the bloodiest killers who killed tens of thousands of Iraqis since the Invasion. Muqtada Al-Sadr & Harith Al-Dhari.

Although the first is a Shiite, and the second is a Sunni; but each of them orchestrated a stupid, stupid policy.

As for Al-Dhari, many if not all of the Sunnis that i know, blame him for the "marginalization" of Sunnis in the post-war political life in Iraq. When there was a very good chance for the Sunnis to get into the political process, he came with this idea that "no political process is legitimate under the occupation"; and i don't know how he and his bunch of pro-Saddamist turbans who spend their days and months in the luxurious hotels of Amman could not just look to their adjacent West, and see that there was a jolly good political process in occupied (since 1967) Palestine, and that their next of kin Islamists of Hamas have had a good percentage of seats in the Palestinian parliament before the crap hit the fan, and still nonindependent Palestine became North Palestine and South Palestine, or East Palestine and West Palestine, or as we know them as West Bank and Gaza Strip. And they complain of double standards!

As for Muqtada, who is "supposedly" Shiite, he did nothing, absolutely nothing but ruin what the Shiites have gained since the war. He was the reason for distructing Sadr City and Najaf twice. And his gangs, so called the Mahdi Army, were on the verge of distructing on of the holiest Shiite Shrines in Kerbala in August 2007.

Now both Al-Dhari and Muqdata spent about four years of their "oh so very pious" lives, and actually kicked and screamed, demanding for a scheduled withdrawal of US and other Allied Forces from Iraq; and, when such an agreement is closer than ever, they denounce the agreement as a "disgrace". 

I have read the first draft of the agreement as published on the official Iraqi newspaper Al-Sabah, and i found that it looks good. No forces will stay in Iraq after the end of 2011. No raids will be launched from or pass through Iraq. No US Army breaking into Iraqi houses without prior judicial approvals. No immunity for the Security Contractors who usually went haywire whenever and however they wanted to without reporting to anyone and without any code of conduct unlike the official Armed Forces. 

So what do the "Resistants" want?!

God only knows.

What we, as simple Iraqis know is that we want the best for our country, and we don't really care about what Muqtada or Al-Dhari want if it is not what is good for Iraq. Right now, their hands are way below their tails!

The Other Way Round: President Palin :)

What would've happened if she would've won!

Election Day - Part 6: How I Woke Up...

I remember hearing a song on the Voice of America while reporting the Million Man March of 1995.

I woke up this morning, with Freedom on my mind.

It was 7:45 Iraq time, 23:45 ET, when i woke up. The TV was on CNN all night as i slept on the couch. I saw the line "Awaiting President-Elect Obama".

I went to Al-Jazeera, and they mentioned something about the same.

I checked my e-mail, which had about 40 Breaking News alerts, and they confirmed the same.

On the Pan-Arab TV channels, there was a "cautious" optimism that America has begun taking a turn towards the right direction, away from everything Bush did in the last 8 years.

I liked an expression in a beautifully-written report on Al-Jazeera:
"Our (Arab) countries must look for their own (respective) Obamas."

Yes, politician who'd bring youthfulness and change to the 80-years-old-and-is-stuck-to-his-presidential-chair, or my-son-will-inherit-my-presidency kind of Presidency.

So, good night, and good luck.

Election Day - Part 5: We're done!

John McCain congratulates Barack Obama on his "historic" election as president.

Election Day - Part 4: BBC Breaking News: Obama projected to win presidency

Democrat Barack Obama is elected first black president of the United States, based on projected electoral college votes.

Election Day - Part 3 :USATODAY.com Breaking News: Obama poised to win presidential election

***USATODAY.com Breaking News***

Democrat Barack Obama is edging ever closer to winning the 2008presidential election, winning the vital battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia while severely damaging the hopes of Republican JohnMcCain.

Election Day - Part 2

Well, at around 01:00 Iraq time, 17:00 ET, i managed to get into CNN website again. I am also following the usual channels i mentioned in my previous posting.

The "good news" says that the considerable majority of new voters polled so far have voted for Obama.

I think i will hit the sack until 7:00 Iraq time, 23:00 ET, when the West Coast polls closes.

We will see.

Election Day - Part 1

Well, the US Presidential Elections are here, i mean there.

And based on lessons learned from olden times, that i should watch carefully as history is in the making, (and not be told to copy some papers while CPA was being dissolved back on 28 Jun. 2004), so i decided to keep a watchful eye on the TV and the web (with full attention) during these decisive hours, not only for the US, but probably for the World.

It all got interesting with daybreak on the Eastern coast. During this time, and as i type, i've been zapping through Al-Arabiya, Al-Hurra, Al-Jazeera Arabic, Al-Jazeera English, BBC World, and CNN International.

The best ones, or let's say my favorites were Al-Jazeera Arabic, then CNN International, then Al-Arabiya. What i noticed, however, was that the Arabic-speaking channels fail to understand the structure of the States. They have correspondants in Phoenix, for example, but they write "Live - Arizona". One of the anchors even said "He's joining us live from Phoenix, and from Arizona to be exact"... As if Phoenix is the State, and Arizona is the city!

As for the websites, i was planning to rely on CNN website, but it got clogged around noon ET. So i am trying Yahoo and MSN, and perhaps a sneak peak on BBC or even Fox News.

But anyway, these Elections are really exciting. If i had the chance to vote i would have voted for Obama. Not becuase i dislike McCain. I think he is a cool character, especially after his show on Saturday Night Live, with the exceptionally talented Tina Fey, which made me wonder why on Earth didn't he choose HER for Vice-President?! It's Palin that i don't like. I don't think she is mature enough. If McCain had picked Condoleezza Rice for Vice President, then i would've respected his choice. Although she is evil, but she has big brains, which makes her the lesser of two evils, because there is an Arab Proverb which says "A wise enemy is better than an unwise friend".

I was planning to stay awake all night, but i think an early wake-up is a better option.

Perhaps one of the most beautiful things i heard today was something an Obama supporter somewhere might've said:

"Rosa sat so King could march, King marched so Obama could run, Obama runs so our children could fly..."

Stay tuned...