Watching today's regional politics could drive you to the verge of pulling your hair, but it could still be amuzing and perhaps even amazing...
The past two weeks were sad to be honest, because of the situation in Lebanon. Lebanon, is the most beautiful Arab country in so many ways. If you go and ask any Arab this question:
- "What is beautiful about Lebanon?"
The answers would come in accordance with the person's background. Some would say its poets, some would say its natural beauty, others would say its music, while others would say its apples if they didn't know anything else about Lebanon!
All in all, it is the most beautiful country in the Arab Middle East. There is no Arab who does not have a part of his or her heart with Lebanon for one or more of the above reasons; thus the sadness of what happened recently in Lebanon.
Of course, the escalation that went on for a long time (from both sides) until it reached the latest point which was about to be "the point of no return" (God forbid), had made it obvious that there were some regional interferences, despite the statements of neutrality coming from this country or that.
I don't want to discuss the past, or the present, except one point.
Someone who is neutral might have expected that countries like Saudi Arabia or Iran should have acted more maturally so to speak, and moved at their allies there to stop and escalation and do the very best in order to calm things down, but they didn't. Both countries in fact, have proven that they were totally immature, and that they wanted to do the same thing they did in Iraq, and not to do the same thing they did in Iraq at the same time! And the result was a mess.
With the situation being like this, there was a despirate need that someone should rise to the occasion and stop what was going on.
Qatar came.
Although i have many notes to make regarding Qatar, which has a strange policy (inviting Hamas leaders one day, then inviting Tzipi Livni the other day!; being home to Al-Jazeera, as well as two huge US bases right next door!!), but despite all that, I really respected Qatar for its role in Lebanon this time in difusing the bomb that might have blown up that beautiful country apart for the benefit of regional powers, and for the loss of all the Lebanese people.
Qatar had proven this time that it is a mature country despite its tiny size, while the big ones were childish.
At the end of the day, an agreement was reached, and we hope it works permanently.
And at the end of the day, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt and Syria came out with an ashful face. Qatar had a shining clean face. Something which makes me say: Well done, Qatar!
22 May 2008
18 May 2008
The Problem With Iraqis, Well some of them...
When i was younger, about 13 years ago, i remember going to a tribal meeting that my paternal relatives had one evening at an orchard North of Baghdad, and in that meeting i remember seeing an old man who was a tribal leader of sorts, and he was talking back then about another family from outside the tribe that was perplexed whether to connect itself to this tribe or to that tribe. To be honest, i find some Iraqis in a somewhat similar situation.
But first, there is one thing to be made clear... This may not be what the average people think. Those who think this way are either ignorant, or politicians, or -even worse- ignorant politicians!
So here's how the story goes:
You take a look at some of the Shiites, of the above-mentioned three categories, and you find them drowned in the love of the Islamic Republic of Iran! I have tried researching this myself, and was really angry. There is a website which is close to the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (formerly SCIRI), and the site is Buratha News . I noticed one day that an official who was quoted on a daily basis on that website, made some comments on finding Iranian-made weapons caches in several places all over Iraq. I (the innocent one) thought that the site would quote the man like they do every time, but they didn't. I waited for a whole day, and they didn't! Other officials made similar comments, yet none of them were mentioned!! However, they never fall short from cursing anybody (especially Iraqis) who would disagree with them; however you cannot, should not, and must not criticize the Humongously Holy Islamic Republic of Iran!
Well, with all due respect, Iran is not God, and will never be anything but a theocratic dictatorship that does nothing but weep, hit its chest in vain, and enjoy the quarrels of and blast from the 7th Century AD past.
You take a look at some Sunnis, and their situations differ... Some that cry on the days of Saddam, to those who label everything in Iraq nowadays as wrong... They won't spare an effort to call the Shiites names; however you cannot, should not, and must not criticize the Dear Brotherly Syrian Arab Republic, the castle of Arabism, or the Humongously Holy Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Some go to the craziest extent in defending Saudi Arabia, perhaps more than the Saudis themselves. Here's what happened with me: One day, i was trying to buy Pepsi cans, and this was like last month, which was 4/2008 AD (which was also 4/1429 AH). I found Pepsi cans at a local small shop with an expiry date of (8/1428 AH) which was 8/2007!!! I said that to the shop owner, explaining that we are now in this month in AH and AD, etc... First he said, "No problem, Saudi products live longer than their Expiry Date!" then he said, "No i think you are wrong in calculating the date! We are not in 1429 AH now, but we are in 1428 AH!" It was really as if someone is insisting that this year is 2007, and you know of course without any doubt that it's 2008!
Again, although Saudi Arabia houses the Holiest places in the World, but Saudi Arabia is not God, and it is a Monarchy dictatorship where women should do nothing other then cook, do housework and give sex to their men. If you don't believe me, check out the mbc channel commercials! However, i bow in respect to some Saudi women doctors who fought for a lifetime to reach this respectable rank under the rule of big fluffy beards.
Now let's look at some of the Turkomens. They have a different approach. When the Arabs in Kirkuk demand something, they unite with the Arabs. They raised the Iraqi flag next to their light blue flag, which was commended alright. But their Turkomen Front doesn't believe in sharing the cake of Kirkuk with Arabs and Kurds. I thought the contrary until recently, when i heard a song on Turkmeneli TV , the front's TV channel, sung by Fathullah Ahmed (AKA Fathullah Altinses) which described Kirkuk as "It's heart is Turk, It speaks Turkish". It would be like saying that Southern Switzerland is Italian, not of Italian ancestry, which is totally different. Far worse, it would be like saying that New Mexico is part of Mexico. Does it make any sense?!
That said, one must not forget the cultural and ethnic links between the Iraqi Turkomens and Turkey, but to be honest, i think that their connections are stronger to Azerbaijan than to Turkey.
When Turkey wants Kirkuk's oil it calls the Turkomen "Iraq's Turks", but when it doesn't want to deal with their problems it calls them "Iraqi Turkomens". Clever!
As for some of the Kurds, the good thing is that they would love independence, which could be considered as the lesser of two evils if we compare it with what we just mentioned. To rule yourself is better than to stick yourself to somebody else, or to praise that somebody more than your own country. No. The Kurdish authorities concentrate on Kurdistan, or that is what they say, because all of my dear friends in Iraqi Kurdistan tell me that it is just about personal political ambitions the leaders have, and the chances to pocket-in more money if Kurdistan was independent from Iraq, especially if they get Kirkuk!
But after all this, the poor, honest, average Iraqi, is the one who paid, pay, and will pay the price of this big jargon, perhaps with his or her life. He or she would not get a dime from the Iranian, Syrian, Saudi, Turkish, or Kurdish money. The fat cats would!
Smile! You are in Iraq!
But first, there is one thing to be made clear... This may not be what the average people think. Those who think this way are either ignorant, or politicians, or -even worse- ignorant politicians!
So here's how the story goes:
You take a look at some of the Shiites, of the above-mentioned three categories, and you find them drowned in the love of the Islamic Republic of Iran! I have tried researching this myself, and was really angry. There is a website which is close to the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (formerly SCIRI), and the site is Buratha News . I noticed one day that an official who was quoted on a daily basis on that website, made some comments on finding Iranian-made weapons caches in several places all over Iraq. I (the innocent one) thought that the site would quote the man like they do every time, but they didn't. I waited for a whole day, and they didn't! Other officials made similar comments, yet none of them were mentioned!! However, they never fall short from cursing anybody (especially Iraqis) who would disagree with them; however you cannot, should not, and must not criticize the Humongously Holy Islamic Republic of Iran!
Well, with all due respect, Iran is not God, and will never be anything but a theocratic dictatorship that does nothing but weep, hit its chest in vain, and enjoy the quarrels of and blast from the 7th Century AD past.
You take a look at some Sunnis, and their situations differ... Some that cry on the days of Saddam, to those who label everything in Iraq nowadays as wrong... They won't spare an effort to call the Shiites names; however you cannot, should not, and must not criticize the Dear Brotherly Syrian Arab Republic, the castle of Arabism, or the Humongously Holy Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Some go to the craziest extent in defending Saudi Arabia, perhaps more than the Saudis themselves. Here's what happened with me: One day, i was trying to buy Pepsi cans, and this was like last month, which was 4/2008 AD (which was also 4/1429 AH). I found Pepsi cans at a local small shop with an expiry date of (8/1428 AH) which was 8/2007!!! I said that to the shop owner, explaining that we are now in this month in AH and AD, etc... First he said, "No problem, Saudi products live longer than their Expiry Date!" then he said, "No i think you are wrong in calculating the date! We are not in 1429 AH now, but we are in 1428 AH!" It was really as if someone is insisting that this year is 2007, and you know of course without any doubt that it's 2008!
Again, although Saudi Arabia houses the Holiest places in the World, but Saudi Arabia is not God, and it is a Monarchy dictatorship where women should do nothing other then cook, do housework and give sex to their men. If you don't believe me, check out the mbc channel commercials! However, i bow in respect to some Saudi women doctors who fought for a lifetime to reach this respectable rank under the rule of big fluffy beards.
Now let's look at some of the Turkomens. They have a different approach. When the Arabs in Kirkuk demand something, they unite with the Arabs. They raised the Iraqi flag next to their light blue flag, which was commended alright. But their Turkomen Front doesn't believe in sharing the cake of Kirkuk with Arabs and Kurds. I thought the contrary until recently, when i heard a song on Turkmeneli TV , the front's TV channel, sung by Fathullah Ahmed (AKA Fathullah Altinses) which described Kirkuk as "It's heart is Turk, It speaks Turkish". It would be like saying that Southern Switzerland is Italian, not of Italian ancestry, which is totally different. Far worse, it would be like saying that New Mexico is part of Mexico. Does it make any sense?!
That said, one must not forget the cultural and ethnic links between the Iraqi Turkomens and Turkey, but to be honest, i think that their connections are stronger to Azerbaijan than to Turkey.
When Turkey wants Kirkuk's oil it calls the Turkomen "Iraq's Turks", but when it doesn't want to deal with their problems it calls them "Iraqi Turkomens". Clever!
As for some of the Kurds, the good thing is that they would love independence, which could be considered as the lesser of two evils if we compare it with what we just mentioned. To rule yourself is better than to stick yourself to somebody else, or to praise that somebody more than your own country. No. The Kurdish authorities concentrate on Kurdistan, or that is what they say, because all of my dear friends in Iraqi Kurdistan tell me that it is just about personal political ambitions the leaders have, and the chances to pocket-in more money if Kurdistan was independent from Iraq, especially if they get Kirkuk!
But after all this, the poor, honest, average Iraqi, is the one who paid, pay, and will pay the price of this big jargon, perhaps with his or her life. He or she would not get a dime from the Iranian, Syrian, Saudi, Turkish, or Kurdish money. The fat cats would!
Smile! You are in Iraq!
26 April 2008
25 April 2008
Visiting The New "Hotbed"
The other day i went to Kazimiyah neighborhood, which is the holiest Shiite Muslims' site in Baghdad.
First, i asked some people there that i know about what do people say about M and his gang. They told me, and i trust their words, that all the people there dislike what have been done by M, which forced many people to close their shops and stay in their homes out of fear, and over there, most of the people earn their living on a daily basis, so one can easily imagine how would things be if they cannot work for a week.
The M groups filled some parts of Kazimiyah with graffiti and posters, and of course they would keep an eye in case someone dares and tries to tear the posters down, or paint over the graffitis. The posters were nothing but M's picture, a picture so damn close i could even count the acne spots! Yes guys, the "fearless leader" has acne, and lots of it... Yukhkhkh!
On those posters/pictures which were posted every other yard, there was this writing:
"Peace be upon you, O who brought pride to the faithful", and "Their arrogance is under your feet".
When i saw that i honestly couldn't stop a flashback of what was used to be written on Saddam's posters, like "Your name makes America shiver", and stuff like these that anyone who even tries to think would realize that they were written for one reader, who is no one but "the Leader"!
As for the graffitis, they were a different ball game, inn sahha al-taabeer, which means "So to speak", and that italicized phrase is something M says almost every other sentence. The graffitis said "Saddam and Maliki are two sides of the same coin", and "Long live al-Sadr, 'the Council' (= Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq) and 'the Dawa' (=Dawa Party) are infidels"!!
Now the last one is sort of funny, black comedy funny, if we keep in mind that all of the 3, M, Supreme Council, and the Dawa Party are all turbaned and black-robed Shiite clergymen who spent (and are spending) the largest lump of their time in Iran; so what happened?
What happened is that the Supreme Council, and the Dawa Party (of Prime Minister Maliki) decided to crackdown on the criminal gangs that destroyed Basra, the 2nd if not the 3rd largest city in Iraq, and its only seaport. So they were changed in the eyes of the M because they (as part of the Gov't) decided that the Basra ridicule cannot go on much longer. That said, and just so you know, i am certainly and definitely not a supporter of none of the above-mentioned parties, but i respect the Rule of Law, but i wouldn't vote for such religious parties in a million years' time, and same thing applies to atheist parties, too!
But anyway, it is about time the Gov't starts moving against the other aisle of terrorism in Iraq, the M, after hitting Al-Qaeda and its likes on the other side of the aisle; for those on both sides have killed many many innocent Iraqis just because they are Iraqis.
More later!
23 April 2008
Pennsylvania in Iraqi!
Just like any other channel, Al-Iraqiya TV broadcast some reports about the Pennsylvania Democrat primaries between H. Clinton & B. Obama.
I am not going to discuss who won and who lost and why, because it is still too early to determine who will be the big winner who'd go to the finals, but i am going to mention something that made me ROTFL (= Roll On The Floor Laughing)!
This lady (the best-looking on Al-Iraqiya TV), said "Pennsylvania" in a very unique way... Are you ready to know? Drumroll, please!
Pencil-banya !
Of course, you know the "Pencil", but the "Banya" or "Bamya" in case you didn't know, is okra!
So you see, we ARE getting used to American names, 5 years on, after all!
19 April 2008
Thick Sandstorm
We are having a terrible sandstorm for 2 days now. The weather is warm, or relatively cool, but you just cannot see clearly across the living room, or see farther than 200 meters (yards) out side!
This is aside from all the coughing and breathing difficulties.
15 April 2008
10 April 2008
04 April 2008
M for Moran!
M is for Moran...
Moran is the one who destabilizes the most stable provinces in Iraq to protect (his) criminal gangs of theives, killers and rapists!
No need for further comments, and no need for a space scientist to know who is M the Moran...
Moran is the one who destabilizes the most stable provinces in Iraq to protect (his) criminal gangs of theives, killers and rapists!
No need for further comments, and no need for a space scientist to know who is M the Moran...
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