No Pain No Gain

Walk 4 Iraq Part 2

2008-02-05T18:53:00.000+13:00

Sometime in the mid year of 2007, 3 countries; UK, Canada, and New Zealand implemented a walk 4 Iraq fundraiser for money to send to Iraqi Refugees. The efforts the fundraisers put into this was to promote donation to Iraq from people in these 3 countries and take part in a 20km walk to fund humanitarian assistance for the Iraqi refugees in the Middle East. of walking in the remembrance of the innocent. Walk 4 Iraq was nothing but a name to the local community. Today this cause has spread to other cities in this world and it has been reported on the international headlines for recognition of the work that has been put to help the poor.

Here are some of the following news reports:
Dear all,
We hope everyone is having a healthy and happy start to the New Year. We are very happy to share with you an article that was published on AlJazeera.net just a few days ago mentioning the Walk for Iraq movement. Please click on the following link to see the article: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1EB153AF-9C8B-489B-AACF-EEAFB7E2F591.htm For those of you who don't know about Walk for Iraq, in June 2007, a 19 km walk was organised for 30 people in the south coast of England, UK. A staggering £20,000 was raised for the International Committee of the Red Cross by the walkers to fund life saving activities in Iraq. Due to the success of the walk, the movement was later picked up in Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) and Toronto, Canada. Raising an impressive $40,000 between them, funds were donated to Iraqi Refugees of Refugees International and to the Iraq Appeal fund of The Canadian Red Cross. Both walks produced an astounding list of achievements, from extensive media coverage (leading news channels and newspapers), to welcoming the minister of ethnic affairs Chris Carter on the NZ walk, to being described as the one of the most successful fundraising initiatives the Canadian Red Cross have ever seen for the Middle East. Well done to Zainab Shnyin and Yazen Al-Safi and their teams in setting up the walk in their respective cities. You can read more on the achievements of each walk and their donations at the following link: http://www.walkforiraq.com/ourwalks.html (see Related Information section under each walk)

A Global team has now been set up due to the worldwide interest in the movement and the project is now moving to other cities around the world. Just a glimse of what countries will be hosting Walk for Iraq for 2008: Holland,Qatar,Oman,UAE,New Zealand,Ottowa, Canada,Boston, Chicago, and Melbourne.

Walk for Iraq is also now on Wikipedia. Please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_for_Iraq
Our future vision and aim in globalising the spirit of the walk is to generate more funds for humanitarian assistance and raise more awareness of the sufferings of the Iraqi people.

Finally, before we leave you all, we would like you to see this very moving video that was put together by the New Zealand team to promote Walk for Iraq http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCN5umAIam0

Explaining away..

2007-09-24T21:35:00.000+12:00

Why are conspiracy theories so appealing to otherwise intelligent and informed individuals? Sometimes the answer to that is because everything can be cast in clear light to some people. Can there be no more grey areas and there will only be contrast of black and white, right and wrong, or truth and lies? There's simply no great neccessity to understand the complexities of western foreign policy or the roots of Islamic fundamentalism when clear-cut ideological motivations are invented.

Sadly, this world isnt simple. It is more like a web of interconnections. With so much going on and so little time to take it all in by its reality and the media, it can be shocking to try comprehending it all. This in the very core is where conspiracy theories fit in. It simply means that there is no need to comprehend when one can simply explain away .

It is also about power. Conspiracies can be made easily to make people feel subsumed by economoic realities, political systems or social conventions far beyond our control and thus leaving many of us feeling completely powerless. Through gaining knowledge, not given by the media nor available to the public, one can create his own power. Like those who carry out these conspiracies that the average truth seeker wants to uncover, it makes one feel his own elite- the privileged few who have access to the truth. It automatically makes a person feel better than the ignorant and uninformed masses that thrive on the sense of superiority .

One may imagine, does it really sound that bad? I guess, with a conspiracy theory on your side, everything can be made simple and this can instantly make you become better than everyone else in a matter of uttering a few words.

Human Norms

2007-08-23T08:28:00.000+12:00

Life has an overwhelming significance for many. So many have gained and so many have lost. Each one of us lives his own world worrying about his own future, family and well being. However, we are unaware of what goes on in the lives of others. Walking down the city streets, I wonder what each person passing by is thinking and the future that holds for this person and the people around him. Why are our lives so seperated from one another? We may know and talk to the person but each person understands that there are issues to be discussed in the open with others and issues that should not be discussed publicly.

In this crowded environment, many of us who work, study and have a family are clinging to the with trying to catch up with our lives or more rather expectations from the developing society but we realize that the more isolated we are, the more distant we become from one another and this causes higher levels of concerns over time which influences the fate each society will end up going through. Given examples, take a look at the current situation in Iraq, the major factions of Iraqis have become so seperated from each others' affairs that even the city of Baghdad which once held a large part of diversity have now divided into suburbs depending on its factions that gained control of the area in the recent years. So many ethnic and local communities have isolated themselves from others even when they may live in the same city. Each person seems to have become on his own as an individual, seperate from the culture of family-hood and more so this is seen occuring within a family. A single family who left their cultural homeland have become so segregated that they are rarely able to spend a fair amount of time together unless if it is after which work and chores have been completed and if one's lucky to have spare time on their hands. If this lifestyle exists within a family, can one imagine how extreme it can become in the overall community? We need to bridge this gap that continues to widen before its too late to control this matter.

The segregation between communities has become a growing problem in other countries and living in a small country like New Zealand we see how this can really influence the stability and rights of people in a nation. Having said this, we remember how France banned the Hijabs in schools, how the Lebanese in Australia were rioted against for their inappropriate behavior, how cultural and religious communities have isolated themselves from the rest of the other communities and are now termed 'dangerous' because of concern people may have of them becoming potential people of creating mass blood-shed just because of the the name they hold that has been tainted from the media.

Look at ourselves, and reminding ourselves of these events and how appreciative we are of what citizens have offered us (with their support, financial help and advice), we should nevertheless keep away from letting the widespread tension between communities reach New Zealand just like other countries have faced. We are a nation so far from the chaos and we have great potential with the increasing diversity and developments to change this common norm before it is too late. As the world view the "Muslims" at the top of the headlines for some years now, the current Muslim youth in New Zealand with the support of the New Zealand government have agreed to help contribute their fundings and agreements to the activities organised by the Muslim youth to educate and expand the knowledge and opportunities given for the very young generation who have lived most of their lives in New Zealand and those older who can use their prior knowledge and skills in practice. This step forward can promote the religious and cultural freedom under legal rights through the increase of skills and cooperation within the Muslim community and also with other New Zealand communities. Establishing this building block of a strong Muslim community, with the will of the government, the rights of Muslims and ethnic people will be firmed and respected and our understanding and preparation for making this country our home will become greater. We are ought to be ready for serving our own communities as well as others in equality because no matter how things change for the better or worse, we are required to help the young become educated of the world and of their background and also change the peoples' outlooks of how they see of Muslims and ethnic people from the Middle East and Asia. Through this strength, like the organisations have of WorldVision,Save the children, orRedCross, we can get closer to reaching the goals of helping the poor in war-torn countries ranging from Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, Palestine and so forth. Westerners ask Muslims where their help can be viewed, why is it just the westerners who seem to help the poor, they ask? The concern people have of the refugees, the lack of health, education in many areas are thoughts the Muslims here are working in changing it whether it may be awareness, a day of fundraising or even the thought of helping is what counts these days. With this drive, we can look forward that there will always be hope for the better.

Victory And its Worth

2007-07-30T08:02:00.000+12:00

The victory of Iraq in the Asian Cup 2007 is a wonderful achievement. Within 5 years of a disasterous nation continuously at war before and after the 2003 war, Iraq has shown its persistence through the sucess of winning the cup. Although, many Iraqis have lost so much hope in the future of their country, winning the cup was something always possible in the minds of Iraqis. The Iraqi team was not far from getting close to this hope because they have passion to win something under the name of 'Iraq'. To win victory in the political masses of the new-born Iraqi government has always been controversial when considering the diversity of Iraq. What Iraqis have become, after the years of oppression and the risks in this war, has carved the personalities and mindsets of Iraqis variably. But there is one certain thing most Iraqis agreed and that was the Iraqi soccer team.

About 20 people in Iraq were killed in the quarter finals and consequently 50 people were killed in the semi-finals. Because of many Iraqi mothers who fear their childrens' celebrations and happiness will risk their lives, Iraqis in Iraq have started to wish for the loss of the finals in order to spare the lives of the young Iraqis. It is not the success in Iraqi sports that matters to elder Iraqis any longer. It is the young light-hearted lives that Iraqis hope the safety for from this bloody disaster. Nobody wants to see a young life be taken away for expressing the happiness and patriotism one has for his country; but the reality is tens of Iraqis were murdered for a meaingless cause by these criminals only but to suppress the freedom Iraqis attained from outside Iraq through sports. For once, Iraq was able to push its way through to the top and it did it through a passion of sports and dedication to their country. Certain people in this world do not want to see this come to reality for Iraq, people who always despised the eagerness of Iraqis to aspire. There really is no logical way to stop the attacks on Iraqis unless through prepation to become independent from any form of reliance by a nation or group of people. Who-ever is behind these attacks involves a person of middle eastern background who may be achieving a living out of his duty or has certain affiliations with a anti-pro Iraqi unity group. What ever the case is, many Iraqis realize that it is not worth to achieve success when lives continue to be lost. Too many lives have been lost in the last 5 years and it is way too much for any nation to compensate. If Iraqis cannot unite on a simple soccer match, then how could they agree on a unified government? There will be no way out of it, if this is so.
It is not worth to wait for lives being lost or for a weak government to reach a decision. We now know that Iraqis can no longer trust their next door neighbors. However, this can change if Iraqis want to attain their peace without the necessity of the government. People from all nations should realize that what goes on within the government can only create more chaos among the local society and to save the people is to encourage an understanding that at certain ocassions like the Asian Cup, Iraqis must do their best to protect their people from any danger against any certain faction of Iraq. Unfortunately, this merely did not take place to ensure the lives of happy Iraqis to be safe from any wrong-doers. Iraqis after 5 years were each in their own world, in their own part of Baghdad worrying about their own personal problems. They had forgotten that to be protected from danger also means that they must deal with their neighboring suburbs of different faction, in order to retreive the peace on these special ocassions.

Segregating factions of Iraq doesnt solve the problem because it will only leave their younger generation with more problems to confront. Segregation by lack of communication or building walls must be done through an agreement otherwise there will be no difference living beside each others or having a wall built.

What has been inserted in the last 2 years is this new barrier Iraqis have created for themselves, a disability to communicate with each other from different factions. For an example, my own aunt couldnt have contact with her own brother, my uncle when both of them had lived in a suburb right beside other or her relative who lives in the same suburb as she does. Why create these barriers? Would these barriers serve for any difference of outcome if they were removed? Even with those barriers, criminals are still able to roam around and destabilize the situation. There would have been nothing to lose if Iraqis tried to sort out an agreement on these exciting ocassions because even when Iraqis try to seperate themselves, the result of death is still probable.
Millions of Iraqis from Shia, Sunni to the Kurds and Christians chanted 'Iraq Iraq Iraq', but many of these Iraqis secured by their local militia forces forgot the worry in protecting the people during their excitement and the use of weapons as means for celebration until it suddenly became sounds of pain and weapons of murder. Victory under one name and flag is not worthy if this is how is treated in a divided country.

2007-07-20T21:12:00.000+12:00

Seeing Iraq win in soccer is one of the most cherished sensations for an Iraqi. To see the team play soccer has become reality and it is a reality many yearn for to remain long lasting in its success. It is the success not to win the cup but to reminiscence the identity of Iraq and what it stood and will continue to stand for as long as there will be something valuable to remember Iraq by. A citizen can only hope that these obsolete feelings for the Iraq will not fade but be regained throughout the Iraqi soccer teams' journey in the Asian Cup. We all are eager to see t the outcome of this huge step

With all the restraints the world has taken against Muslims, the MiddleEast and Iraq as well, it has become such a burden to bear the identity of being Iraqi. For years living in this western country, we had always been recognised as Iraqis by the western community when simultaneously being treated as members of their nation. We Iraqis have turned full of shame after hearing a proposed Iraqi doctor attempting to plan a terrorist attack in UK. Having overviewed this attempt many times since it had happened, one can only re-iterate the mere attacks in Iraq to not be something so absurd but rather a possibility when such Iraqis who have suffered in their country, have aims to destabilize other countries with their own lack of stability. What really is irritating is witnessing other immigrants or refugees who chose to apply for residence in western nations to have a pessimistic view of the country that granted them a new life away from the war and violence. There is no space for people to commit attacks against civilians of the west in the nation that had accepted them. There are so many other innocent victims who wish to have a tiny chance in receiving the same opportunities of starting their life all over again, away from any sort of trouble. Had these criminals realized that they are depriving their own people of rights and chances of moving far away from the troubles of their nation? Had they not realized that their attacks are tarnishing their own reputation, and distancing the opportunities for their own countrymen to reach their goals for survival....Nobody really knows apart from God and those who are responsible for such a crime.

Validation of History

2007-06-25T20:44:00.000+12:00

Nothing seems to encourage me to post these days other than noting certified history. It is not dead innocent people or the destroyed artifacts remaining in Iraq that is marked as history for the future generations and which promotes me to write. I avoid writing the sorrows and pain of Iraq and prefer to write the persistence and range of possibilities that could occur in the near future. Nothing can really bring back these dead people or the wonders of Mesopotamia that stood high up with pride and wealth. Nothing makes me want to post other than pushing forward the lit torch at the end of a tunnel that can be seen as prosperous to the current generations and to the future generations who may look back upon history and say 'yes, history may repeat itself and with hope, goals and justice can be claimed'.
This is what encourages me to write, to hope that maybe I look back on my writings and see that those were the days we were all waiting with eagerness to see a greater future than what it is assumed to be.
Nothing can erase the tender feelings of the Iraqis in Iraq who see a criminal they were once afraid to displease, be judged for his cruel acts. One may think that this event of justice will not serve to be a success for a stable Iraq but the reality is, when Iraqis in Iraq we talk to whether family to friends, hear this credible occasion, we sense the regain of hope in the sounds of their voices and the transformation in their outlook of life. Had any Iraqi citizen thought that although their government appears a failure, they have achieved to finally see a dictated regime be displaced with its leader and members being accounted by death for their acts within 5 years of this invasion? Some may have different opinions but the more these members are taken in court, the more clarity Iraqis should have to act against the current crisis. Its unbearable seeing the thousands of Iraqis wanting to leave their home, yet it is with their right to plan for this decision. However, leaving home would only guarantee that the land will be neglected and dominated by criminals that many of us never want to ever see control Iraq. Leaving home means our nation will never come back because without the will of the people in support, in persistence for this democratic or free leadership, how is Iraq to witness success in its rule when no Iraqi is able to stand up against those in government who claim freedom whilst having the pride and ego of an unloyal citizen. It is in every human government prone to mistakes that a politician can make crime and it is our responsibility as citizens to ensure that it will not take place. This cannot be apprehended if there is no loyal Iraqi who still lives in the country. A country that promotes itself to be different than the rest of the Middle East and even more so better needs its people to support and to be actively concerned with the fate of the government, not only to live their day as if current problems did not exist. With the news of Chemical Ali and the absence of Saddam Husseins' presence in court, it uplifts the spirits of the Iraqis who desire to see a change in their country, it prevents young Iraqis from taking part in the random violence that occur in the streets and encourage them to be patient or to use their knowledge more widely to helping this justice and to work for their future. These are things many people fail to remember because the reflection Iraqis attain of such events are abandoned by the media. With this announcement about a member of the former regime and the contribution of the Iraqis, there is only more to be done and less to be lost. This is a sharper turn in Iraq's history; it is the change or the transition of completing the prior chapter in Iraq's history and the start of a new one. That vital transition should not be missed.

A Petition Far From The Real World

2007-05-01T21:53:00.000+12:00

Some things in life appear to be very far from reality. The idea of imagining that a certain situation that is far from control is a very little possibility. However, one may act in a certain way in hope that it can change, that a human being with the support of others can make a difference when it is recognised that most problems are not capable of being solved with a single gesture...

This is what I meant...Down below is a campaign in support of proper negotiation between world politicians and a timetable of USA withdrawing from Iraq. To think that USA's withdrawal would be a success to the peace in Iraq is nothing but fantasy. And to encourage our politicians to negotiate is far from possible merely because they spent day and night since the very first election post 2003 talking with each other with no end-conclusion. How different will it be now? Will the meeting in Sharm al sheikh help encourage mature and reasonable negotiations? Will it push our current leaders to move forward? Well, least to say, it's worth a try petitioning for this even when we may not fully agree with the ideas behind the campaign because to me, a petition created in the virtual world seems a long way in making it to reality...

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Subject: A real security plan for Iraq
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Finally a meeting to discuss security in Iraq where all the powers will be present including the US, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. But will the hopes and wishes of Iraqi people be represented? The situation is too terrible to leave it to the politicians. We're calling on all Iraqis to send messages to the meeting, and to sign a petition demanding a withdrawal timetable along with all-party negotiations to stabilize Iraq.

Click to make your voice heard: http://www.avaaz.org/en/
The bombings even in the Parliament building, and daily in Baghdad, Ramadi, Diwaniyah, Kerbala, Mosul, show Bush's "Security Plan" has failed. Most Iraqis want US withdrawal within a year or sooner, and know the coalition troop presence is making them less secure. But we need responsibility too -- all-party negotiations, better leadership, real international help for Iraq.

We can't let politicians continue to pursue their own interests by force, while the Iraqi people suffer in chaos and division. So let's send a clear message from all Iraqis to this decisive meeting:

Set a withdrawal timetable and start negotiations: http://www.avaaz.org/en/
The petition will be delivered to the conference and your messages will be projected near the US Capitol building in Washington DC.

Iraqis are caught in the middle of a power game disguised as civil war. But this is not what the majority want! The only solution is to end the occupation and come together for a new Iraq. The powers are meeting next Thursday (May 3rd 2007) in Sharm El-Sheikh, but will they see the light? Let's join with tens, hundreds of thousands of people around the world, and send the politicians a powerful message –

Set a withdrawal timetable and start negotiations: http://www.avaaz.org/en/
Please, participate in the campaign, add your own special message, and forward this email to all your family, colleagues and friends!

In hope,

Khalid, Graziela, Ricken, and the whole Avaaz team

P.S. Avaaz is a global organization with almost 1 million members from every country in the world. Our goal is to to make the values and view of the world's public opinion heard by global decision makers on important world issues, using technology and the Internet. Thousands of Iraqi Avaaz members were invited to participate in developing this campaign, which is already supported by over 75,000 people and key international experts.

Solution to Iraq, We Iraqis demand a change!

2007-04-09T14:27:00.000+12:00

We Pray to God the almighty that he brings peace and justice to Iraq, and security and a prosperous life to the Iraqi people.The issue in Iraq is not whether we support the baathist or not, the game being played by the occupied forces is so the Iraqis are desperate to feel the need to go back to the old regime, this is what occupiers rub their hands on.On many occasions a comparison is being made between the old regime and the new one, from my opinion such a comparison cannot be fully adequate to perform results on whether Iraq is succesful or notThere are Iraqis who have not tasted oppression until post-war 2003 and there are those who are tasting freedom within thier own definitions.

One thing that is agreed upon is that saddam didnt do any favours to the Iraqis and certainly he did not build his country into an advanced modern pro freedom state. Instead he lead the country into wars and massacred as well as formed a secret agency to manipulate the Iraqis which led to sins such as fitna, lying, deceiving, killing, raping, slaughtering and so on..One cannot justify a crime by saying "they were forced" or "they were afraid", at the end of the day, a crime remains a crime. Until now the baathists are neither sorry to the Iraqi people neither do they claim they ever wronged, this is a clear indication to whom we are dealing with.In my opinion, the whole idea of working with the occupiers is very dangerous, many claim there is a civil war, i speak with Iraqis on a daily basis from Iraq and not one have even mentioned that there is civil war of the nature that we see on the western media.

If you all remember when the invaders came into Iraq, saddam, never resisted, infact he gave up very easily. what happened to the fedayeen? what happened to the army that led the country into 3 wars? the answer is simple, they are there in Iraq doing exactly what they were doing before, raping, drilling heads into people, slaughtering, kidknapping and so on. IF we were to believe that the militias were a threat to how the west perceive them to be, then why did the raping, killing, slaughtering continue even after al badr brigade, al mahdi army stopped thier operations? Why are these militias always linked to Iran? is it not a coincidence that the occupied forces suddenly want to attack Iran? do we as Iraqis not care to think about our country and letting any tom,Richard or harry rule ?Why is it that afghanis, pakistanis, saudis, syrians, sudanese and egyptians have to come into Iraq in the name of removing the occupied forces when they themselves have U.S presence in their very own lands. What is it that brings these creatures into Iraq? just contemplate the bigger and wider picture of Iraq rather than being emotional from one side or the other.

It is evident the world does not care about Iraqis, infact the hatred to Iraq and its people is so high that you get public statements nowadays on the media without shame supporting the killing of young Iraqi students.Inside Iraq at this moment is an enemy which is from all sides of the continent ranging from the baathists to the wahabi-salafis, you have the occupied forces in a large military presence and you have this claim that many muslims have in their head "its the jews".

The minute we wake up as Iraqis and defend Iraq as Iraqis for the Iraqis by the Iraqis is the day Iraq will be the fastest growing pro modern free country, not dubai, not saudi, not iran not britian not usa can keep up. This is the exact jealousy, hatred, fear the enemy has, its clear as daylight.If the government want to rehire baathists, this in my opinion is moving backwards, infact its going back to step 1, as what is the limit? who controls the limit? what other desperate needs are you going to try and fulfil? why is it the government lacks management and security as well as public support?

The ultamite prize is freedom, the way to freedom is by Faith in Allah(swt), we do not have faith in the occupiers, we do not have faith in the baathists, we do not have faith in anything other than Allah(swt).

If the americans want to help us as Iraqis then let them listen to what we want, not the other way round, I have 5 requests for the american administration as an Iraqi;

1) Change uniforms from U.S badges, U.S flagships to CLEAR well written writing saying" Peace force"

2) Retreat all soldiers to the borders, show us you care about Iraq and stop external countries meddling inside Iraq

3) Change ALL soldiers to policemen, soldiers do not make good police force, FACT, period.

4) Support the Iraqi people by giving them food, electricity, homes

5) Establish full command and control to the Iraqi forces with adequate equipment and play a supportive role to them if needed

Regards,

written by the Anonymous..

PS: Happy Easter to all our Christian brothers and sisters.

The Turmoil of an Oppressed Country

2007-03-26T08:35:00.000+12:00

WIth the security plan taking the steps in changing the current situation in baghdad, a young man in the streets of Kadhimeya takes his ill mother by the hand to the nearest hospital. After a bomb struck his neighborhood, he said to his family 'any improvement that has been made and reported on TV is attacked by the criminals to make it worse than it was before. It is just a matter of them acting like rebellious children when they don't like something, they end up going against it under any circumstance'. A hospital, he says, is no longer a place to go to when you need the help from medical attendents; he went and saw a destructed unhygenic hospital with dead lying bodies of children and young men and women from all ages. He cried not for his mother but for these dead people who were mutilated into pieces from the attacks that took revenge near the hospital against any slight improvement. This young man who was recently married several months ago but has to share a small one room apartment with his mother, and both married brother and sister and their children. He so longed to leave this country like many fellow Iraqis but just didn't have the strength to leave his beloved home at such a state even when he is unable to go to work in this dangerous state. How could they survive with such little money in the rising rates of Iraq's neighboring countries in order to limit the number of Iraqis flooding their countries? How is it they don't t care as much about stopping these criminals crossing their borders over to Iraq everyday so they can ease the issue of Iraqi exile?

Having to bear the reality of his mother, it has become less of a reason to go to any hospital. Many doctors have left for the sake of their safety and the condition of reaching to a hospital with doctors who are capable of performing certain medical procedures are not available, at least not in Baghdad. The ill mother, my aunt, was once a strong woman who never gave up on the hope of seeing a bright future; the only thing that she had left was her home that has been taken by criminals, her job and her 3 live children. It is depressing not knowing that she is ill with a possible condition of Tuberculoriss or cancer that can be accepted, but it is the acknowledgement of knowing that she has to go through several diagnosis with no proper equipment or even anesthetic/ painkillers to help her get through the painful procedure. One would think how many like her and those in worse states are facing this misery? Does one not deserve to get satisfactory treatment for any human in a specialised venue, whether the innocent or guilty? Must hospitals be attacked because of treating sick people with a different ethic/religious background? What have hospitals done wrong? Do these hospitals acquire any illegal weaponry taken against these criminals that they had to destroy before it'd be used? This is what it has come down to; the corrupt huamnity of recognising how vicious they have become for attacking public places, the slaughter and war against humans who are not like to them by the slightest difference. There is little decency left in certain parts of this world; of which are obvious and others which are not. Iraq with much history of civilisation and the modernisation that once offered to the world thousands of years ago is falling apart which is taken over by the current tyranny, mass murder and the grounds filled with blood and vain. Maybe, just maybe, it is just a nation's phase of overcoming the past in between the transient present to aim for a golden future...or must that be too much of a fantasy...

Thought Count

2007-03-12T07:57:00.000+13:00

Who gave the gun? Who is the one that took the gun from another man's hands to use it for killing innocent people? USA started a war but who are the people that allow themselves to pull the trigger in order to kill a random civilian? Are they Americans or are they random religious extremists and brainwashed nationalists from the former Iraqi regime?

The answer lies in between...

Israel

2007-03-05T08:00:00.000+13:00

"Ahmad, Iman and Lizan, three Iraqi children who suffer from heart defects, arrive at Wolfson Medical Center for surgery as part of humanitarian project; ‘We’re not afraid’, says Ahmad’s mother Meital Yasur-Beit on 03.01.07 at 22:45"

In several cases since the war on Iraq, Israel may not not only be a problematic conspiracy in Iraq's violence but it has been the most influencial state that has offered its medical attention to the Iraqis who are ill and in need of major help. An example of this are these 3 children. Many ignorant people have down-sized the good things Israel has to offer. Certainly Israel has been guilty of political violence and incitation against the Palestinians and even probably against Iraq but these acts should not erase the good things it has to offer for people world wide. If those people don't believe in goodness in Israel, then they should be asked "What good thing have Arab nations offered to the Iraqis?" Why the need to degrade an entire population for the actions of a few people or a government? Last week I sat down with friends where suddenly, the topic turned political in regard to the issue of Israel and the New World Order "I am against all Jews because theyre Israelis" someone said. I thought for some time about what to say in a very subtle way to these friends who are sensitive towards the word 'Israel'. I have come to a conflicting point where I am starting to accept the fact that as a person, you cannot speak out every opinion you have at any given moment, especially in politics and religion merely because of maintaining the friendship that existed before these discussions even took place. The most controversial time to speak what needs to be spoken is if a person of certain origin (Jewish/Israeli/ Muslim) is disadvantaged by this person because of his/her belief. I have always wanted to speak what is rarely spoken in truth but I realize that life offers no neccessity to withhold all this truth to the public; it would only comprise more tension and distance for the sake of a single discussion and for common sense it is much more beneficial to not keep away from people with extreme views but to retain them close with hope they would be less ignorant about it.
However, the small truth in this post would be people need to balance the good and bad deeds of a person and of a nation. Nations are like people because nations are represented by these people with certain traits of character and personality. To see Israel with a history and presence of violence offer their help to the international society must be accounted for. If we see Israel attack Palestinians and be at the hands of USA, this should not erase the goodness Israel has to offer and this is likewise for Muslim countries with extremists. Yes, life would make much more sense if we are to immediately group people and nations of 'good' and 'bad' but it would be a worthy life if we are in a world where we do NOT permanently characterise and generalise these people/nations based on a single action and develop our understanding of it. Life, otherwise, would not make sense because it would no longer be logical to know what reason we are here for in life if we refuse to learn.

Survival

2007-02-27T10:43:00.000+13:00

One of the mere ways to find out the truth from a report headline is to wait till the public's responses and the investigations die down to the bottom conclusion. The conclusion of the Iraqi woman who claimed to have been raped was nothing but a scam. Evidence can only show that she wanted the attention and probably had aims to influence the political stage of the Iraqi government's nvolvement with the US forces. a A diagnosis was made that there were no signs nor symptoms of rape and what ever thought she had in mind to get away with such a claim is absurd. I wonder what more Iraqis have in plan in trying to discourage the situation in Iraq and its internal chaos.

We finally got in contact with relatives living in kadhimiya a few days ago and there was nothing but misery from their voices. They cant leave their home shelters or even go out to buy food. Even supermarkets are targets, what is so striking about a supermarket to a criminal terrorist? What a shame in society... innocent people are continuously in danger even when they are sitting at home waiting for the chaos to calm down; if they step their foot out outside they can be doomed, if they sit at home then thats also considered a danger. What's more surprising is how Iraq's economy is flourishing by large. It now costs 600US$ a month to rent a small apartment in one of Baghdad's safest suburbs. 600US$? Can one believe if there is such a rent here for a simple apartment in the west? No body asks for such amount of money just to rent an casual apartment for a month. This is how bad Iraqis go in economy; they steal money more than they have to off people running away from the violence. Nonetheless, this money can be paid for if only Iraqi citizens were allowed to go to work in safety. The problems are endless but the solutions are limited because in Baghdad that is often not possible unless if the person is ready to initially commit a massive death note to him or herself just to get to the workplace. Many friends and relatives left their homes and are hiding in certain suburbs that are controlled by random militia fighting against outsiders who are willing to endanger the population living in that area. There is one thing I do not forget what my friend in Iraq told me; these are his words 'Many Iraqis are against random fighters who are not part of the governments national forces. We [Iraqis] are against insurgents, terrorists and militias but the only reason innocent Iraqis support them is because they have to, not because they WANT to. They are now pressured to aid their support to a certain religious or tribal background to protect themselves from getting killed by others. It is no longer easy or possible for Iraqis to be individually seperated from this mass of violence while being alive in between it.'

I guess there is not much to say from the above quote, is there? Maybe so..

The modification a Mended Man

2007-02-12T22:58:00.000+13:00

Alot of us forget how bad and imperfect people Iraqis are like the rest of the world because we love Iraq so much like its some heaven thus, we fail to know some Iraqis can be such criminal, narrowminded, rude scumbags. Young Iraqis should learn alot more about the dark history of Iraqis implemented by Iraqis. On the second hand, Saddam was a CIA agent, sure...yes he was a product of the USA but who was the whacko who chose to be an agent of the USA? Who was the traitor who sold Iraq to the Americans long before Shia were ever thought of to support USA? Who was the one who created hundreds of thousands of Baathists even worse than the leader himself? Who was the leader who implemented training camps to train Iraqis to be blood thursty monger BAATHISTS who would slain innocent iraqis and cut them into tiny pieces to be food for the chickens or to be kept in a plastic bag package for the victim's family? I got the answer; IRAQIS.

Americans didnt do all the mess in Iraq for the last 50 years. America can be accounted for its crime but one has to admit that parts of Iraq are guiltier. Why dont we read some of our wonderful bloody history of Iraq and then find out how much bad people there are in Iraq. It isn't reasonable judging Iraqi history to be exactly the same as the present issues but surely, we can manage to learn some similarites and traits that are still contained in Iraqis today and how humans in the present and past find a common ground to repeat some acts in war and violence but not all.

How can a man become a product of another country than where he came from (Saddam being a US product) if he wasnt the reactants in what produced the product result? Think more thoroughly about it because I am saying Saddam is born and bred in Iraq, his originality, his teachings, his family are the reactants of the product of what pushed him to go to USA. Read about his home. Read about how many other similar stories occurred like Saddam's. There is a saying that is relevant. If you wanted someone to buy a bottle of milk, and when you got the milk in hands but spilt it then it is you who has to clean up the spilt milk. Apply that with Saddam and USA and you will understand how it can be a good strategy to achieve success. Make USA=you, in the prior sentence and Lets think of it this way. Saddam=someone who was asked to help buy the milk. Its like cleaning the dirt and mess you made on your own.There are all kinds of theories to success but unfortunately alot of the waste of time were failed attempts to overthrow Saddam and a sense of helplessness, many ways Iraqis think about how to solve Iraq but only one or two can be actually successful.

This is not a self-hating post, it is simply testifying the reality of history and the present and is in no way representitive of the entire iraqi population.

To progress Is To Also Forget

2007-02-05T20:27:00.000+13:00

The following was written in regard to the relevant discussion of Iraq and America:

All nations have their flaws. My concern is how much more flaw Americans have in comparison to Iraqis and vise versa. Its about quality and thus quantity as well.

Baathists who raped and killed Iraqis are worse than Americans and foreigners ever would. We forgot those days where we end up finding ourself to be very deaf to the experiences prior to Iraq becoming the MAIN theme of the world Media (aka Iraq before 2003 war). It is just American this, nonMuslims that. To this day, Iraqis apply all the torture styles that had been imposed on the Iraqi population and this is not limited to the Baaathists. The electric drill-holes, the cutting tongues, pulling nails and cigarette burns are some of the work that continue to take place without neccessity of the primary Baath leadership. How could a new life and beginning proceed in Iraq if even the slightest remnant of the Baath torture styles have continued to drag on into the chapter of life without Saddam? I must wonder how...

I am very aware how USA is taking advantage of Iraq's vulnerability through possible promoting of sectarian violence and by using Iraq's resources as more Iraqis are murdered. While all that happens, many of us fail to mention how USA is STILL beneficial and loyal to the average citizen living in USA now regardless of how criminal they look to the world. And this is the sole reason what strikes me about USA. It is absurd to hear anti Iraq war protestors call out Bush to be like Saddam. Saddam and "Americans" are different, a simple reason why? Because Saddam NEVER cared for Iraqis but Bush cared and still care for their own people even during the presence of the wars he has created.

I emphasize so much honesty(improvements and critcism against my own people because I believe admitting our good and bad flaws will help us correct our mistakes we aren't aware; it is like closing previous chapters in order to permanently move to a new chapter that isnt parallel to the past, BUT of course Middle Easterners are so often obsessed about the past; you are an example of that and I can be part of that example too). I have always shared my truthful comments whether it contradicts other peoples' beliefs in politics and religion or not. It is the bitter side of conversations that many people in this world fail to mention.

Iraqis need to be freed from the ill extremists who are greedy for power, dictatorship and not justice. Those extremists are ALSO Iraqis. We need to look at the history of Iraq because we should look at how troubled Iraqis are finding themselves in. Iraq is not fighting the Americans only but fighting years of oppression that damaged Iraqis in so many ways UNimagined, but also the oppression that exists outside Iraq in the Middle East and certainly the religious and political influences from those neighbors. Iraqis are severely stuck between tribal, political and religious issues and values. Iraqis are using these tribal, political and religious issues and differences to fight for their own personal aim. No country has ever been THIS divided before in so many aspects. These are issues that American soldiers in Iraq do not have and have rarely experienced before.

To truly progress, Iraqis must look at the future and not use the past as an interactive strategy in building the future. How can Iraqis create and establish a new Iraq if they do not stop holding the past to their hearts that can easily transform to revenge? How can the present be clean if the past has infested the present? Iraqis should forget the past but take from their OWN history things that are neccessary to be learnt. They [Iraqis] will succeed if they build their future by making SURE that they will not make the same mistakes as in the past leaderships.

What Cannot Be Erased

2007-01-29T20:16:00.000+13:00

Here's a little tale about someone I know:

A middle aged Iraqi man had lived in Amriya Baghdad most of his life. Most of his children have left the country but he and his wife who are parents never saw life outside their only home in Amriyah. The years they spent working for it, the amount of money they put in it...how can one expect them to leave when they know they may never see their home in one piece. This man is Sunni, his parents are Sunni and Shia and his wife is Sunni. One night, a bunch of kidnappers who were presumingly Sunni kidnapped this innocent man and was tortured by the kidnappers for being a Shia. As soon this man's family found out about his kidnapping and the reason for the kidnap, the man's family immediately took his identification and family birth certificates showing that he is a Sunni in hope to stop the kidnappers from killing him.

What continues to amaze me is how Muslims used to complain about how US troops use bags over Iraqi heads when they arrest certain suspects. This Iraqi man was blind folded and had a bag over his head the whole time this kidnapping took place and these kidnappers were not Americans, they were in fact Iraqi. The kidnappers initially asked only for a ransom from his family but when the man accidently caught sight or appearance of the kidnappers, the criminals who kidnapped him became very aggressive and wanted to kill him for what he saw. With faith and help from his family negotiating with these criminals, this man was reluctantly freed by the kidnappers. This experience enlightened him to 2 certain things; 1)He realized that life in Amriyah is too risky and that it is not worth staying. 2) The reason he found his presence to be of no benefit in Iraq is because when he caught a glimpse of these kidnappers, they turned to be just kids.

We may say these kids' acts must not be tolerated and thus disciplined to be taught properly but I think the kids that are forcing men and women of older ages cannot be disciplined the way Saddam's regime disciplined them and brainwashed these young kids in silence and blind obedience. It cannot be easily erased and for the least to say, it cannot be erased in the near future to help Iraq. Many elders who lived under Saddam and before him are not highly influenced as the young generation are. The young people are the future of a nation and the young are the people who will take over the nation from the leadership of the elderly. Saddam who was seen as a secularist did not teach secularism, he created a world of racism and discrimination and those teachings reached to the average Iraqi child which now help create differences between the Iraqi community today. This is what a section of the brainwashing Saddam's regime imposed and it has been the core of the problem in Iraq.

OliveBranch Network

2007-01-24T00:06:00.000+13:00

For some time now, the Olive Branch Network has been attracting alot of attention from its readers and from the growing numbers of Iraqi bloggers who have been participating in writing entries on this network. The Olive Branch Network started off as a plan to help the Iraqi people express their views and tell the collective truth under one website, one network. It is now a network that is achieving the aim to connect the outside world to the Iraqis. In some ways, it is like the Iraq Blog Count blog but rather the network written by Iraqis in Iraq and those outside of Iraq concentrates on the "collective" truth of every likely event worthy to be mentioned to the public.

I insist you to take a look at this rising Network. The OliveBranch network will be 1 year old this Thursday and in such a short time, it has progressed rapidly to be what this network represents today. It has transformed to be one of the few homes on the internet for Iraqis to share their stories of the war to the world.

Bush's 2007 Proposal

2007-01-14T19:31:00.000+13:00

Having watched President Bush's live speech to the US public for his decision to send 21,500 troops to Iraq and seeing the mass of reactions towards it during daily discussions with Iraqis and westerners, over the news on TV and radio, and on internet programs, I have gained some interesting insight from this new strategy plan that changed the sense of direction with USA and Iraq politics.

I found Bush's speech to rather useful irregardless of the times he took to practice his lines for this important event. It made me realize that most of what Iraqis understand of the situation are being acknowledged by the US. This acknowledgement from Bush signifies a good and bad sentiment; what should the US do rightfully to exterminate the unwanted result?

Alot of the American friends I know seem to worry about the fate of their troops in Iraq which encourages them to want their troops immediately pulled out of Iraq. However, such Americans need to be aware that there is a right time for everything on Earth. US troops cant just leave Iraq with no plan with how Iraq will survive the chaos by itself. If US troops sought to withdraw from Iraq 2 years ago, I would have certainly agreed to it but demanding the withdrawal as of now is not a good idea. I believe this for certain reasons, one of them because Iran and Israel do not have one of the most relevant relationships between them and US having to completely step off Iraqi soil will have Iraq dragged into this circle of more tension and violence with its neighbors. Two years ago the violence occurred mainly between terrorists,insurgents against the average Iraqi civilian for the sake of killing 1 or 2 American soldiers. This is not the primary reason for the attacks any longer, these attacks are morever caused by Iraqi militias against other Iraqis to gain certain parts of region they wish to make Sunni or Shia. The police force had been biased in serving the entire community whether Sunni, Shia, Kurdish or Christian, some chose to aid their. The common stores have become segregated to whom they wish to sell their products to. And now, it has gone this far that even hospitals have stopped helping any sick and injured person. Hospitals have seperated from each other to serve their own Sunni or Shia region. Are these not signs of how deep this violence has reached? This is certainly not the best time for foreign troops to withdraw because it leaves Iraq with a very weak biased government along with its national forces. Nor would the withdrawal guarantee any better safety for the American people in USA or safety for Iraqis in Iraq who are left to forcefully live in a terrorist haven.

For 4 years, I paid close attention at nearly every governmental plan that the US and Iraq have made to help Iraq improve. And I have seen nothing but useless efforts from the US from the time the US troops joined Iraqi forces to attack Fallujah and Anbar. US troops have done nothing more in Iraq other than enter random Iraqi homes to check for criminals and live on the roof of those homes they have checked for their own personal security. But this plan Bush and his administration should define the existance of USA in Iraq. Does USA want to secure Baghdad with Iraqis? Or does USA really want to make itself look like they cannot handle the chaos among Iraqis and thus they are to withdraw from a civil war? And can the violence in Baghdad end? This is the moment that I personally have been waiting for. This is a mission the US should have planned to carry out at least 1 year ago to cleanse Baghdad permanently from the insurgents, terrorists and rising militias.

In truth, I hope the US and Iraqi mission will succeed to stabilize Baghdad. Baghdad is teh centre of Iraq, it is the home to many ethnic and religious Iraqis and if Baghdadis cannot sort out an end to the internal violence between each other, how would we expect the rest of Iraq to agree to live under one Iraq otherwise? Without a stable Baghdad only leads to an unstable Iraq.

Heaven or Hell?

2007-01-06T18:23:00.000+13:00

My opinions about Saddam's executions has not changed from the moment I heard Saddam was hung, other than the surprise that they did do what these Iraqis claimed to do about Saddam's trial verdict. This is what I think: We are humans, we do not have supernatural powers. We are just people filled with basic kinds ofpassion of anger, revenge, saddness or happiness. Our ways of expressing emotions are limited and in many cases difficult to describe. There are times when I hear my Iraqi friends being so happy about his death and other times where I hear my other Iraqi AND non-iraqi friends who are deeply sad about his death (for loving him or for seeing the execution on public TV as a disgrace). It depends on how we evaluate this execution. Why are we happy about executing a man who kills people too? What good does it do for us to be happy about his execution? This is what we should think about.

Saying Saddam is going to hell will not make a difference to where he may actually go, it only eases our pain and our well-being. I regret hearing people say Saddam will go to hell. As Iraqis who suffered under his regime, we should not be taunting a man who has always been a murderer from childhood. Say what you like as an Iraqi from any ethnic and religious background but if we Iraqis like to seek the true meaning of Justice, we should not blindly turn this execution as revenge and calling him to hell. This is up to God or up to the will of the anonymously powerful being who will have the power to take him to a place he deserves to be in. Saddam was a man, a human with great sins, mistakes etc, he was not an animal because even if he was, even an animal whould be treated with respect and dignity aka animal rights.....we cannot say he will go to hell...we cannot say this man is a non-believer of God for 'surely' going to hell just coz we saw him do something from ill-manner.......we should remind our selves how human we are and incapable of wishing hell or heaven on somebody because it really is not beneficial. We cannot judge the after-life punishments (heaven or hell) but we can judge the current life punishments (death penalty, life imprisonment).......why are we making him out to be like a dog and thus punished this dog to death unfairly? If Saddam was let loose for the average Iraqi citizens to do what they want with Saddam 'as justice', Im sure that the Iraqis will commit exactly the same kinds of murder as Saddam committed against innocent Iraqis, Im sure they will kill him, drag him across the streets, make fun of him, cut him into pieces and then feed him to the chickens or send it in a plastic bag to his family's front door, just like Saddam did to innocent Iraqis. Is this the representing role model Iraqis want to set for the future Iraq with the new government? Is saying 'Saddam will burn in hell' a good role example for the world to use when people start saying 'Shia Iraqis will burn in hell for their kuffr (non-believing in God)?

Our uncontrolled hatred for Saddam is allowing us to have blood in our hands and this is not what we should really want for our supposedly NEW Iraq. As humans who seek Justice and not revenge, we should have no say to where he is going, all we know is he will be punished for what he deserves. We are forgetting the real purpose of executing Saddam and that is to remove the illness he caused upon Iraqis hoping that we can forget what we did and rule Iraq better than he could have ever done. This tarnishes the entire system of ruling Iraq differently than Saddam.

Saddam's Era

2006-12-31T00:08:00.000+13:00

Saddam was executed by hanging on 30th December 2006. Several friends connected to the Green Zone and the Iraqi government have stated different times of 30th December when and where Saddam was actually executed. The celebrations for this new chapter after Saddam's era have not occured yet in NZ but I suppose that will be postponed to the Iraqi New year parties held on 31st December for all the Iraqi citizens. I spent the day and night watching several Arab media like Aljazeera which spent their reports interviewing people who supported Saddam. Western medias seemed more useful in interviewing witnesses of Saddam's execution and fellow politicians who are aware of the court verdict. For the Muslim world in the northern Hemisphere, it is the Eid al adha which signifies the biggest celebrations in the religion of Islam. Many Iraqis question the reason of executing Saddam on this special occassion. Why would they leave it at such a time? I guess Bush made his odd speeches about the year ending only when Saddam is executed and Saddam was acting so religious and tacky about wanting his execution day to be near the time of Eid. Many of us can only question what this Iraqi government benefiting the Iraqis in Iraq? What good are they doing to extend the execution date for an extra 2 weeks after the official verdict by the Iraqi judge? What good is the government when it decides to issue segments of Saddam's hanging on public television. What does politician Laith Kuba indicate when he chose to go back to USA losing his goals in Iraq after stating that each person his own valley of opinions which other Iraqi politicians refuse to listen to? All these things indicate that the Iraqi government is there to play with our emotions, particularly Iraqi emotions. I say that because the Iraqi government at the time of the famous abdul kareem qasim was not shown his execution completely to the public; to this day it is still rare to find a video that shows his death. Or how about the time when Saddam's sons were caught by American troops....their 'dead' faces were shown in photos, not videos or photographers. I watched with disgust as the media showed segments of this hanging, not because I love him but because it is inhumane to see a man you hate get killed infront of you. We humans are prone to hate somebody, a man who ruined our lives but are unable to commit a crime ourselves or even observe it live, many of us do not have this capability by nature; that is how Faisal sabbardi interviewed by several current medias said it "Saddam killed my family and friends and I left Iraq because of Saddam but there is no reason or benefit for me to witness his entire execution on video, all I need is a photo of his dead body to prove to me that he is dead". However because Iraqis are gullible, like the time the death of Saddam's sons were denied for the first few days, this event needed extensive footages for Iraqis to believe that, yes, Saddam did actually get executed. That's how barbaric Iraqis have become; by tolerating the death and to provide the way of execution to the entire national public and world-wide.

Each Middle Eastern country had its own style of benefit and view of Saddam. However at the end of the day when Saddam has left this Earth, several people like the Palestinians who benefited from Saddam's aid, Jordanians, Syrians and Libyans still have their respect to this man. The Libyan leader recently showed sympathy towards this very day. Why? I must ask myself.......Is it maybe he is scared that this day of execution will reach to his doorstep too because the whole public witnessed it and he needed to be seen as something better than saddam by sympathizing over his death? Why is it they see him so obedient and respectful when Iraqis, Kuwaitis and Iranians see him as a murderer? True, Saddam was seen as a respectful man towards certain countrymen but he was certainly not the same with local citizens and those he made war against. Only Iraqi citizens are aware of how bad Saddam and his regime really was, they faced it first hand directly, there should be no major reason for other people to deny what Iraqis say about Saddam.

I must say there is a difference for an Iraqi being sad about viewing this execution, people like me...and an Iraqi who had been sad from the moment they caught Saddam. Saddam is a weak man who refused to use his weapon he had in the hole while hiding but because alot of people listened to him, he became certainly powerful. There is much to say about this moment, the good and bad, but I can only say that this execution is not everything. It is simply a step closer to the ultimate goals of the average Iraq, which is to attain peace, security and equality. It is part of the solution. Whether Saddam's era will continue to be used as revenge or retaliation, that is one questionable possibility in regards to how much people are willing to fight for such a cause. Time as always, will tell.

Happy Eid and New year!

Holiday Time

2006-12-24T18:25:00.000+13:00

It's Christmas time! Many countries around this world share this one moment in celebrating this special occasion; buying presents to give to the people they care for and share the presence with the people they love. As much as the reality tries to divide people by propaganda, war and tragedy, we have alot of similarity between faiths and cultures. Having to live in western and middle eastern countries, I realize we are much more similar in the joy of Christmas and New year than we think we usually are. When I lived in the Middle East, the locals held massive plans for these holidays with parties, dinners and shopping festivals and also spent it with people they knew. We may remind ourselves that these Middle Eastern countries have their own set of religious celebrations but there is one thing that some cultural and non-Christian countrieshave that ther rest don't do; and that is having holidays also for occasions for Christians in addition to the dominated religion of the citizens .

From my own experiences assimilating in the Iraqi community so far, I know many Iraqis of Muslim background who share this wonderful time of Christmas for the sake of it, not because of hiding religious differences. Its the pleasure and excitement of putting up a christmas lights and small simple christmas tree even though it may not be as good quality and good looking as Christian families' trees ;)

I have to say that Christmas has become so commercial in coincidence with New Year. Dont let these commercial priorities take over the real meaning of Christmas. Many countries unlike NZ are much more hectic as Christmas gets closer to the present time but for this country, Christmas has become a rather quiet and more peaceful time where families spend their summery Christmas on vacations rather than panicking on what to shop for presents. Many people of cultural background have their way of celebrating christmas and that's what makes it unique on how one spends the time during this period. What problem is there to apreciate one's self in correspondence to religious diversity? Being part of a Muslim community, we have organised to spend Christmas day on the coast beach for a barbeque and to me, it does not matter what Im celebrating as long as I can freely act upon my own religious priorities peacefully in addition. So I hope many of us have good plans set out for Christmas, New year's resolution and to enjoy the time during this holiday.

The Nature of Man

2006-12-07T22:48:00.000+13:00

People state Shia and Sunni Islam are the cults that are causing this murder in Iraq. If that is so, how is it under Saddam, the average Iraqi population did not experience such a mass killing for the sake of religion? Shia and Sunni Islam are not 100% diverse. It wasn't different or a 'big deal' to Iraqis whether you were Sunni or Shia. Under concepts and laws of Shia and Sunnah of Islam, they are similar as well but when we speak of what is happening in accordance to Sunnah and Shia, there is abit of a problem now. Under circumstances of removing a past regime, little things start to matter; the little things between sunnah and shia today matter and it affects the fate of a nation by the work of a human's action. A human is the one who makes the differences, it isnt the theory or the law that provides such a seperation between 2 people.

Why sunnis kill shia or shia killing sunnis? It is the hands of the men who kill, not the words of a holy book. A Holy book does not speak for itself, a human man speaks for himself and literally speaking, interpretations of religious sects only 'triggers' this human to pull more of his tricks through death and blood-shedding. Why would a man fight over such differences? To gain; Power, money, land which are the basic tenants of a common man. This is natural of a man to think of such and this is also what explains how every few decades a politician in a national government ends up sliding off the bench as he becomes unfolded by the lies and secrets that were untold to fellow citizens for the sake of greed, power or simply a selfish behavior. Can one imagine what a man would think when he has such huge power in his hands? I for one can imagine that a rich powerful man would commit more sinful mistakes than in comparison to a poor man on the streets.

Lets keep this thought simple, though. Life is not complicated unless if we humans complicate it for ourselves with our functioning brains.

Ferocity of a Tyranny

2006-11-19T18:34:00.000+13:00

Having to keep myself busy in my summer work, thoughts about my family situated in different parts of Iraq and the rest of the world have been the major concern in my mind. The most difficult time has come for expat Iraqis, the reality of losing what is left of our belonging in Iraq; our families are at most danger who may have already gone or are still trying to survive and so are our houses, our property and any item that is under the roof of a house.

My aunt and uncle from Iraq have been in NZ for about 2 months now. It was only recently from them that we found out the terror insurgents had taken the keys of our house when a family member of mine was going to check up on our home as they were living outside the suburb our house is in. My aunt was very reluctant to tell us of this incident as she believed it would have been difficult for us to accept, it has been extremely difficult but most of my family have almost accepted having NZ as our new home over the time we have lived in NZ. Many homes of our Iraqi friends have been taken over by random criminals as well and the very much happened the same to my aunt and uncle's home. They are currently in NZ for a visitor visa and news came from Iraq that my aunt uncle's home in Baghdad had also been stolen by insurgents to be used as a safe for weapons and protection. Ever since this news, they have felt morever just confused of what they should do, they have no other belonging left in Iraq and they are not aware what step to take next as these days get closer for them to leave NZ. One can only imagine what 2 elderly citizens have left as an option. It has been tough for them but they have yet to make the most of it with their relatives here.

Nearly 3 months have passed by whilst my aunt and uncle's stay in NZ and I have not seen much of them unfortunately. I think to myself that we hadnt seen them for over 15 years until they reached to NZ and is this how our relationship is with them in the west? Is that how family life was in Iraq? It was not so at all. Family relationships in Iraq were beautiful days but having left our homeland, the whole attitude of family had firmly changed. However, these days in NZ with the presence of my aunt and uncle in the country were critical to show me how a portion of Iraqi citizens who recently left Iraq are so different with Iraqis who left long before the 2003 war, particularly at around the early 1990s. There have been a few family problems between us and the 'them' part, it is deeply tragic to see a seperation line between family that left now and years before. As much as I found it so hard to believe that they got accepted for this visit, its also difficult facing the reality that they are not the same family we used to know in the past. You do your best as an expat Iraqi to bring the remaining of your family in Iraq overseas for their safety but these memorable relatives in Iraq do not seem to appreciate it. Such is the case with my aunt and uncle. One reason my family nor I have not been seeing my aunt and uncle is because of the disappointment and anger they seem to have for my parents when they chose to live outside Iraq. From the time my parents were thinking for their childrens' future and decided to leave Iraq to anywhere else, the rest of our extended family were so extremely upset because of my parents taking such a drastic decision to 'abandon' the extended family in Iraq and our home. Luckily after years of more destruction Saddam made, some of the family now understand the decision my parents made. However, some others such as my 2 educated (doctors) visiting aunt and uncle do not recognise the sacrifice my parents had to make and nor would they recognise to do the same sacrifice for themselves and what is left of their immediate family.

Some of my relatives were smart to have brought resident apartments in Jordan from the money they had left. Whilst other relatives to this day have not recognised the importance of giving up on living in Iraq. Of all the money they can make as doctors, my aunt and uncle in NZ hadn't thought outside their imagination in order to leave a war torn country. Of all the trips they used to make to UK, Europe....of all the life they saw other than Iraq, they forgot about it and it does not mean anything to them. Nothing seems to mean anything to them other than Iraq. Why? I asked myself so many times, I have spent months thinking about why they are like this. Why they should be educated enough to understand the consequences of going back to Iraq but they do not see it like we do.

....We assure them they are safe here in their visit and they should insist themselves to take it easy to relax and think of what they should do next knowing their home is stolen from them. From their own words, they say 'being outside Iraq makes us more confused because it feels like a dream not living or feeling or seeing the pain of Iraq. Our minds are with Iraq even though our bodies are outside Iraq and we do not know which path to take.' We call them at 11am the next day and they would be awake telling us that they couldnt sleep at all as they spent their last night till 4am talking about Iraq. ....There were the many times we encourage them to stay in NZ or think about moving to Jordan or Syria before its too late, it is nonetheless hopeless. They reply with agony. "How can we leave our home. How can we leave our only son there with his wife who chose not to leave by will. How can we leave our clothes, our jobs." How can a person reply to them after they say that? Many of us Iraqis left our homes, terrorists stole our home, our clothes but they should have no right to steal our safety and well being ....and it is the same for every other Iraqi who chooses to make himself worthy of leaving. They would criticize us for saying that. I think to myself they are meant to BE here to relax and ease their tension; instead saying things like that to keep them calm only brought them to be more incited. It was one night I will never forget. It was a night which reminded me of the nights we spent in Baghdad, only this time there was electricity available and we were free to talk about Saddam but we chose not to out of old habits....It was a time where a horn struck another horn. We care so much for them but they respond to us with bitterness only because they see us as different people who do not understand the complications of Iraq; they answer as if we are not even Iraqi and have no awareness of the tough difficulty they are facing. 'You dont know what we are going through and you have no right to influence our decisions' they say. I compeltely understand the difficult decisions they have to make which we Iraqi expats may not understand as of today but the sight of them acting abrupt towards other family was horrific. People like them see their life only within the land they lived on for almost ALL of their lives, one may think how can they leave such a place after these years? That thought is what seperated us living abroad and them who chose to stay in Iraq even when they had several chances to leave..

Everytime we try to talk to them about topics they are sensitive about, only bitterness and disappointment came from the words of my uncle and aunt. Exceptionally, this sour moment indicated alot depression with it. When we think about Saddam's rule, we tend to call him a tyrant or a dictator but what. All this labelling does not emphasize the influence upon the citizens of Iraq. Oppression is what people mention. We must wonder what all of us "truth seekers" understand of the meaning oppression and dictatorship, it is not just dictating the social, economical, environmental well being, Saddam's regime dominated and re-created the emotional/psychological well-being of an average human to idolise and be attached to him. Iraqis became adapted to the lifestyle Saddam restricted them to. I am simply sad it had come to this. I have relatives infront of me whom I wish to help, how can I help, I think to myself? I cant even help the family because how can I change them to make them see? How do we propose to help the ordinary stranger if some of us are unable to help family? With all sadness, my aunt and uncle are a simple example of oppressed people from a dictated country. There have been much much worse incidents against another family. Observers assume taking out a dictator erases 'all' or most the damage a dictator had caused. But it does not. Removing a dictator starts a new chapter in a book which is consistent with the previous chapters of the same book Saddam's tyranny occurred, removing a dictator does not provide a new book from chapter 1.

Reality Strike

2006-11-09T18:58:00.000+13:00

I have lived out in the West for quite a while now. Several of my cousins and parents' siblings have left Iraq for some years now between 20 yrs ago or just last year but only most of them started leaving after 2003. Iraqis have integrated and formed relationships among themselves for so long that families have become extended to the very core of its meaning. We still attain our tribal roots and it starts all the way from a parents' uncle's son to the very core of your grandparents and first cousins.

I dont speak much about the attacks in Iraq...I sometimes wonder myself too. Its because theres so many of them to account for that its pointless to mention them and if there is a need to mention them, there is nothing more to add than understand the criminal proximity to their aim of failing Iraq for empowerment and stability and ofcourse, nothing more than to pray for the safety of the innocent Iraqi people obligated to endure this pain and suffering.

For Iraqis, it was of great importance to relate to families. Like other cultures, family is like one big knot that can't be untangled....in times of war and peace, families came together with friends to hide together for safety or celebrate the odd occasions that humanity had created for its own. It is that discrete that members of a family; aunts family, uncles, grandparents would have lived in close suburbs to one another for efficiency. Little does one know in reality when things fall short, its much more effective to have a family seperate in different ends of a city when it comes to an intermarriaged family of sub-religious groups. The way of dealing with religious segregation today is to have Iraqis who are sunni live in a shia area to exchange living settlement with family members that live in Sunni regions and vise versa.

In other cases, when families are deluded to think under dictatorship is stability, one never thinks that the distribution of members from a family settling in different parts of a city can be rather helpful at difficult times like now. Its unfortunate. That's how it is for my family...delusion...most of my family's homes from far to distant are in one single region in baghdad (ghazalia) . This region has become the hot spot of today, a street of ghazalia that is called the tension street facing al sho'la is at its very peak. Before the war, this part of Baghdad or kafa aat was seen as an area dominated by Baathists and now their presence in this region has become very influencial that it has reached to a point that crminals are calling out for the evacuation of the remaining Shia Muslim iraqis within 2 days. Al ghazalia has had its ups and downs like any other part of Baghdad and Iraq, however its sudden to adapt to the reality for this section of Baghdad of a populated Shia and Sunni region to be segregated. Other parts have faced this and I was morever just worried that this day would come; the properties we have, the houses that we built and looked after for ourselves...For one entire family, these criminals stole all of our belongings left in Iraq in ONE go. That's whats penetrating to the heart.

My aunt and uncle who recently came to visit from Iraq a month ago only informed us that our home few days ago was stolen by criminals who grabbed the keys from one of my aunts by the hand and demanded her or her family to not come back to it again. I must wonder to myself, how is a person meant to respond? Ive known about this for a while now and I cant contemplate on what to think of it. The home you once lived in is now owned by a bunch of gunmen criminals who will use it to store their weapons and planned attacks against its citizens. Where will my aunt and her family go? They never had a home in the first place. Who would do such a thing? Who do such things to hurt the people of Iraq who are trying to hang on the remaining of Iraq for the best of it? Is it Americans? Is this what USA brought upon us only? Did they wage some Iraqi speaking men to occupy the properties of their citizens and ? I dont think so because its inevident. Who other than the Iraqis ivilians know the sub religious domination of each Baghdadi suburb; whether its solely Sunni, Shia or mixed?? If Western soldiers are reported to have said they cannot identify the appearance of an Arab, Iraqi or Afghani, how can they train and demand gunmen to steal Shia homes in the region that is to be exterminated from a primary sub relgion of the area? No one other than Baathists from the Saddam regime know how to implicate this. Baathists knew very well who we are as they would spend their lifetimes checking up on their employees and their neighbors and their families inside out. They are ready to do what it takes to not allow the process of Iraq to stability go through, so they try to divide Iraq into sub religious sections that starts from Baghdad and they are well aware what house is what sub-religion and this isnt necessary to identify by the belongings a family puts in their home to resemble the Sunnah or Shia, a name just does it all.

The families who were aware the situation of Iraq saw this war to be endless by the sight of Baghdadi regions becoming dominated by a single sub-religion. Many families didnt leave Iraq until 2003 because they had hope in their home which in turn allowed them to accept their dictator seen as the only leader. Now it is different...there are 3 general types why people choose not to leave when all this destruction signifies the need for departure 1. Iraqis still have hope and find themselves useful or in fantasy land to be in their country and contribute to it whilst in its madness 2. Iraqis may be hopeless and so dont feel the need of leaving their home in the first place 3. Iraqis may have no ability to leave because its unaffordable for themselves and their family.

The old cliche goes....take the chance when you can. Those Iraqis who have the money and have physical ability to leave Iraq should do what it takes to make the move for themselves and their family. Its a way of taking the chance before its too late. Our current government is the least to rely on right now. The way I said it to my Iraqi friends is 'we leave Iraq not to forget Iraq but to make better use of ourselves and prepare to go back to our home country when its ready to need us'. There is no use to be there when we acknowledge educated Iraqis are unwanted in Iraq when we recount the thousands of doctors, professors and engineers leaving from threats and insecurity. I dont see how families in Iraq have the ability to leave but do not choose to. Currently I have an aunt who I pray a miracle for so she could leave and be safe but there really is no other way; she is old and frail in the hottest area of Baghdad and has no where else to go in Iraq and certainly has nothing left than the house she has owned for decades. Many Iraqis hope to get out of Iraq but arent able to. For those who can, do it before its too late because those who leave are to be the future saviors or contributors of Iraq.

Its about taking advantage of this chance when others dont get this same opportunity.

Is It True ...Will Saddam Really be Hung?

2006-11-05T23:25:00.000+13:00

So Im back after a long exam phase of the Southern Hemisphere. Right now, Im in the job seeking mood wanting to find myself something useful to do with the rest of my time than chapping about Iraq and politics.

When people spread a word of hearsay, people tend to believe it from others whom we trust or happen to be buddies with. The court brought some disappointment on my side.

Whatever verdict will hurt Iraq from now to the next month, not heal it. Theres more to just a hanging. Saddam calling out Allah Akbar or God is great during the Judge Abdul Rahman's sentencing only brought more stimulation...to whom you may think? These criminals, these vicious killers whom Iraqis know each and every one of them killed innocent people call out remarks of God and holding the Islamic book of God will only bring more devastation to the country. Anything between now and 30 days can happen, whether its the court changing its mind or the 'mujahadeen' assistance those baathists scream for. Mujahadeen they say.....seems like these murderers know what to interpret as people part of the mujahadeen and what mujahadeen can do for them. Why am I saying this? Because I have belief they are capable of forming a plan to save their life by using the mujahadeen or fighters that are in the thousands of the Iraqi streets willing to work on missions of going against the USA and the Iraqi government. Iraqi baathists wouldnt care who they pay to do the job...it just needs the effort if it were easily possible to have things changed around for them. As we say in Iraqi 'hal 7achi shafra lil mujahadeen'....it will please the terrorist fighters and I will tell you more why I think so down below:

What surprises me is how they allow these baathist criminals to be given such freedom to speak over the sentencing of the judge...especially when its done live on air. Why is there a need to aid these baathist criminals with microphones and be heard by everyone including the terrorists with a spare tv? It aids them when they hear the word 'mujahadeen' called out for their help. And this only tells me the court has been partly organised to increase the tension in Iraq...only increase our high blood pressure and the violence in itself....only more reason to be wary of the cause and effect.

I know iraqis can lack trust in things until it happens. I wont believe it till it really happens. In several parts of history for example, attempts of success in overthrowing saddam brought an extreme amount of emotion to the setting at the time but didn't succeed in the end. In 2003, Iraqis were taken away from Saddam's rule for the time being but were extremely fearful of his comeback and aftermath such as now. Neither is there a difference for doubting this verdict of the court.... can we believe it will happen...to have the rope hung over his neck? Thats only for time to tell.

But ....this verdict is one start I suppose. Mabrook or congratulations for everyone . We iraqis need action and this is one of them, rather than having lives die each day with no change and no hope. We wanted criminals to be sentenced for what they deserve (even though the current sentencing isnt completely what they should deserve) and this is part of it.

I was to some extent happy to see the final decision happen during a cluster of fireworks going off here. It is Guy Fawkes day here and it certainly brought alot more excitment to the scene.

My prayers are always with the Iraqis in Iraq enduring this whole entire process.

2006-10-20T23:19:00.000+13:00

Final exam study leave. Please stand by.

The Actors...

2006-09-29T16:29:00.000+12:00

It's been Ramadan, the fasting month in Islam for about a week now. It has so far been very rewarding and not too difficult at all if one has the will to contain or over-come the cravings and weaknesses.
It teaches a person so much, recognising yourself, your differences and similarities within yourself and between other people. How you may have food or materialistic things around you but people in the developing world do not have such an opportunity.
It is a month in a year where people come together with friends and family and share this month of recognition and appreciation.
This month can show so much about yourself and other people; it defines your strength and weaknesses in faith and how much left you need to improve. I am not the type of person for believing religion to have special days where you can act like you were faithful all your life only by being faithful or religious on a single 'blessed day' in order to become a better person. Ive seen this come in different ways in Islam. When I talk about Ramadan with fellow Muslims in this country, I get all kinds of responses; 'is it Ramadan now? I didnt know!' ' I wont fast because I believe its unhealthy' 'I am Muslim but I dont need to practice all the pillars of Islam to be a Muslim'. Their opinions are well-accepted on my account but when they pretend to feel like they are better Muslims who know much more than another believer or if you ask them where they're from, they will say 'I'm a Muslim Irani or Indian etc', that is completely where it is irrelevant. Why would it matter to mention I am Muslim when the person does not even properly follow that faith? Is it really necessary?

Ramadan is a special time. Many Muslims consider this month as way to leave the astray of their reality, come to the light for a month and then go back to being astray again. In other words, it is when Muslims attempt to be extra extra good only in a 'blessed month' like Ramadan so they can get their good deeds and then become their true loosened non-religious identity after the month has passed. You hear all kinds of things; I remember in the Middleast and the same here too 'oh we cant talk about guys like this in ramadan anymore' 'oh we cant wear what we are wearing right now in ramadan'.

This kind of behavior that is pointless. Such people know their mistakes but they deny it or simply ignore it. No religion likes hypocrisy and no religion will tolerate hypocrisy manipulated by humans. When special days come, every single person should be who he or she is and not try to change themselves and their way of thinking because God of any religion knows WHO you are, He knows what your qualities are and He knows what we are about to do so there is no need to act faithfully good because God is knowledgable in every move we make. I hope one day such people become who they are and not give out names when they dont even follow it nor practice it properly; it is not hurting anybody other than themself and God. There is no reason to act differently to how one were acting before a special faithful period. Ramadan is not blessed for everyone, it is blessed specifically for the "practicing" believers and I think God MIGHT just be merciful to make a Muslim actors' achievements in Ramadan accepted if He believed there was potential IN that person. Its not free blessings because that just makes God's creation of life too simplistic.

Islam recognises many special days of not only Prophet Mohammed but the days of other prophets who are seen as blessed too. These days are recognised to be blessful if the believer remembers these Prophets and pray in appreciation of their existance at a point in time. It is a day where wishes or dreams can come true if the person is good-hearted and persistant in what one believes.

PS: I am happy to let you all know my close Aunt and Uncle from Baghdad, Iraq have arrived to New Zealand for a 4 month visit. It has only been 1 day since their arrival and I have not seen them yet but I hope to do so by this evening. I'm only happy to know they are in safe hands for now.

Thank you for reading.

Pope's Remarks

2006-09-17T09:40:00.000+12:00

The Pope stated a few days ago that Mohammad had brought evil and inhuman things to this life. Due the shocked reaction by the Muslims, the Pope apologised afterwards for making such a crystal clear statement. There have been possibilities that the Pope had taken the criticism of the Prophet Muhammad made by 14th century Emperor Manuel Paleologos of the Byzantine Empire( the Orthodox Christian empire). The one difference we can take is the two different attitudes towards other religions by Joseph Ratzinger and John Paul II. This is something we may all know, John Paul II made a first visit to Syria at a Mosque and was precalled to have held the Quran as a respected Holy Book in history. Had it been the current pope's fault to not have done the same? Is it the Pope's fault or any non-Muslim's fault to pretend that Islam is a peaceful religion and cover up the faults of Muslims in Islam?

Let us think for a moment....we all witnessed how a Pope who is experienced and famous critisized Islam. What was the reaction of Muslims to the critisism? It was shock and demanding for some kind of apology from the Pope which he did give very nicely so he can avoid having a bad image or portrayel of himself by Muslims as 'abnormal'. The next moment is to think ' What should have been the Muslims' reaction in response?'

I will say my opinion on this as a Muslim. I do not like how average Muslims react to anti-Islam comments; most of them often go in shock and start becoming very angry...if you are Muslim or any faith of God, is it right to be angry about something when talking to someone about religion? should we be angry when we follow Mohammad (or even Jesus') path to light.? What is the point of it anymore to be angry when the world now knows Muslims are the stage light of the media? Or how our anger has possessed Muslims to be violent and vicious? Is this the image of Islam? Is that the true Islam for fellow Muslims? For me it is no and I would be personally able to prove this.

It does not take long for the world to know that anger is a possession which can control a person to do bad things, this is the 21st century and that can be significantly evident in biology, psychology. There is no use in being angry, yelling for rights, screaming out hatred or jumping on a burning flag of your enemy; that only shows childishness, weakness, and uneducated kind of people. Islam is being the target and topic and as a Muslim out of the still 1 Billion or so Muslims left in this world, I do not blame the Pope for what he said. I understand where he is getting this kind of information, it is not history he looks for about Mohammad. I would not doubt John Paul II would have said similarly the same around about this time but in a more vague appreciative way...infact history only proves the present and the presence of Muslims of today in wars, killing and more murder blood only proves more and more that Islam is vain. It adds more flavor of Islam being an inhuman religion because Muslims have not taken enough action to protect their Islam. When Muslims (also those living in the Western world) think about protecting Islam, they think going down to Iraq or Palestine and suicide bombing one's self is the way to do this and this is where they call wrong; this is exactly where Pope would believe Islam is a violent religion. Our ancestors, our prophets, our important people in all faiths would have surely been through times of war, death and instability like us but such things recurr now like they did before DURING such a civilised, high-technology century, many would think the source of that religion is evil itself because it had continued to keep to its old backward values.

However, this is the option Muslims keep open when they think of protecting Islam because they are moreever influenced by religious leaders and they believe Non-Muslims are too ignorant to understand anything.

How do Muslims observe a type of ignorant thinking from the Non-Muslims...we must wonder....

It only adds more problems and more complexity when Non-Muslims also pull their own anger against Islam at Muslims. If a person hates Islam but not Muslims like I heard many say to me already, then there is no need to attack a Muslim for what he or she believes in. The right strategy would be to tell Muslims that Islam is a violent religion and is a responsibility to clear up to the world that it is not.Otherwise, if Islam continues to be named as their religious duty during wars, murder and terrorist attacks to cause such chaos, there will be a very sharp turn for Muslims in the West who have little to do with the terrorism to be deported out of the country when it gets out of control (which I believe is soon bound to be) and a permanent stance in the Muslim world because of their misbehavior around the globe.

To end this post, I can only say Muslims respond to attacks very badly publicly, I dislike seeing the appearance of anger, disgust and uneducated responses. Many lost the touch of the right path in Islam. For Muslims who like to protect their religion in the more preservable way, the only way to do so is to prove to the West that Islam is not a danger, it is Muslims and the incorrect factions of Islam that bring more harm and instability....Defending Islam is not by saying Christianity and Judaism is false+worse than Islam. Rather, it is by protecting the Muslim community from any type of terrorism, violence, and extreme thinking, particularly in the Western nations. Western nations are not our home if people like you or me live there because as Muslims our home is the home of Islam and since the home of Islam is incapable to accept us all, we live under the demands of Western law. Some Muslims instead cover up messy traits of Musllim violence and allow it to happen, like the tubes to Syria, the Pakistani bombings of London and so on. There is so much for Muslims to do to help the situation but many are too careless and thoughtless to think of anything useful for everyone. Those attacks I have mentioned surely were both done inland of the Western countries and there is not a doubt that there was at least one person who knew the contributors to terrorism and these attack plans but resorted to keeping the plans under the bed. Such attitudes will only hurt Islam over and over; it only causes more hostility from the international society.....

Until such thoughtless attitudes stop, Islam will then start to heal and not be seen the enemy.

The Hallucinators

2006-09-03T15:58:00.000+12:00

It is wonderful to now discover that there are under-ground pipes reaching from Syria through to Iraq? Is it surprising...is it shocking? The answer is no. Iraqis have learnt the behavior Arabs are taking in Iraq killing masses of citizens, not foreigners. I must only wonder what goes in the mind of this 'to be terrorist' before he agrees with being belted as a DEtonator. Does he think that he is helping Iraq? Does he ever think why the need to have pipelines if the Iraqis really need the strength and power to defeat the 'foreign troops' when they could have openED all the gates to entry of Iraq?

Iraqis would have called for the help of their lonesome Arab brothers to participate in this war if Iraqis NEEDED it but because Arabs feel left out from the excitement of war, they have a self-gesture to assume that Iraqis are asking for their help. They LIKE to envision a call of help from Iraqis when it was never really called for. Such kind of thinking and belief will never be solved if Arabs continue to be spoon-fed the load of crap from their religious leaders about their responsibility as Muslims and this war against the West when it really is a war against the extreme divisions of Islam.

Finding these pipelines will not achieve the stop to their goal; it will only decrease the pressure for the victimised nation but they will always find ways for their unconscious brains to make destruction.

Only a reformation and education can bring an end to this kind of mentality.

The Two Sides

2006-08-29T11:10:00.000+12:00

One thing I dont understand is the mentality of many arabs from all parts of the Middle East regarding their politics.

Before Israel even thought of attacking Lebanon, many Arabs (Muslim) were not initially in total support of Hizbelloh. The fact is, Hizbelloh is a Shia Muslim Organisation and has had alot of history being aided from Shia countries like Iran. Because most of Islam's population is Sunni, many Arab sunnis refused to support Hizbelloh for this reason. A reason of religious division.

Now I know what it means in Islam to join with your brotherhood in times of hardship but I certainly dont understand Muslims who would come out and say Shia are a disgrace to society for their belief of Islam and just when Israel does attack Lebanon and Hizbelloh, they would change their mind and say we support Hizbelloh. That also was demonstrated in the Rally I had gone to.

Aside religion, lets talk about the general arab mentality of this conflict. In the first few days of Israel's first attack, Arabs supported it. I supported it as well but only in defense and I was also moreever disappointed that Hizbelloh initiated Israel's anger like that calling for war, for destruction and pain to Israel's civilians. I understood from talking to Arabs everywhere that, they wanted Hizbelloh to fight Israel because they believed Israel had no right to exist and that is now only why they are supporting Hizbelloh. As far as WE know, it is not Israel that is suffering, it is the Lebanese people, God help them who are the victims of this fight. Unfortunately a MILITARY organisation like Hizbelloh does NOT know how to calculate the proportion of how much Lebanon will be at risk and the amount of weapons that Hizbelloh would have to defend itself if Israel attacked. Hizbelloh surely did not think about that and that's the result it has come to, more deaths to Lebanon because it was unorganised and out of the blue as they say. THey just cared about getting back their lebanese prisoners by 'revenge' but never thought that, hey, lebanon will be in a much BIGGER crisis if they do not plan how to keep their people safe from Israel's crude attacks.
This is where I hand the blame to Hizbelloh...it is not only the responsibility of Israel to stop attacking because Lebanon is innocent,..Israel is not innocent and Israel is NOT responsible for Lebanon's death. It must be much more the responsibility of a Lebanese organisation like Hizbelloh to think of what it is risking; its people, its home....

On the first few days, Arabs supported Hizbelloh..and just as days went by to weeks long of the war, an amount of Arabs lost interest and instead wanted Hizbelloh to stop fighting because it had started the fight and now Arabs believe Hizbelloh with Lebanon should go with a ceasefire or truce.
Im happy to know some people out there were willing for the ceasefire but I dont understand how Arabs can contemplate going against Hizbelloh after they were supporting it. It has come to my observations, in not only this war between Israel and Lebanon but the wars between Iraq, terrorism and USA, and the early Gulf war that has shown similar attitudes to their fellow Arab muslim brothers be supported and THEN be let down after they themselves discover that the war is useless.
This is a double personality. A personality that Arabs cannot decide and has recurred over a few times.
Arabs say we are helping by defending any of our Muslim brothers defend themselves, like in Lebanon to attack Israel or Iraq to attack USA but they do not understand that it is hypocrasy when at the same time they believe Shia are kuffar. It is also hypocrasy as well when they say Hizbelloh has right to kidnap Israeli soldiers for the sake of their prisoners and then let Hizbelloh down by going against it because they NOW find out that Hizbelloh's acts has risked the Lebanese civilian lives. It is wrong...If I compare this to the attitude Westerners had when it came to half of the American population supporting the war in Iraq when it first began and has now decreased to less than 40% support because its not that their soldiers are dying, it is also they see no point out of it...no result because of the damage Iraqis are doing to EACH other.

I say this with more sorrow that Arabs do have over lapping mindsets because they try to be modernized in the form of the current opportunities the world has; ceasefires, truce, human rights but at the same time they try to stick to their original laws of Islam and do not see that these opportunities is combined in Islam, in the Quran but they just do not know when to use it; when to stop doing something, when to start acting on something.
All Arabs as a majority of Muslim population can do is nothing but believe they are always in life ready for war; little did we Arabs know that there is always a right time and a wrong time for war and that we must know that in order to achieve victory because victory is not obtained at any moment; it is achieved when the time and organisation is right.
I someday hope we will change our ways and become better in predicting our success through our plans and achieve the right concepts of Islam in our life when we think about supporting something. We can only be one and set a foot on one side of the line. We cannot be both because that only shows how confused we are in life about ourself and our people.

A Call For Contribution

2006-08-24T13:40:00.000+12:00

One of the ways to attain peace is to contribute towards it. It may not be heard, may not GIVE any response to it nor any good result out of it but at the end of the day, you know that you have tried to do something; that you did what was available to your convenience and at some point it will make a difference, maybe now maybe later in the years further.

What we humans MAY forget like I often is that our attempts to push forward our beliefs will be recognised one way or another. Like the experiments doctors make on humans and animals (which is in the hundreds of thousands from the day we set upon this planet) to test their theories in history, their trials have become well known and famous for at least some of their events because they did something that is somewhat out of the ordinary and it added to the knowledge of Human biology and Life Science of today. If we sit there and do nothing, no one will care or know about what should have been one to improve the issue and just like doctors push forward their beliefs into practice, so should we when it comes to maintaining what we have left that will keep this Planet Earth in ONE piece by avoiding the masses of murder that will soon come to destabilize the entire region and the coruption of societies that are under our noses.

The below petition is one of them; one of the many tragedies that occur and will furthermore erase a people due to their background. What good will it do? Nothing, other than cause more instability and violence. Read the below petition site, you dont have to vote for it but just having a look at its aim will change something, whether it may be a virtual vote, saving a life because of this petition or just a cognitive thought that yes, such things do exist around in this world; Even that will help.

Petition

A Cry For Innocence

2006-08-13T10:38:00.000+12:00

One of the 21 arrested suspects who was meant to cooperate in the terror plot was a 19 year old of a Muslim family. Over several news channel stations, they show the father of the 19 year old weeping for the innocence of his young son along with an interpretor saying the whole family knew him as an innocent man who would own the intention to cause harm to society.

I dont hold any grudges here about this man because the UK police arent very certain if he is guilty or not. However, what really has come on my nerves is like the time one of the 4 suicide bombers' family yielded innocence, this is very much the same in which the 19 year old's father is doing believing that he KNOWS everything this young man revolves around him.

Since when in typical Muslim families do parents know about the every move of their SON? Arent Sons usually given more personal freedom than their daughter? So by what perception does this father have when it comes to believing in his innocence just because he is his son? Has he ever tried to think that, yes, maybe his son was exposed to the wrong society and thereby can be gullible by being influenced from those taught principles of politics and Islam? Or was his father too afraid of thinking about it and simply went down the easy road by claiming for his innocence with no questions asked? I despise these kind of moves so much not because Im sure these suspects are guilty by name but it just shows that the thinking of parents is very simplistic who dont want to think about the worse case scenario of what has dramatically changed the person they love and raised.

Its all psychological in relation to facing fear that they never thought of going through. But in this century, if they made reality shows called 'fear factors' then that really proves that the more we go on through life, the more we have to observe over our young ones to ensure they dont get into the mess during our lightest worries and least suspicion for them.

A bit of Philosophical Thinking

2006-08-06T12:55:00.000+12:00

I have always taken interest in the Philosophy of the World. Ive been reading up on all sorts of Philosophers in the past few years and particularly I have become more enthusiastic about the Critical Thinking of people.

Psychologists, philosophers, cognitive scientists, economists and computer scientists all take an interest in how human beings reason. In other words, they take an interest in how people form beliefs about the world or about themselves and how they make decisions. The experts usually distinguish theoretical from practical reasoning.

Theoretical reasoning concerns the way we form beliefs and especially the way we form beliefs on the basis of evidence derived from other beliefs. Lets imagine that you believe it's Tuesday today. Let's also imagine that you believe you have a class every Tuesday at 12 pm. Well, because you believe both these things, you had better believe that you have a class at 12 pm today. Logic demands that you hold this last belief. Furthermore, if you don't believe you've got a class at 12 pm today, youre likely to get yourself into some practical difficulties. What you believe in this case matters for how things go for you. (Not all our beliefs matter though. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you believe about an issue. Like for instance what about your belief about international politics? Who is telling the truth and who is not? Or how about you may believe aliens building the pyramids, or the existence of life on Europa? Such things are beliefs we have certainly no control of because we are simpler people with little influence, realistically speaking.

Practical reasoning (also called 'practical rationality') concerns the way we make decisions in regard to how we will behave. it is really about how our beliefs and desires combine to produce intentions to act. For example, let's carry on the monday and Tuesday story. You believe that you have a class at 12 pm. Let's say that you also want very much to be in that class (Perhaps they serve drinks or give away twenty dollar notes in that class). Well, it makes good sense for you to say that because of what you believe and desire, you intend to be at the class at 12 pm today. In other words, you intend to perform the action of getting yourself to the class at 12pm today. This is all very obvious, but it's worth mentioning because it reminds us that what we do - how we behave - is a result of what we believe and what we desire.

Im certainly not a perfect person. Nor are you and thus we should all spend some time in our daily life to think whether what we see or hear is true or not. For example, as an Arab Muslim I hear so much rumors about families having their reputation ruined because of their son or daughter getting into problems because of some few mistakes that another Arab 'witnessed' from far distance and assuming thats what the person did. Can I be practical enough to hear it from someone and say this is true that the person had such intentions when simply it was just one Arab viewing the situation with no justification? Its not practical at all and we should often ask ourselves the basis to why we should initially believe it.
Of course, this is very much similar in politics or in every day life. We are to be careful what to believe and how to form our opinions. We should always ask ourselves is this logical to say and think? The more we do that, well in my case I do know that the more I do question myself, the more I realize that I dont become so easily biased, fooled or gullible in every aspect of life as I have seen some people become.

2006-08-03T10:20:00.000+12:00

Take a lil chilling break and Enjoy:

Video Link

The Rally

2006-07-26T11:29:00.000+12:00

On 22nd July Saturday 2006, a rally was held at the middle of the biggest NZ city, Auckland.
Only few days before Saturday, many Arabs which was in the thousands at the university I go to were talking about this 'important function'.
The rally was aimed at the 'atrocious' acts of Israel against Palestine and Lebanon. At the first moment I heard o f the rally, I feared only problems would start between the people that have different opinions about the situation.
A day before this rally, I had informed my father about it, and he was not happy at all. He infact didnt want me to go to the rally because it was seen useless and only a bunch of politically incorrect protestors saying what they think. We Iraqis love all people at most times but for the last few decades we have begun to show some dislike against other Arab neighbors because of their intrusion, lies, and self-indulged and backward mindsets. Our identities as Iraqis and other Arabs are different because Iraqis of all religious citizens are usually able to speak about our opinion in politics and add humor to how we handle our difficulties and this is the one simplest thing that Arabs cannot contemplate with and would turn to cause serious arguements. They have their own way of dealing with their wars and in addition do not like listening to how we handle our problems.
This is why we cannot be so open with them even when we may be friends because we do not like to 'cause problems' about politics of a nation that we know we cannot have much influence on since we are so far away.

Without my father's full approval I went to the rally to observe. Now the invitation said 'rally between the Palestinians and Israelis' and what I understood of that is a gathering between the Israelis AND Palestinians. I went there and saw a huge mass of protestors. The only good thing I liked was the participation of fellow New Zealand citizens who I could say have never seen them interfere in international politics before. 100metres away and I could hear the yelling and screaming of "Down Down Israel" AND Bush, and "Victory for Hizbelloh". Why so blunt? Why so inaccurate I asked myself. I hated what they were yelling so much because most of all it was very biased and stupid. Sunnis and Shia are never together in their politics. Many Palestinians do not like Shia even when Iraqis gave them homes and jobs. Most of the Arab Muslims who probably went to this rally are not even Shia but I hear this tainted shouting of 'Victory for Hizbelloh' all of a SUDDEN? Since when the Sunnis and Shia population became united? That was truly what really annoyed me. The fascinating thing was, nearly no Iraqis were present at this rally except those who went for the fun of it.
The protestors walked down the city roads to the US Embassy where an anonymous NZ man went on the roof of the building to lower down the US flag and replace it with the Palestinian one. They continued walking by the side of the Embassy and through an alley way where eventually one Palestinian man I happen to see nearly everyday got into a physical fight with a seemingly 'pro Israeli' old man, as they called him.

Afterwards I gave up watching them from far away since I felt so wrong to be apart of this so called rally and decided to do some shopping while they cause a pointless mess. When I first heard of it, I was truly hoping to meet some Israeli Jews so I can converse with them about the situation. I have seen several Jews here and often I had the urge to go up to them for a good intellectual discussion. But that wasnt so because the rallly is nothing like what it should have been.
It was meant to be a rally BETWEEN Palestinians and Israelis. Instead after the rally went dead, I had a talk to one of the friends who were part of the rally and asked how many ISraelis she saw and she said 'only one old Israeli man' and I said 'aww khataya' which means 'poor him' in English since there were much more arabs and she responded to me 'what khataya, hes an israeli'. I said 'so what? He is an old man. We are meant to respect the elderly no matter what'. She said 'i disagree, hes an israeli, he doesnt deserve to be treated so nicely'.
After that shock from such a 'good Muslim like her', I had several more discussions about the differences between Iraqis and Palestinians with my Iraqi and Palestinian friends. They are good people, it is just their politics that I call 'demented' because it is their kind of thinking that cannot be applied in the situations Arabs are in.
I simply gave up and went home as they had lunch and thought that there is nothing worse than this rally Ive been to. I thought itd be a good change to see what the Arab community in this city thinks and it turns out ot be much more biased than the city I used to live in previously.

In 2003, there were Arabs in the city I had lived in before I came to Auckland who protested against the war of Iraq. Many Iraqis, even the ones here in Auckland were at the time happy to have USA in Iraq. Iraqis were all in tears and we felt much calmer than current. While these non Iraqis protested, we, as a small Iraqi community attended this protest only to go there and show them that we were happy to have USA in the country. The Arab community at the time had respect for us because we were such a tight community and were all one big group, unlike in some places like Auckland...our opinions vary and unfortunately they are more likely disrespected than accepted in consideration.

And because

The Good and The Bad

2006-07-21T09:13:00.000+12:00

My point is simple and clear.
Israel has right to be attacking Lebanon it has. There were some intentional attacks for preservation against its neighbors but I can only imagine for any Arab nation to doing no less the same as Israel is doing now. What does Hizbelloh want with Israel? Did Israel bother Hizbelloh in the South which incited Hizbelloh to respond back? I dont think so because of course Hizbelloh would be happy to announce it in public just like Nasr Allah did about 'welcoming an introductory war with Israel and its Allies'.
And if Israel does take up this 'invitation' for a war, I would not be surprised if Lebanon would not handle the matter all too well and will start to want Israeli troops to retaliate and want 'only' them to leave in peace.
This is similarly to Gaza when all Palestinians wanted was a withdrawl of Israeli troops on every tip of the Gaza streets. And now? Gaza is like a humble town of Hamas leaders planning out their attacks on an Israel that actually accepted the negotiation of this Gaza withdrawl and now Hamas broke out causing a lash of Israeli anger. Do I blame Israel now? No, sorry. I maybe an Arab Muslim but that was very silly of Both Hamas and Hizbelloh and now I can only say that they will deserve what it gets regardless if its people support such militants or not. If one thinks logically to these acts then it is most probable that such a conclusion is about to happen. and I hope at some point, Arabs will understand not to intrude in OTHER peoples' problems like Hizbelloh has done. Too late for that now because it already happened and only God knows what is next.

Morever, Neither Hizbelloh nor Hamas have done any good to Iraq. All they do is love sending militant Iranis and IRaqis with weapons and their sons for martydom to kill other Iraqis or hail their flags to Saddam and his family. These are not gifts to Iraqis and I cannot care more if the entire 'Palestine' is taken over by Israel. Do you know why? Israeli government may be vicious like the rest of the world governments but is it soo important to have one of our own people [Arab Muslim] ruling us? Take a look at it, you got 2 leaders.
One leader is Jewish or Christian or anything Non Muslim yet he holds such high qualifications and experience in politics at which he had been in protests for peace, freedom and anti-war and he wants to try for being a president of your Arab country. But you also got another competer who is Arabic, Muslim but has had many faults at which he disrespects and abuses the people who would not agree with him at the political front. Which would you choose? Do you choose the Arab Muslim just because he is from the same place and faith you come from? Or do you benefit from the gain of choosing a Non Arab who is capable of giving rights to all citizens?

A bit About

2006-07-10T14:54:00.000+12:00

For the last few months since we moved cities, we have been living in a very popular Iraqi community neighborhood and I have to say, although I am more indulged in the Iraqi community and heritage, I still find it weird to know there are Iraqis around me that I do not know. It always been Iraqis around me that I know well as we were a tight community.

My brother whose a Pharmacist works at a nearby Pharmacy store and there are usually dozens of Iraqi 'patients' coming to him in the past few months as the Pharmacy is growing large in recognition. There was one incident about this Iraqi lady driving in her car until this New Zealand citizen in another car jumped infront of her lane and caused an accident. They both stopped and the Iraqi lady came out of the car to check the damage and the opposing driver until he came up to her, stole her purse, and gave her a punch in the face.

Unusually after hearing that story, it turns out that this Iraqi lady is a friend to us and such a simple case reminded me of the horrific reality in Iraq and yet worse.

How can such an incident occur in a developed country to a victim who has a home that is facing such similar cases but in more suffering and pain?

There is more than just one case of crime done by a citizen of a western developed nation against an Iraqi.

I can more or less talk about the crimes done by Iraqis against other Iraqis and local citizens that spring up every now and then. Like the Iraqi man who raped more than 1 woman and is now jailed for it or the average Iraqi man who attempted to steal the money of another Iraqi. When an Iraqi like me does reflect upon such news done by Iraqis in stable countries, you think it is that reason why Iraq is the way it is now; in blood, vein and untold stories of experience; because of its people who still inherit the same behavior, mindset that put their country backwards. The unusual thing, no matter what we hear about our people we still love to fish out the Iraqi things and people everywhere we go.

It is not just the USA and Allies, or the militias or terrorists who cause the problems. It is also the national citizens who refuse to change and bring about new thoughts to society

However, today's young people are seeking for the highest in education, philosophy and life style and that is a great start. The question is, can these young people still stick by their home and culture but can bring about a future of new ideas, strategies and education in their life and the coming? Maybe

2006-07-06T11:38:00.000+12:00

I wonder how the orindary innocent Palestinians are feeling now that Hamas brought upon their people the 'evil Israelis' back onto the streets in tanks and armed gears? Not too good.
Israel has right to defend its kidnapped soldier and Im sure they will fight for him for as long as it takes. Do you know why? Its not just revenge they may have but its also local co-oporation. Soldiers obide what the government wants and what the ordinary citizens want. They communicate between one another to know if any of their people need to be defended. If the citizens are in danger, then the army will go to defend its people, and if the army soldiers get kidnapped, then their leaders who are the government with the support of citizens will do what it takes to defend its kidnapped soldier. Does this Palestine have such a system between government, military and citizens? No.
And that's their problem. The military may be Hamas but its also the new government. To me, a successful people should have 3 of these divisions to create a lasting nation in unity where all 3 divisions got the others' back for protection.

Back to Iraq, over the last few days, reports were talking of this US soldier who tortured and raped this young woman and I no longer see any important reason to emphasize such an incident. Iraqi women get raped more than just one time, so why emphasize this one little tiny case to seek justice. Who cares if it was an American soldier raping her, don't those gangs rape too? They probably do more than the regulatory duty of a soldier trying to defend himself and stay SANE under such a stressful situation. We don't need to whine about one rape case, we should be worried about the overall treatment of Iraqis by any people and I say particularly by armed militias/gangs/terrorists more than governmental militaries.
It is a problem when a country has foreign soldiers who do not have the support of an existing nation but it is not that big of a problem when there are armed soldiers who obide by their local laws. To give you a clearer image of what Im talking about, it is a problem having terrorists, gangs and armed militias that do not have the support of their homeland government because it is more difficult to deal with them confrontively.
And it is more straightforward to deal with armed soldiers who obide by laws of their nation such as USA, UK and Allies.

Media Online

2006-07-04T11:27:00.000+12:00

Media Online is a developed website that only hit the cyberworld not long from now.
I think this website has alot to offer to its readers; especially if you look at the Featured stories from the Middle East under Articles on the top. It provides information about things that are obscurely reported on the famous headlines of articles or news channels.

I am often unfair in my views about the Middle East and Muslims as I am one follower myself but I can say this media online website tries to show both sides of the image of the Middle East in its good and its bad
Take a read and you may discover some interesting information you couldn't initially find before.

Enjoy it as much as I did!

PS: Is it so bizaare to finally know that Saddam's daughter and wife are on the wanted list? Finally, some convicted women are being searched for! Thats the equality that Iraq's constitution is partially referring to.

The Conflict Of a Palestinian

2006-06-30T09:57:00.000+12:00

The latest on the news is the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier by Hamas group.

As much as I hate to see Iraq on the main headlines, I also despise seeing Gaza being such an great importance to mention to the society.

These are my opinions as an Iraqi who has been keeping an eye open for hope of an agreement between the 2 sides and these opinions conclude how much the Palestinians have become confused of what they want from their Israeli 'neighbor' and their government Hamas. It seems so confusing to these restless Palestinians, particularly in Gaza to decide what they seek for the future; do they want to keep fighting or do they want to live in peace with what should be good enough to make a fair living of the available opportunities and sources. I am so saddened to see how much Israel is willing to hold meeting with the Palestinian PM and Hamas to reach an agreement but it is severely 'more' from the Palestinian side who are rejecting this opportunity. For a minute, just compare the realities of Palestinians and that of Iraqis; ask yourself what Iraqis want and what Palestinians want and you will see how very different these two populations of similar background are. Iraqis more ever just want to live in peace, I can think that Iraqis would eventually accept even seeing the North Iraq to be validated the land of Kurdistan considering a major part of Iraq's oil is in that region. 3 years ago, the following quote was said by a Marsh arab in Iraq repeated over 3 times on the same channel, 'we do not care if our Oil is taken or if we live in temporary pain just as long as Saddam is given the immediate justice we Iraqis think he deserves and to build our own nation. In time you will see that to achieve a successful Iraq is not dependent on Oil, it is much more than that. That Marsh Arab knows very well what he's talking about, he knows the priorities of what Iraq should do.

On the other hand, I try to ask Palestinians what they want as it is a sensitive question to them and sometimes they tell me 'we want our land back'. I understand that but its enough already to be fighting for a piece of land for over 56 years. Give it up, dont palestinians want a future for their children? Or do they seek their kids to be part of some gang of throwing rocks or holding weaponry against Israel? This is what I do not understand....over 50 years, its enough, why cant they weep for a peaceful life with what they are left with?

When the Palestinians make excuses about Israelis killing young kids and putting them in prison, how is it any different when Palestinians kidnap a 19 year old soldier doing duty of safeguarding and yet kill him later? It is no different. Palestinians are acting like immature stubborn people who make excuses that reason the same action taken in return. Israelis kill, then Palestinians kill, is that how today's adults work? If ordinay Palestinians allow that from Hamas, then it is one note to realize that they indirectly support the group's actions. At one point you hear them just wanting Israelis to leave Gaza and just when they do leave, Palis seek more by using that extra 'free but restricted land' to fight back and as a result, that brings the Israelis back in to Gaza just like now. Palestinians are at a loss of confusion because they need to choose between fighting with what land and weapons they have or they try to compromise to get the land back by agreements with Israel and accept of being at peace with them.

WHen Palestinians used to say 'if Israelis leave Gaza, we will not bother them' it is no more of a lie. These palestinians want nothing more than to fight for their land with their life. And I can no more add but say to Israelis to continue widening their forces BACK into Gaza because these Gaza citizens truly deserve it. They broke their so called word to be at peace when Israelis left.

I have no despair for anyone but when the improvements are ignored and people continue to cause problems, then it is of right for the opponent to take advantage of it because they did what was right at the time being.

God bless that young soldier's life, What wrong did he make other than serving a country which he was taught to have a right to exist? Nothing.

The Difference Between Development and Undevelopment

2006-06-25T21:22:00.000+12:00

Its unusual to see how little time you have left in your hands and you say to yourself that if only you had more time to accomplish, you would beable to complete your goal 'perfectly'. Like an exam, like a due assignment, or a meeting/interview at work. However, when you have so much time in your ability, you often like to leave your chores to the last minute where you get pressured to speed up your moves in order to catch up with the proposed time and date. This is exactly what I am going through, only I am rather eager to just finish this university semester exam so I can get this guilty and restless feeling off my back. I can only hope that all what I have done will give me the achievements I believe I deserve.

It is similar to when we use the above context in politics of local government. To have an overview between the developed and undeveloped nations, like the Western society of USA,UK, New Zealand, Australia or the pending nations working towards development like Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia; these nations represent the odds between what makes a country more successful than the other.
Western societies continue to proceed with developing the country. They will never stop their developments, discoveries and the individual rights of justice or freedom, and democracy. We can admit, as a western 'developed' society, there has been a time in your country that its government has fallen in the trap of being unloyal to the country's laws and in which politicians discredited what the governmental political party initially stood for whilst they were elected. However, since we go back to the concept of developed countries continuing to proceed through and into the future, we can adapt to the fact these fallacies that most probably have occurred at some point in the government can be pointed (and corrected) out by a fellow sincere member of the govt or more reasonably a fellow citizen of the country. Without these cautious citizens fearing their nation would be devoured by the horror of corruption, the so called Western societies would not exist as it is today. Take USA for an example, an approximate 60 years ago USA wouldnt be as it is today if it werent for its rising citizens who were to become aspired politicians and felt the country has gone under chaos and mistreatment (eg: slavery, racism). What made USA become what it is today? The US government may not be its best, but it is the people of all kinds who can now have more freedom than they ever could 60 years ago. Why? It was because of the people who helped stop the civil wars, the racist beliefs and violence.

In the Middle East, countries have begun to spring out of its nests to seek more opportunities. Saudi Arabia has recently been trying to change the work life, the rights of people, and ability to self select council leaders within society. My thoughts here is, how is it Saudi Arabia which can be considered the home of terrorism today, can start to develop when a country that went through turmoil and reshaped its society by a 'democratic nation' cannot further develop its society in proper society?

We can analyze that one of the biggest reasons are the underlying terrorists that still exist within the borderlines and that makes it inevitably more difficult to track down because there may be a large number of innocent people who are not involved but it is that there is a lack of individual respect, safety from threats when citizens attempt to apply one of the 'main' freedoms to speak of any suspicious footprints to the centres of terrorism. It is that a country like Saudi Arabia has had power under the same family for at least 20 years now where it had a long time to observe the problems and admit them to correction as it is trying to do now. It, as a nation, has had so much time to think of an inner-reforming to proceed to better their country willingly, not enforcively.

Such countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, have not had the same time, management and decision making as Saudi Arabia or UAE, Kuwait, Jordan have had. These listed countries may not provide the best rights to individuality but they have something good that two powerless nations (Afghanistan and Iraq) dont have, and that is stability. The stability in Iraq and Afghanistan are weak in comparison to the mild strength of the stable government any other arab muslim neighboring country may have. Iraq for instance has not had enough time to work over the progress of a successful government, they not only have to work on improving the society in general but also their own government and this costs twice as much work, let alone the lack of time they are given to do all this and the unreachable stage to focusing solely on the fight against terrorism.

I can talk so much about this in detail but I believe it is not ONLY the fault of Leaders in the Iraqi government that cant provide Iraq everything it needs. It isn't the strength of the leader himself, it isn't just about how he thinks, or what religion sect. he is defending personally.
It is about finding the suitable strategy of controlling a war torn nation of 35 years to work on its society and also defend itself from its opponents, all this done with a limited amount of time more than it can bare to achieve. It is about working on a country from scratch, with people that do not have capability to worry about how they can help their nation grow in politics as much they do worry about how they will protect their family and make a living. As said before, day-to-day individuals play a great part in the successful processes of the long-term government. If individuals neglect their government and expect political members to make decision that think will befit the entire population, then they are wrong. Sometimes, it is really worth the effort to think about your plans of political stance in action more than the worries about safety or money at such times like this when the future looks all pale and gloomy. At times like these, at times like now in Iraq it is most probably the only way to help stabilize a nation with such limits it has.

Have a think about this as much as I have: What is the point of continuing your daily life working, going home and making money to feed your family while there are dozens of markets bombed, stores/companies and schools attacked and closed down and when there are thousands of these pernicious scum roaming around looking for more working citizens and families to murder ? Nothing.

A Hidden Secret

2006-06-19T15:17:00.000+12:00

What would you expect when a famous leader dies who has such powerful strength to take over the minds of many people? You get more imitations of his image and character. Theres bound to be more of him in the near future. It is only yesturday that they have reported military to attack Ramadi in the next few days conjointed with US and Iraqi soldiers. The strategies to attack a insurgent dominated city has its good and bad aftermaths. Like the previous attacks on Fallujah and Mosul, the attack caused an evacuation of insurgents/militias to neighboring cities killing more masses of Iraqis. Whilst, when you know a city is dominated by insurgents, what other strategy would there be other than attacking them directly as they are currently planning to? I hope their strategy this time improves better than the previous attempts. Ramadi has always been one of the major centres of insurgencies, it is only more severe now to do something about it.

Going back to local terrorism in NZ, Palmerston North was a city I lived in for 8 years and the university there had the only Pilot school in NZ. A suspected man called Yaed Mohammed Abdullah Ali had come with his self identity to NZ and learn how to fly an aeroplane at Massey University, Palmerston North. He lived only a few blocks away from where I lived. He knew one of the 911 plane hijackers of Flight 77. I had seen him around before with a couple of Omani students who currently dominate the university's 'arabs' in the last couple of years. It never was that way. My own family member had graduated from MAssey university just last year and at the time, it was inflated with the different kinds of arab culture from Iraqi, Egypt and the Palestinian nationalities. Its only recent that the international collages at NZ are interested of bringing in more students from Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia as well.The good thing was, the Saudi Arabian students had postponed their arrival to the University. This news is only about a few weeks old, and so far, the Saudi students havent reached by foot to this country, they probably changed their minds about coming to this little island but unfortunately its becoming endangered by such people as this Yemani-Saudi student looking for a Pilot's license.
People have been asking me about why the local Mosque didnt have any suspicion about him; the president of the local Mosque is a very good friend of my fathers' and there is no way that a man like him with such integrity would be hiding any truth about the real plans Mr so called Ali has. The president of the mosque is Iraqi, Sunni and his closest friends are Shia which includes my father. Theres nothing more than a man who betrayed many of the local Muslims. Palmerston North doesnt tolerate such Muslims and if it did, there is bound to be someone who would refute such tolerance to a disgraceful person. But the truth is, no one knew about him. He acted like a normal person who wanted to abandon a country which is overruled by enforced political movements and religion.

He has been deported now and there is much to be aware of in the future from people like him. It is our responsibility as Muslims and Arabs to watch out for people like him being under the cover of a different character that theyre not like in their own home. And it is also your responsibilities as natives to not stereotype the lack of awareness to such extremists. We do not know of such people as much as you do.

Zarqawi and After

2006-06-13T09:29:00.000+12:00

Its been a month since I last posted. The last month has been drastic in terms of the folding of the Semester end towards examinations. Studying biology and the chemicals behind it can go on forever in its assignments, laboratorys and attendance to tests, exams and lectures. You may think university may not be a full time 40 hour endurance in a week but it surely is effective where you have to spend your own time to prepare yourself as much as you can.

There was a power cut here in Auckland, biggest city in New Zealand. I woke up at 6am as I usually do, and I listened in on the radio to hear that there will be rain and high winds that is 110km/h fast. At 7am, I caught a ride and over the radio (as well), I also heard that Iran lost against Mexico...I spent a while longer simply laughing at the devastation of their failure. I look forward to Saudi's weak spot too in this world cup. Anyway well, I dont know how but when the power got cut off as I reached to the uni library, the university ended up kicking us out of every building. So with that kind of wind and rain, many of us thought we will be flying off the ground lol...we went to the city, then to the Mosque for safety shelter hehe because at the time, everyone went home from work so the traffic was mad, so we were stuck waiting until the traffic calmed down in order can catch a bus afterwards.
It was a different day, a day you can talk about for a few hours; I met some unusual people along with it but it lightened up the day. The good thing out of all this is, the Exam I had on that day is postponed...but its postponed till the end of all the exams finish and so the ones who didnt do the exam yesturday have to simply test their patience for waiting another week extra. It should be good and bad.

Congratulations, Now people who thought he is a hoax can believe that he's real. Zarqawi is dead! The problem with Islam today, is when you are a teacher or ruler, you often have to see Muslims taking the same acts as you when they end up believing in what you preach for. So even if Zarqawi is dead, you have many more like him and that is proven by this week's Iraqi death rate (God rest their soul), more than 50 died per week and theyre willing to go further than that.
Iraqis have to continue going with this kind of mission hunting down for the golden rulers of these madmen. This does afffect the fate of Iraq but it needs more than just killing Zarqawi. Iraqis need to focus on capturing those militias and halting them to the plans they have on killing the citizens. There shouldnt be any stopping to this new movement of finding the main figure heads of extremists and insurgents because Iraqis lose hope, when you do something good and it doesnt go on anymore; thats called lack of persistence which Iraqis dont want to see or they will again go back to their helpless characters. Hope is important to a people like Iraq, if they dont have it, the average class Iraqi can dramatically turn into one of those men holding a weapon and a cloth wrapped around his face for obscurity. Its understandable how things turn that way when everything around him is just killing one another, who would they blame? They with loss of hope would initially blame the troops who set foot on Iraqi land in March 2003. Some People would rather continue to be ruled under a dictator who had rules than be killed anonymously without boundaries outside your home street because of a stray bullet killing an unwanted portion of the population in the area.

The Devouring Of Our Nation..?

2006-05-12T08:12:00.000+12:00

There's been confirmed updates of a US Embassy, the size of the Vatican City being built in the hottest places of Baghdad and this construction plan is more than one third complete.

Many Iraqis think it's a hoax in order to intensify the heat by giving hints to the Iraqi citizens that the Ambassador is infact the ruler of Iraq with the help of USA, instead of the current government today.

Who is their real enemy anyway when we tell ourselves to consider the real enemies? Yes, let me be HONEST; USA is ruining our beautiful spots in Baghdad, yes USA damaged many historical standings in Iraq including Babylon.

USA is rather smart but it didnt plan Iraq's aftermath of the Saddam overthrow and this is the chaos they have...or should I say 'the chaos WE have'.. Nonetheless, USA is still winning and we are losing. Yes I may respect USA but I dont see USA on the Iraqi side to actually help us first hand, otherwise they would not do this without the permission of the Iraqi people and government. The point here is, NOT only do we Iraqis have to fight against the 'terrorists', our own insurgent people but also, the American and foreign forces who think they can do what they like WHEN they like. We dont even know if US contractors even paid of the prime real estate or not, maybe they just took it. However, since the terrorism and insurgency is far more obvious and straightforward in targetting civilians, we end up having to depend on American and foreign forces to 'help us' who are also not making things any better.

For now, The real enemy is the enemy the Iraqi forces and civilians are trying to defend themselves from. We may have to accept seeing USA as a buddy until further notice for the status of this blood thirsty enemy.

So what if we have a US Embassy the size of what a theme park should be? We shouldnt be worrying how much time it takes and the space in our homeland. I can care less for that, did everyone forget that one way to strengthen a nation is to start re-building from somewhere and this embassy could be Iraq's first establishment, excluding the construction projects that end up getting destroyed or delayed?

I think this Embassy will teach us something, lots of things but the one thing to worry is; does this Embassy really re-inforce the existance of the Embassy being the real government controlled by the US? This Embassy is the beginning as long as there is no underlying ruler, though I am far away from guessing who the real ruler is in this game but I still have my hopes on the government.. Its not a big deal that its massive and costly.

Worrying about the lack of electricity, water or safety does not matter anymore if the Iraqi civilians continue to isolate themselves from the core part of the problem of Politics.
This mission will show the strength of the People in Iraq. If they, Iraqis in Iraq, really don't want this Embassy, good for them but they have to persist on their freedom of opinion to go against this construction plan if they found it ridiculous and I believe many do but none so far have acted against it. This will also show the belief they have in their current government; that they would have trust in it and want it to continue their job.

PS: I dont buy the BS that the Iraqi government with Jawad al Maliki, or Ibrahim al Jafari is also 'US owned' like the Embassy if thats what you think too, sorry.

A real breakthrough

2006-05-05T15:49:00.000+12:00

Reports title the headlines of a Breakthrough in the Iraqi government in these past few days; It has been confirmed that Allawi will become secretary-general of the security council, a 19-member committee of the country's top leaders that will oversee security and economic policy.
Im not writing this to celebrate Allawi coming into government although some of his policies are rather striking in a good way.

The one thing I like about this news is, there is compromisation from the new government with our new Prime Minister. President Jalal Talabani has already noted that Syria is a terror Source and Iran is a danger threat. The promised Iraq has admitted the underlying problems that is making the violence in Iraq difficult to deal with. I have hope more than I could ever have imagined for the future of Iraq. It is not because Terror has foreseeably been destroyed when it hasn't been; rather If I were to compare the response of any other Arab oppressed nation being 'liberated' like Iraq has been, their response and retaliation would be far more dangerous in denial, confrontive and un-erasable hatred for other nationalities and different religions on their grounds. Yes you may hear Iraqis preaching their dislike for Americans, the death of this and that; the truth is USA has never been a good buddy to Iraqis. If you ask an Iraqi whether USA has truly a good heart by the core of the US administration, the answer would be no. We know what USA did to us, how much it effected our future 35 years from before. But now, there is hope regardless that USA playing its magic here and there, God knows what they're doing. I can grant very few good things about America and they are the results of the America we have today; a powerfully strategic nation in general, who knows 'usually' how to win the hearts and minds and blind them from the reality. No, USA is not an enemy to me, nor do I hate it, I simply dislike such powerful countries in any aspect. I see America as a rich nation that created its strength on its own with its wars, victories and thats the power they attained, an advantage in their identity of the quoted 'we own weapons to keep our government in check'; they are true heros if we are to take personal accounts of the many patriotic Americans who made America what it is today, and I can only say to the American citizens to appreciate what you have gotten from your country because no other would be as successful as you in recent history.

However, my point is, Iraqis have measured their responses more carefully than the countries they live near by. I can plan you out many worse responses that these 'other' twisted brainwashed Arabs may play out on the Iraqi battlefield, even more sad and horrifying, but it hasn't been done so because Iraqis are not willing to be trashed around like that. Iraqis know what they envision of a perfect Iraq;land of the once was Mesopotamia. Iraqis are couragous and this is evident by history and the present but the current issue is many ordinary Iraqis do not know how to get to this perfect vision of their home nor perform that plan in practice. Consequently, it puts them to only hope to God for their safety and wish to see a victorious nation.

With PM Maliki, there is hope for flexibility to accumulate all these visions of their Iraq, our Iraq, if the current government allows for other candidates, political styles to be placed in the IRaqi government somewhere. The flexibility of a government does NOT mean the 'unwanted/unneccesary' candidates and political styles have to dominate the government; they can simply exist as a stand-by in the government and that would be a fair satisfaction. This is what Maliki performed only within 2 weeks of his designation as PM....He allowed space for Allawi, an 'ex baathi' in the government.

What would be the point if Allawi is refused into government and he will always be there poking his head up to get a chance? What is the point if the PM or President ignore him when he will always be around with his crew? Nothing...it will only bring more trouble especially when that bond Allawi had with the Kurds and Sunnis for a while...the problem between the politicians about this issue has now more likely been solved.

Good on you Prime Minister Maliki; if this continues, the result can only be for the better.

PS: Dont believe the International Media; There is no Tsunami here :)

Pension Systems

2006-05-01T08:04:00.000+12:00

A few days ago, I had a discussion with a fellow regarding the needs of the Middle East and how it can transform into a more self-helping nation to its people.

It was deduced by this fellow with his own reasoning and questioning that there be Urgent Pension system Reforms in the Middle East.

The full official report that was used as reference can be found at WorldBank

This person reasoned the importance of Pension systems to help the situation in the Middle East including Iraq. If I were to think about this reformation to occur in the Middle East, I would agree to it fully. However, if I were to conclude Iraq to have a Pension reformation or 'formation' as well, with their new functioning government I would insist that Iraq does not need this Pensioning System until further notice.

I have seen much complexities in the lifestyles of people in the Middle East. Citizens/locals of the country would usually get huge benefits for their national identity to that nation. They get allowances for studies, free education, easy access to job employment, special benefits for any disability, and many other things I havent mentioned. The good thing is, these Arab dictortial nations do look after their own people unlike Iraq had, but the treatment to non-locals who are not Western in origin are not as helpful. Westerners who do not speak Arabic and do not have Arab background are an exception to the good treatment they would get if they were to work and live there. Whilst, an Arab, African non-local would otherwise be treated as a 'wafidi' which means non-citizen. Often depending on the class of the job you have, you can be given exception to get your kids free education and yearly airline tickets to go back home, but the average employee would not really get that in several 'developing' Arab nations. They will always treat wafidis like foreigners to the country because they complicate things with them and Pension systems do not apply to them, nonetheless.

I can understand that if I went to USA or UK, I would be treated much the same as a non-citizen of the country; the only difference is no matter how many years you work in the Middle East, comply to their law, and be respected, you will never be able to attain their citizenship. This is variantly different in the West where you are able to apply for Permanent Residencies or Citizenship.

There is much to reform about the Middle East but I however like to exclude Iraq out of it because I have forever wanted to keep Iraq away from its neighbors. Iraq is still trying to function its government whereas the o ther Middle Eastern nations have already a functioning stable government in power.

To answer the idea of Pension Systems in Iraq and how it would help or not help the Iraqi situation; people who work as doctors, engineers, business owners and professors are murdered for what they do everyday? So what is the point of Pension Systems being established in Iraq? Many doctors I know of have guards for leaving the house, leaving their work place, and a guard protecting them in their work place. If a pension system is that delicate to a developing nation, then the citizens might as well just simply depend on their 'pension' to help them survive in a war-torn country. But that'd only bankrupt the government itself.

One of the reasons for non-uniformed insurgency in Iraq is because of lack of education, higher employment rates in the rural areas. Should they receive 'pensions' to help them not become part of the violence?

Talking about Taxes, I think they are extremely helpful and thats what's keeping these developed countries stabilized. Taxes are helpful for growing nations. Taxes help nation infrastructure and local organisation. However, Iraq is not growing, it is developing into a growing nation, it is simply at its peak of struggle for becoming one of those growing nations.

It is of Iraqi and Arab culture for young children who are able to work to look after their elderly and it should be seen as our duty yet passion to look after them and be accompanied in our lives as well.

Iraq does not need pensions as much as it needs welfare to families that have lost a family member while they were out making money for their whole family. Iraq needs more protection for the working citizens more than pensions to the elderly.

Is He Good Enough?

2006-04-23T11:43:00.000+12:00

Jalal Talabani is re-elected.
Our former Iraqi PM has been replaced with Jawad al Maliki. With his name, what more could he want as a PM of Iraq ruling over a suffering population of disaster?
There has been alot of rumors about Jawad al Maliki being a sectarian believer more than part of Iraq's Dawa Party. Be aware that the Iraq Dawa Party is more political than religious in its formation; that party was created to resist against the Baathists. Like the rest of the Dawa members, Maliki also fled Iraq and ended up in Syria and he recently popped out into Iraq's politics with close tries to the same party they stood by before 2003. Only now, Maliki's main intention as he stated is to unite Iraq's political parties. Mr Maliki said he wanted to see a pluralist Iraq whose various ethnic and sectarian groups regarded each other as equals. Something different and progressive to that of Al Jafari? I hope so.

I have nothing against Al jafari, and I used to like him because he had this sentiment of careness about Iraq, he still does. However, when he became Prime Minister, it was as though his actions were not making any difference to Iraq. Iraq is in a vulnerable situation and people really CANT wait anymore; its not like they can wait for another 6 months until Al jafari makes one tiny move like they do here at New Zealand in an already secured nation where it takes several months to present their promises from their political campaign. For the sake of the innocent lives from harm, this PM needs to be fast, thoughtful and strategic. Could Maliki be that person? We just have to wait and see for a few more.

There appears to be a division between Iraq's Shiite population about the decision of the new PM, Mr Maliki. It should be expected because like the several other temporary PM's we've had, no one was completely satisfied with them either, not with Jawad al Maliki either. We know one thing though; Nearly all Iraqi citizens wish peace, security, and ownership for their country and no one knows that the PM we may have will do the right job to help Iraq or not, and the only way to find out is simply allow him to present his political plans for Iraq's future.

Within days from being PM, Mr Maliki proposed that "Arms should be in the hands of the government. There is a law that calls for the merging of militias with the armed forces," Maliki said in his first policy speech after he was asked by President Jalal Talabani to head Iraq's new government.

Having discussed this proposal from Mr Maliki with other Iraqi friends, I believe it can be virtually good and normally bad.

It is normally bad because the probability of the militias having wickedness and stubborn nature of the militias in Iraq is high and thus, I dont think this proposal can make the situation for Iraq any better right now if they were to join them in armed forces.

Instead of having militias fighting at every corner, compiling militias in an armed forces can bring more stability but however still many conflicts. It hasnt been easy trying to halt the fights between civilians and militias and recently between militia against militia. At some point, there always is a time that armed groups have to accept something they don't like when it comes down to a dead end and no conclusion to their aims.

Disorders Of Our Law

2006-04-19T21:33:00.000+12:00

From nation to nation, every one of the laws has its own inprogressive practice in its society. No Law is practiced properly and like they say, rules or laws are meant to be broken and courts are there to stabilize and compensate for the damage rather than specifically aim to correct/teach the offender a lesson by not breaking the law. Similarly to the Iraqi courts we see, where Saddam is given the freedom to refuse to submit to the Judge's orders or have his cup of tea, pen, paper and 'prayer time'; (where is the righteousness in allowing so much rights to the suspect Saddam and not have enough room to hear every single victim's story of their suffering to prove the guiltiness of the ex-Iraqi dictator?), the following is a piece of Disorders of the Courts at the other side of conflict in Iraq who are precalled to be the 'true liberators' of Iraq: (Are they really the liberators? The answer is still officially unknown):

Enjoy!

From a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active?

WITNESS: No, I just lie there.

ATTORNEY: What is your date of birth?

WITNESS: July 18th.

ATTORNEY: What year?

WITNESS: Every year.

ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?

WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning? WITNESS: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"

ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?

WITNESS: My name is Susan.

ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo? WITNESS: We both do.

ATTORNEY: Voodoo?

WITNESS: We do.

ATTORNEY: You do?

WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.

ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th? WITNESS: Yes.

ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?

WITNESS: Uh....

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?

WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.

ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK?...... What school did you go to?

WITNESS: Oral.

The Beginning of a Cleansing

2006-04-16T00:07:00.000+12:00

A delay during a mobile call was reaching thousands of miles away over to the city of Baghdad in Iraq from the end of the Southern Hemisphere, New zealand. You could hear the sound of traffic, buses and voices of people. My cousin answered among that environment 'heloo? Helloo?', I replied back, and he immediately recognised my voice. We asked each other how we were, a question that is always asked first during an Iraqi-overseas phone call.

His response to the question was 'the situation is horrible, the people are all tired. Many of us cant take it anymore'.

Hearing his voice among a populated area of risk and danger made me go dizzy...hearing the sound of my father talking to my cousin in Iraq asking about his brother, my uncle, is a pain. You ask about these memorable family yet you know you cant do anything about it, no matter how much availability there is.

It felt like one of my cousins' fairytales or stories he used to tell during the famous 2 Iraqi wars when we were kids. This time, it was only real, recent, and dangerous to the lives of my surviving family and the many others like them.
Without any cautiousness, this amazing cousin who I never forgot the face of, with resemblance like his own father, my uncle, told us about the horror of what had happened right infront of our home.

When I visited Iraq less than 4 years ago before the 2003 Iraq war, I saw this big patch of empty land infront of our home which was supposed to be a park. However, until the war occurred, this patch of land was used to build a mosque which became dominated by the Shia. 3 cars of armed men went out to the streets and had killed every Shia Iraqi they could find. I would say it would have been every Shia Iraqi they knew to be Shia now or in the past. It looked planned. They not only killed the Iraqis in the Mosque but also in their homes.

Luckily, my family werent very stern about their identity being Shia. Our roots go back to a Sunni tribe long before and for their safety, they thought it would be best to say they were from that tribe (which I refuse to name in public) in case they were asked where they originally come from.

It is one of the most tragic fact to cope with. I still remember my neighbors, only 2 houses away from the left side of the house, and God knows what they were as we never bothered to think about, Sunni or Shia, and who they talked to in their life time that could put them in danger. God would know whether they are alive or not. Every Shia that basically existed and people knew of them to be Shia, were killed, not threatened in that vicinity.

Is this just a phase? Or is it materially permanent until the opponent achieves the removal of this religious sectarian and thus the government controlling the nation? History would say different if one reads about similar situations like this...

The Other Face Of Our Prime Minister

2006-04-08T10:37:00.000+12:00

Of all the times Al jafari says 'I will come down from PM if my people want me to, then I would', it didnt mean anything!!
Wow....
You know how you watch movies seeing these leaders feeling defeated but their side-kicks try to put them back on track to their plan by encouragement, I really think its the same exact thing that occurred with Ibrahim Al jafari....Funny how he says 'i will not be forced out by USA and UK'....I imagine he is personally unpleased by the 'evil allies' taking saddam out and had his own and his family's life threatened by Baathists. He would NOT be a PM if it WERENT for USA and UK.

His latest statements are useless and absurd. He doesnt deserve to be a PM after these RECENT childish remarks...I was aware of him being innocent and unknowledgable but now I see him as a wicked person easily influenced by the wrong people.

Harmeet Singh Sooden

2006-03-30T19:48:00.000+12:00

You know the people you see on TV, you would never expect to meet in person only a few metres away from you. Sometimes you just want to go up to these 'famous people' and just hear their stories, their life, their experience and that is exactly what I went through today....

Today, I saw Harmeet Singh Sooden, the kidnapped Christian Peace Activist at Auckland university sitting at the city Campus with a young woman as I assume was explaining his experience with. Many, I hope recognised that familiar face of his but none of us, Iraqi or not dared to go up to him and make a discussion. Not even the Student Association who were trying to help bring him back 2 weeks ago planned any celebration of any kind 'yet'. This is mainly because every student had their schedules and many thought for a man like him needs to keep his mind away from the horrible event he had survived through. For me....all I could do was just look at him and just think, a man like him going to Iraq to make a difference has come back alive....Simultaneously it also feels destructive that even the most innocent and peaceful people could not survive in Iraq, now one of the most dangerous nations to live in...

It hurts....but it also saddens me that it feels like Harmeet Singh Sooden has a piece of Iraq and all I want to do is go up to him and just listen to him talk and hopefully I will attain that chance...However this afternoon, I felt that allowing a 'stranger' like me to remember and speak of his experience may be disrespectful and heart-aching for him.

The most important thing of all is, he is back to NZ alive. He is back to where he should be. As much as I would be delighted to say this to him if I see him again at the right time I would, that on behalf of the Iraqi community in Auckland, we are glad to have him out of Iraq to be living in a safe nation like NZ as to what he should deserve.

We can only hope that his efforts MADE a difference and I hope everyday that he and others did perform that, and for MANY more honorable people like them to exist....
Such people is what keeps this world remaining Sane....

Welcome back to NZ Harmeet Singh Sooden....Good to have you back.

An Advice From The Doctor

2006-03-27T07:48:00.000+12:00

This weekend has been pretty hectic for me, most of which was just hanging around at university trying to contemplate in my studies for the upcoming exams.

The funeral of one of my far uncle's parent was a tragic event to the whole entire family around the world, from New Zealand to the tip of Iraq. It was unexpected even though that my great grandmother's health condition was not completely bright. Her son who is my far uncle used to bring her over to New Zealand every few months from Iran to spend some time with his family (she refuses to live in Iraq because of the situation). Only A few weeks ago, he and his wife went over to visit Iran to officially end the mourning of his mother. He came back last week and we had visited him a few days ago. He is an uncle like the rest of many family members in this world who is known to acquire a high colesterol or high blood pressure. If you know the trait with Iraqis, no matter how much we get hurt by what is going on in Iraq, we still are stubborn to continue exposing our minds to the media and updates. With the patience and lack of tolerance we have accumulated, no one now could underestimate what would happen if you see an Iraqi yelling at the Television.

So....My uncle had this itch or shock which he felt in his heart. He became concerned about it so he subsequently decided to go to the Hospital to find out what the problem was. The nurses made such a big fuss about it that he was provided with a wheelchair and a bed at the hospital room when he was doing all fine, standing and communicating well with them. NZ has recently found evidence that heart attacks are a huge issue of health in this country, even with young people at the age of 35.

The check-up was normal, nothing was medically wrong. However, coincidently you often see doctors making a few conversations here and there with their patients and the doctor asked my uncle after the check-up where he came from. My uncle said Iraq. The doctor gave a sigh and replied, 'The only thing I advise for a person like you and others like you is to do your best to reduce the amount of hours you watch the news about your own home because over the last few months or year, we have been getting alot of Iraqis as patients with high blood pressure and heart attacks in our hospital that it has become a huge worry about their health conditions.'

Those were the exact words as I heard it. Scientifically, not only Iraqis in general are mentally tired or sad but they have also become weak in their health. It is one of the major problems for Iraqis dealing with cholesterol or high blood pressure and it is much similar in my own immediate family, the last time I spoke to my uncle who currently lives in our home at Baghdad (fathers' brother), I could merely hear his voice just whispering over the phone. We eat alot of cream. We keep up with the mess back home. We hear bad news more often than normal. We are emotionally tired that we even let out our anger at others.

It was rather funny yet sad when you think about it more closely. A nice ending is, As a result of my father and another good Iraqi friend from high school hearing this story, the 2 of them decided to take my far-uncle on a road trip for his result of the 'unusual health condition' as they called it... surprisingly as old and variably unfashioned as one may think for men like them, they did go ahead with their vacation plans.....

Statements

2006-03-24T07:57:00.000+12:00

As I watched Abu Dhabi TV, I heard Ayad Allawi, presumed to be a secular ex-baathist that Iraq is now in Civil war after the attack on the Samarra Mosque. This is not the first time I heard Ayad Allawi say that Iraq is going into civil war. Perhaps, the way I see it, Ayad Allawi is trying to put Iraq at stake at a moment where it has been repeatedly damaged. It is somewhat like the way Hitler took charge of Germany during and after the depression of the 1930s.

Since reports clarify that Iraq has now a new PM, I have a few things to add about former PM Ibrahim al Jafari. He is an educated man, respected by many but the way he allowed dangerous militia and insurgent leaders into the government was a major decision that I and many like-hood Iraqis did not like. When I first thought about him being a PM, he seemed caring...a man who had heart for his nation but at the same time, he was weak and I can tell you this because a friend knows him and she had said the exact same thing. He is incapable to make critical decisions. Another thing was, his recent statement about willing to leave office if asked to do so. The way he ended the matter was respectable and I liked that very much not because he just left but he was honest about it.

Abdul Mahdi has always been a candidate for PM of Iraq and his history shows basic simplicity but with honorable experience that I think can benefit Iraq greatly. He may be part of SCIRI but SCIRI and Iran havent been so entirely connected to each other in recent times. Iran has become a major threat to Iraq like the other Arab nations and I think one of Iraq's goals should be to avoid having any serious relations to Iran. Hopefully throughout Abdul Mahdi's term in office, Iraq's future should be improved with the political positions he stands for and the goals he will set by reflecting them.

There should be much more to come about him in the near future.

Why We Do This

2006-03-21T08:01:00.000+12:00

After having read other blogs, I have nothing more than to suggest to you from them a few petititions that would be worth the time to sign for.

The most significant one is The "Free Iraqi Women Prisoners, Free Jill Carrol! Petition" created by Toufic Haddad( http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/petition-sign.cgi?freejill)

It is dearly important to seek an understanding that anything presented in this technological world can have the ability to change things around. Why do we Iraqis/people write on blogs? Have their website up on public internet or advertise petitions and agreements? It is because they do make a difference if we put in an effort all together. And this is one of these capable differences.

A friend has also created this petition stating: To The US Government & Iraqi Interior Ministry We call for the government of the United States of America and the Iraqi Interior Ministry to release a comprehensive list of ALL Iraqi and foreign nationals detained in Iraq.The list should include full names(where known) of detainees, when, where and on what charges each was detained, along with their current locations.

I think this is a very crucial petition that can help individuals to be more aware with what the Governments are doing. We all know Governments are not truthful or perfect and thus, we need to keep them in check at any circumstance.

I dont want to see any more of those Sunni prisoners being severely tortured by the Iraqi government.

AUSA

2006-03-16T14:32:00.000+13:00

Like many developed universities around the world, Auckland University in the top 100 at New Zealand's largest city, hold entertainment/events in the campus. These events are encountered by the coordination of the Auckland University Student Association. They hold all kinds of events from competitions between students, shows, live music and political discussions all held outdoor and in public for everyone to observe.

We often still hear about the Christian Peace Activists who are currently held captive by criminals. One of these 3 were recently killed and the remaining two hostages are still a worry to their families and the nations that they live in. One of these hostages is an Auckland university student named Harmeet Singh Sooden. AUSA has formed a petition with the motion that Harmeet Sooden is an innocent man whose family is waiting for him to come back home, and is against the US policy. He went to Iraq only to help the civilians, and not contribute to the military powers. AUSA leaders wanted us to share our opinions about the issue with this Auckland student in order to represent our perspectives. He is nothing more than a normal student like everyone else and AUSA wanted to perform its job in protecting and helping its students.

I have discussed the matter more thoroughly than needed with AUSA but however, other people who were present that day, had felt that Sooden had made that decision and thereby, we could do nothing to help him out because it seen a lost cause after 3 years of war and death. This belief is incorrect because that is what leads to a painful pathway of an endless tunnel. Sure Sooden contributed in Iraq, risked his life there, fought for freedom....he made that decision to be there. Why are we to feel sorry for him and others then? I remember a person telling me that his friend who was generally working around an oil-based company was going to Iraq for the money of it, and not the sake of helping the Iraqi people through its natural resources. We dont need to feel sad about these people. I dont need to feel sad about these people. Im not being cruel but the reality is they went and they live with to choose a job from millions of other jobs they could get rather than there.

The only thing I mainly worry about is without these contributive and dedicated people; Margerat Hassan, Nicholas berg or Harmeet Singh Sooden all made a difference to Iraq and that is what we should feel worried about. Their job is to help. Their decision was to help. And our worry is mainly for them to continue their work what ever it takes, just like an Iraqi has to continue to live life what ever it takes. I hope that their work will not collapse but continue to progress. And if in doubt, I will surely want these innocent peoples' safety, but the more I see it is, we know where the dangerous region is, so what are we worried about when a human chose to cross over to that region to do something good? What are we worry about when Iraqis and little children are dying everyday? Why does it happen? It is because of the process in Iraq. Because of the word accomplishments and work failures that didnt provide what a stable nation needs.

My motto here is; if we are to care for these wonderful people, then we are meant to worry about their accomplishments and success in their long life work.

May God help us whenever needed and May He protect what has been achieved for the future of Iraq.

A War Against The Iraqi Media

2006-03-13T07:57:00.000+13:00

A TV presenter for the Baghdad TV has been found dead two days ago.

He had become the 5th Journalist killed for this year as reported. The one thing I do not comply to is what effect would a TV presenter have on any of these criminals? Why are Journalists and presenters tortured and threatened. Several months ago, a female presenter in Iraq was about to be killed yet she survived the attack with what she says was like a miracle.

This is nothing like the attacks on female journalists in Afghanistans. Iraqis do not delude the opposite sex that extremely. We may have our sorts of gender classification but even under Saddam, female presenters were broadcasting like a male presenter would. This is no relation to the sexist views we may think these criminals have, who ever they are; militias, terrorist organisations or insurgents (gangs). On March 11 2006, Munsuf Abdallah al-Khaldi was killed when gunmen stopped the car Munsuf Abdallah al-Khaldi was in and had shot him 3 times. This is a war against educational people who prioritize the hope and importance of the Iraqi society to go forward. Why are Christian Peace Activists held captive? Why was a woman who was a former Miss universe contestent killed for helping the elderly and young to be educated and have better lives? And why are Iraqi born journalists killed for trying to forget the cruelty of reality that still exists in the land of the 2 rivers by providing educational and cultural TV shows?

It simply is a mass destruction. It is as though these criminals are like the Weapons of Mass Destruction, only that it is not weapons. It is humans of mass destruction who are slowly and one way or another eating up what is left over of Iraq. The local media is reflected to be a bad influence because when Saddam was around, journalists were never really able to interview who they wish. There were sets of boundaries and even if they were given the choice to preview these shows they have now, no one would have taken the chance to have done such a thing under Saddam's era. These criminals, now see it that the media for educational cartoons, educational and cultural shows are useless to society because they do not wish to see Iraqis go forward in their mind-state or their technology. I see these criminals who attempt to kill Iraqi politicians and threaten the process of the government are not peacefully agreeing with the procedure and it is also their belief that they think can help Iraq if the current rule were replaced with their law. None of these criminals want to see Iraq forward because their intentions are seen improbable for the situation to improve. Their beliefs to emplace a Sunni government is nothing but more problems. Very much the same goes for the Shia. The only thing I feel more comfortable about is there is a great number of Kurds in place, I am however worried that Kurds may abandon this governmental procedure sooner or later which will allow the rest of Iraq to fall apart.

The war against the Iraqi media happens to be very annoying for these killers because they seem to be entitled to make their mind up that the media is interfering with the Iraqi minds for having the purpose to go along with the future government of Iraq. All the news, political debates, the remaining Arab channels from Lebanon, UAE, Egypt of music, poetry, live events, plays and movies...are affecting the minds of Iraqis because the more freedom they observe even in the most corrupted Arab nations, the more the Iraqis seem to want it and attempt to publicize a similar event in their own home.

This isnt a war against the media, it should for them also meant to be considered a war against Freedom.

Declaration of War

2006-03-08T13:33:00.000+13:00

Latest News:

Sunni tribes of Iraq declare 'war' against Zarqawi.

Attaboy....now we got something slightly more positive.

The one reason why Iraqis in general are failing is because of the lack of cooperation of all the tribes/sectarians in Iraq. Meanwhile there is pressure from neighboring regions such as Iran and Syria to form a rulership they intend to seek in Iraq. Sunnis and Shia have had their own personal struggle and refutation for the politics and it would be endangering the future of this country if Tribal leaders and/or Local insurgent groups do not seek an end to the killings by Zarqawi and his group.

One major point to note is individual Sunnis coping in one of the most dangerous countries in the world may support Saddam, and may support insurgency, but they do/would not usually support the killings of Shia individuals. It is neccessary to realize that Almost every Iraqi holds his national identity up high and this keeps Iraq connected together. They already know that the main population of Iraq is Shia dominant and if having to destroy the Shia, is an inprobable situation. I believe the intentions of Sunnis supporting Saddam is a strategy to weaken the current government by Shia. They do not wish this government to be ruled this way for the next four years and thus, their aims as major violent Sunni groups is to fold the government in order to entitle it as theirs. This may be similar to the works of Baathism but the works of Baathists today have been predicted to aid terror groups which involve the killing of Shia, and incitement of Civil War. Alqaeda has a similar strategy as it fortunately sees any non Salafi, Non Wahabi Muslim is a Murtad, meaning Apostate of Islam, who by their law of Shariah deserve punishable death. They view Civil war as a gateway for them to use the famous cliche of 'divide and conquer'.

We all know the great effect of Civil war on a nation of people. It extracts them to be vulnerable to other societies in the region and it leaves the outer regions to take advantage and control of the country that is in civil war whose government is invisible, virtually speaking.

So, to see tribal Leaders of ANY kind denounce and declare war against Alqaeda/Civil war incitors, is a very good sign. Of all the years that coups in Iraq occurred in the 1940s, 1950s or the protests that had Iraqi Jews at fault and in danger or the riots that continued throughout, civil war never occurred. So why would it occur now? (Hopefully never) The concept here is...we need more of this declaration of war against the main head terrorist groups like Alqaeda, but we also need to wonder will there still be chaos even when Iraq will attain a more nationalistic and concurrent Iraqi sectarian sense of terror? Will we see more cooperation and less violence if and when Alqaeda be unwanted from all local Groups and militias?

This has an answer which we just have to wait and find out about.

Is Civil War Around the Corner?

2006-03-03T08:22:00.000+13:00

Ive been getting several of these guesses from people about where I come from ever since I began attending this university. One time I was asked if I am British, the next time I was asked if Im Iranian or Italian. I guess these nationalities are not very different from the combinations of skin colour and facial features of Iraqis. The one thing I got to love is the multi-culturism that exists in this university. Even though there are more Asians who have been enrolled into university than any other ethnicity, you can still find the traits of European, Middle East, South Asian, and Western origins. I sit in the food court with my friends and the whole court goes wild with all the various languages spoken. It is admirable, coming from a previous university that only had a few portions of different ethnic background unlike here.

Civil war, is it going to happen? In the first day or two, I believed that the days are getting closer for it because of the uproar from the Shia in Iraq. However once Muslim scholars in Iraq began to compromise the issue and had attempted to calm the citizens down for prevention of more violence, I realized that civil war became less of a possibility to occur so dramatically. Many people say that the last 2 years of this war is the introduction of civil war. It is not. If it was, then the occurrence of elections, voting, campaigns and organisations of political parties would not be performed. The processing of a government, practice of the constitution would have not taken place. Since it did the responses of the attacks from Shia to Sunni and Sunni to Shia over the last week or 2 is only tension between the two sects. This does not necessarily mean civil war.

Day by day, I attain more fear in the collapse of the Iraqi society. Simultaneously, I also see that out of all the Mosques and/or Shia Shrines that were attacked, why would Shia begin to fight back at the end when they could have responded to these mass killings long before? Why now? I am not the kind to make Shia more innocent than any other religious sect but the reality is most of these attacks had been masterminded by Sunni representatives and only recently are Shia making such a thing their own. This is not the first time the Shia have been attacked (in regard to prior to 2003). In fact because of their lack of determination for the sake of simply seeking peace only and not fighting for peace, the worse they got was their uprising in 1991 and nor was that successfully accomplished. The one thing I find frustrating is observing a similar trend in types of attacks like the Sunnis but rather by the work of the Shia. This is particularly important to note when we look at the work of the current government that is predominant Shia Muslim, like the torture of the 170 Sunni Prisoners or when Iraqis are tortured by government death squads. Hundreds are being tortured to death or executed each month by death squads.

I take this death squad is identical to the work of the old Baathi Mokhabarat (secret police), only this time we hear about this death squad (solakh) publicly through the news media but do not know what these Iraqis are being tortured for. When the reason of execution is sealed up secretly, it can only transform the squad to do bad things because the public does not know about it and these squads may do things that are illegally against human rights. How sad….

We do not need to be so wary for the possibility of a Civil war coming around the corner but instead, we need to be cautious of the current Iraqi government that is gradually transforming into a murderous regime under our own noses.

The Damaged Mosque in Samarra

2006-02-24T10:20:00.000+13:00

Ayatollah al sistani has restrained his followers to calm with ease in response to the bombing of the Al Askariya Mosque in Samarra. This is one of the important mosques for all Muslims but particularly which Shia Muslims have taken closely to heart.

Muslims I have met have begun to re-think the suspects of the bombing to have been performed by foreigners who claim to be from Zionism, America, Britain. Where is such evidence to think that they are responsible for these damages when Iraq's own people and Islam's own followers are also helping the destruction of Iraq?

Although others say sunnis are responsible for these attacks, I do not identify that the Sunni Iraqi brothers in Iraq are blamed for this. My only impression is the work done by Ba'athis, Wahabis or Salafis in groups or individuals, who claim to be part of the Sunnah of Islam.

believe the Sunni Iraqis are having a great deal of complications in knowing what they want as a people. Because they refuse basically all forms of governments (shia, kurdish, american), it puts them in a difficult position to make their mind up. They know this is a very important time and it was clear for example that the Sunnis began to vote in the 2nd elections because they acknowledged its importance. If they were stupid, they would have continued to boycott the elections which would have worsened the situation for themselves and for the rest of the Iraqis.

When I saw the photos of the damages, I had tears in my eyes because of the extent in seeing such a beautiful mosque destroyed in an instant. I only think that I care for all historical artifacts from the cradle of civilisation, not only this mosque in Samarra. I see the damage of Iraqi homes as painful. A home that has history from the many previous generations. I can only hope that Iraqis who care for the future of their kids and their history to not go ahead with an introductory incitement of a civil war. I still have hope that there is time before armed civil war does begin. There have been many wars between people in a nation in the past and not all had resulted in an ongoing war between them.

At a time like this, oppression bottles up freedom and wish to act and once this chain of oppression broke, the nation went through an outburst. They now have so much freedom and so little thinking.

....Think! Iraq belongs to every Iraqi.

Where are you, Honorable Protestors?

2006-02-22T11:41:00.000+13:00

As reported, there have been protests in Britain against this released video of the soldiers and I must wonder, if people are so worried about the existance of human rights to aggressors, why hadn't they protested against the 170 Sunni prisoners who were tortured BY the interior ministry under the UIA (United Iraqi Alliance) supervision and control? Or the killings of academic professors, and doctors, and teachers, and community workers in all ways around?

Since Ibrahim al jafari won the PM by one vote (64 votes) against Adel Abdul Mahdi, I can only think that he is incompetent to be the PM of Iraq and yet has remnants of a great deal of loyalty to Iran which is at alert to begin its nuclear testing and where USA is on its heels to refute Iran's ability to do what it wants.

Yes Ibrahim al jafari seems to have a clearer history of loyalty to Iran in comparison to the secrets of other politicians, but there is always an area of weakness in Ibrahim al Jafari to know he has ongoing admiration to some of the aspects of Iran's regime. People like him with any loyalty to NEIGHBORING countries can cause chaos. Because the more Iraq turns to become favour of the neighboring country, the more that particular neighbor will take its opportunity to over-rule Iraq because they had turned 'identical' in government.

Where are you protestors when Iraqis are abusing and killing other Iraqi fellows? You only seem to stand up when Western foreigners make a little tiny crime yet not stand when Iraqis make one. These protestors are nothing but trying to put down the procedure of this long horrible war in Iraq. It is not Helping Iraq. And such behavior of bias never will.

The Muslim Rave Party Sensation

2006-02-18T17:09:00.000+13:00

While we stumble upon the British video and releases of the Abu Ghuraib photos of abuses, you may take a look at this on how the Shia have dramatically transformed.

There was another version of the video below which is more respectable and had the whole description of the Lecture the man was saying.

http://www.glumbert.com/media/rave.html

Welcome to the Shia freedom.

Between Foreigners and Locals

2006-02-15T19:42:00.000+13:00

And since Dr Ibrahim al jafari won the PM by one vote (64 votes) against Adel Abdul Mahdi, I can only think that he is incompetent to be the PM of Iraq and yet has remnants of a great deal of loyalty to Iran which is at alert to begin its nuclear testing and where USA is on its heels to refute Iran's ability to do what it wants.

It hurts me so MUCH more to see Iraqis abusing other Iraqis than foreigners abusing Iraqis. Iraqis are meant to understand the act of brotherhood like in any nation of people, yet foreigners do not have that concept in a nation. How can it be that people outside Iraq protest against foreign soldiers for breaking the rules of the military AND human rights, but not protest against the people of Iraq and 'believers' in Islam who aid insurgency and terrorism?

The British Torturing

2006-02-14T22:50:00.000+13:00

When USA and Allies first entered Iraq, many Iraqis abroad and in Iraq were skeptical of the idea for a Saddam overthrow . The reason for that was because Iraqis knew that the nation would react insanely to cause problems for others. It was as though during Saddam's 35 years, Iraqis of all ethnicities and religions were connected by hand-cuffs to stay together, to have faith and similar beliefs together, mostly by force. However, today, the present is different. Iraq now faces a controversial moment by the different beliefs of Iraqis about religion, politics, life, media and the many topics that are discussed among Iraqi citizens.

As an Iraqi, I do not have much to say to the torturing of Iraqi teenagers by British soldiers. Now of course, many Iraqis would disagree with me as much as they could agree with me on this. I do not see Iraqis as helpless human beings and when I view the british video of torturing Iraqis, the only thing I find difficult to watch is the excessive kicking and beating the British soldiers inflicted on the young Iraqis. The bickering from the cameraman made things only worse as if to make it sound like these soldiers have no sentiment to their work and accomplishments serving in the British army.

This beating occurred during the instability in Basra. Why am I firstly supposed to feel sorry for these Iraqis who were trying to be smart in inciting the British soldiers (who they say happen to be more tolerant). Why did these 'smart' teenagers think of 'testing their freedom' with the British troops, anyway? Why not elsewhere??

Secondly, these videos are not meant to be amusing but rather it is a source of awareness in what goes on in military bases. Are we to assume that the soldiers who left their family to the most dangerous country in the world today to act all nicely and innocently when these are men who are taught to be rough? These incidents are wrong but they happen in many wars proven in history.

I do not doubt the harshness from soldiers and stress they have to sustain at war. Such acts must be accounted for in court to capture those responsible and in response to the release of this video, Police did arrest one of them just last Sunday. This kind of custom is uncommon in the Middle East and it must be acknowledged for awareness that the military soldiers will NOT get away with such behavior without being investigated upon such cruel acts.

To be continued..

The British Torturing.

2006-02-14T22:11:00.000+13:00

As an Iraqi, I do not have much to say to the torturing of Iraqi teenagers by British soldiers. Now of course, many Iraqis would disagree with me as much as they could agree with me on this. I do not see Iraqis as helpless human beings and when I view the british video of torturing Iraqis, the only thing I find difficult to watch is the excessive kicking and beating the British soldiers inflicted on the young Iraqis. The bickering from the cameraman made things only worse as if to make it sound like these soldiers have no sentiment to their work and accomplishments serving in the British army.

This beating occurred during the instability in Basra. Why am I firstly supposed to feel sorry for these Iraqis who were trying to be smart in inciting the British soldiers (who they say happen to be more tolerant). Why did these 'smart' teenagers think of 'testing their freedom' with the British troops, anyway? Why not elsewhere??

Secondly, these videos are not meant to be amusing but rather it is a source of awareness in what goes on in military bases. Are we to assume that the soldiers who left their family to the most dangerous country in the world today to act all nicely and innocently when these are men who are taught to be rough? These incidents are wrong but they happen in many wars proven in history.

I do not doubt the harshness from soldiers and stress they have to sustain at war. Such acts must be accounted for in court to capture those responsible and in response to the release of this video, Police did arrest one of them just last Sunday. This kind of custom is uncommon in the Middle East and it must be acknowledged for awareness that the military soldiers will NOT get away with such behavior without being investigated upon such cruel acts.

The Jesus Cartoon

2006-02-11T21:02:00.000+13:00

About 2 days ago, after the published cartoons images of Prophet Mohammed, the local Danish newspaper turned down the cartoon images of Jesus Christ/Isa.

From Muslims I spoken to and reading their point of views, a good amount of them have come to want Jesus cartoons being published for 'revenge' of the Prophet Mohammed cartoons. Why?

Did these Muslims forget Jesus or Isa in Arabic is apart of what makes Islam? Did they forget he is a Prophet and in order to be civilised believers, we instead should condemn all these childish work of cartoons of important people in religion. The problem is, to simply condemn is such a little thing for Muslims to just do. They need much MORE than just condemning and you would notice this. They certainly won the fame in de-stabilising the situation by rioting, exploding, causing violence in what ever way. All this to prove a point of their style of 'condemnation'. At times like these, I say 'words mean more than acts' but for Muslims, speaking out aloud is either seen too little work or pointless to the face of this Earth.

Continuing the reference to the Muslims; I'm a Muslim who loves Islam and do my best to follow it as much as possible in the West. Ask yourself as a Muslim; 'what have you contributed to this Earth, humanity and to your faith?' Where has the tolerance of Islam gone? I dont see this tolerance from you that the honest, calm and trustworthy Prophet Mohammed had. To fellow Sunni brothers and sisters, we are meant to follow the last Prophet who existed on Earth but are these riotings in Lebanon, for instance, a shared example of the true Islam and representation of how the last Prophet would have acted? Why havent our leaders discussed this further with the Denmark government and seeked a more clearer intention rather than immediately closing the doors of your home at their face?

I am moreover ashamed and disgusted by the lack of manner towards the published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed PBUH and particularly the Jesus cartoon which Muslims wanted so desperately to be PUBLISHED. A shame. He is our Prophet, yet there are Muslims out there who also want to depict him in a rude way.

Now I understand why Anti Islamists (or if you prefer to call them Kuffar or Murtadeen) say Muslims do not respect Jesus or Isa in Islam. Its because there are truly Muslims who don't respect Jesus/Isa (Peace and Blessings Upon Him).

The Complaints...

2006-02-06T21:07:00.000+13:00

I dont understand how much Westerners can tolerate the shit of 'behead all those who insulted islam', quoted from a British 'democratic protest' in UK.

Muslims,however, expect 'peace and freedom of will' in a country that isnt theirs. So provocative. I dont see how it all blends in the right mixture. Westerners own the west. We Muslims own the Middle East. We should be asking our nations back home to make room for us to live there as 'we may not wish to live further more in the West'. But that isnt the case. Muslims in the West scream their ass off all across the sea to be heard in the Middle East in 'boycotting Danish products'. Instead, we also seek enforced understanding for Muslim rights in the West.

But hang on a minute here.........how is it the Wests can tilt its laws to forbid freedom of speech and will to protect the rights of Muslims whose people have attacked the West for 'being infidels'? My say, as a Muslim from a Muslim family, is The West is simply being very soft on the Muslim community when it is meant to seek much more support from the Muslim community to denounce and notify the Western security forces of any terrorists and extremists. But none basically do that. And when they make the West into a pit-stop and target for an extremists, they expect to be protected from civil rights like freedom of speech and belief?

Very selfish blind people.

We Muslims, on behalf of my self and others who are appreciative, thank the West for giving us the food, shelter over our head, and rights to do as we wish and practise the faith we wish. Could these rights and freedoms be accepted for Westerners in the Middle East? No not as much as the West itself; the West shall and should not let home turn into a repressive nation like ours unfortunately did.

To the Muslims, be aware your faith, my faith.... our faith is SELF-destructing!! We have no one but to blame ourselves. No one to blame but our blindness from protecting our faith, not our rights and selves. We have allowed the home of faith; Judaism, Christianity and Islam to be controlled by the wrong belief and thus our generation and the next generations will be without a real home. We will forever be this way if we avoid the reality and allow things to go its own way by letting ignorant people do as they wish. This is what Islam is and continues to be:

A faith tormented by its own followers...

{49:11} O you who believe, no people shall ridicule other people, for they may be better than they. Nor shall any women ridicule other women, for they may be better than they. Nor shall you mock one another, or make fun of your names. Evil indeed is the reversion to wickedness after attaining faith. Anyone who does not repent after this, these are the transgressors.

{28:55}And when they hear laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk), they withdraw from it and say: "To us our deeds, and to you your deeds. Peace be to you. We seek not the ignorant."

If one fights back in return with insults , the problem will only drag longer to become worse....

The Cartoon

2006-02-03T17:42:00.000+13:00

The entire Muslim world is going nuts about the image and character of having Prophet Mohammed (the last and final messenger of Allah) in the Danish Cartoon. Many Muslims over the last week have been protesting this cartoon from Email forwards, sincere petitions, Danish product boycotts to opening chat rooms.

Muslims have become so vulnerable that they have turned to become easily offended by anything said by a person whether Muslim or not. Ive been called 'Kaffir' so many times for my views about politics and my honesty about the problems with Islam and Muslims today. They wisely took the decision to be safe by calling others Kuffar so they can still feel the vibrance 'of being on the right track in their faith'.

There is nothing worse than having to deal with a bunch of whacked up religious nutheads like the extremely religious Muslims who cannot at all crack a laugh at something worthwhile. Such people who take their faith that seriously is what self destructs a people, especially when Muslims are told to 'not' go against their faithful brothers and sisters for what they do/say. Of course when we are told to not disagree or denounce another brother's mistakes and crime, then surely Islam is where it is now; self destructing and being targetted as a religion of murder and blood by the rest of the world and former Muslims. To save our faith from being corrupted is TO look after what our people do, by denouncing the wrong that goes against the Holy book. These are, by the way, of many not accounted for at all by the Muslim followers. Its as though their lips are sewn together but when it comes to a non Muslim portraying an image of the Prophet Mohammed (in particular), they come out of their caves and start to respond with all their might. Funny yet Sad, isn't it?

Like the time I used to live in UAE, many Arabs boycotted American products due to the high influence of the Palestinians about the Israelis and their domination. This phase gradually disappeared as it seemed difficult for individuals to avoid these products in cities, stores and plazas. Now you have boycotting American products for the sake of Iraq and only recently the boycotting of Danish products. I wonder how much it lasts this time.

I dont see democracy as perfect but to to satisfy the sake of democracy and free speech for everyone of every faith like what I want in Iraq, this cartoon imaging Prophet Mohammed PBUH should be tolerated. I accept this cartoon not because I like it (I havent watched the cartoon anyway) or accept the intention of insulting the last Prophet but because it is the power of democracy itself. Yes, it may be childish work of democracy but this is what keeps a nation stable and easily approachable. It is ability to make fun of your people, yourself, your faith and to take things lightly. You would ask Muslims and they would say 'its unacceptable because they dont respect faith'. Sure this is most probably right in this century but I actually see more respect from the Westerners even if they are an open society. Muslims do not respect their faith because they refuse to open their hearts. They now wish to be isolated, at the wrong time. They disrespect their faith when they do not DEFEND it in the right means. Muslims simply defend their faith from others who are not like them (supposedly not Muslim) but they never thought that their so called brothers and sisters (Muslims) can be their own enemies at war and struggle.

Try watching cartoons like The Simpsons, an American made cartoon. Look at all the images and ideas they created for the view of USA and the American people. For someone who is not American to watch The Simpsons, the producers in fact make fun of themselves in humor, stupidity, comedy, and faith. This is predominantly something the Muslim people cannot bear to watch about their own self but may have to tolerate in order to get along peacefully *if wanted* with the reality.

Remember,....It's just a cartoon.....Just a stupid man-made cartoon....

The New Judge

2006-01-30T15:23:00.000+13:00

Sunday Morning on 29th January 2006, The new Judge, Rauf Rashid Abdel Rahman, in Saddam's court case sent a shed of hope to erase the stunning tolerance by the former Judge who had pulled himself out of court. Although Saddam threatened to leave the room, it was nice to see that the Judge still looked and BELIEVED he had total control of the court. He left no space for Saddam and his gang to fight back as he decided it was fit to make them leave, even if they wanted to.

I used to have reluctance in viewing the trials when Judge Rizgar was in control. Today, I find a more stubborn and determined man hopeful to make us feel that these trials CAN bring an end to Saddam. The court will continue in 2 days from 29th January. What I found unusual is when people say the trials are an American puppet show to fool us. Where are the lawyars to serve for the defendent and plantiff? I dont see any. What would the American judge do if the suspected criminal speaks out rudely to defend himself? Just let him do as he wish and interrupt the complaints of the victims like the former judge did? This is obviously the Iraqi way of making a court but things with the new judge may be improving..Some say our new Iraqi judge is equivalent and even better than the famous Judge Judy. Even if the trials are a joke and I have a sentiment to believe it is simply playing with the Iraqi minds, it is still recommended to make these trials as sane as possible. It changes the Iraqi views on how we view the American presence in Iraq. Iraqis can make many reasons with no basis to justify their point in politics. These trials are a step forward but the people of Iraq should advise that it should be a faster process because the timeline of the court influences the fate of Iraq's population in various ways; like it did in the Iraqi elections. If there was no court for Saddam's trialing, the turn out on elections would be much less. Iraqis know how to survive. If there were little signs of change in the government and the trial process, Iraqis would have to learn to go back and repeat the history and lifestyle of 2 wars which many successfully survive through.

Moreover, with all the attacks occuring not only against Muslims or between Muslims but also against other minorities, there is change. Often not always dramatic change but the replacement of a new judge is counted as one. The question is, how much more of change will there be? Will change continue to flourish the nation of Iraq and its future? If it doesn't, then consequently this will result in a greater lack of ambition in the future for a better life through weakness in trust and hope. More Iraqis will then rely automatically on the trouble makers. A positive outflow of the process, even in the trials, can bring a sense of patience and dependence on themselves to keep progressive change everlasting. This trust and hope has to survive as much as a live heart, mind and body has to during times of struggle and war.

Two Tied By A Knot

2006-01-26T18:15:00.000+13:00

Thanks to the presidents' long winded tongue of destruction to Israel and stubborness that Iran will now more or ever begin its nuclear testing this March.

Its going to be very very wonderful now that Iran is doing what it likes while being border to border with Iraq. If our Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zebari is urging the Iraqi government to get closer ties to Iran by its implementation of plans and agreements through rebuilding infrastructure and security, then this really does speak on its own. The last thing we need is someone to barge into Iraqi politics and life; Especially when Iran is being questioned by the other countries for its reluctance to give up its nuclear program.

Moqtada Al Sadr who is part of the 555 Shia dominated list that apparently during the December 2005 elections, has permanently decided to support Iran throughout the whole way to 'victory'. Victory to Shia Iraqis is now to be 'not freedom, peace and security' but rulership 'for and by Iran in unity'. It would be true as they say that Shia Iraqis are now turning into what Saddam was and is. Creating more outer intrusion by unifying and stand against other nations when the Iraq itself has not yet solved much of any of its national problems. This is like. a person will not be treated reasonably if he has not worked out his inter-personal matters and attitudes. It can be said the same for Iraq that as a nation it will not be treated fairly by its neighboring countries if Iraqis have not solved in participation, any of their national problems.

As British troops today are cracking down on the police stations in Basrah and arresting policemen for tribal crimes, there is a common problem found in Iraq. Iraqis refuse to give up their tribal roots to work for Iraq and ONLY Iraq..This is much the same with an Iraqi Foreign Minister who aids for more contribution by Iran and 'political' Moqtada al Sadr's militia which stands by Iran for support. Iraqis have to get one thing straight; If Saudis, jordanians and afghanis are meant to be restricted from interferring in Iraqi politics, then SO should Iranians. To team up with a country like Iran with suicidal plans to keep an ongoing process of its nuclear program will only prove more self and outer force destruction as USA is starting to also heat up on Iran. Had Iraqis known this and be educated about "Iraq First", they wouldn't have done what they are doing.

No matter how much Iraqis in the millions stood against the terrorists and insurgents to vote during these sets of elections, it is now visible to state that these Iraqis did not vote because they wanted the right deserving party to take control of the government but because they wanted their own tribal and religious parties to rule.

When the game begins between Iran, Israel and USA, it is either US or Iran will emplace its radical troops in Iraq to turn it into a whole entire military base or, if we like to continue the tradition to call it a 'battlefield'. I await for the rest of the Shia gang like the Badr Organisation to play out its cards in aiding Iran. The connection between Iran and Iraq is currently inevitable. We are meant to take note of how much this governments' politicians is sending a helping hand to Iran for open borders and rights which...if it emerges, Iraq will consequently be payable to go serve another war.

Truce From A Criminal

2006-01-21T23:02:00.000+13:00

So....

After more than 4 years from his first claimed and official crime, Bin laden has never been captured. Over the several incidences to make bomb attempts to kill him and conspiracies about his sickness, Bin Laden proved to be alive by his latest authentic video. It was a truce from generousity and thoughtfulness that finally sparked up in Osama bin laden's mind. At least he is re-thinking his decisions to worry about the latter this time.. No matter how much Osama Bin laden is losing or winning 'this war', to give in to this demand will only prove to bring more problems to the people of the nations that have had a recent regime change. There is a difference when Terrorists ask US + Ally troops to withdraw during times of fighting and when the Iraqi govt asks the foreign troops after an approachable and agreed solution. The US government to refuse to negotiate with such terrorists during time of fragility in nations like Afghanistan and especially Iraq, is a correct action.

What more do we seek? Even so if US and Allies withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan, USA will only be serving Alqaeda by giving them two complete nations to roam around and over-rule. It will become a more significant yet extreme case of a terrorist haven and a continuation of suffocation of the citizens in that country.

Going by Osama Bin Laden's assistance, he preferred us to look to the book called 'The Rogue State'. It appears that Osama has instantly begun to look into the box of his past history with USA to give the people in this world a word of advice. Yes, USA is responsible for many mistakes including the help to Saddam, Iran and people like Bin Laden. There is none a reason for the Arab/Muslim people to continue spewing hatred even if USA is the source reason to the mess in the Middle East/Muslim world. If Arabs and Muslims have a problem, then they or we followers of Islam and part of the Arab community should change it by will and prevent this from happening ever again. But because, there is lack of energy in the Middle East, the Arab people will continue to be played around like a pack of soccer balls being kicked by the leaders of the West.

The terrorists need to understand that they are the problem, rather than the US and its 'collaborators' (Iraqis and Afghanis building a democratic government) being so. They need to regret their comments of declaring war against an important part of a country's nation, because if Foreign international troops didnt exist on soil, Alqaeda members will surely create a massacre of the killing of millions more Shia including who they call to be 'Kuffar'. Going by an important principle of these 'Muslims', The Quran states 'let there be no compulsion in religion'. Certainly, Alqaeda does not match the ideology and basis of Islam as their acts are incomplete in its purpose and way. Until Alqaeda Terror members refrain from endangering the security and rights of the people, we as people from all races and all backgrounds should not give in to this truce till they, the terrorists, themselves discover they are false in their goal and strategies.

A Hope For The End Of A Joke

2006-01-18T16:53:00.000+13:00

Judge Rizgar Amin is seen to be withdrawing from the court for Saddam's penalty. Over the time, the world has seen Judge Rizgar act in a very nicely manner to the courting of Saddam's fate. Many Iraqis see this court as a joke which is only trying to aggrivate the people of Iraq and the terrorists during vulnerables times near election days. It is as though Saddam Hussein rules the court by the chances he is given to speak through the decisions of Judge Rizgar.

If democracy is true, then by the majority of the Iraqi people, the citizens seek for absolute and immediate penalty for Saddam Hussein. Speaking of Human Rights for Prisoners like Saddam Hussein should not even be applicable because for Saddam's living spirit of superiority, the court will be serving the rights for killers like him, rather than the innocent iraqis who wish to see Saddam be given a penalty. Just seeing Saddam's face on TV is a heartbreaker of long horrific memories itself and to know Saddam is gone in this life can only be for the better.
With Iraqi Baathists making deals with terrorists, maybe the halt of Saddam's face on TV and end of his existance on Earth will give Saddam loyalists a loss of hope to continue aiding murderers.

Judge Rizgar did the right thing because we dont have time to wait to hear Saddam's complaints. Saddam never heard ours'.Why give him that either when we can easily prove his crimes by examples of thousands of victims and exiles? Hopefully our new Judge has something better to offer.

A Glimpse Of Horrific Reality

2006-01-13T16:43:00.000+13:00

The death of 345 Muslims dead in Saudi Arabia during their pilgrimage is not the first incident where such similar things happen around this time of the year. Saudi Arabian government is lacking control on the crowds of over 2 million attending this year's pilgrimage. Such amount of Muslim followers is just too much to handle.

My mother went to Hajj about 3 years from now with a group and all of them had terrible problems trying to stay together in one place. Even during prayer, they had to form a circle so the person praying would not be stepped on or fallen over. If a pair of shoes isnt tied together with other shoes, they will at most probability be lost. I dont see how KSA doesnt offer better accomodation and appropriate organisation of less crowds. What is the point of a Hajj pilgrimage if there is no comfortability and peace anymore?

I think the Saudi government should impose a limit for the number of times Muslims go to Hajj. Many individuals go to Hajj yearly which makes things harder for Muslims who have never gone. 2.5million at once is just too much, so to make a law for every Muslim being given a chance to go to Hajj once every 5 years seems good to me. I hope they decide on a solution to make it all better. If not, then it proves the Saudi government does NOT care what happens in Mecca and Medina as the holy cities for Islam. It will show their true colours in time.

The 'testimonies' of death to USA and Israel is another matter for massive correction but I do not think KSA government will have any problem being 2 faced for its gratitude and hate for the West, nor will it do anything about the testimonies the religious leaders make to aggrivate the Muslim followers.

---

Happy Eid to everyone, kol aam wa intum be alf khair to both Muslims and non-Muslims. As much as Ive been invited to Christmas dinners and New year gatherings, I have and am willing to open this celebrative occasion to everyone.

On the last day of the funeral about 3 days ago, my cousin called his parents who are my aunt and uncle to greet them. They told us that our land properties near our house in al ghazalia are being used for insurgent hiding places. Several shots have went through our house. A man was shot dead in the street and one in a house where a young man was praying and a bullet instantly went into his head. Such sad incidents are NOT the first.

My cousin's brother is a doctor at Al Nour hospital in Baghdad sees how everyday guardsmen guarding the hospital from outside aim at civilians with red lasered guns to their forehead within 50 metre distance. A civilian does something stupid or gets close to the hospital without permitted can get himself killed now. It is a good way, better than any other right now to avoid self suicide and such but bare in mind, many Iraqis feel like their lives and country is a horrific action movie. Doctors like my cousin find it difficult to maintain a hospital that requires a lot more staff who are leaving Iraq by the way from threats. Lack of Medicine and Medical equipment is inevitable for Iraq as always...

It is one many reasons why Iraqi casualties in the past and now are dying. I hope this is something the government should try to solve. It is as important as security when a doctor knows a man can survive if he is given improved quality medical attention.

A Week Of Tragedy

2006-01-08T12:20:00.000+13:00

Coming to this Auckland city with a greater Iraqi community, ( its been less than a month after settling here), we have already heard of 2 loss of loved ones in Iraq.
Its been a sad few days as a long time Iraqi friend, a doctor, who we met in New Zealand initially, his father back in Iraq had just passed away from what was precalled a natural death but unable to have kept him alive due to the lack of new medicine and medical equipment available. For a Muslim family, the funeral lasts for generally 3 days where it can be held at home or a mosque. Of course reading the holy book, Quran, is a given in a funeral. Food is usually served to everyone. However, It is what one would say to help the family from a tragedy is to at least help with the comforting and also deeds from saving the time for them to provide the hospitality themselves. It is a simple gesture and for this Iraqi doctor, it has only been the 2nd day of mourning today.

When we went to this 2nd day, the family of the Iraqi friend in Iraq took his father's body in a coffin and had travelled all the way from Baghdad through latifiyah to Karbala. When they wanted to pass through the main gate of kerbala, a guard-watcher insisted his family to not use the main door as it is more dangerous and were directed to use the side door instead. After they did what they were told, 20 minutes later, the big front door of the Mosque was struck by terrorists. It was a lucky thing that the family were helped out by this young guard. The family in New Zealand were shocked of the news and had predicted that his whole family would have been part of the 50 or so dead Iraqis. They all began to weep because they couldnt bare to even think about such a thing occurring to a whole family preparing the burying of their elderly father in his grave, is that such a crime to these terrorists and insurgents?? It seems it is....
Aabout 2 hours later that day, the family from Iraq, shocked and as much as they were unable to speak so much called in to tell them that they were fine and had explained what happened.

Tragedy Number 2...
We came back from our Iraqi friend's funeral and so did our only far aunt+uncle and their children we retain in this part of the world. They came over to our house to have abit of a chat about any updates. My uncle talked of his mother who used to come visit every now and then to NZ. She has been living in Iran for the last 10 years and remains to stay there. Her son, my uncle, continues to ask her to stay with him but she refuses as she feels like a complete foreigner to the country, the language and lifestyle. She is a wonderful woman for I have met her several times, she was always ready to sacrifice herself for her kids and grandchildren even though she was a quiet woman. The last time I saw her not long ago, she was in her 80s and could climb up casually but carefully up the stairs. But over the continuation of being treated from Iranian hospitals by being given drug tablets for years, Warfarin, to help her avoid the pain, she had passed away today in the morning of 7th January in Tehran, Iran. If she wasnt taking the medicine which is all they could give her in Iran, she would have passed away years ago.

Her son knew it was her time even when we spoke with him yesturday and it was expected as he was even told by the Iraqi friend ( the one who lost his father) a few weeks ago that her time would come soon because she wouldnt be able to handle it any further. The sad thing is, both of these werent there to be with their parents, similarly much the same for my own parents even though they werent able to see my grandparents for more than 10 years. However, losing a loved one and paying respect to this person is both as hard as one identifies that everyone they love including themselves will be lost through their own death. It is wrong to be very attached to someone's living in this life for this life is a pain itself but as we are humans, it commonly happens.
God bless these two Iraqi fellows and the others who have died, in an even more tragic death.
This has gone too far when funerals are being targetted. It must be stopped or the Shia of Iraq will soon come to the full response of a backlash against those insurgents/terrorists.

An Unexpected Shock

2006-01-01T21:00:00.000+13:00

Before New Year, something serious happened infront of my own eyes at a beach. It was near sunset, there was sunlight but abit windy, lots of people were there. Our family friends from the old city had come to visit us just recently for about 5 days, everyday we would meet and go out for dinner, cafes and such. One of family friends is a young couple with a cute, SOON to be 1 year old boy named Allawi.

We went to the beach together for a walk and some ice cream. Allawi's parents left to get their camera in the car and take some pictures with us. Allawi was with us in his trolley waiting for his parents to come back; we went walking for a few minutes until we checked up to see how he was doing. Little Allawi wasnt moving and you know how kids move and are all hyper active and such. He was not like that. His head was leaning on the side, his eyes werent moving as they were just looking up to the sky and his forehead felt hot. My mother whose a doctor and another close friend whose a vet began to panic as they checked his pulse and realized something was wrong with him. They started to call out his name but he was NOT responding. And during this time, his parents were not there.

It was so very bad...we called the father,a doctor as well, and told him to come very quick. The father is a lightheaded man and at first thought we were joking. While waitin, My brother picked Allawi up to see what was wrong and as he did, Allawi didnt make a single move at all...that even his head leaned on my brother's shoulder. We did CPR for him, nothing came out of it because it seemed the CPR wasnt done properly from all the panicking we went into. It was good that we live in such a caring nation that a nurse from no where came to help, she laid him on the side on the grass and began to pat him on the back. Soon later another came to help, he was an Indian doctor who was calm and eventually gave him air with which allawi started to respond by crying. His parents came; the mother was crying, while Allawi's father had no impression. He just looked at his son and he didnt know what to do...While we were pushing pushing Allawi in his trolley, we felt a sudden shake from him. We thought he was just moving around too much as a child would. It was a sign of a convulsion.

The partner of the nurse called 911 and ambulance came to check his temperature after Allawi began to respond back to us. It was a convulsion...from the flu or such..its been 3 days since he's been sick, and this loss of consciousness happened to him twice during 3 days. They took him to the children hospital the second time, and turns out the parents discovered 'today' that he has measels. It was a shock at first because we all thought he was going to die if we didnt know something was wrong with him. Thankfully everything is Okay. Later, the parents and their child left to go to their Motel and rest. They stayed up the whole night just watching him try to get to sleep. The next day, they came to our and our friends' house for us to look after Allawi while the parents tried to get some rest. When they went back to their motel, we pretty much had no interest anymore to get our ice cream as we tried to take the whole situation lightly and said to ourselves that we probably would get a convulsion too if we get cold in the wind. We changed our dessert to hot food and drinks, heh! Allawi is such a cute and smart boy with two lovely parents; our hearts all fell to the ground from shock when he was ill.

As a result of this true story, the following are the moral of the story: Doctors have feelings of speechlesness where they're incapable to have an answer for everything. This occurs when a loved one gets hurt.

Kids are just very vulnerable to sickness and this can cause death in an instant if one doesn't know about it at the right time..

God bless the child and the many children around the world that need safety.

The End of 2005

2005-12-26T00:38:00.000+13:00

FOllowing the stupidity of Saddam's trials, this following video clip may help the hopeless people, like me, to think more optmistically about Saddam's fate.

Saddam's show in court

I watched just about all of Saddam's trials and there is nothing more than I having grinded my teeth against each other from the disgust of Saddam's attitude and the judge' acceptance of its existence in HIS court. Is it not so when a judge is given privilege, the court case is taken in consideration in his court? Well Judge Rezgar needs to polish his crap up and start to be more ASSERTIVE with Saddam. Let alone having to see Saddam be given the time to pray, it tells me so much about the clown theyre making of us thinking this is a real meaningful trial.

If an American had such a history of torturing and murdering records of innocent people, the man would be given immediate death penalty as proven and observed of the LAST TWO recent death penalties. Would Saddam ever get that opportunity?? For him, its quite different since he had been called a 'prisoner of war', but however, we will wait to see what will happen of him and how our weak Judge Rezgar will do next.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and Happy NEW Year to everyone! It has been a bloody year of 2005, and I can only say other than being sad about the many casualties and deaths of 2005, that we should look forward to making life a better place, even though everything is in God's power. May Iraq have a blissful year for more opportunity and better improvements. Its the 26th of December 2005 and about 5 hours ago, our Iraqi friends from the old city I used to live in came to visit us who traveled for 7 hours by car to stay over in the big city for about a week. We just came back from the beach today. We traveled about an extra 3 hours out of the big city, Auckland, further over where my brother works as an engineer in one of the smaller cities and had quite a good time to check out that part of the NZ Island. The parents went for boat cruises and we younger ones of all ages went kayaking. It was a fabulously hot summery day. I believe this will be the last time we'll get to have as much time together with our long-time friends before we all begin our lives separately after knowing one another for more than 8 years in the old city. It is somewhat I call to start a new page. A page where we re-build everything again, which isnt easy but change can bring better results if you are willing to be persistent.

Most of you know Im Muslim and Im proud of my faith, myself but NOT my Muslim people. There is no objection, living in the West and celebrating the occasions of a New Year and a sort of Christian Christmas for the sake of family unity and friends. This is a photo shot of how Muslim Iraqis usually looked upon the Christians of Iraq. We have this saying in Iraq; to ask someone's religion is considered rude. And back in the days, it was rude..but today, religious background DEFINES your sectarian position of the political situation. Today, Christians fear for their lives by portraying their rituals for their Christian faith. The way I see it though is at this very moment all Iraqis seem to be at risk because of their identity. It is not that these explosions hitting Children hospitals or a bakery store have any conclusion in the sectarian identity of the owner and his customers. These criminals are only looking to de-stabilize the situation in Iraq, and those who just like to racket some noise were only looking for attention after which they realized it was the only way now to help make a difference to the reality of politics in Iraq.

I hope your Christmas dinner was wonderful (I have to say its difficult for non Christians to live even one day withOUT any retails stores open, except for a few petrol stations!) and boxing day with huge sale discounts.

And for New years, well Im quite liking New year considering it's going to be celebrated somewhere at Auckland for a change. Ive heard they have an Iraqi singer called Jalal Teaa coming to hold a concert in NZ for those Iraqis reading it but Im not even sure who he is or where it is held. We haven't planned what will happen yet but its apart of the options for some good thoughtful New Year considerations :)

Have a safe holiday!

Iraqi Elections

2005-12-18T13:28:00.000+13:00

A beautiful outcome of the Iraqi elections on the 15th of December. Im more than glad to see my Sunni Iraqi brothers and sisters vote for the list they want. This is democracy for we all dont want to see any more violence to prove our point.

I am rather fed up that in New Zealand we are unable to vote anywhere in this country, apart from Australia. Several families I knew some Iraqis in New Zealand left to Australia just to vote which I found to be remarkable in how much they care of voicing their decision on paper. I plan to email the OCV and see how this goes. I am currently now living permanently at Auckland city, biggest city in New Zealand and there are many Iraqis, in the thousands, here who are unable to vote. Why are we disadvantaged? Why is it difficult to give us voting stations in NZ when its not far from Australia? Should we be disregarded because we do not have as large Iraqi population? I dont think so.

We just moved in to our new house. We are a family of 5 members and finally for more than 6 years of seperation for work, studies and exams including my parents, we have 4 members living in one house, with 1 living 2 hours by car from us for his job. It feels different to be distant in a very very small way and have most of the close family in one house. But Im glad it finally worked out, one beautiful home of what I would say is too good to be true.

Apart from that, parents of older age from overseas originity are being disadvantaged and that is I suppose a common matter with many families as well due unrecognised qualifications and age. Other than that, it's sooo good to be living in a much larger city population with wider ranges of activities, sales, discounts and places where you havent been in yet. The people are of all kinds and so many Iraqis who we do not know yet but hopefully that will change in due process as we settle in and when I get an approval for my entry to the best university in this country at Auckland.

As much as we feel more comfortable to be in a new environment at a city, we await for the day Iraq will get better so we can all go back to the warmth of our real home. That can only happen if we continue with the process of elections to a stronger government being chosen to take charge of Iraq. Time will tell the result of the elections once again. What they voted is what they should get.

PS:Thankyou for the Emails.

4 Days To Go For 4 Years Of Leadership.

2005-12-12T10:24:00.000+13:00

4 Days till the Elections in Iraq!! 4 days is also the day we will be moving out of this house to our new home in Auckland, NZ. I may call that luck to be leaving on the same day, kinda. The elections are a tough call this time as there hasn't been so much voicing by the people of Iraq. But I can see and notice the tension going on between the List 555 United Iraqi Alliance, List 731 lead by Allawi, 730 list which is the Kurdish Coalition List composed of the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) and KDP (Kurdish Demo Party) and List 569 led by Ahmed Chalabi.
As they say, there are and have met Iraqis who are willing to vote for Lists 730 or 731 in the determination to dissipate the strong support of List 555. Which may rather happen as that is how you would stop a political party, but for IRaqis, many of them may be shia who are devout but are ready to vote for a list that is not 555 because of their dislike of the leaders in it.

Now, Ahmed Chalabi from List 569 has a very intriguing history with the work he did
for the Iraqi National Congress (INC) against Saddam. INC worked for the media and has had amounts of success. Though on January 2004, Chalabi and his group promoted the claim that world leaders were illegally taking advantage of the Oil for Food program. This is where US had begun to lose trust in Ahmed Chalabi. Even more so, this got worse when in June 2004, Chalabi was reported to have given US 'secrets' to Iran, including the fact that one of the US' most valuable sources of Iranian intelligence was used by their spy services. His funding by USA also disbanded. But Chalabi has denied all of the charges that even when he came back to Iraq after these reports came, he was not charged or arrested.

Ayad Allawi on the other hand, was a former baathist and was seen as a moderate/secular shia by the world. He went into exile in 1971 Allawi and was in charge of many Baath Party organisations in Europe to capture the dissenters. He resigned in 1976 and since then got some revenge threats by the order of Saddam. In the 90s, he decided to form the Iraqi National Accord (INA) which had received secrets from Arab nations and USA. INA used a plot to topple Saddam in 1996 but hadnt succeeded because of Saddam loyalist participation, with the support of the CIA. Now the situation with Allawi is, from my own family's experience, many employees who held good jobs or were young were made to be Baathists.
Baathists had weekly meetings where they would discuss the matters of the policitical party. It was hard to back off, a family member of mine tried to deny his middle name so he wouldn't join the baathi party. But as a result, they still annoyed him and of course if he said no, he'd be dead the next day. Indirect No's with good excuses were able to get away with from the enforcement but it will NOT last for long. Each baathi member would sign a contract where it includes the rights of the baathi member and the consequences of 'betraying the party'. This is one of the reasons I believe Allawi faced a difficulty with. He was incapable to leave the Baath and incapable to say No to the payment of Mukhabarat Watch in Europe. Many Shia were made to be baathists simultaneously, not just the Sunnis, as they were unable to reject the offer of membership. He has advocated a greater role for former soldiers in the country's new security services. Im able to say former baathists dont make them guilty at once, but we have to be very careful with them.

Both have had ties with USA. Not surprising. Allawi wants to revise the de-Baathification laws, brought in to rid all members of Saddam's Baath Party from office, and return more former officers in the Iraqi army, which was disbanded after the war, to the new security forces. The list vows to fight the insurgency and establish a strong central government. Chalabi has promised every Iraqi family an amount of cash from Iraq's Oil money and a piece of land for every family that does not own a home. The list stresses the need for Iraq to regain full sovereignty and to fight the insurgency by improving intelligence.

My opinion is, if Im able to vote by the time I reach the big city for voting boxes, is I may vote for Allawi with his list 731, mainly due to the fact that Allawi doesn't or didn't have the ties with Iran as Chalabi does. Chalabi with list 569 is well respected on my side, but due to his circumstance of his secrets mingling in Iran, and God knows why he did bother to tell Iran, is going to cause more intrusion. And we need no intrusion. 555 is strong because it is united as the 3 main Shia groups came to form one list, even after disagreements. This is why 555 has more chance, but if Iraqis refuse to bring religion in government, the result will go to Allawi or Chalabi's Lists predominantly by non Kurds that is. All of the mentioned lists are popular, but my feeling of tension may come between 555 and 731 more than any other...
Iraqis are about to make another historic day to help choose the fate of Iraq's future for the next 4 years.

Occupation and Iraqi Forces

2005-12-06T22:59:00.000+13:00

The 4 Christian Peace Activists recently kidnapped in Iraq is really meant to shackle the whole entire situation before the 15 December elections. If theyre peace activists, are they ALSO vulnerable to Iraq's true freedom 'free from USA' for these terrorists? Another thing is, They kidnapped a female German archeologist. What does that have to do with 'endangering Iraq' liberation from occupation!? It is very ridiculous. I can understand when people get kidnapped for getting INVOLVED in the political process of Iraq's govt but come on, terrorists 'think' that the 4 Christian Activists are under cover which is the dominant reason to this kidnapping and that is rather illogical. This is like how Iraqi insurgents have went under cover as 'women' holding Iraqi children hands so hey could make a run away during the entry of Iraqi troops to Anbar. There's nothing worse than that! All this done by iraqis and yet the country never complains when such things come out from our people. Its in fact disrespectful to even be undercover in appearance, but when Christian peace activists go to Iraq, well thats a different case because theyre 'non Muslim' and not Arab.

Ive had discussion lately with non Muslim Iraqis and Ive met all kinds that I have been intrigued by. The fascinating thing is, Ive met a particular person who is very much anti occupation of Iraq. I spoke to her often about the terrorists in Iraq and whether Iraq is occupied currently or not. Im not the type to call the war on Iraq an occupation. Going by the meaning of occupation, you have more than one meaning. Let's briefly look at them: The act or process of possessing a place.(The state of being held or possessed.). Now ...is Iraq possessed? When it is possessed, do these invaders show any signs on giving out intentions for independency to the true new born Iraqi forces? Occupation doesnt mean that these invaders (US and allies) hope that they'd go back after leaving Iraq as secure as possible for Iraqis to take over. Iraq is not possessed. It may be only held because the Iraqi forces are not yet ready to hold the country THEMSELVES. Lets look at the second meaning which is abit different: Invasion, conquest, and control of a nation or territory by foreign armed forces. (Or, The military government exercising control over an occupied nation or territory.)
Ok...Yes Iraq was invaded, attacked and taken control of at first more than it is now. If we are speaking in terms of liberation from oppression, the first few months of Iraq was difficult for Iraqis to take control as they felt re-born again to reality and had needed a few months or so to conceive the new fresh air coming through. This is why today's main head politicians never lived in Iraq before US attacked Iraq, most of them came from overseas back to Iraq. I can say and agree that Iraq was possibly and largely occupied in the 1st few months of the war in early 2003. But now, is a very different situation as we compare the situation of Iraq and its forming government to the meaning of occupation. Day by day, US troops want to lessen their amount of soldiers walking and driving their tanks on Iraqi streets. And lack of support for the war in Iraq by Americans IN America is proof of that. We all know Iraqis dont feel too comfortable about US troops and nor do Americans feel safe in public either.

Of course, if people are welcomed to believe that the contribution of Iraqi troops with US army in combat is seen as a game or something as a trick or lie, then I'd have no doubt that this person would only see Iraq occupied today. Iraq is not occupied. Sorry to say but that is my underneath sheeting to the view I hold of today's Iraq. If it was occupied, you can ONLY imagine the even more rapid response you'd get from Iraqis in violence against US troops. But this is not so. All the killings of US forces (and Iraqis) are only signs of struggle. SO I met this wonderful Armenian Christian lady who left Iraq long ago but had served to keep many beautiful memories of life and people in Iraq. And her view, as the person she is, not Muslim or such, believes Iraq is occupied. She also believes that the people causing problems today are not to be called Terrorists. I have discussed with her about it and she for ever believes Iraqis are never terrorists, not in history and not today. The unfortunate truth is, Iraqis causing this killing are called terrorists and always be so because these people are the people who continuously caused problems and struggle in the past too. Today, we call them terrorists, we need to because we should bring out the dirt of a nation's chaos, so we are able to identify them as a people who do not care for Iraqi needs and bring them up for justice.

I have thought for so long about why terrorists set up bombs to target Iraqi police and soldiers. We should ask ourselves, what have Iraqi forces done first for Iraq? They show courage every day to go to work in their uniform, and many agree to this. Often I talk to friends and family who visited the South and they tell me that it is dominantly controlled reasonably by Iraqi forces. Not recently, had I heard any extreme attack on the cities of Shia dominated Karbala and Nasireeyah. Without these Iraqi forces, South wouldnt be peaceful if US forces continued to overrule the cities. They're doing their job. But in cities like Samarra and Ramadi, Iraqi forces are unable to do their job and serve the community in protecting the nation. And insurgent/terror supporters often mention how They're against US and Allies troops. This is by the way, not true at all. They are NOT against US/Ally troops, they are in fact against against Iraqi troops who are trying to serve the community at best. They're probably not even against this so called occupation. If they are, then they mean the occupation BY Shia Iraqis. This is only proven because most of the attacks today have killed more Iraqi forces than US forces. An estimated 1,262 Iraqi soldiers and police have been killed since the interim Iraqi government took power April 28. In comparison, more than 550 coalition troops - mostly Americans - have died in Iraq since April 28. If people complain that more Iraqi soldiers and police died because of silly mistakes, then I suggest that the intention of these thugs are meant to hurt Iraqi community servers, not "Westerners". This can be considered a tie to religion when Zarqawi was on video calling death on Shia for collaborating. In conclusion, this is all about avoiding a possible Shia dominated nation which I dont agree to either BUT also revenge. In very simple words: If people really wanted USA OUT, then you dont go KILLING the Iraqi forces...because that would keep USA in even longer!

A representative of Sistani instructed followers to do three things: turn out to vote on the day; avoid voting for any list whose leader is not religious; and avoid voting for “weak” lists so as not to split the Shia vote.And so finally, the truth has become clear!? I agree with two of these instructions. Sure Shia deserve and should be united. I like the first instruction to turning out on voting day too. But it is not surprising for Sistani or least his representative to say 'vote for someone religious'. I am still respectful towards Sistani because if it werent for his support to vote an d elect, Shia would have been at a worser case just like the Sunnis had been. Sunnis are now on the bargain for voting as they have been getting support by Sunni Muslim scholars, which by the way are threatened for supporting the idea of elections. Sheik Hamza al-Aysawi, a revered Fallujah cleric who issued a religious edict to encourage residents to vote, was assassinated. Those thugs who threatened that sheikh show their intentions; they just hate democracy and they want nothing more than to stop people to voice their opinions. For a while, you could have thought that the first attacks on Shia were based on weakening them from power in government but the direction of this has obviously diverted to something that wants to destruct the whole entire process of the governmental formation in democracy coming from Sunni, Shia and Non Muslim votes.

2005-11-30T01:48:00.000+13:00

I had just went through this examination period and Im done with studies for the year, apart from the movement to a new home and city in this country. Market property values are surely on the rise so I suppose this is a good time if we take out the Christmas holidays that lasts as a long phase starting from mid December.

Three Kurdish youths from Halabja living in Baghdad had been arrested and tortured by the Shia militia 'of the Iraqi Prime Minister', Ibrahim Al-Jafari’s government.
The whole incident is a scramble, reports havent concluded what happened to these tortured Kurds..took money? stealing? anything of such? The distant matter is, most of these 'insurgents' dont really hold a name to their kind of work..and if it had any, it'd be freedom fighters according to its supporters. The insurgents found today apart from the daily explosive attacks are related to kidnappings with ransom and threats. What more is there to ask when we ask what is their goal? IT is them playing with the meaning of freedom, if in luck we have any complete freedom in this life, when more resilient Iraqis are being played like marbles by these insurgents. Freedom of speech is indestructible only if you have the upper hand of control of overlaying one's opinion over the other, in the case of Iraq, going against the government is far MORE obvious than going FOR the Iraqi government today. With the three tortured Kurds, their nephew and brother were contacted and also captured whilst having been called names against the current Kurdish politicians who are laying out their claims in the Iraqi government. Thus, These shia Militia have the upper hand...did they have this freedom under Saddam? NEVER.. But now, they are. Now, Kurds are being the targeted ones when Shia were targeted by predominant Sunni insurgency. This is what happens after oppression and when elections take place for new rise of power from historic remnants.

Ayad Allawi recently reported that Iraq today is worse than the days of Saddam. I believe When he says that, I assume that he refers to the Iraq under Saddam that was controlled steadily by the Baathists. Over the years, many by majority of Iraqis had accepted the fate of Iraq being ruled by Saddam. And this made things more calmer, more quieter with secrets about the work of the Mukhabarat or secret police who often visit houses during the day. Today, an Iraqi is afraid to stick his or her head out of their house because of any kind of attack that has abruptly affected the educated workers of Iraq for doing their job in their nation. Not that even existed under Saddam. Saddam always needed the best working citizens. There was a time where my mother, an Eye doctor or ophthalmologist, who was working in hospital and her own clinic was asked to accompany Saddam for this occasional eye check up he had overviewed and because I was living it up in her stomach at the time, only a few months left till she was in labour, it was improbable for her to leave to do her job. As a result of the contribution by the doctorS (note the plural for doctor..he needs more than one, and nurses), they were gifted with a new model car. This is very different to today. Doctors and Professors are leaving the country because militias dont seem to want their people to be educated and cared for? Must I wonder if that could be the intention of these militias or insurgents. And these insurgents kidnap educated Iraqi workers who may have nothing to do with US and Allied forces but other than working to help the community. Or when they are threatened to not vote in the forthcoming elections because these 'educated' Iraqis do happen to vote for the right political party that the insurgents do NOT want in power? This is little in comparison to the days of Iraq. In terms of torture with the 'secret police', yes it is considered the same when dealing with criminals that are not yet even acted or attempted. Saddam arrested anyone who was under suspicion of being a traitor to Iraq. Today, the 'Iraqi police' who have worsened over the 6months, arrest anyone who is suspicious of being a 'soon to be' assassinator.

In 2004, there were reports about how Allawi was responsible for the murder of 6 insurgents. He portrayed a method to showing the strength and power that Allawi wanted for the Iraqi forces to take against the criminals. This really depends on the matter of the crime. At such a critical time for Iraq, the persecution of a murderer is thus very important in showing the criminals that the Iraqi government is serious about its demands to stop the attacks. The government needs to be resilient in its demand. There is no point in saying ‘we will do what ever we can to stop these attacks’ if nothing happens to show their concern. It should imply the basic missions of firstly all in all to persecute the captured insurgents who have already committed a crime. If this doesn’t happen, then of course criminals can do what ever they like, such as now. But the main assurance is for the public to know that the ‘secret police’ or ‘police men’ are acting upon these criminals who have already done a crime. However, as mentioned earlier in other posts, Allawi has maximized space to bring forth the confronting leaders to allow for a more beneficial discussion on board and also find a common alliance that will satisfy the diversities of Iraq. That is, if unity is a part of his list.
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Ramsey Clark's decision to defend Saddam on his trials is rather not surprising if you take a look at his past cases. Before he decided to take defense for Saddam, he also defended the case of Slobodan Milosevic who is the former president of Yugoslavia and accused war criminal. Does an American like Ramsey Clark really work out the benefits of defending such politically criminal cases to earn more money in such shorter time than he would work for family affairs or even local/national crime cases? He sure does know how to choose the right cases if so. I wonder if his views on Iraq reflect his decision to defend Saddam's case. This then, will surely NOT bring justice for Iraq and Iraqis when waiting for Saddam's last fate.

Can Iraq Survive Alone

2005-11-20T22:46:00.000+13:00

The attack that killed tens of Jordanians in Amman was somewhat a big shock and sense of intrigueness to the fate of Jordan's next steps. I have nothing much to add than simply be sorry for the death of the people in the attack. May God bless them all. Other than that, I hope Arabs will get to know more about the true intentions of such an attack that is comparably little to the consecutve attacks in Iraq and also around the world. Many deny the real intentions of these attacks because they had been fed information about the outside world like the typical main media existing all around us, though they have it at a much worse level as they are surrounded by people of the same or similar mindset about the political agendas of this 'outside world' in which they dont live in.

The bit where I have often asked myself, why is it that not all news of the world, of the people not become reported? Media like CNN or BBC dont report any news that are of relevance to both sides of the world when talking about the MIddle Eastern and Western conflict. Because I just had discovered that for example, a Huge protest occurred in Morroco that none of the main media reporters came to think about including in their investigations. How is it that even in a country like New Zealand, a very isolated, peaceful country refuses or dis-acknowledges such information about a protest that included of more than 150,000 protestors? And when the West tends to complain about the lack of response by the "Muslim world", the main media never brings forth this other voice. 150,000 Demonstrate Against Al Qaida in Morocco. Protesters Pledge Unity with Iraq! with the quote "All Moroccans are with Iraq, all Moroccans are innocent," the marchers chanted. Rally draws people cutting across political lines. Officials say they will not succumb to Al Qaida blackmail that even, Clerics said Al Qaida members will "burn in hell" if they kill the Morrocan embassy workers they have held captive. Sure it is of little probability that Alqaeda will releave these workers but how is it that this voice wasnt heard?? I find it absurd.

I mean look at this, a few months ago in this country, on the local news channel, I heard about a 'cat' being 'microwaved' and the man responsible was arrested for such a crime, yet it never bothered to mention the demonstration against a terror group, where humans are dying? Thats the reality of the media. The only ones who reported this demonstration are Lebanon Daily Star, one of the first Arab countries to attempt to atone for past transgressions , Aljazeera (guess Aljazeera is LUCKY on this one), Al Mendhar and a few obscure websites. Can we have more of reality rather than unwanted silliness please???

We cant control everything around us obviously. The 173 prisoners found by U.S. forces included all Iraqi sects, playing down out by a campaign by Shiite-led security forces. And then the world complains of USA? hehe...how funny. I mean of course I will not say USA is the angel here but we gotta be honest that the reality is, US troops are not guilty in all wise ways. Sure they have themselves abused prisoners and Iraqis in their homes where they tainted an image of themselves of fear and unfairness to the Iraqi eyes, but what about the 173 prisoners that were recently abused. Some say theyre iraqi shia who want to keep the sunni iraqis quiet before elections. Is it predictable to assume a matter that way when the Shia in Iraq have been complaining often about how Sunni Iraqis are refusing to join in the political tension, but now they want to keep the Sunni iraqis quiet because of the fact Sunnis were very close to refusing the constitution because of a edgy No by the 2, nearly 3 provinces that had the final voice of the constitution's approval? Hmm sounds dodgy to me. I guess the Shia in Iraq are very much switching back and forth if that is so.

Torture that occured to these men is nonetheless no different to how Saddam was. Use of electric currents, being battered by sticks and worse. Are shia going to become the new face of evil that will control Iraq's fate? Are Shia intending to become as what the past regime was because they are afraid to lose another chance of gaining power, and thus, the only way to control this power is BY abusing Sunni Iraqis of being potential criminals? Why? How? Is this what Iraqis want...what Shia Iraqis want who faced one of the worst dealings by Saddam and then we blame Sunnis because they support Saddam? And is it their responsibility that they support Saddam where Sunnis had the upper hand and never saw Saddam being solely responsible for the crimes he allowed because Sunnis predominantly viewed, for example, the Dujail or Halabja crisis as a mistake its people bought UPON themselves? And if Iraqis are to achieve a government in Iraq, any similar acts of the past regime will prove nothing but typical back-steps, thus losing the lives of thousands of Iraqis and troops in the last 2 years would then be of no help or change, other than viewing a 68 year old man behind the bars.

Again, if we are to achieve something good in Iraq, we would be doing what at best to not enforce Sunni Iraqis to confess to an attack while being tortured because of the stereotypes that are now common among of Iraqis, about the Sunnis. We should be able to have civilised discussions in exchange of opinions where democracy is practiced. The torture by Shia Iraqis is no more than an example of playing with the right meaning of democracy unless we attend to the fact that Iraqis need to be taught the word 'democracy'. People often say how the torture of the Abu ghuraib prisoners need to be avoided, it does need to be avoided and yes too, US soldiers involved are being sentenced to charges. What IS important is to take extra care on the different ethnic-religious Iraqis who are in service to the nation of Iraq in securing the country. The torture by Iraqis against Iraqis need to very much be unwanted as this will cause a back-lash to the accomplishments already progressing in Iraq. If we have the current Iraqi soldiers/policemen delivering service to the nation of IRaq, one needs to lay out the crucial rules to see Iraqis as human beings Instead of their background of religion or ethnicity. Now, we have the excuse of Iraqis supporting US presence in Iraq, showing the 'practice of democracy' where the many abuses done by Iraqis TO Iraqis are much on the surface of the current discussions.

The tough suggestion of commencing the withdrawal of US troops is a step forward for IRaq in becoming an independent nation. If the above isnt stressed to the people of Iraq, particularly the Iraqi police and soldiers, then leaving Iraq without observing the crucial rule of viewing Iraq as an identity, will put Iraq back to square 1. I see it as teaching kids how to pronounce the ABC's. The rules must be stressed over and over again verbally AND observantly in their work. Of course Iraqis are very much seen as a proud and patriotic nation one way or another but there is no trust to believe every Iraqi sees another Iraqi Only as an Iraqi, not of any ethnic or religious background.

Talabani's claim to the Timetable of the US withdrawal may seem reasonable but this truly should depend on the availability of equipment, to the medics and logistic support for the Iraqi forces to be. Iraqi forces learn from US forces to become stronger in tactics and efficiency during combat role. This can then allow Iraqis to secure their nation themselves with the advantage of the fimilarity in their homeland where growing security forces are far more able in capturing the under-cover criminals than the US forces could manage to achieve.

It just needs the basics first and the promising continuity of the leading role.

Jordan Attack, A Bomb For Iraq ?

2005-11-15T00:47:00.000+13:00

Looks like fancy Iraqis like this married couple, Mr and Mrs al Rishawi, really wanted to be martyrs by negotiating a deal with the famous Al Qaeda to get help in bombing up 3 Hotels at Amman...

I surely say that its either her mind is out of her body stolen by one of those extreme Muslim figures or she was 'peer pressured' into it possibly thinking she'd a lonely widow after her husband goes to make 'peace in the world'. How odd is that. I can understand why a man will be involved in such matters but a woman like her to defend the purpose of the crime?

What brings a woman like her to want to suicide bomb? Why Jordan? Why bomb a hotel where it held a wedding party? Doesnt it seem out of place? Is this really the start of a new belief that now these extreme groups want to make 'peace in Jordan' too?

She's a wife to the ex-living husband who bombed himself and a sister to the key aide of Zarqawi who died in Fallujah; how delightful must it be for her to be already popular. I suppose it is really her fate to be a widow now that her attempted detonation failed. As far as tasting their own medicine...these suicide bombings may shed some light upon the Jordanian and/or Arab support for this 'insurgency/terrorism' in Iraq against occupying force. However, God bless the souls who were murdered by these childish acts that has no thought to it at all when we refer to providing peace for Iraq. Was the point of the suicide by an Iraqi to point out that Iraqis should not live in Jordan? That, all Iraqis are yet to take opportunity in joining 'war' in Iraq like this lady and her husband had done? Was the suicide in Jordan meant to be the start of a whole new spread of terror in the rest of the middle east or were these two Iraqis, as an example, meant to fight off their long time anger with the Arabs by killing tens of helpless people going about their own life. This attack will help Iraq with nothing...who knows, that there is good probability Jordanians will now be involved not only fighting 'Iraqi collaborators' but Iraqis as a whole and the ones living in Jordan, for their own Jordanian defense.

This nonetheless, shows any yet no significance to helping innocent people, especially children of Iraq. I often think how the young Iraqi children have faced all these wars where a 20 year old would have been through 3 wars that continued in total more than 10 years. What are these groups in Iraq doing for the safety of Iraqi children? Have they yet cared for them? Has the protection for Iraqi children faded because this fate of blood and war has been long accepted ever since the beginning of the 1980s? Is it normal to hear parents say to me "We will be taking our children with us, what ever happens to them is basic God's will". I guess according to that likely statement, we are meant to unleash our kids in Iraq on the streets and what ever 'happens' to them is really God's will. We forgot that at least 40% of Iraq's population is yet to be under the age of 18 and thereby, we can only imagine the abnormalities of our growing generation who will soon take over Iraq as their responsibility. And then, two Iraqis come out to bomb themselves in hotels at Jordan.

I have come to the conclusion that Iraqis like those two have lost the plot to the idea of protecting Iraq and Iraqis. I surely hope this will not continue to prove any point. If it really is a basis of revenge if not so, done by the help of Zarqawi, I stress to everyone that such acts going out of Iraq to 'spread the violence' will make only worse problems for Iraq's future than it already is.

Regarding our children of Iraq, I really think we need more people like this man in the article to help us get out of the old smurky cloud of "God's will" in Iraq.

A Taste Of Their Own Medicine

2005-11-10T21:43:00.000+13:00

At least 60 dead in the 3 suicide bombings that occurred in Amman, Capital city of Jordan.

Am I to be satisfied? Sad? Now the rest of the people in the Middle East should understand what Iraqis are going through 10 times or more worse. I dont intend to point out all the bombings that are done everyday because surely there are too many to count and to keep up with. But this incident is just a very much conflicting matter where now, Jordanians have discovered that they have been attacked. These explosions also occurred at a wedding party, do the people now believe that such attacks should never be supported for in relation to the war in Iraq? Now Im sure if I talk to a 'fundamental Muslim' who will probably tell me that the Al qaeda attacks in Iraq commits 'to bring freedom' to the Iraqis. How about the ones in Jordan? Must they be 'bringing freedom' too? Or is it different because it happened in another country that instead of 'bringing freedom', it may be called a 'mistake'?

Arab People (or Muslims) should now be realizing that of all their inner circles between the Government itself and these murderers will put their nation and people in harm. Some would respond to blaming Jordan's relations with USA and Israel. Its nonetheless reminding me of the attack on Sharm Al Sheikh in Egypt. An attack against 'westernized' areas because the people of that nation have chosen it to be as such. If the governments are involved in previously funding these terrorists, then the people must be aware that they have to do something about it instead of just being quiet because otherwise, they are surely tasting their own medicine and I wish them the very best to look forward on negotiating with the terrorists to keep their nation, Jordan (or Egypt) away from harm.

I have no hatred to amuse myself from such attacks but I hear Arabs siding with anything that seems 'nationalistic' such as the insurgency in Iraq, yet should never be called 'freedom fighters' for they harm Iraqis more than the "Occupiers". May they discover the truth of the critical point Iraqis have to get through.

Our Politicians

2005-11-08T23:25:00.000+13:00

Well well, its been basically 3 weeks since the constitution vote and I'm taking the days step by step catching up with the political side of Iraq's mess and scars. Things are hectic in my personal life as Im enduring the headaches from exams and our big move to our new wonderful house that is in New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland. It'll be a shed of light, difference, new change...maybe trying to ignore the history we have in this small city and the memories of the days of happiness, shock, tragedy..Its good and bad, leaving the friends that we love behind, my childhood friends who are all disintegrating into their new chapter of life of more studying and studying and..studying....some also are coming to live in Auckland too, depends on where they get accepted for their degrees. With the arrangements of selling the house we have, I have to be dragged into all this to help out regardless of my upcoming exams...the best way to do it, just leave the darn house! ...away from your family while theyre making noises clicking with the kitchenware or the boxes of books and calling out to one another about what should be here or there!

Regardless of that, we had Eid here and I like to say to all Muslims Eid Mubarak and to the fellow Iraqis kol 3amwa antum be alf khair inshaallah. Hopefully by the next Eid, there may be some huge improvements of a new Iraq as the soon to be government sets in. I may have spoken about how Ayad Allawi wasnt much of a great leader during the small period that he took charge of Iraq's issues in hand...He was an ex baathist, he had left Iraq...yet it seems out of all the parties that are there for elections, particularly UIA (United Iraqi Alliance) has never showed any great determination to pulling these insurgents or criminals out of iraq for persecution that I think they truly do deserve, in showing that the new Iraqi government emplaced is serious business. Ibrahim Al Jaafari during when Ayad Allawi was leading for a while, showed me as an Iraqi something that I never saw out of any other leader. He is a caring man and I often heard him speak with his low toned voice to think that he is good for Iraq, because Iraqis need someone like him to look up to for help and understanding to their needs. He basically spoke words of poetry to get us Iraqis intentionally hitting the election votes with his name on it. But so far, he has reluctantly done little other than viewing his radically religious views of Islam in Iraq. That even Ali al Sistani had begun to lose hope in him because he just simply wasnt in office anymore for the right person he started to show his true colours. Ayad Allawi hasnt yet shown any misgivings apart from the huge sign of 'EX BAATHI' yet, I have spoken to Iraqis in and out of Iraq after the constitution vote about the new rising of Mr Allawi's "Come Back" and I have made my mind up that Allawi may be the only way to fight the insurgency because of his quality of response to action and to the relationships he has with ethnic and sectarian groups. But to view his history under Saddam, his ties with the Baath party makes me end up with a question mark over his head. A man like him,is able to restore law and order, security, and action of response to the criminals to assure them that the governmant isn’t a game. And maybe as long as we have elections, we are able to take Allawi out in 4 years if the people are not satisfied with his political direction. He could be the only man to do the job that finalizes the big issue in Iraq, terrorism and insurgency. Iraqis of different ethnicities and sectarian identity have been fearing one another; Kurds fear the Arab interference inindependence, Sunnis fear a religious shiite country and vise versa. We have the Kurdish, Shiite and minority contribution, it is just mainly the Sunnis who had been reluctant and to have a man like Allawi will bring their contribution to the table as they will surely ally with Allawi or at least the Kurds more than they would with the Shiites. And because of that, this also adds in to the advantages of taking Allawi back into office; it's unity. Unity is one of the major works to have a country on the right track, especially in this very critical time.

Here's a little funny matter about the wonderful Iraqi politicians we have today. There's two of them First Allawi says his life was in danger by an assassination attempt with the help of an Iraqi political group and one of the militias which he decided not to name or specify, though he says that he was given a document planned out by the attempted murderers which he says even mentioned the types and amounts of guns they'd use. Members of an Iraqi militia held recent meetings in a southern city close to Basra to plan a “vengeance attack” to murder Allawi during his future visit, the report added. It was decided that 50 Kalashnikov rifles and 20 BKC rifles and an unspecified number of sniper rifles would be used in the attack. Training and financing were overseen by a leading Iraqi figure whose home was used as a meeting point.
Most funniest and Silliest I found of all, is this dispute between Jalal Talabani and Ibrahim al Jafari about..what..a palace in the Green Zone? The reason for the dispute between Talebani and Al Ja'fari was that the presidency has designated this palace for President Talebani to use it as an office or place of residence. Nevertheless, Al Ja'fari desired to get it and sent his companions and guards to control the place, which they already did. This made President Talebani angry. He sent his guards guards to retrieve the place. An "armed confrontation almost erupted," if it werent for the withdrawal of Al Ja'fari's group from the palace, which has gardens, fountains and a water pond that were established during Saddam Hussein's regime.

Is this a joke or what? Because Is it such a GOOD time to make a 'reservation' and dispute about some lovely looking palace while the area OUT side the Green zone is a total mess with many Iraqis trying to rush their way to work, or back home? How sad and generally Id use the word 'typical'. Unless if I can easily deny the whole entire notice and think it is a simple lie.

The days of 'heroic honorable leaders'....will we ever have more of them???

LATEST News On Iraqi Constution

2005-10-25T00:40:00.000+13:00

Tuesday October 25, 2005

Iraq's constitution was today passed as the final results from the country's 18 provinces were announced.

With the results from the majority of provinces in yesterday, two had rejected it by a crucial two-thirds majority and a rejection from a third would have seen it voted down.

Nineveh - the last province to announce its results - voted against the constitution but its 55% no vote fell short of the required two thirds that would have sunk the document.

Overall, Iraqis backed the constitution 78%-21%. Support was strongest in the Shia Muslim areas - Basra and Najaf recorded 96% support and Kerbala 97%.

Support in Baghdad was 77.7% - just below the level recorded nationwide.

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Well, the good thing is, we dont have to wait another 6months for a new constitution to be written if the first one failed. As rumors spoke, I dont think if a second constitution would be any different. So I hope this constitution will take good effect and charge to the plans of Iraq's future. Well done the people of Iraq for voting in what ever you have voted for. Now let's hope the government can put this all properly into place!!

Saddam's trial

2005-10-22T22:22:00.000+13:00

Well, I find it pretty suspicious after at least a year of Saddam being stuck in a cell where reports have said he has been eating American products of Chips, Muffins and feeding his plants with water and his so called book writing.

Man, Saddam deserves none of that!.. He is no prisoner of war, he is only but an ex dictator and a criminal. And we all know it. Even the Iraqi sunnis too who claim Saddam is great. He was great because he gave many Sunnis goodness/luxury/money/houses/jobs etc, but they for sure knew other Iraqis were tortured. But because Saddam acted nice to most Sunnis, they see him as a good man who loved his nation but they forgot that Sunnis were also persecuted one way or another. Which is very one sided of Sunni Iraqis to think he was good for them as he was a man of bribery! I think some Sunni Iraqis are against the criminal record of Saddam because they simply do not like the US presence in Iraq which I can understand but that is no reason for them to say that they Love Saddam. If they want USA out, they can simply work on strengthening the position of Sunnis in Iraqi government after USA leaves after a democratic-like government is implaced but because of the work of attacks, that will not likely happen unless Iraqis lose everything to outside insurgents/terrorists.. which I fear is about to happen.

I had talked to an Iraqi living in Iran who sounded very rational to me because I got mad after I saw the trial and he had maintained me to be calm and rational about how I see all this trialing. We both agreed that the trial is proven pointless because even if Saddam isnt guilty of the 143 dead in Dujail but is responsible for the other hundreds of mass graves, killings and 'extermination', then thereby under 'Western law' he would be given an execution date already. But he hasnt yet! I wonder why, because I still recount the time when a young man in USA who blew up a hospital and killed hundreds of lives was given a death penalty, why cant that happen for Saddam for his 'few hundred responsible deaths'? Why does have to be some scene and show for us to see? And amusingly, why was the trial held only, what...4 days AFTER the Constitution vote? There is a good possibility that this trial affected the decision of the constitution vote made by Iraqis in general. I only say the trial is fake because it shouldnt take this long for him to be guilty...not a man like Saddam who shows me the same similar acts of Hitler with what he did to Jews. Gasing, killing, extermination. Dictatorship. He's got it all. Its of great similarity but with slight different intentions of leadership. I cant begin to think why Saddam deserves to be held in a cell where he gets to even be fed like a rich man bribing the prison guards which he probably is. Iraqis in his cells starved to death in small spaces with hundreds of others yet we have seen the prison cells and mass graves so why does he deserve to even given a piece of bread?..Often I question that. At most give him cheap food. Or must this prison cell Saddam has a typical prison life, criminals have in the west, to be fed and treated well in that regard?

....Saddam is of 68 years old,... if this 'trialing' lasts for another 2 years, I have begun to believe that his death penalty will be excused because he would have reached an age of 'being old and fragile' and would instead be put in jail or even be set free under specific restrictions. This is only because I see the trial as a joke since they dont seem to want to finish Saddam with his trouble. The Judge spent the first session talking like a poet, yet the second half seemed considerable although the next trial is dated to be about 45 days from now..Weirdly, why does a trial need to be prepared for 45 days or so? Is it that hard to trial Saddam and make him be guilty and is it hard of a lawyar to defend Saddam when he is given money to do his job for Saddam in court? Well don't they have most of the documents? Guess Saddam needs to rehearse his acts in court, eh!?

As mentioned, I agree that Saddam's trials and courtings should have been based on the International tribunal, but because Iraqis wanted to handle this themselves, Arabs in other nations have complained that Saddam's trial as unfair, and well as a hoax or 'show', where Saddam as a leader is wiped of his respect and dignity being held by a cage and questioned upon his historic actions. Ive come to realize that a friend in Jordan told me an Iraqi exile in Jordan told him to think for the dignity of Arabs, a leader should not be tried in that way, especially under the occupation. Well obviously if you stop killing Iraqis and Americans for trying to sort a governmental process, USA will most probably leave.

Secondly, I want to stress to you guys that IRAQ is NOT occupied. It is attacked, yes, it is a war, correct. But it is NOT occupation in my eyes or the eyes of a good amount in Iraq. Iraqis feel subdued today because they're more scared than they were under Saddam for they knew the rules of life and safety under Saddam. But you never know that unexpectedly that Baathist men will knock on your door at late night to take you away. Now, you dont know who the enemy is, they can look like you, act like you, steal from you and you may never have known they were your enemies. This is not occupation, this is just trouble USA caused which is expected. An occupation will be called when an Iraqi government is formed and USA to refuse to retreat from Iraq when DEMANDED to. USA is needed for support, training, more tactics on securing. If it werent for USA, Iraq would come back to Saddam's old leadership or yet like Taliban. Until then, I have to add for Arabs to put a sock in it and stop talking about Iraq.

This would much be the same when other Arab countries will experience this. To interfere in other nations' problems is a mistake and this is what you get in Iraq; a total mess that is hard to repair. And now this IRaqi exile said ''How would you feel if Queen Elizabeth was tried by an Iraqi?" Well firstly, It was a Kurdish judge who judged Saddam and I think This Kurdish Judge should have been more confrontive to finish this trial and call for Saddam for an endless imprisonment or better... to put him to death penalty, as Saddam did to the many innocent Iraqis without questioning. But even a Kurdish judge couldnt do it?...he couldnt win it over and prove it that Dujail was Saddam's responsibility and he is Kurdish... I still think its a jokable show. Not the judge to blame, but the whole thing has turned into a joke for me now.

Also need to mention to you that one of Saddam Hussein's nephews has been arrested on suspicion of being one of the chief financiers of the Iraqi insurgency. Saddam's half-brother, Sabawi Ibrahim Hassan al-Tikriti, was recently sentenced to life in prison for funding insurgents and making bombs. Well at LEAST they can sentence his half brother, but not Saddam? Ha ha ha....I cant believe it. Im turning into a sarcastic wanker now lol. I just cant see how they can sentence his half brother of 'some funding' but not sentence Saddam of murder as quick as they did with Little Sabawi? How sad... I hope im wrong with all due respect. But living away from Iraq, I can only imagine how hard it is for Iraqis to just wait for something when its taking so long and yet, I am already complaining regardless of the fact I dont even live there at the moment. God help you Iraqis. Stay strong!!

I guess, for now I like to show you the following video clip when you click this
You will see what you get a wonder of a so called 'martyr' for Iraq, who Im sure all he wanted to do was take revenge against USA in general. Well, no thank you, I dont think Iraqis are in need of any more martyrs. This martyrdom is just a baseless one on behalf of the freedom and liberty of Iraq. Why not attack USA in your own home land?

Cheers!!

The Fate of The Iraqi Constitution

2005-10-16T00:49:00.000+13:00

Before 15October, there were talks on going to "tweak" the draft constitution to get as much of the opposition in support of this written constitution. While we all want Iraq to mover forward towards some sort of stability, I don’t think many Iraqis or I seem to see any respect for the opinion of Iraqis who are supposed to vote on the referendum. I mean if the changes are occurring, who is informing the Iraqis about the details of the changes, especially when the old draft has already been printed. Further, shouldn’t there be some respect for the law? It was even stated that if the National Assembly fails to deliver a full written constitution by 15 August, then the government in place is automatically out of office and the next elections would BE held to choose a different National Assembly who’s only and main topic of work would be the constitution. But that didn’t happen, did it? I remembered the government spent another full week of arguing about the constitution and the intention of federalism for Iraq.

Democracy in Iraq is not real if there is no respect for the law. Everything is being done to move the process along without the slightest worry for the law. If democracy is to survive in Iraq and the Middle East, I think we need to be serious about respecting it and not meddling with the idea of it to satisfy a group of people because it may be assumed that this group will ‘not’ agree to the constitution.

I had read that the Independent Jurists' Gathering for Defending Human Rights has held in Baghdad, during which it announced for a statement signed by about 4500 Iraqi lawyers and jurists, who demanded for changing ‘section 3’ of the Iraqi constitution draft.

This conference was referring to the section 3 of article 21 that states (the suspects, accused of committing international or terrorist crimes or harming Iraq, are ‘not’ granted political asylum) has turned into one important issue for international and Iraqi jurists. This is because on the basis of democracy, a suspect should not be deprived from his rights such as Saddam heh…can we have dead now? Because now people are asking to have Saddam to be televised in public during the ‘trial’. Always better to have his organs stop working…So suspects, even Saddam, a ‘prisoner of war’ should not be deprived of his right, even though certain of the person’s crimes until proven guilty at court.

Apart from that, Article 21 includes the manner in which the Iraqi government would treat refugees and applicants for political asylum which is a prominent criteria on behalf of the international community. 2 million and 800 thousand Iraqis have stressed considering Iran’s Mujahideen el Khalq organization to be a ‘legitimate resistance movement’ and to give rights of political asylum to its members…!? Ahh what?? Even the Iraqi defense and foreign affairs ministers have submitted the right of asylum for this organization this year in July.

It’s honestly SAD that the government doesn’t care so much about the rights and freedom of Iraqis more than the people of other nations.

I have spoken about this with fellow Iraqis and I can’t believe how Iraqis care about Mujahideen el Khalq organization. The Mujadeheen el Khalq (MEK) acted as paramilitary agents for Saddam in brutally surpressing popular revolts against Saddam. So I don’t get how could Iraqis consider this group "legtimate"? They’re as bad as the Ba’athist party, if only worse.

I had discussed the updates of what is happening before the constitution referendum and
Hundreds of Iraqi police as well as troops across Baghdad were setting up checkpoints and polling stations with barbed wire and barriers. Many stores didn't bother to open even when my friend wanted to go to a near by super market and others closed early before 10pm curfew. Although on a normal day in Baghdad without a constitution referendum to look forward is quiet, I guess it was even emptier of people shifting quietly apart from the usual noise the police and troops did make.

American forces were not the only ones giving out copies of the Iraqi constitution and the odd job of the ‘helpful insurgents’ distributed fliers of their own, threatening that anyone who votes will be ‘beheaded’. Going back 10 months ago, about 7000 Sunnis voted on January 31 and today for the constitution referendum, there are about 31 poll stations in Fallujah

With all the banners and posters of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ up on the Baghdad streets, I’m not even sure if that does any great deal to the decisions of Iraqis for the referendum apart from the odd reminder and headache of a critical yet historical day to look and think about. I can only imagine the boredom and sickness Iraqis have of all these political agendas and rulings that they believe they can’t individually do much about than simply wait and make this one move of voting.

The good thing is the Iraqi borders has been closed for a while now but not 3 days before the constitution as done during the January 31 elections. Some attackers tend to get ready for their mission several days before the actual day of target. The Iraqi borders are closed till Sunday. Baghdad's International Airport will be shut Friday and Saturday. Not to mention the ‘brand new’ flights coming to Iraq from Syria. Fancy that. We seem to be good friends with Syria now or is it simply because so many Iraqis live there or make a transit from there that they now made available plane flights to Iraq?

Just saw the Kurds voting in on Kurdsat TV. The environment of it all is beautiful until I then got news about a few shootings happening around near some of the polling stations. No one was reported dead at the time reported, apart from an injury of a particular policeman. It’ll take several days for the results to come out and had been ‘told’ about 10 days for us to know of the results of this constitution vote, until then, we will see what is to make of it. Cant say this constitution is of the best to be written but it is a much clear improvement and success to the contribution. What’s most important is to care for the voices living in Iraq of what they seek and I hope they can make that through this vote. What they want is what they should get.

The Current Government And The State Of The Constitution Referendum

2005-10-07T00:04:00.000+13:00

This Survey, in which 924 have participated, was conducted during the period of September 19-23/2005.

Note that in there it says 64% don't think Iraq is approaching a civil war....Interesting, I certainly hope they are right!

If people supported Dr Allawi as said in the survey, then they would of voted for him in the past elections after seeing him in power for about 7 months! But since Shia Iraqi arabs finally had the right to vote for anyone they wanted freely, I dont blame them for voting for a pro-shia list instead of Allawi..

I truly believe Iraqis are expiermenting with the power of Democracy.

Seeing Allawi's performance being an Interim Prime Minister, I realized that Allawi has several advantagesthat Ibrahim Al Jafari doesnt really have. Before Al Jafaari even became the PM, we all saw him as a softhearted, pious man who would care for all the different ethnic/religious Iraqis, but apparently, it looks like he isn't much of a good ruler to all the people of Iraq and fortunately, I had over-estimated his bigabilities to be good for Iraq, yet not. He needs to be demanding forwhat Iraqis need in strength. Ayad Allawi, however, has a history of being an ex baathist who fled to go overseas. Now he comes back with an honorable history foretold to the Iraqi people about him being friends with all ethnicities/religious groups in Iraq, making him appropriate for a job. The only good thing is, Allawi was more assertive in the needs of the Iraqi people. I think he acted faster than Ibrahim Jaafari in various ways.

Now, Sheikh Hammam Hamoudi, head of the parliamentary committee in charge of drafting the Iraqi constitution, says that the situations of the Shiite reference Ayatollah Ali Al Sestani have prevented the eruption of a civil war in Iraq, several months ago. Its true that if Sistani was worse than he already is, all cases with the Shia Iraqis would have been even more chaotic to a certain extent. Hamoudi, a leader in the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution, which is headed by Abdel Aziz Al Hakim, said a few days ago, that the 'adherence of Iraqi Shiaas to the reference of Al Sayyid Al Sestani and his wise situation with regard to the murder of Shiaas and the Fatwa (religious opinion) of exterminating them is the reason behind the prevention of the eruption of civil war.' Quote: Hamoudi added, "If it were not for Mr. Al Sistani, civil war would have erupted many months ago.' "The project of sectarian combat represents a strategy on behalf of terrorists including Al Zarqawi and the remains of the former regime of Baathi criminals."

Surely, I do know some Iraqis in America, even Assyrians of a small portion wanted to elect Sistanifor a Nobel Peace Prize, but for what ever reason, I think Al Sistani, should try to insist for Shia Iraqis to electa party that would befit for all the people, but because Sistani is also in this whole political governmental messthat surely, he'd probably want the shia Iraqis to vote for him and his supported party or maybe not...After seeing the 'development' of Iraq in the Shiite controlled Iraqi government, I believe having a Shi'ite government doesn't fully claim to recognise all minor groups in Iraq, as 'long' as the other groups will agree and form a bond with the Shia government. President Jalal Talabani has accused the Shiite-led United Iraqi Alliance, which holds the majority in parliament, of monopolizing power in the government and refusing to move ahead on a key issue for Kurds, the resettlement of Kurds in the northern city of Kirkuk. What Jalal Talibani did was rather unprofessional, as observed. He should've spoke to the PM directly or to other members of government instead of speaking out to the press.
Since October 15 is the referendum of the new constitution, it wasn't much of a good ideafor the Jalal Talibani to have denounced Ibrahim AL Jafaari right before a decision of a constitution.It's wrong of Al Jafarri, but I think it also was wrong of Talibani to mention such a thing only a few weeksbefore October 15.

Sunni clerics have been going on about voting in October with a 'no' to the constitution. Well, it's no bigdeal to reject a constitution, but I just hope now, that Sunni IRaqis should realize that they can take care of their own problems and to use the ability of voting for what is suggested and discussed by the Iraqi government. However, to reject a constitution has several side effect and that maymake Iraq yet unstable which could be a loss out for the security of Iraqis. I am likely to assume that there would be a rejection of the constitution, as I have been looking around and seeing that if more Sunnis vote 'No' and if a fair amount of Shia Iraqis disagree with the constitution as well, then there is a probability that the Iraqi government has to sort a whole new constitution all over again.

Most of all, what is important is for Iraqis all in all, to discover that voting is a whole process of voicing your opinion. I know Iraqis are educated and have in the past 'voted', but it wasn't a voice where Iraqis were able to choose groups with completely 'different' intentions in maintaining their country.

A Rare Show Of Mid-East Co-Existence

2005-09-30T00:21:00.000+12:00

You may be surprised after you take a look at the pictures in the following weblink...

Strategy To Peace

or maybe not...I like Image number 6 though...

People think Muslims are so uptight in life, but believe me, theyre not....such impressions are based upon the life a person has to live with in relation to culture, respect of family, and location in the Middle East/Africa. I have met many Muslims who live a comfortable life of luxury, enjoyment, entertainment and I certainly think it is only the scholars and leaders who enforce people to become stricter in faith for their own benefit. Ive seen so many shows that are identical to the ones Americans have....but some ended up being banned. There are Idols in the Middle East called Superstars. An identical like 'Big Brother' which I heard was planned to happen but some scholars denounced it as it involve a close communication with men and women in public. Fashion shows in public. Beauty contests. Music video clips. Acting shows, movies. And that all depends on the Muslim country you happen to be in. Regardless, Muslims don't all hate, nor do Jews, or Christians and so on, I think its just the matter they have struggled that as a result, they have turned to become unwelcoming than ever before. ....it is also the media and the specific people we meet that seems to take over our mind in assuming that little observation or meeting is what they, as a people are "all" like. However, the above link will show you that life exists in a war torn land after constant decades of bombing and the bonds between two odd people and sides are still present in warmth and welcome.

Take a look at all the photos because I thought it was only one photo but I was silly enough to not realize there were more at the bottom hehe! The Palestinian girls seem to be mainly Christian but as my few conversations with Palestinian Christians, not all Christian Palestinians are fond of the Jews or Americans or Israel....A few days ago I saw a woman named Nasren on an Abu Dhabi tv show who lives in Israel, a Muslim wearing the religious moderate veil (not the burka) who said she is living normally in Israel as if she were their own.

Nonetheless, The Palestinian conflict is more a case of nationalism than religion, in my opinion because partially proven that it is said the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) is mainly of Christians and there have even been suicide attacks by Christian Palestinians.

..............Now, I have to say I certainly like the bit where a girl in the Beauty contest quoted "Of course I entered the contest hoping to be crowned the winner," said one Palestinian contestant. "What I won tonight was that our Jewish neighbours have become our friends," said a fellow hopeful.

And this one... "The Israeli organisers declared the event a success - a rare show of co-existence that is a model to be followed by politicians."

Don't ya think it's pretty cool!?? .........Surely got my mind jabbed with a sense of hope.

The New Influence Of Iran In Iraq

2005-09-25T18:19:00.000+12:00

The new man other than Moqtada al Sadr or 'Chalabi' for having relations in Iran to Iraq is named Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani. People have said he has no relation with Ba'athists or AL Qaeda members either. He has made his own job along 'with a few team mates' working for Iran. US military reports have claimed that he heads his own team of insurgents created by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, simply going against the US and Allies forces in Iraq. Where-ever they train, Shiites have also taken more contribution to this idea of insurgency. Having read Baghdad's treasure new post if you take a look at it, it's rather interesting about the movement of the Shia based rulership in Baghdad. 'A country inside a country' at http://www.baghdadtreasure.blogspot.com/

It signifies how Shia have controlled their own status and area because the government hasn't been doing much change to the situation of security. It is widely possible that Al Sheibani does have relations to Moqtada al Sadr, considering the first stubborn out-throw by the Shia came from the rising of Moqtada's group. It is not surprising if these Shia Iraqis joined their forces surely. US forces have claimed that this new updated form of people have detonated at least 30 bombs against US forces in Baghdad. Not long before, Sunni Arabs were the most dangerous in its insurgent attacks, but things have become to unstable for Sunnis to now be the only cause of the attacks and killings. It seems because the Iraqi government mainly controlled by Shiites have not done a great job to deal with the security matters in Iraq, that in south Iraq, fundamentalist Shiite militias- some armed by the help of Iran have imposed restrictions on the daily lives of Iraqis, such as curbing full status rights of women, banning alcohol, disintegrating the young men and women at university. What bothers me is Shiite politicians including Prime Minister Ibrahim al jaafari, have tried to make an alliance of strategy with Tehran, seeking to have 'Iranians' recognized as a minority group under the constitution in Iraq....funny, how about trying to seek to have IRAQI EXPATS with different passport holders recognized first...They were reluctant for Iraqis who have non-Iraqi passports to be allowed to given the same rights as Iraqis in Iraq.

Shiite leaders' demand of wanting relations with Iran has caused tensions between Iraqis and pulls the country into a greater possibility of civil war. I don't have much enthusiasm of the aftermath of a civil war, but at times, the only way things can be agreed between a people would have to go through a civil war, which reminds of the Lebanese civil war in a way. Similarly, they had their own intense disagreements which brought them to a decade or so of civil war until they found a common ground.

Articles in reference to the US military in Baghdad say that Iran has made a partnership between Iraqi Shiite militants and Hizballah with the imports of weapons that are killing US and British troops along with Iraqis who intend to collaborate with the troops. Investigations repeatedly show, based on documents smuggled out of Iran and dozens of interviews with US, British, and Iraqi intelligence officials, as well as an Iranian agent, etc, reveals an 'Iranian plan' for gaining influence in Iraq that began "before" the US invaded Iraq. The Iranian penetration of Iraq seemed to have been planned long ago that in 2002 with US Bases being readied in Kuwait, Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei summoned his war council in Tehran. Apparently it was intended to adopt an active policy to prevent long term and short term dangers to Iran. Having seen the steps Iran has taken, Iran is being reluctant to denounce fully its nuclear program. Iran's security services had supported the armed Iraqi groups they had sheltered in Iran from Saddam. Iranian intelligence were organized under the command of the Brigadier General Sullaimani who has been the adviser to Khamenei on both Afghanistan and Iraq and a top in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Before March 2003 invasion, its been said that about 46 Iranian infantry and missile brigades moved the border. The unusual thing is, among them were the Badr Corps, formed in the 1980s as the armed wing of the Iraqi Shiite group known by SCIRI (SCIRI most powerful party in Iraq)....I guess the Badrs are back on track, heh..
In divided Iraq, Badr's mission seemed to go into Iraq in the chaos of the invasion and seize towns, government offices, I guess filling the vacuum left by the collapse of Saddam's regime. At least 12000 men with Iranian intelligence had joined in for that. People say by April 10 2003, that confidential reports say the Iranians are in full control of the city of Kut.

I talked to an Iraqi friend who taught at Basra university and he said that Iraqis in the south, as well as exile militia group brought with them forbidden religious strictures. He says guys with beards and Kalashnikovs showed up saying they'd come to protect the campus...the problem is they never left...which is why you heard about the attack on young students of guys and girls having a picnic, singing songs and were beaten and hit for what they were going. He says they watching young people especially and they’re the ones who control the streets while the police who are with them, stand by. They still hold power because Police are not taking further actions and securing Basra and other large cities from such groups.

After reading about this from all kinds of sources, I found that Intelligence agencies 'say' Tehran still fund political parties in Iraq, other than 'Moqtada and his famous intentions'. Documents say Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps obtained included pay records from August 2004 to indicate that Iran was paying 'salaries' to at least 11000 members of the Badr Corps....Sounds like a wonderful job to me! *sighs*

Why aren’t Police doing much about it? I mean surely soldiers are being trained up and all, but what about the police. They should do more of the securing of cities from such extreme Rules. Somehow, it is as though Iraqis have been sleep walking. They nod and try to think too specifically about the involvement of its surrounding nations. But hang on....Who-ever forgot the days of the Iran Iraq war, where Iraqi men were obligated to go to war. Some had intentionally injured themselves by shooting a bullet on their leg or arm, just so they would be incapable of be a soldier at Saddam's wars...or the times when soldiers came back all the way from the war through Basra suffocating of hunger and dehydration? Saddam is not the one who brought us into a war. He is a trouble-maker. Always has been, but that does not mean that Iran is 'not' self-responsible for a war either. It pre-occupies me to think Iraqi shiites who recognize there are Assyrians, kurds, and sunnis in their own country to think that they should collaborate with Iran just because they're shiite too. Iraqis don't need such “Lack” of selfishness.

I want Iraqis, for once, to think for themselves. To deal with their own national problems and say to the rest of the Arabs/Muslim/Middle Eastern countries ‘NO! Leave us to deal with our own political matters'. I just hope to hear it so they can nationally deal with their own constitution rules that will befit just Iraqis. I would not care less, if the Iraq constitution did not allow complete right for Iraqis who live abroad, just as long that they do Not Put Iranians or other Arabs to GREATER importance in the constitution first. I seek the Iraqis in Iraq to have a future where they can live in luxury and again I wouldn't care so much if the constitution doesn't comply with Iraqis abroad. We have suffered, had a lot of Loss in our lives, but we have not suffered as much the Iraqis in Iraq are now.

Im starting to want Iraqis to be more selfish for once because it seems they always fall in traps that are not always theirs'. I am only saying this because Iraqis need to think about themsselves, isolate themselves as Iraqis and plan out what their country only needs. Forget the Clubbies like the Ummah, or the 'Unity of Islamic nations' and just think for your own Kids and their future. Make no allowance for outsiders. Don't let anyone play with the needs of your national people..

The PEACE Letter

2005-09-19T20:19:00.000+12:00

To keep you guys going, I have pasted the following letter written by a Muslim Peace Activist. To all those who assume Islam does not allow any Peace, can try about re-think that and see that Islam does not only refer to death and killing. It is more than that. I accept and hope all what the follow Letter is written about and I have seen such matters in my own two eyes often, but this can be changed.

This letter is mainly to the Muslims written by a Muslim who seeks to bring back peace on land.
Have some open heart and try to see that Muslims have been going through a tough long struggle. They better wake up and I assure you that they need to sometime. However, that can only happen if it changes from within. For all of us in the West who know Muslims that call for dislike, hate, and support of terrorism, need to be politely informed that we are there not to cause any destruction and hope for them that they can live in peace. We want to negotiate with them and seek some understanding for them to recognise our side of the story. We do not enemies, for it is believed that is what they make out of us before we had.

This letter can be re-directed back to LaBona at www.divinetalk.blogspot.com

----------------
AN OPEN LETTER TO MUSLIMS ONLY (Read And Circulate Message For Peace)

Dear Muslim Brothers and Sisters,

God forbid if any one of our near one and dear one is killed then the killer is evil, a beast and what not and should get penalty but if one among us kills anybody then he is not evil and we start lying, denying or even justifying the killing.... double standards?

Being Muslims, many of our brothers and sisters are not working for peace. They are misguided, mistaken and spreading the virus of hatred and revenge through telling deliberate lies, disinformation and false accusations, which is resulting in death and miseries for number of innocent people living around the world at the hands of merciless KILLER MUSLIMS and also bringing bad name to MOHAMMED (PBUH) who never killed anyone in his life time.

Instead of teaching about Good & Evil, certain Radical Muslim Clerics are only "Trading in Religion". They teach us about accusing, abusing and killing the non-Muslims. They try to hypnotize us to Hate and Kill the non-Muslims and brethren of other sects or be killed and without using any common sense, we readily believe in whatever is being said by these HateMongers. Actually, they are "Agents of Satan" who is paying them heavily and in return they are cutting at the very roots of the Ummah. Instead of "Mourning" most of the Muslims arerejoicing on the brutal killings of the non-combatant innocent civilians and "The Murderers" have always been "Our Great Heroes".

Before it is too late and the Curse Of God falls upon us, we should use common sense, find out the TRUTH and must change ourselves to save Muslims from becoming the most "Hated,Isolated, Discredited and Suspicious" people in the world. We must start working for promoting "Sectarian Harmony and Religious Tolerance" in the society and should prove to the WORLD through our deeds that Islam is not a religion of Zero Tolerance and MOHAMMED (PBUH) teaches "Love & Peace" and not Gangsterism, Terrorism, Barbarism, Extremism, Sectarianism,Cruelty, Inhumanity and "Hatred & Killing" of the innocent civilians.

Islam is a religion of peace. Islam teaches respect and love for all even the animals. But many narrow-minded Muslims have so far failed to learn anything good from the teachings of Mohammed (PBUH) who preaches love for the peoples of all religions. We are far away from the basic principle of Islam i.e. "Enjoining the people to do Good and forbidding them from Doing Evil" and thus, possess no quality of the civilized society. Unfortunately, many of us show Zero Tolerance towards others and remember only one thing to be called as good Muslims and that is to "hate" the non-Muslims" ...act of madness?

The killing of others in the name of religion is a Sin. Can a FATHER ever teach his Children to be the permanent Enemies of each other?

The time has come for us to stop readily believing in whatever is being said, read and written by the LIARS / Hate Mongers. Unfortunately, some misguided-Muslims believe that the Holy Quran and Holy Prophet (PBUH) both have instructed Muslims that the opponents be KILLEDand that they are simply following the orders. We should use our own common sense and only believe which is logical, convincing and in the best interest of the humanity.

Why do we hate others so much, may be they are better humans then what we are. My feeling is that the Muslims should unite to discredit and deactivate the fringe mullahs (Preachers of Hate) who promise a quick trip to paradise to people who have little and sacrifice themselves with bombs strapped to their bodies. If the mullahs (THE LIARS) thought that it really was a way to paradise they would be strapping bombs to themselves! Their followers are kept too ignorant to see this for themselves and enlightened Muslims should educate them. We must promote understanding and peace. We are all watched by the same God and need to help one another, not hate and hurt.

Our contention is that the WORLD should resolve the conflicts facing the Muslim World to stop the terrorism. Unfortunately, all the disputes facing the Muslim World are our self created. The root causes of all the disputes are based on the Muslim Philosophy of Hate against the non-Muslims. The Muslim literature, teachings and preaching are spreading and injecting this hatred in hearts and minds of the Muslims. Our intolerant behavior is further proved by the root causes of all the pending conflicts that we (Muslims) cannot live side by side in peace with the non-Muslims. We must stop dividing the world into Muslim and non-Muslim blocks. All the disputes facing Muslim World can be resolved easily, only if we (the Muslims) are able to condemn the “Philosophy of Hate” created in us by our past and present elders who have divided the peoples of the world in the name of religion, cast and creed.

We need to preach love, kindness and humanity with extremist devotion and mission. The mullahs (THE LIARS) and the preachers of hatred must be excommunicated at every level. Our political leaders and religious teachers must offer positive ideas. Without the ability to imagine a better world, we cannot build anything together. What is offered today through religion is death, destruction and suffering.

MY PRAYER FOR PEACE:

Merciful God, please give to people of the world, the required wisdom and determination, to Forgive and Forget the bitterness of the past and learn to live in peace like brothers and sisters, by condemning the divisions and hatreds created in us by our past and present elders. (Amen)
Please acknowledge receipt.

Thank you,
S.A.Rehman
Peace Activist

May God extend your strenght and stamina to get the peace mission accomplished in no time.
Thanks for all your time.

The PROBLEM with Muslims

2005-09-12T01:39:00.000+12:00

You might be thinking; am I, as a Muslim, supposed to have such a heading on front of my page and start to point it out to everyone? I appreciate all different inputs of comments regardless if its compliments or 'constructive criticism'. Refering to the last posts, for one thing, Islam cannot just be the blame for triggering the acts of Muslims...if it were, there would be more Muslims than now taking upon the sword and weapons in their hands to fight against the 'infidelity'. If it was the belief of Islam to just simply kill ANY infidel found on the street, store, shop...there would have been more deportation of Muslims out of the West. Islam is 'not officially' the cause of the wars and killings. It is those people who use and take Islam in their pockets and bring it to their intentions and aims. There has been many times in blood and war of just about every main religion, and to my sight, many of us had forgotten that, only that this is Islam's big turn to having the lighting at its name .

So what is the problem with Muslims? What has been the problem? What I notice of Muslims is the attempts of trying to preserve the 'way of life' they had had around the time Islam officially became a religion. They try to stay with their values, their work of life, their aims in life and kept out many new progressive information and lifestyles that now fully exists in the rest of the World, because the new religion, and ways of life they found seemed to have found them at a better status of having a peaceful life. Surely now, it's recent that there are computer and scientific technologies in the Middle Eastern countries extensively and now Muslim nations trade like bees fly in the air. The lifestyles of Arabs/Muslims does not make Islam what it is today. People just look upon Muslims assuming that Islam is them because they practice that religion. In reality, if we all know we are imperfect, then we would and should be looking upon the actual source of the faith rather than look upon a peoples' actions. They are misled as much as we are.

There are three major situations Muslims have gone wrong in are (that by the way does not go against the religion itself.)::Admitting, domination of all Muslims as One (perhaps nation of Islam), and self contradiction.

I see a huge problem with the Middle East because, if methodically speaking that most of the Middle East is Arab, then I'd say that Arabs are too stubborn to change their Laws and offer more will and choices to the people. I have nothing for the Arab nations (or Muslim). I see none of them being any better because I know how twisted their governments are. Yes, the Western governments too are twisted in their policies and corrupted, the only difference is almost all Arabs do not see or recognise any twists and corruption of their OWN government. Nor do they like hearing it from the people either. They usually barely do say 'this is what our government is doing and I dont agree with it. I think they should change it.' And if I did hear it often, it'd be a miracle! The reason for this is because the Middle east IS NOT ruled by a government that allows SUCH free speech wherepeople can freely speak of their own government. Nor are the governments YET democratically chosen. Muslims lost the exercise of 'to question and seek'. Presumingly, they seem to feel that everything they do should all be left up to God, putting them in a position where they would not do much about it. On the other hand they have the difficulty of admitting. Admitting what? Admitting mistakes. Mistakes are not pointed out, because they may feel self superior of what they say, even I too, yet I try to exercise the idea of admitting and correcting. No one said it's easy, especially when the gene of stubbornness comes through lol.

This is where the ability of them changing in a jiff is low...and if we want peace, we have to come through to them by trying to reason with them, not denouncing their religion publicly by stating that their faith is hate and therefore they all are murderers. It will make no difference, only worse. If you want a war, that's what you would do. If you want peace with Muslims, there is a way precisely trying to get the attention of a portion of Muslims at least, so those muslims can try to take on course a different approach of reaching peace and perseverance.

Muslims have this thought of 'spreading Islam' which I so much despise right now because how can they SPREAD Islam when Muslims cannot SOLVE their own Islamic nations' problems?? How could they think of spreading if their own land has its own deformities which needs correction? I can tell you, that I dont even want an Islamic nation if Muslims are not able to find their mistakes, see it for themselves and do something about it. Because I fear it will turn out like the work Saudi rulers often impose acts that don't even abide by the Islamic law. This is why I denounce Islamic law in Iraq. It does NOT make me against Islam. It makes me against those people who use the Islamic law in such a bad horrible way, that I hope will not happen. I don't seek Iraq to be apart of the Ummah, or nation of Islam either. I seek for Iraq and any NATION'S solutions. Only because Other Muslims do not deserve to treat Iraq likes theirs' when they dont respect the isolation of Iraqis simply sorting out their own national problems first. If any other nation was attacked, I would not sought to enforce them into anything for they are required to SOLVE their own people's problems in that land first. How can a nation become apart of this Ummah or one Islamic nation if the Iraqis cannot sort out their own problems first...and people are demanding Iraq to be of their property right away, though had none of their feet on Iraqi soil in the first place?

If MIddle Easterners do not respect the decision of end of interference, then Iraq does not need to be apart of the Ummah, nor will I hope it to be. Just when Iraqis need to sort out their problems, others intrude...an attack from our own people, Arabs, who do not respect the idea of some national isolation for a tiny bit. And this is why, we have turned into nations, tribes, and groups of people. We DO know ONE another. And we should be LIVING together, but it will not happen and it should not happen if it contradicts the Quranic/religious verse 'do not kill a human for you will as if killed all humanity'. If other Arabs come in to attack Iraqis for simply communicating with Americans, and then want Iraq Apart of this Arab Muslim "CLUB", then FORGET it!!! Iraq WILL not be apart of any united group from anyone, but itself! Nonetheless, it IS not like Arab nations DONT communicate with the West. Another yet contradiction where people say 'its wrong of USA to be in Iraq in the future'.....but hang on......... how about the other Arab nations who live in luxury more than Iraqis? How come Arabs dont complain about how they're communicating with the "Devil USA"? How come women even in Kuwait can talk to men? Even in Syria, Jordan? Yet they complain about a woman talking to a man politely in Iraq for something more important? And that example is the smallest of the least.

Ive heard all kind of comments from Muslims on Tv, in person etc...Palestinians who attempted to suicide bomb themselves but did not succeed with the reasons of 'hatred of Jewish settlers and the Iraqi war'. And non Arab Muslims who told me 'Iraq is ours. Its Muslim, no non Muslim should be there' They have no recognition of such a nation's history but today, Muslims control Iraq and they hope it to be Arab Sunni only. What EVER happened to the tolerance of Islam, and the idea of living in peace? lol But then again, what is it in the interest of a non Arab Muslim to even care about a nation like Iraq who I tease knows Little of Before the 2003 war?? Their interest is proving their point of how USA is evil, and how other Muslim nations are corrupted so they as Muslims should try to build a Nation of Islam in Iraq. And their support of Muslim terrorists who come all the way from Sudan, Somalia etc to Iraq is to sacrifice Iraqis as SHEEP, God forbid, to paint Iraq as a Muslim nation, regardless its suffocating people who were tortured for years. All this, by the way, I discovered by talking to such a person in real life, myself. I have no guts to put any person down but I told the person I disagreed because it simply is not valid under Islamic terms.

However, I will no longer tolerate such ignorance. I have rarely met Muslims who acknowledge the will of Iraqis these days. You try politely to explain to them what Iraqis are going through, what your family and friends are going through in Iraq, and they say 'USA killed Iraqi Muslims. Maybe you should have kept your family away from Americans', BUT what about the terrorists who kill women and children??? Opps!! did they forget its 'haram' to kill such innocents? They complain on and on about how USA KillED this and that two years ago, but they never complain about the killings of Iraqis BY Suicide bombers. I have never heard such ridiculous comments and I know now, why Iraq will have no hope to get REAL HELP from our Arab Muslim brothers and sisters. I hope Iraqis in Iraq know what is going on. I hope they will see that they are better off without the other Arabs and Muslims in general until FURTHER notice by Iraqis if they want to join. I hope Iraqis will unite together first, before making a step which may tangle up with other nations. Most of all, I hope this stampede of the loss of hundreds of lives including my cousin and many other missed and unforgotten Iraqis, and the donations + sympathy will bring Iraqis together, to elect the right party to give ownership of Iraq for the Chaldeans, Assyrians to Arab and Kurdish Iraqis.

May they make the right decision that would befit all, for the least, Most.

I will speak about this further. Am close the exam period very soon here.

The Stampede Tragedy

2005-09-05T12:15:00.000+12:00

Sorry for not replying. It's been some rough few weeks. My father just left to help my mom out in Australia pack up and supposedly retire officially from attempting the many times to become a qualified doctor in Australia and New Zealand. But with the time limit of a written and oral examination, it takes a lot of concentration and organisation to be finished within the time given even though many doctors do know the material and theory. So we're heading back to NZ and see what we can do. I got exams and trying the best to keep up with everything.

I recently got news from Iraq in relation to the Stampede in Baghdad, my aunt's sisters' family were on the bridge when the stampede happened. The parents, two kids; a daughter and son. The parents and daughter only survived but the dear 9 year old son didn't make it sadly...

The mother's sister lives in Auckland NZ and is having a funeral for the young boy. May God rest his young soul and protect the lives of Iraqis.

The good thing is, Im glad I have seen footages of actual donations by Iraqis of blood and money. I even saw a little girl take off her earings to give to the Iraqi victims of the stampede. And I hope truly that this stampede of tens of people would put Iraqis to unite even more. Unity has it all...if they unite, they will realize that it will give a better voice to the nation of Iraq. They need to involve all ethnicities and religions for Iraqis to reserve their rights and satisfactions for the nation to become successful. Let's hope this stampede, God willing, will make them realize how Iraqis are of all....not just Muslim, Christian or Jewish.

God help the Iraqis to make the right decision that would befit all, not just one.

What IS Going ON?

2005-08-21T14:40:00.000+12:00

Well the Gaza pullout has been happening over the last few days and I am finding itrather unbarable in both ends. Jews deserve a home as much as Palestinians do. Historyshows that both sides deserve it yet, they each want the whole of it and resist on agreeing to a deal. Sometimes I think Israel would do a good job being open towardsa deal to live with the Palestinians yet many deny any deal would be made regardless.Which is true. Hamas seems to control the view of all Palestinians and when I talkto palestinians, some denounce Hamas yet they don't do anything about destroying thatgroup so Palestinians would have their complete say and choice. And since they havent done so,that avoids the reality of the Palestinian opinions, and often too, puts Hamas in charge 'willingly'. I can only imagine how hard it is for anyone to leave his or herhome and this is why I don't try to side with this issue as history tells both endslived on this sacrifical land. However, soon enough both have to put down their sheilds andagree on something or this will continue on forth until the very end. It can be solved ifpeople agree to compromise. Compromisation. Something so wanted but can't find much of Anymore. Not now,and not in the past either.

The Iraqi Constitution is being halted till 22nd of August. I am actually excited about it yet very worried about its outcome and effect. As an Iraqi, I don't mindFederalism because I notice how dissociated the Iraqis are regarding its several factionswith its wants and needs. Having said, Federalism can work if Sunnis accept what theyare left with. BUT if the North of Iraq became an individual state and if the South becameanother, both areas would become vulnerable by Turkey from the North and Iran from the South.

Rather, the key to Iraq's stability is quite simply the rights of the 20 percent of Iraqis who are Sunni Arabs in negotiation to the demands of the Kurds who have been juggling their box of marbles.About 90% of the insurgent attack come from Sunni religious followers.It is this group which the insurgency lives, hides its arms, plots its attacks and finds its safe houses. The catastrophe of the problem is Kirkuk, an oil-rich northern Iraqi city inhabited by Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and others. The Kurds believe the city are historically theirs, and resent that the Arab population living there now was originally settled by Saddam Hussein to weaken their influence over a key part of Iraq's oil economy. The Kurds ask to want not only the land back for the Kurdish families who once owned it but virtually all the rights and revenue to the oil produced in its vicinity.

The Kurdish position may seem fair enough. Kurds account for about 20 percent of Iraq's population, as do Sunni Arabs, and if they get Kirkuk, Kurds would also have about 20 percent of the oil. I guess, all they are asking for, one might argue, is their fair share of Iraq's wealth, and direct control over it so that if an oppressive government ever again comes to power in Baghdad, the Kurds will be positioned to go their own way if necessary - possibly independence, or a degree of autonomy they enjoyed between Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

There are two problems I see. First, the temporary constitution given out in early 2004 under Paul Bremer specifically 'assured' Sunnis that Iraq's natural resources belong to "all the people of all the regions and governorates of Iraq," and that oil revenue would be distributed equally and fairly through the national budget. But if Federalism occurs and having Kurds and Shia askingfor their particular share, it collides with that temporary Constitution.

Second, if successful, this Kurdish action will establish a trigger that Shiites may seek tohave the south, where almost all the rest of Iraq's oil is found. The Sunnis would probably see such a constitution as a deal struck between Shiites who will eventually dominate Iraq's main important and rich areas, and Kurds who covet eventual separation - and one that deprived them of their fair share of Iraq's national resources as well. The insurgency could bring a civil war... if Sunni Arabs continue to intensify their attacks on Shiite-dominated security forces and re-gain back their right to rulership in Kirkuk or other oil-rich sectors of the country. This reminds me of the Bosnia-style, mass ethnic cleansing could result. And since the Sunni Arabs would probably lose the conflict, their region might then wind up a version of what Afghanistan was in the 1990s,...a safe haven for jihadists. A pointless amount of thousands of lives USA, Allies and Iraqis lost then, it would be.

Unfortunately, as it has been on the foreign jihadist threat, the US seem to have lost sight of how sectarian tension have become the REAL threat to Iraq's stability. The critical mistake was made after January's elections, when USA insisted that Iraqis' march to the polls was proof of their desire to be free. When that is partly true, this interpretation obscured the degree to which Shiites in particular voted to further their 'group aspirations' and not to just simply uphold democracy.

WIth the fews day left for the constitution in Iraq, the risks are too high for the US to take the approach and provide friendly, discreet coaching from the sidelines. We will see that, without a fair deal ensuring that most Iraqi oil revenue is treated as a national resource, to be distributed proportionately to regions, I think it is hard to see how the Iraqi constitution can defuse Sunni Arab disagreement - and hard to see how it can serve the general goal of creating a stable democratic Iraq.

More about the Constitution later!

The Perhaps Inhuman, Yet "Ordinary" Suicide Bombers

2005-08-10T00:00:00.000+12:00

I sometimes wonder, after the first London attacks about the 4 suspected suicide bombers who were reportedly to be educated men with families, I wondered what puts these young men to take such measurable actions to prove a point that many of us alive now, argue and debate about. I once asked a Muslim who is in UK about his reason retaining there, he told me to 'implement Islam'. Now I dont know what part of it he wants because obviously, its not succeeding only because Muslims do NOT clean up after their mess..not like any one does anymore. What is there to implement if Islam is being used in the name of death, I sometimes wish they asked themselves that question. There will be no implementation of Islam if such disgust of the 'believers' of Islam continues in blood and murder of innocents. Furthermore, not for any religion either.

I sometimes ask, will it ever stop? And why do they do it by people who are young and from various nations who attain to be Muslim? Why do Palestinians suicide bomb themselves, and why do Pakistanis do this too? Why do other Arabs suicide themselves in Iraq in which the suicide attempts are not done by the Iraqi majoritys' actions .....26 Wahhabi Clerics in Saudi Arabia asked for Jihad against the Occupiers in Iraq, presuming the Occupiers are Americans..and yet the Saudi government, even after King Fahd's death, said nothing, apart from praising the 'wonderful ex ruler' of Saudi who allow all the hatred, crime, and terrorist camps that still exist around somewhere. I ask fellow Muslims why do people suicide bomb in Iraq and they're not Iraqi, they tell me to take out the occupiers, yet they seem to target Iraqi civilians...sometimes not even Police men or soldiers?? How could they be targeting occupiers if its killing the normal day to day Iraqi people? It just doesnt make sense when they give such an inaccurate and disappointing reason.

Ask someone to find about a personality profile of a typical suicide bomber and the chances are it would not come close to describing the 4 young bombers, who it seemed they below themselves up in London. Even reports from friends and family mentioned that they couldnt believe he would have done such a thing--not him...And when you look who they are, they seemed ordinary..making it hard to believe as said by them. There was Mohammad Sidique Khan, father and teaching assistant, loved by the children he taught and well respected by his community; Hasib Hussain, the 'nice lad' from a close-knit family; Shehzad Tanweer, the cricket-loving sports science graduate; and Germaine Lindsay, a young father. None of them had a criminal record as said in the past on News channels and none were mentally ill as I recall a Muslim telling me how the Palestinians who suicided themselves in Iraq, Baghdad al Jadeeda, New Baghdad, were said to be 'mentally disable and ill' which was a rumour to cover up their wrong track. None were poor and apparently well educated. All of them grew up in UK. Such a profile isn't what you expect in a suicide bomber...Except, that is wrong because they are suicide bombers and most of them bombers around the world 'appear to be normal.'

Study after study from documentaries, personal stories and articles show that suicide terrorists are better than average for their community and better education. They are also rarely suicidal in the pathological sense. Ive read from Ariel Merari, a psychologist at Tel Aviv University who has traced in the Middle East every suicide bomber since 1983, has found symptoms of mental illness or drug and alcohol abuse in VERY few.. And often, they don't have to be Islamic extremists either, or even radicalised by faith. Yes the 4 London bombers were Muslim, as are the vast majority of suicide attackers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Israel. Yet many of the suicide bombers in Lebanon in the 1980s were from secular Christian backgrounds. And one of the modern suicide terrorism, the Tamil Tigers, is secular Marxist-Leninists in Sri Lanka http://www.spur.asn.au/chronology_of_suicide_bomb_attacks_by_Tamil_Tigers_in_sri_Lanka.htm

The question is, how can well educated young men BORN and brought up in the UK end up sacrificing themselves and killing civilians for a cause that seems a long way from their daily lives and yet unrelated to any political issues relating to Iraq and Afghanistan when they're not of that decent? The answer is much easier than you'd think. It lies less with the bombers themselves than with the organizations that recruit and prepare them. Virtually every suicide attack in MODERN times has been conceived and managed by 'militant' groups, and they all attain the same kind of methods. As Ariel Merari wrote, militant groups first find people, usually young and male, who are sympathetic to the group's cause and organise them into small units. Second exploit their motivation to fight for the cause using religious or political reasoning, emphasizing the heroic image and nature of the mission and 'nobility' of self-sacrifice. Third, they have all members of the unit make a pact declaring their commitment to what they are about to do. Beyond this point, it turns psychologically and very hard for them to back out.

Merari and others, not I.. not me, but experts, non-Muslim who have studied suicide attacks across the world have found this pattern in just about EVERY one, from Kamikaze pilots to the 9/11 hijackers. From the Kamikaze pilots; 'In public schools throughout Japan, students were effectively taught that dying for the Emperor was the right thing to do and that, those who do, will be worshipped when they have died at the yakusuni shrine. By late 1944, a motto of jusshi reisho, which means, 'sacrifice life' was taught all around Japan. Most of the pilots that joined the suicide attacks had been taught jusshi reisho and therefore felt that what they were doing was good for they were the products of militaristic Japan." <---- http://www.info.tampere.fi/a/amuri/tyot/Kamikaze1.htm

I recommend for you all to read the following history of the other forgotten and disregarded actions of suicide bombers. I am not saying Islam does not have roots that go by the acts of killing and murder, but that does not make a whole religion and people the haters, attackers, and the new start and discovery of suicide bombing and killing of innocents. It's the SENSE of DUTY...to such small group of peers that the process can, they say, turn just about anyone INTO a potential suicide bomber; the factor is not the psychology or the individual, but that of the GROUP...that could attract vulnerable people to it. Many researchers have shown that it is not difficult to persuade normal, rational people to do evil things if you apply the right conditions. Persuading someone to die is not as fanatical as it seems as a result.

Still though, there is something UNusual about the London bombers. Nearly ALL the suicide attackers have come from societies that are under violent 'occupation' or suffering great social injustice. Typical in these communities, there is a visible culture and history of martyrdom, regardless if their attempts are just or not. In Palestinian territories, the bombers are often celebrated on posters and in songs. Such areas seek nationalism, heroism like many nations have done and do..someone to follow to get them OUT of the misery..in the Palestinian case, it was Yasser Arafat, recognizing the fact that Arafat had lacked the potential he HAD during when he was in the PLO, and with Rafiq Harriri, who was always seen as heroic for seeking Lebanon's freedom, rights and education from his own pockets. But none of these factors applied to the London attackers...How did they become so radicalised in a place that seems so far removed from a cause-the liberation of Muslims from 'perceived WESTERN oppression'- they are widely presumed to have DIED FOR? Even if these 4 suicide bombers were perceived to be from nations that were suffering through violence, if the reason to the death or 'martyrdom' was due to Iraq and Afghanistan, it gives them NO permission to take an act in publicly and harmfully portray their act of 'free speech' through death, against the attack of the two nations by the West. This is where the nations like Iraq have to speak out for what they seek as a population..if they want peace, then they have to start disregarding and taking out all outside pressure and contribution, for it is the Iraqis' choice to bring forth their opinions for their home.

Many young British Muslims feel ideologically closer to their family's land of origin or to the worldwide Muslim community than the country they grew up in. Marc Sagerman, an American psychiatrist who has studied Al Qaida supporters in Europe, suggests that radicalisation in the Muslim Diaspora starts with the feeling of estrangement from the general population that surrounds them. Young Muslims can come to empathize strongly with Muslims abroad who they think are suffering injustices AT the hands of the West. It is not hard to see how, through contact with militant radicals or through inflammatory websites, they might see an enemy of Muslim communities in Palestine, Iraq or Afghanistan as their OWN enemy.

The immediate reaction to suicide bombers has been labeled as animals, or inherently evil. But think again, this thought will not do and will not give you reason to know why they do these acts, not only now but also during World War2 with the Japanese. Blowing themselves up in a crowd is the first evil thing these people have done, but they are not animals....For they are just like us, men and women who eat, drink, be educated, talk and socialised, perhaps among themselves or not. This POST is NO WAY supporting and justifying the 'righteous' of the suicide bombing, but I have heard all too much about the 'inhuman satanic acts' of the suicide bombers more than enough; we need to be more realistic here..The MOST difficult thing of all is to recognize that suicide bombers are, alas, all too human...yet, just exceedingly too vulnerable from the Psychology and ideology of the group..not the individual only