WHERE DATE PALMS GROW

A Message of Peace

2008-07-06T19:30:00.000+01:00

Indigo Daisy, Thank you....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2008-07-01T07:59:00.004+01:00

Today is a very Important day in the lives of Millions of Iraq.

It is simply their Birthday today, well.... Officially it is may be not quite the day they were born.

it started some decades ago when the Governments of Iraq started issuing Identity cards to Iraqis, but the problem is if you didn't have a birth certificate then the government official was advised to enter the 1st of July as the date of birth.

So the Chance of telling a middle aged Iraqi Happy Birthday today and him smiling back telling you thank you how did you guess? is very high.

Happy Birthday! wishing you all the best,

Zappy!

PalTalk or Studying Iraqi Mentality

2008-06-25T15:29:00.002+01:00

I have been introduced to PalTalk, which is like any other Chat hosting program but with loads of control by administrators, and of course it depends which room you enter. Some are pure rubbish and other are quite decent.
Browsing through the Iraqi rooms I stumbled against many that Insult people, some glorifying Saddam, Some Glorying Terrorism and other ideas and Ideologies and religious matters. However I did find a Room that I have stuck to Called IRAQ University IRAQI. (the spoken Language in this room is in Arabic and Other than Iraqi's are not allowed to give an openion during the Political hours of the Room between 19:00 and Zulu)The reason is the owner of this Chat room is a decent person who you could say is unbiased to any Idea that is presented, I also found out that its one of the oldest rooms in PalTalk that is being mostly visited by Iraqi’s from overseas and Mainly Iraqi’s who took refuge in the Rafha Camp in Saudi Arabia back in 1991, but then that’s another story.

If you just sit and just listen you shall understand many things about the Iraqi Individual’s personality, how some believe their Ideas are righteous and anyone who disagrees with these individuals should be ridiculized being called either a Ba’ath sympathiser or a terrorist among other things.
So it seems that people’s Natural behaviour has a greater emphasis on what you learn as an individual.

One individual is what I can honestly say is a butt Kisser who Idolizes the U.S. Republican Party and hates to the core his own fellow Iraqi, this individual has the capability of anoying even the most Cold Hearted person in his opinions and Ideas. he reminds me so much of Dr. Mowafaq Al-Rubaie.

7th of April

2008-04-07T16:21:00.004+01:00

Its seems so long since I started....

Happy Birthday to myself my Children My wife and Family, God has spared us for a reason

Salam

Zappy!

El-Basrah

2008-03-29T22:43:00.003Z

I don’t think I have mentioned that I was born and lived my early life in Basrah.

Basrah was a mistake, by that I mean the location of the current city, it was built in the early days of the Islamic conquest as a fort city, this location had seen many bad days since the Battle of the Camel (look it up) and the Revolution of the Zing, It has seen since 1978 continuous disruptions starting with the massacres against the Dawa Party members (up to 1982), the execution of any students of Basrah University called “abdul Zahra” in 1980 and of course eight years of war 1980-1988, this includes the continuous artillery shelling by the Iranians from Abadan between 1982 and 1988. this of course didn’t end there, Basrah also suffered from Saddams invasion of Kuwait 1989 and the uprisings of the people of Basrah against Saddam in 1990 & 1999.

The “Bu-sar-was” have suffered a lot, the major problem has always been and still is the lack of potable water, most people, who can afford to by RO water from the water tanker lorries suffer from lack of minerals and some people suffer from radiation from the depleted Uranium used by the coalition forces in 1990.

Looking back, I remember the nice things in Basrah, the Sinbad Island with its Summer Cafeterias and Restaurants under the Palm trees and the stepping stones on the small lakes.

The old Port Club which was located in Maqal near the old Maqal port, the lovely Cornesh looking over Shatt-al-Arab.

Basrah had dozens of night Clubs located in the Wattani Street, and a decent amusement park, Kuwaitis and Saudi Arabians used to come over during the summer holidays to enjoy Basrah and its facilities and of course meet their extended Families.

Basrah also has some strange neighborhood names like the slum of “khamsa meel” which translate to Five miles, and “Khamseen Hoowsh” which translates to fifty houses. Basrah also has a small village called “abu al khaseeb” which is mainly a large plantation of Date palms and theres a Old man there who sales the Original Halawat Nahar Khoz which is a lovely sesame type of sweet goo that you could get addicted to.

Basrah used to be one lovely City, the people are very polite and kind however nothing remains the same.

Five Years....

2008-03-11T17:12:00.003Z

Five long years.....

most of them in tears..

so many have left Home...

the lucky reside in Tombs..

at least some still live

though without a Soul..

I wonder how much more to go?

would I be buried at Home?

Raseef 28

2008-02-28T16:29:00.001Z

I assume I’m one of the few lucky people who have survived Iraq, looking back the years, though I truly try not to, I only remember the good things in my life, the gathering of Friends on “Rasseef 28” that’s what we used to call on of our friends front door because we used to gather there nearly each day when we were teens.

Cruising the streets of Al-Mansour and going to Al-Sa’a'ah Restaurant. Then when I really miss home I call some of my not so fortunate friends who have either never managed to get out of Baghdad or are (Visitors) of Syria, Egypt and (this you will not Believe) Darfur, Sudan and Ghana!!!

I then feel that my Heart has collapsed on itself. Or like its being squeezed inside some kind of a vice.

I’m meeting a friend of Mine from the gathering of “Raseef 28” at the Canary Wharf next week, I haven’t seen him since 1990, when he called me the other day saying he’s on a business trip to the U.K. and he managed to get my Number through another “Raseef 28” Mutual friend, I really had one hell of a flashback.

I miss home, I miss my friends but then we have all lost our Country, its very sad but its true, losing a country is something that can happen, it happened in Iraq, as it Happened decades ago in Poland and might happen again in another country..

Don’t ever let someone take your home away from you.

Invasion U.S.A.

2008-02-28T11:03:00.002Z

it seems that her Majesty's Government is about to take over the U.S., this statemet was anounced early this morning...

In light of your failure to nominate competent candidates for President
of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of
the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her
Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all
states, commonwealths, and territories (except Kansas , which she does not
fancy).

Your new prime minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a governor for
America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will
be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine
whether any of you noticed.
To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the
following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary.

1. Then look up aluminium, and check the pronunciation guide. You will
be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it.

2. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'favour'
and
'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without
skipping
half the letters, and the suffix -ize will be replaced by the suffix -
ise.
Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to
acceptable
levels. (look up 'vocabulary').

3. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises
such
as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form
of
communication. There is no such thing as US English. We will let
Microsoft
know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell- checker will be adjusted to
take
account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize. You
will
relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen.

4. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.

5. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns,
lawyers,
or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists
shows
that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be
handled
by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without
suing
someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough
to
handle a gun.

6. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything
more
dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish
to
carry a vegetable peeler in public.

7. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and this is for
your
own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we
mean.

8. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will
start
driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will
go
metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion
tables.
Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British
sense
of humour.

9. The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have
been
calling gasoline)-roughly $6/US gallon. Get used to it.

10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French
Fries
are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips
are
properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat,
and
dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.

11. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not
actually
beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to
as
beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be
referred
to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable as they are pound
for
pound the greatest sporting Nation on earth and it can only be due to
the
beer. They are also part of British Commonwealth - see what it did
for
them.

12. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as
good
guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to
play
English characters. Watching Andie McDowell attempt English dialogue
in
Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's
ears
removed with a cheese grater.

13. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind
of
proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will,
in
time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to
American
football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds
or
wearing full Kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies). Don't try
rugby -
the South Africans and Kiwis will thrash you, like they regularly
thrash
us.

14. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to
host
an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside
of
America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond
your
borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we
will
let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of
their
deliveries.

15. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.

16. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her
Majesty's
Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all
monies
due (backdated to 1776).

17. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 pm with proper cups, never
mugs,
with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes; strawberries in season.

God save the Queen.

Only He can.

More Suggestions for Iraqi Flags

2008-01-24T20:12:00.001Z

our Blood is Cheap

and another made for the Iraqi Parliament

Exodus and a Rag on a pole

2008-01-24T10:29:00.000Z

Iraqi’s never choose to leave their homes and families, they were forced to do so, people have been fleeing the country since the late forties, it began by oppression against the Iraqi Jewish community (with the help of the British, ask an Iraqi Jew if you don’t believe me), then by the nationalization of property belonging to the upper class Iraqis after the first Republic (ask Chalibi and Makiya if you don’t believe me) then by the Communists in the early sixties (ask any Nationalist & Baathist) then by the Ba’athist (Ask any Islamic, Communist or Kurd) then oppression of forced Military service during the War with Iran (ask any Iraqi) and today by all the above with the Help of Terrorism, the U.S. and Iran (ask any of the above).

This land has seen so much Blood, hatred and sorrow, I have lost hope…

And the fucking parliament is arguing about a fucking Flag.

The Flag (again)

2008-01-24T07:47:00.000Z

See the Flag on top? and the one on the right? This the flag I was raised under, and thats the only flag I know about.

The Poppy Conflict

2007-11-02T10:00:00.000Z

S, my eldest Daughter, has been going to School here in the U.K. starting this semester, She proudly answers the Children with “I’m form Iraq” whenever they ask her where she comes from.

I and my Wife have always tried to Shield the Girls from any information regarding what’s happening in Iraq, though the have some vague Idea the American Army is in Iraq and they used to hear the shootings in the streets, explosions…etc. we cocooned them into a different World, a World of Home tutoring (After it became to dangerous for the girls to go to there school) and the Disney Channel. Once there was heavy fighting nearby and S asked why are there Shooting, my Wife explained that there are some bad people that the Police are chasing. End of Subject.

That was about it, they knew that there were American Soldiers, and they knew that there are explosions that bad people did, but that was it.

That was about two years ago.

Yesterday morning when S & here sister went to school and during the School daily Assembly the Head teacher brought out a Large blank map of the World with two green countries coloured in Green. Iraq and Afghanistan, my Daughter was delighted that the Word Iraq was mentioned, however when the head teacher started explaining about the Royal British Legion Appeal, which is held each year and how people should help out by contributing some money because British troops have lost lives and limbs in these two countries, things changed.

To cut the story short.

I now have a confused young girl, who’s ashamed of her nationality and never knew that there were British Troops fighting in Iraq.

I won’t comment on this subject any further.

I don’t blame the Teacher.

Cheap Blood

2007-10-10T11:35:00.000+01:00

This may sound Naive, but the matter is that the situation is boiling in Iraq and it seems that nobody is taking much attention.

People are fed up with the contracted Iraqi Government official, the Contracted Foreign presence in the Country and the Contracted Militia’s.

For people still present in Iraq, the pressure is getting overwhelming. Yesterday’s incident of killing in cold blood of a child and a women is just another Coal in the Boiler, and the thing is its getting worse.

The country has turned into an empty shell, one small crack and everything shall collapse.

The ill treatment of innocent people in the figure of disregard of human Blood and respect by the Government, the Private Security Details, the U.S. army has reached to its brink.

The ill treatment of Iraqi Refugees at the Jordanian Boarders and Amman Airport by Jordanian Customs (I don’t blame the Jordanian Individuals ) has turned to a very unbearable status, specially when the Iraqi Government is Still kissing the Asses of the Jordanians by selling them Oil at $20 a Barrel.

The ill treatment by the Syrian Customs and Government by throwing out Iraqis from the country after three months has also reached unbearable heights.

The neglect of the United Nations and the International Organization of Migration, Oxfam and other Humanitarian Organizations of this matter is so shameful, shame on you! You send Angelina Jolie for the publicity stunt and then leave these people stranded without enough help.

But then who is Really responsible for all this Chaos? For the lack of respect for the Iraqi Citizen?

Is it the Iraqi Government? The U.S. decision Makers? Saddam? Do we actually care who?

Or do we need a plan to clean the mess up and stop blaming entities?

Oh and another thing, when are we going to start ?

Eight Months Later….

2007-10-01T08:05:00.001+01:00

Well its been Eight Months for me and three for My Wife and Kids since we Arrived to the U.K. and many things have changed as life goes on.

Since I was a child I was always thought the Alfred Newman’s “Me?..Worry?” should have been my golden rule thou I never managed to do that.

Until recently.

Paying nearly 30% of a salary in Taxes is a bit irritating especially when you see all the bills you have to pay..etc., worrying about how the Girls are doing in school ..etc.

Last week we had a small gathering for Iftar (Breaking our Fast), myself and two friends of mine from Iraq, we were remembering the (Good Old Days) and how we had nothing to lose and the daily difficulties Car bomb, IED’s and VIP convoy avoiding.

See.. when you miss home you don’t remember all the nasty things you’ve been through you always remember the Date palms in your garden, the Bulbul’s when the start to hatch from there eggs in April, the sky your family, the nice people and friends you had, gatherings in the evenings in the Garden.

I have fourteen months to go, after that I am required to return home.

But then fourteen months is a long time to think about in the time being.. me ? worry?

Clogs of Corruption

2007-09-26T12:19:00.000+01:00

Did I ever Mention that back in December I was sitting Beside Radhi Al Radhi?, well we were on a Chartered Plane from Baghdad to Amman Jordan, we had a Chat about Corruption in the Iraqi Ministries and how many "people" just hate him because he keeps annoying them when they are trying to Steal.

Well I just found this today, its a Unclassified Document that has leaked out of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Well eventually the Gentleman had to Resign because of all the pressure and lack of support from the Iraqi Government and the wonderful Parliament.

As they say, you can't straiten a Dogs Tail.

Blackwater II

2007-09-19T14:46:00.000+01:00

I always assumed that Shoes, Boots and Socks come in Pairs. seems that I am Wrong

Blackwater

2007-09-18T14:10:00.000+01:00

VISION

To support security, peace, freedom, and democracy everywhere.

MISSION

To support national and international security policies that protect those who are defenseless and provide a free voice for all with a dedication to providing ethical, efficient, and effective turnkey solutions that positively impact the lives of those still caught in desperate times.

Blackwater is one of many private Armies working in Iraq, these people have "Gods Authority" by order number 17 of the Viceroy of Iraq Paul Bremer.
These people have a full security clearance and are allowed armed loaded weapons even inside the U.S. Ambassadors presence.

I remember a story back in December when a Drunk Blackwater guy went through several checkpoints drunk toward Maliki’s residence and nobody dared to stop him until one of Maliki’s guards asked him politely to back off. The black water guy started threatening the Bodyguard with a pistol and when the bodyguard didn’t allow him through he Drunk Blackwater guy just shot the bodyguard dead.

Of course by this time the U.S. Authorities made the “right” decision they quietly and swiftly got the Drunk on a plane and back to the U.S., tut tut... Naughty boy

Its such a terrible joke.

Blackwater has done more damage in Iraq than Al Qaeda would ever dream of an American company would do.

Good Job Blackwater! Continue your Vision (above) your doiln a hell'ava Job! keep sprinkiling Democracy! over Iraq!

Help Youssif

2007-09-05T12:12:00.001+01:00

CNN Reported two weeks ago this story, A 5 Year old boy was drowned with Benzene and set to fire, the masked dogs were taknig revenge from his father by burning this little boy!

Please Help this Kid

update: Funds have been raised, thank you, but there are other children who also need such
help, such causes deserve help

Your our only Hope

2007-08-30T14:13:00.000+01:00

I apologizes for not posting anything in a while, I have no reason at all other than being lazy, I have learned that a person cannot differentiate between day and night without a T.V. set.

Back on Iraq,

Al Khazalee , the spokes thing of the Sadr Block announced yesterday the Mahdi Army is Being restructured and asked the Mehdi Army to “Stop fighting the U.S. Army and other parties”

Now I wonder who the other parties are?

On the same matter Mr. Maliki has left Baghdad and is sitting in Karbala to clean things up, he fired the main brass who was responsible of keeping the peace in Karbala and is governing the place himself.

Seems that has getting bored from being a prime minister and fed up with his bad luck in Baghdad.

Looking through the Iraqi news websites all you hear from the honourable Iraqi officials is Purified Bull Shit, the President says he had a chat with an Iranian delegation and they promise him that the Iranian army will stop Artillery shelling “Zerbatya” in the near future.

What?

To be totally honest (and selfish) I have lost all hope in things getting better, neither Obe wan Kanobie or Luke skywalker can help us now.

To the point, the only people who can help Iraq are the Iraq people themselves, we have made a gross mistake by electing the parliament we were offered, we had no choice these are the people who were presented to us, most of them we don’t know who they are, some of them are honest people who love there country, but they love themselves more, so what is the answer to this dilemma? How can we gather ourselves back into a nation? Frankly I ask myself this question, are we really one nation? Do we believe that Iraq should be our country, or is it better to have it turned into little pieces?
Iraq prior to 1920 was not a country, it was part of the Ottoman Empire, consisting of three cities Basra, Baghdad and Mosul, however after the British Empire invaded us we were given some type of sovereignty and since then people had one country, they never thought of it as anything else, also helping in this matter was the different dictatorships that controlled the country and the lack of a clear constitution, the Kurds never wanted to be part of Iraq for there own reasons that I am fed up with and not willing to discuss.
The Typical “Baghdadie” has always been snobbish about himself and tries to degrade people living in other cities, The people of Mosul in the North are edgy about the Kurds and are semi self contained.

I Vision Iraq as a large pit of Blood and death.

If the Average Iraq is not willing to give to his brother as much as he takes, and shares, and is willing to sacrifice of what he believes is his sole rights, and If the Iraqi person always feels that he is not part of the community and part of the government, and he respects authority, and authority and government respects him, then all you will get is Refugees, destruction and death.

The Day my Daughter was not “Allowed” to go to School anymore was the day I divorced Iraq.

I love Iraq so much but it seems that Iraq has stopped loving its Children.

Our only hope is the people to unite and stop looking for a Hero to Save them.

KFC & Toys R Us Milking Iraq's Economy

2007-08-06T14:40:00.000+01:00

I was looking in the Net for a Bicycle for my Daughters and I hit a strange article in the Guardian about how Toys R Us and KFC, Nestle and Pepsi Cola have charged iraq for "Loss in Profits" !!

I can tell you this!

I'm boycotting these people starting now.

CBBC

2007-07-20T17:33:00.001+01:00

I encourage my two daughers to watch CBBC so they could get their english better, so I was wondirng what the CBBC website looked like, anf guess what! I found, This!, you wouldn't find such details in any other News website in the World except the BBC (CBBC).

FORCED MIGRATION REVIEW

2007-07-19T13:07:00.000+01:00

I Stumbled upon this website and had a read of there lattest June Issue about Iraqs Migration, it gives you some astonishing Figures liek one in Six Iraq is Displaced, two million are in Exile etc.

If your intrested in this matter please Read it.

Some People Still Care

2007-07-17T08:47:00.000+01:00

This was todays fron page on the Independent.

Refuge

2007-07-16T12:02:00.001+01:00

Hundreds if not Thousands of Iraqi's are seeking Temporary Refuge anywhere in the World, It doesn’t matter where as long as they can keep alive.

I received an Email this morning from a colleague of mine who managed to get her family away from Baghdad to the UAE, however, Herself and her husband being both petrochemical Engineers have had Hell over there, competition is very high even between Iraqi’s and you could get sacked very easy, specially if its one of the small competitive companies there.

Iraqi’s are also unwelcome in other Arab countries unless you’re a young prostitute with references from Sheikhs and pimps and you can see that in Dubai Airport.

An Iraqi cannot get a Visa to North Africa including Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, the Gulf States (on rare occasions only UAE, Qatar).

In Qatar the State police have distributed a pamphlet to the Iraqi community telling them what they can discuss in public and on telephones and what they can discuss or mention.

In Saudi one main field on the Saudi Application form is you have to declair your Religion and what Sect you follow.

What we have here is a very awkward situation, the U.S., Britain, Australia and other countries of the coalition have declared that they have come to Iraq to free, liberate etc. including (Rebuild), but things have taken a different way and we have deaths death threats unemployment etc.

Now, how about giving these people a chance?

Like when an intelligent Iraqi is awarded a Fulbright Scholarship why not let his family join him?

Like all these thousands of Masters, Ph.D. and Bachelor degree Holders are not given a chance to seek temporary refugee in the U.S. Britain and Australia.

What do you have against them? Why leave them to die and live in undignified circumstances.

You did the same to the South Africans during the end days of Apartheid when they tried to make a decent life in U.K.

my conclusion is this.

Although I do not believe in conspiracy theories but what I see the following facts that everyone with a clear conscious would also notice, A country that has its economy, Military capabilities and its society destroyed.

Targeting the Technical and highly skilled personnel by guaranteeing there death, by imposing every trick in the book to keep them in this battlefield.

Give people a chance to live, they offer there expertise.

Do you know how many Iraq scientists have been embraced to live and work in Syria and Iran?

What’s wrong with you!

دعاء تموز وآب اللهاب

2007-07-14T23:12:00.000+01:00

عن إبن فراش الدوشكي.. في كتابه مضاجع الاولين

كنا ننام في صيف بغداد دون كهرباء بعد أن نردد عشر مرات

يا مقسم الكهرباء..

والساكن في المنطقة الخضراء..

إجعل لنا منها حصة..

ولا تجعل في قلوبنا غصة..

ونور ليالينا بالأمبير ..

وإلا سيصيبك العذاب والسعير

قال إبن الشرشفي.. دعيت بها عشرة أيام متتالية.. .. فأستلمت هدية من المهافيف اليدوية.. .. لا تقدر بثمن..

أرسلها إلى عشرة عوائل يشتركون بعشر امبيرات.. وسترى المبردة تشتغل من دون واتر بامب ولا كهرباء

BENCHMARKS? PROGRESS?

2007-07-13T12:17:00.000+01:00

Benchmarks of Progress?

What Progress!

Are you kidding me?

Is he Kidding! last time I heard of Benchmarks was to find out how fast is your computer processor back in the late eighties

The Iraqi Citizens benchmark's are: is it safe for me to open the door?

should I leave the house today to get some food?

am I going to be: (kidnapped/Arrested) by (terrorists/Militias / ING.. etc.)

Secondary benchmarks are:

How long is it going to take me to get some fuel today? (min. 6 hours Max. open to your imagination)

How many Minutes of electricity am I going to get today (min. Zero Max 62 Minutes) (temperature is 115F).

Iraq and Iraqi’s are not statistics.

we are flesh and blood.

we get hurt and we feel pain.

we are humans and not numbers.

each one has a family, a Father, a Daughter, someone who worries about her/him/them.

2007-07-10T23:00:00.000+01:00

2007-07-10T22:45:00.000+01:00

2007-07-10T22:44:00.000+01:00

2007-06-29T21:18:00.001+01:00

The Red and Yellow Bicycle II

2007-06-27T08:13:00.000+01:00

It’s been such a long time since I wrote the post regarding my Oldest Daughters Bicycle. Major positive changes have happened in my life.

B. my Oldest daughter at the late stages of us being in Baghdad, has always kept her Bicycle clean and shiny, she used to buff it daily and ask her Mother “when can I ride my Bicycle mummy? “

Yesterday from my Balcony I remembered all this watching her happily ride her small pink scooter on the pavement here with her sister.

I’m willing to get her a new bicycle as soon as we settle in.

Yes my family is now complete in the U.K. I’m Excited and overjoyed about it. At last my direct family is safe with me in the U.K., we still have a lot to do, we may have lost all that we possessed in Baghdad but I don’t think about that anymore.

The basic thing that is taken for granted is safety & health for your family.

Have a wonderful day.

Gidiup!

Khoo-boz Owazza

2007-06-22T07:50:00.000+01:00

Myself and another Iraqi Friend of mine were feeling a bit depressed a couple of weeks ago, so we decided to go to Central London for some Iraqi food.

We found a nice little restaurant near Edgware Road near Marble Arch I think its name was Al Manqalla or something like that.

anyway we sat down and a you waitress came over to take our orders.

I didn't even look at the menu, I told her that we wish for some Yabssa and Aswwad with Timman and for Salads we want Gageek and Baba Ghanoog, and if she could get us diffrent Khwasheeg.

(Translation for any non Iraqi (Including Arabs) : white beans stew, eggplant stew, Rice, Yogurt with Garlic and Cucumbers, and grilled, mashed Eggplant, and get us some different Spoons please)

the girl was so confused (she was an Arab but she wasn't Iraqi)

then the manager came over and stood beside her and explained what I was talking about.

I apologized to the waitress but I thought since it was an Iraqi Restaurant then she would understand what I ordered.

anyway..

after some time and nearly finishing of I asked her "bring me some Khoo-boz Owazza" ;)

but you know what?

It didn't feel like home.

Nazik Al-Malaika

2007-06-21T16:36:00.000+01:00

1-
"Here am I between the jaws of death
As a heart still throbbing with the love of life
As a couples of eyes athirst
For the enjoyment of the universe;
Making advances to the charms of the evening,
I am still a bud, on the twig of fortune,
Whose dreams and hopes are fresh and new.
It is a shame, O death, that thou shouldst
Bury my youth anon in the world of dead
2-
And I, O life, what fate is meted out for me?
Am I going to be a word devoid of meaning?
Will the nights carry me away
And cast the gloom of oblivion over me?
In the morrow, fortune will extinguish my lamps.
And death will squander the echoes of my tunes,
Then I shall become, amongst other ghosts, a ghost myself
And shall be erased from mortal existence.
Oh, no, I do not want that.
Would fortune have mercy on my tears.
Misery and sadness
Let there be a lasting echo of my melodious, song
Ringing in the hearing of the coming years,
Song ringing in the hearing of the coming years,
nay even centuries
O mercy! do not let my flowing tears
Be an early elegy on my youth.
3-
How did our days pass - how did they?
Between the jaws of eagerness and grief!
Your heart and mine were full of love and anxiety
But we took refuge under the wing of secrecy.
Whenever my eyes speak to you of my love
I punish them by depriving them of you.
O my poet, how did we keep it secret?
Yet of old, no two lovers ever disobeyed Cupid.
O my song, when shall my tunes reach thee,
So that thou wilt listen to the joys of my love?
Why do I spend my days suppressing my eagerness,
When my heart is overflowing with emotions?
Always we meet and always I ignore you, perplexed,
while my sad heart is possessed of the anxiety of the lover!
It is pride possessing the soul
That makes a love appear indifferent
4-
Is then then what they call life?
As lines we continue drawing over the water,
As echoes of a cruel song which does not touch the lips.
Is this then the essence of existence?
Wild scattered nights with no return
and the traces of our feet on the road of the deaf ears of time are gone!
For the storm's hand wipes them kindlessly
and surrenders them to nothingness
5- Veiled Utopia.
A haven of magic, we were told
It was.
Made of nectar and twilight roses,
Of tenderness and gold.
In it, they said, was
The panacea for the wounds of man.
We wanted it, but didn't get it.
Back to our hopes, miserable and unfulfilled.
Where is this land?
Are we to see it or
is it to stay enveloped, unattainable
Agitating inside us only
A numbed yearning?
A prayer
Within closed lips?
The millions are
A torrent of desire,
Burning desire,
And a dream of flame.
Open the gates for thousands
of exhausted victims are screaming.
6-
They spoke of 'life';
It is the color of a corpse's eye
It is the echoing steps of a stealthy killer:
Its curving days
a poisoned coat diffusing death.
Its dreams the humour of a demon
with paralyzing eyes, death - hiding lips.
7-
Where shall I go?
I'm weary of the ways,
I'm bored with the meadows
And with the persistent, hidden enemy
Following my footsteps.
Where can I escape?
The trails and roads that carry
Songs to every strange horizon,
The paths of life,
The corridors in night's total darkness,
The corners of the bare days...
I've wandered along them all,
With my relentless enemy behind me,
Keeping a steady pace, or sitting firmly
Like the mountains of snow
In the far north.

a Tribute to her Memory

Baghdad 23rd of August, 1923 - Cairo 21st of June, 2007

"Amm'a Al yateem fala taqhaar"

2007-06-20T09:09:00.000+01:00

From the Holy Qura'an, Literary it translates to 'and the Orphan do not Abuse', this was written on the yellow sign behind the person who is the director of an orphanage.

CBS was able to get these pictures

Shame on us! and we call ourselves Muslims!

who should we blame for this? Israel? Iran? Syria? Martians?

Cruel Summer

2007-06-13T14:03:00.000+01:00

Its officially Summer on the Planet, Summer in Iraq is different, it means no sleep at night continuous frustration and having to cope with the Heat.
I feel it so much, even thou I'm not in Iraq, but I can feel it.
I remember very well last Summer and the previous ones, its like a nightmare, you have to figure out how to get enough water to have a decent shower, its a continuous ordeal with the Generators getting the running and dreaming about some 20 liters of Gasoline to run them, running up and down the stairs to the Roof to make sure its not going to blow up due to the heat and hard vibration, Oil changes each two days. and when it does breakdown oh dear..

fresh food, your always concerned when buying frozen goods, because you don't know how many times these goods have melted and been re frozen.

standing in the scourging heat in line in front of the baker, getting nervous in case an idiot decides to blow himself up in the queue or shoots you from a fast going bike.

fixing the house appliances because everything seems to break down daily due to the pressure applied on them and the heat that reaches 50 Celsius or more.

patching the Air coolers and cleaning them and making sure that water doesn't leak from them, not that Iraqis don't have Air conditioners but because you cant run an Air conditioner on your small generator.

and last but not least the Water Pumps you better have at least one spare lying around or you ll suffocate from the heat.

Summer is so Cruel in Iraq... it gives me the shivers just remembering it...

Here its Raining....

Sammara II

2007-06-13T08:35:00.000+01:00

All this sectarian Violence started after the destruction of the Emam al Askari Shrine in Sammara back in February 2006.

This Morning they Destroyed the remaining two Gold Minarets by planting explosives under them.

so if the first bombing of the shrine that caused the destruction of the Gold dome back fired by a continuous blood shed between Shia's and Sunni's causing a major impact by the Death Squads, what would this cause.

Video pictures

I think this is the finale of the Iraq Story... I hope not... but then who does know?

New Saddam Tape Leaked!!!

2007-06-09T20:56:00.000+01:00

New tape showing the chief Prosecutor chanting and dancing right after the execution so next time this "Gentleman" appears on T.V. saying that we did it in a civilized way show him THIS!

Ministry of Higher Education Kidnap

2007-06-07T09:34:00.000+01:00

Remember Back in November when scores of people were kidnapped in the MoHE building?

the Minister said that 80 remain captive. people forgot about the case now.

let me stir things up.

in the past eight weeks the families of the kidnapped victims have been approached by the police and been told that the victims have been buried, and the families can now collect the death certificates from the police station.

what happened was that all these victims have died after torture and their carcases been dumped in a rubbish dump near the "Oil Football Club" in "Ur District" in Baghdad.

the police claim that they didn't recognize them at that time and asked a undertaker to bury them in Karbala Cemetery 160 Kilometers away.

the undertaker had taken pictures of the dead and started searching for their families himself until he found them.

So when you ever hear of an abducted person you can be guaranteed that hes good as dead.

Baghdad has turned into a City of the Dead.

there are more dead bodies in the streets each break of dawn than alive.

Big Brother

2007-05-31T22:42:00.000+01:00

Let me be brief.

10 minutes watching this and I'm about to vomit...

another thing coming 1st of July are they going to continue smoking?

A Close Shave...

2007-05-30T18:39:00.000+01:00

Yesterday Morning...

X hails a taxi from Al-Shaab District asks the driver to take him to Karrada, X agrees to the Price the drive asked and pops in.

just after crossing the ING checkpoints on the Al-Shaab bridge and instead of taking the left exit towards the Army Canal road towards central Baghdad he continues towards the Sleigh.
X notices, opens the door and hits the driver on his adams apple so hard the Taxi driver gets disoriented and slams the brakes, he tries to pull out his gun but X has managed to throw himself out the Car and runs towards the ING checkpoint.

The End.

true... God and his instincts saved him.

The $1000 KFC Meal

2007-05-21T11:28:00.000+01:00

Iraqis in Jordan are over doing it. A dear friend of Mine virtually paid $1000 for a small takeaway dinner from KFC.

Let me explain,

X has a severe back problem requiring surgery that cannot be performed in Iraqi Hospitals due to the simple fact that we don’t have anymore experienced Surgeons in Baghdad (they were either killed, Kidnapped or fled) one of our friends in Amman Jordan how is a hyperactive guy went all around Amman Jordan and managed to set X with Doctors without Boarders, they volunteered to pay the expenses for the surgery do be conducted in Amman.

What’s the link with the KFC meal? …hold on I’m getting to that part..

Well X books a flight to Jordan and goes to Baghdad International to board the plane, obviously he never boards the plane because some high important high official takes X’s seat so X has to sleep the night at the airport terminal on a chair, (lets not forget why he’s going to Amman in the first place and pray that the plastic moulded chair is comfortable).

Anyway..

X arrives at Queen Alia Airport next day on the late flight to Amman and is told by immigration to wait for the Intelligence officer, himself and two other.

X waits for four hours until the Intelligence officer meets him and vet’s him. Conclusion was “We don’t want you in our country go somewhere else to do you operation” X has to sleep in Queen Alia’s Terminal (not her bed) on another plastic moulded seat until next days flight sets to Baghdad. But aha what about the KFC meal? Well out of courtesy the Jordanian Intelligence Officer gets the a wonderful meal from Heaven a bucket of Yummy KFC chicken.

Conclusion is that X had a magical $1000 meal of KFC that seems to do wonders in healing back problems.

And Maliki just like Saddam sells Oil to the Jordanians at lower than market prices.

Summer Holidays

2007-05-09T13:22:00.000+01:00

Because our representatives in the Parliament have done wonders to the country, working their asses (bullocks in english) so hard to get the Iraqi citizen water electricity and above all security, they have decided to take a Summer Holiday for two months.

the main reason is because so many Iraqi's like me are already taking their holidays abroad on the street pavements of Iran, Syria, Cairo, and Amman, Jordan, so theoretically the homeland is practically empty.

I hope they take a one way ticket, they know as we do that they have lost connection with the Iraqi people and its time for them to flee.

were we so naive to elect these semi humans?

as a wise man just commented ' yes, but would anyone notice their not in? '

Happy Holidays bastards! your no better than the terrorists!

Queens Red Carpet

2007-05-03T21:44:00.000+01:00

If you can't setup a red carpet, how the hell are you going to build a wall..

There was some delay in the Queen disembarking the aircraft as officials struggled to get the steps to reach up to the plane door. One member of the palace entourage was seen at the door looking at his watch and Prince Philip also could be seen, seemingly wondering why it was taking so long.

Daily Express

59

2007-04-28T21:49:00.000+01:00

Kent gets hit with a terrible earthquake measured 4.3 on the Richter scale, causing tremendous damage to chimneys, the city council is still assessing the damaged chimneys and roof tiles, one elderly women has been hospitalized. citizens have been evacuated from thier homes.

In other News,

59 die in Karbala 127 injured.

Good Night.

My view is that each on of the fifty nine human beings have families have feelings , are flesh and bones. had dreams

but then who am I to Judge the News channels.

Stopped The Great Wall

2007-04-23T13:32:00.000+01:00

Thank good, Mr. Maliki has asked the Americans to Stop building the Great Adhamiyah Wall.
If anything this wall would have caused was divsion.

People don't wan't to live in Ghettos, whose Idea was it? I can think of some Villige idiots in the pentagon right now.

Balls of Steel

2007-04-22T12:36:00.000+01:00

Talking about being a bit to over courageous, these young kids are doing two things:

1. giving a very clear picture of Baghdad.

2. giving the Bad guys whoever they are an exceuse.

I don't think thats a safe thing to do, whos going to protect you boys?

I love this site. but I'm worried about the boys.

Is Life Fair?

2007-04-21T23:10:00.000+01:00

"Man Talab Al O'la Sahar Al layale' which translates roughly to to Who seeks glory stays late.

Dr. Ali Alwardi says this is nonsense I believe him.

My Dad used to say If you don't become a fierce Wolf the Dogs would eat you.

In news about Iraq, Baghdad is turning into Berlin in the cold war Districts and Neighbourhoods are being walled with large, ugly concrete T walls.

I wonder what intelligent Idea they would think of next?

The Americans and the Iraqi Government have lost faith.

Iraq's Future will be Bright...

2007-04-18T22:03:00.000+01:00

Thats not me talking, thats a British Officer in Emara this morning...

At least 142 Died today in the Sadreyah bus park near the Bicycle shops...same bomb second time same place.. which makes you think, why did it happen again if the Security plan is working, Is Al Qayeda more powerful than both the Iraqi government and the coalition forces?

Its not me to tell.

I think it is time for the United Nations to intervien, if the Americans allow them.

or better yet, its time to clear hearts, minds and souls of the few people causing all this.

Frankly I believe its time to Hang some terrorists at Tahrir squares.

as for the joke of Democracy well I think if you can't force it with a gun.

I don't see Vietnam democratic, do you?

Cold...

2007-04-16T20:45:00.000+01:00

England is Cold....

London City is Freezing...

and I don't mean the temperature....

put a little flame in your Hearts and try to smile within, not a fake polite smile.

The Assembly line

2007-04-16T20:36:00.000+01:00

This may sound weired...

when you walk down anywhere on planet Earth, an Iraqi can distinguish another Iraqi fairly easy, there's something that connects us..

The Flag in the Suitcase

2007-04-16T20:27:00.000+01:00

When I left Baghdad International Airport, I had to take something with me... a large Official Iraqi Flag..

That was a couple of months ago.

when the anniversary of the war was being talked about on the news stations, I wanted to fly the colours of Iraq on my balcony..

I didn't have the guts to do that..

Maybe in the London Olympics? or after the twenty years after the Olympics when Baghdad turns into the city I used to know..

until then its folded in my suitcase..

Charles Darwin Theory of human evolution

2007-04-16T19:51:00.000+01:00

It is a Tabo for any Muslim to respect Darwin's theory, as it contradicts the Holy Quran.

However, I within my heart believe its true when it comes to Mr. Muqtada and Mr. Bush. I honestly believe that these two are Idiots, with high respect to Muqtada's father Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Mohammed Sadiq Al-Sadr who I totally respect and believe that if it wasn't for him the Iraqi Shia would have never again prayed together each Friday "Jama' ah", and his genus uncle The Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir Al-Sadr who redefined Islam to a new age..

but....

when it comes down to this Idiot things change... what do you mean by wanting a F***ing timetable for troops to withdraw! who's going to clean up the mess the Americans and Brits have caused? YOU? YOUR MILITA?

anyway he ordered the Sadr members of the prime minister cabinet to withdraw, as if things could get any worse than it is....

or could it?

A Bridge so far...

2007-04-14T11:14:00.000+01:00

This really was a blow to each Baghdadi, they managed to break our Hearts by blowing up the Oldest bridge in Baghdad the Sarafiyah Bridge also named "Al jisr al-Hadedee" the Iron Bridge.
Many people had been effected emotionally as another Major feature of Baghdad has been destroyed.
this bridge initially was presented as a gift from the British government back in the thirties, it was an old bridge in the U.K. that was dismantled and rebuilt in Iraq at that time.

9th of April

2007-04-09T13:04:00.000+01:00

Here:

People are having a wonderful time under the lovely Sun. problems are petty comparared to.. Iraq, Its been a wonderful Bank Holiday for me, My Sister and her husband visted me and we had a wonderful time in Henley on Tames. yesterday I was invited to a barbicue in London.

Home:

Things are going Bad, Maliki Declared a working day and the T.V. Declared a Curfew! so who should people listen to? of course never to Maliki, even the Iranians turned his airplane away, what an insult.

Celebrate or mourn:

Should we celebrate that we got rid of a Dictator? or should we Mourn what we lost in the past four years?

Confused:

Can I still talk about Iraq? do I have the right? I don't know things are confusing to me I feel that since I "left", not suffering like my fellow Iraqi's.

Missing home

2007-03-10T11:25:00.000Z

I miss the Garbage man,
I Miss the Horse driven Kerosene Seller even though he is a crook
I miss the Beggars who keep knocking on my door early Friday
I miss the bakery
I miss the Generator Guy
I miss home
I miss my Brothers and Sister at work
I miss 'Uruklink' my idiotic Internet connection
I miss my bed
I miss my neighbour Abu Mohammed who keeps his nose in everyones bussiness
I miss my broke down car
I miss my daughters and wife, My sister and Mum
I miss 'Bab il Sharji' and 'Sahat al tayaran'
I miss smoking in the company's courtyard under the Sun
I miss the Date palms there about to bloom now I'm sure

I miss Iraq.

Safety has its price. and I'm paying for it.

Monopoly

2007-02-25T12:28:00.000Z

How do people live in these Monopoly Houses?

I feel I'm in Legoland, even the double beds seem minuture, I miss Home... Anba'ar Rice and my Cousins Hassoni and Chebreet.

Zappy in Mossy Land

2007-02-24T11:59:00.000Z

Well,

Thats it for me,

I finally made it to the big smoke, I'm in the U.K. safe, Sound and legal.

my family is waiting in Amman for some time, the Girls are in School, my wife is working hard to get her English better, and farewell Iraq.

I left everthing, my Home my Cars my Job, everthing and Im working hard for a better future.

Zappy!

IRAQ

2007-02-14T15:49:00.000Z

Iraq, Mesopotamia as the old British Gaurd like to call it, or "Ardh as-Sawad" which is the Black Land as the Arabs used to Call it because of the so many Date Palm Grooves.

Its turned Black all right... Black "from Smudges of Explosions" and Dark Red "form the Blood splattered on the street" with so little Green "trees" and Lots of White "Dead People covered for Burial".

Iraqi's are not welcomed in Egypt
Iraqi's are not welcomed in Lebanon
Iraqi's are not welcomed in Kuwait
Iraqi's are finding it difficult in Syria
Iraqi's are finding it nearlly impossible to enter Jordan
Iraq's are harassed in Iran.
the Number of Iraqis who entered the U.S. since April 2003 are 500 including Fulbright scholars )approx 120)

P.S. to the Government:

if the Government dosen't respect its own citizen, don't wonder why other Countries don't respect Iraqi's.

Some Stupid Calculations

2007-02-02T11:50:00.000Z

the Iraqi Medium Basic Salary = $300

A month is 30 days à $10 daily

20 Liters of Kerosene = $17 = enough for 12 hours of heating four kerosene heaters

20 liters of Gasoline = $12 = 120 km for a car and 8 hours for an 8Kv Generator

1 (16 Kg) LPG cylinder (cooking gas) = $ 20 enough for a week cooking

1 kilogram of tomatoes = $1.5

6 pieces of unleavened bread (Staple food) = $ 0.95

1 Kilo of Beef = $10

1 amp of hired street electricity = $9 for 7 hours a day/ per month of 185 Volts

Unrelated? Confusing?

If we understand that the national electricity grid provides is only two hours a “day” (one hour each 12 hours) then we conclude that electricity is useless in providing Heating, Water Boilers etc.

If we rely on hired electricity and a boiler works on 3500 Watts that means you need 15 Amps that’s $135 just for seven hours of Hot Water per month.

Kerosene for four heaters working Twelve Hours daily = $2040

Etc

Etc.

Isn’t it Ironic? in the land of 1.5 trillion Barrels of Crude Oil just under 50 meters beneath?

Dear Date Palm

2007-01-30T11:27:00.000Z

Dear Date Palm,

You have been my Mentor all my life, we never connected quite well when I was young, you have always been a Gentleman among your peers and your Family.

I have learned so much from you, I cannot express how much I love you Sir.

I'm sorry I haven't visited you, I have my reasons, I hope you forgive me.

you being in Karbala and me in Baghdad doesn't mean anything, you are always in our Hearts, we will always remember your kindness and love, you were really a model, so many people envy us because how a great Man you were.

I remember all those shocking moments in life, when you had your first Heart attack, you were so young, the Government pushed you so hard in life. your Dad and Young Brother Died two years ago they loved you so much, your Dad was a tough guy and not much of a good parent he pushed you so hard to become a Man at such a young age, he sent you away when you were twelve and never told your Mum that it would be sixteen years until you came back, your Mom still thinks about you and cries whenever your name is mentioned.

Dear Date Palm,

you were such a lousy politic analyst, the day before the War you said "three days, one to locate him, one to set things up and one to pick him up from his collar and then things will get better than ever in Iraq" its been approximately Four years Date Palm, the Family has set apart each one of us has "relocated" to a different country, the Family is on such a wide scale of time zones the Sun always shines on one of us during the day.

Dear Date Palm,

Its not just our Family, Its most middle class Iraqi's, they have fled the country or trying to, I know you would not agree to such a thing, you would never have accepted leaving home, but things have changed, its not safe anymore, Evil roams everywhere, no one is safe. not even at home.

We all Love you Dad.

in loving memory of "SAM" 1945-2003

The Aqiqi's

2007-01-09T11:46:00.000Z

Dean Aqiqi is a wonderful character "I happen to know him close, but he doesn't know who I am" hes one of those people that you can connect to quickly and he's highly active, here's what he has to say:

Dear Friend,

Here is an attempt to write in honour of Iraq; the home I left in 1972 to return only in 2005 to serve.......hence these lines:

BELOVED IRAQ!

Everyday her brilliant visage appears
to me when I stand, when I'm sad,
upon hearing the news of tears
in Iraq and when I'm glad!

Those who are far from the eye,
they say, are far from the heart;
none sense I say for Iraq has
and will always be in my
heart until the sun shines no more.

Her delightful soul, my dear Iraq
visits me time and again and calls:
I need more; only a few are
those who could really give it all.

One thing Iraq will never be
deprived of is the light of the sun
no one, yes nothing could veil
its rays; it is not oil nor bun.

Did the war make Sam and sons
safer or our beloved country a stable
state; did it spread peace and fun?
Patience? OK but how long I'm unable!
Wait for me all as I will
remain in love with the wounded land
ere long will meet again and enjoy
time again and again!

Dean Aqiqi
Canada

SURPRISE!! , M & N are down the Drain, or the Poor Iraqi’s Passport dilemma

2007-01-07T12:07:00.000Z

Iraqis are confused by the many types of passports going around, you have the pre April 2003 passports with serial numbers starting with M,N and H then the post April Travel documents (stopped) and the notorious S passports and last but definitely not least the G passport. Britain and as of yesterday the United states have stopped allowing Iraqis with the S passports to enter their countries furthermore the U.S. also stopped recognizing the M and N passports and because our government likes to keep us on the edge and there full of surprises have as of this Morning issued an order to all ports of exit and entry to not allow any Iraqi’s to exit Iraq if they hold the M or N Passports.
So to get to the point, if you’re an Iraqi with a M or N passport then your going nowhere without bribing a Passport official with the know $600 for each G passport you need to exit Iraq. Or you can use that S/H passport you may have.

I think I can see the smiles on the Passports official all over Iraq now.

“The Dummies Guide to become an Idiot on International News”

2007-01-01T17:27:00.000Z

Searching through all the Boring News Channels on T.V. I noticed what some idiots have to say;

1) All Major News Channels during the Execution of Saddam one of the Henchmen chants “Long Live Mohammed Baqir Al Hakeem” then you realize duh isn’t he dead?

2) On Al Hurra News and I think Al Jazeera and Al Arabeya a guy carrying a rifle in Sammara and chanting after the Execution and burial of Saddam says “The President Sadam Hussien may good protect him and care for him” then you also think , ummm I thought he was hanged yesterday?

3) On Al Hurra News a demonstration of Teenagers from “Fateh Palistinian party” chanting after Saddam was buried “Long Live the Great President Saddam Hussien” , how long would that be?

This was just to give you an Idea of the Idiots going around.

Zatti ? or the Idiots Guide of how not to execute a tyrant

2006-12-31T16:05:00.000Z

The best way to destroy a nation is per (divide and conquer) or in this case (divide and lets watch how many people kill each other, hehehehe).

No reasonable Iraqi could argue that Mr. Saddam was other than a complete Self centered Butcher, he represented no other than himself and who ruined Iraq with the help of the Hippocrates and henchmen.

Now lets talk about ourselves, we Iraqi’s, are we innocent? I don’t assume that any Iraqi would say he wasn’t a victim, including the current democratic Iraqi government.

Now, lets think a bit, shouldn’t we be better than our henchman? Did we learn anything from this very clear picture of History in the making?

Now lets look at the whole picture:

He was executed on dawn of “Eid” that’s 30th of December 2006, all Muslims celebrated Eid with the EXCEPTION of the Iraqi government they celebrated NEXT DAY!

So the First day of Eid Officially in Iraq was today.

Clearly announcing that the government of Iraq does not represent Iraqi’s but only Shia Iraqi’s and I tell you Shia’s Iraqis are not represented by these butchers.

Why was that? Simply because our democratic government was clarifying how biased they are, how sectarian they are, and finally how clearly they want to divide this country.

This biased country has done what Saddam used to do. What they also want to do is simply stick Saddam to Sunnisim. This you hear by the BBC correspondent in Baghdad today on “have your say”.

The Rope around Saddam is going to go around the Hippocrates, you’ll see. one by one.

Oh and by the way they created a Martyr out of him.

This should be a lesson for other countries of “How not to execute a tyrant”

for the BBC my name is Zappy not Zatti.

Happy Eid (whats left of it) and Have a wonderful New Year!

from the Beatles to Sticky Bombs

2006-12-26T06:43:00.000Z

Well obviously I made it back to Baghdad in one piece :)
the U.K. from my short trip experience is a nice, calm, and tidy country (most places), I used the Railways a lot and had some really ironic experience in a trip on a Friday afternoon from Oxford (not true, but nearby) to Liverpool, I had to take three trains and the delays were a bit annoying, on the first train a "Virgin line" the announcer on the speakers said "welcome on Virgin line from blah blah blah to blah blah blah, enjoy your trip and relax" I was enjoying it standing near the toilet for nearly three hours.
Liverpool I visited Mathew street and a German type of Bazaar I also visited the Albert Docks, nice city but ugly buildings.
on another trip I was invited by Hala_S to visit London City, she gave me the Grand tour, down to Harrods, Hamleys, Park Lane, the Hard Rock Cafe, London Bridge the newly developed Dock Area..etc. Hala_S is a Model of the Hard working, independent,Individual Iraqi with a great self esteem. a wonderful Girl and a great lady, we had some nice discussions and I tell you she's down to earth in everything going around in Iraq and the Iraqi community in the U.K.
I hope we would always keep in touch.
I also was invited by Salam Adil but due to lack to time couldn't meet him.

Coming back to Baghdad was difficult, the trip from Baghdad International Airport to Home was one of the spookiest experiences I have had, the Roads were deserted (8:00 p.m.) and the Taxi driver was so nervous) anyway I made it home my oldest daughter (X) was looking all the time through the taxi window telling my wife "Mummy where are all the people? why is Beautiful Baghdad so dirty?"

a new trend is going around these days, Snipping people and sticking bombs under cars, the bad guys are snipping Innocent civilians all over Baghdad with concentration over bridges and the highways, they are also sticking explosives under the ordinary civil servant because they know he parks his car "inside" his office car park.

oh by the way, I returned to smoking.

this is a terrible post but I'm so disoriented right now, so sorry if the post seems so lousy.

Have a wonderful Christmas!!

No Access and an interview

2006-12-06T09:11:00.000Z

Terribly Sorry I still dont have a secure private access to the web, sorry for not posting, and yes im in somepart of the U.K.

Have a lovely day!

Where am I ?

2006-12-03T11:51:00.000Z

Well...

and to clarify...

Thank you Hala_S for all your Help, You are an Angel.

Seven Lives!!

2006-11-27T14:15:00.000Z

An Zappy has managed to get out this Morning!
I', o.k. Sorry for not posting the bloody internet is useless, so is my GPRS nothing seems to work.
Anyway Thanks all, for asking about me I made it safe to Amman this Morning, Saw my kids and wife after some terrible depart.

1. on thursday the past I visited Sadr city to fix my car, I made it through the explosions there by a hair!! so yes there goes one of the lives.

2. on the same thursday and after the curfew I found out i had no ciggerattes left so of course I left the house to buy some, The Police were after me without me noticing and using thier Car speaker told me to take my hands out of my pockets, lie down on the road and then they sent a police man to check me, they thought I was a bad guy, I thought that they were the Milita. anyway they let me go and gave me a ciggarate and told me not to mleave the house again because of the curfew, did I mention that it was 9:30 p.m. and not even a Rat was on the Road., there goes another life.

3. this Morning I was waiting for a Airport Cab to take me to Baghdad International Airport, he called me in the morning to tell me he can't make it he was scared of my Naghbourhood, so me being me wearing my suit and dragging my two large bags and a backpack had to Walk two kilometers until on a empty scary street at 6:30 a.m. until I reached a Police car, the boys where so scared of me they started shouting at me to..yes to lie drop the bags and lie down on the street..again this time because I was wearing a Suit I refused to do that part and tried to reson with them, after some talk they sent me one of the police men to search me. "sounds familiar?" anyway they let me stand beside the Police car, and they even stopped me a Taxi. live number 3

I just made it to Amman, Im happy to see my wife, my daughters and the quiteness.

Oh, did I mention... no lets leave that to another time.

Zappy! Gidiup!

the Iraqi Bloggers Milita's

2006-11-18T16:24:00.000Z

Dear Iraqi Bloggers "inside Baghdad" how about we set up a Milita?

Maybe we would do much better than the Idiots in parlament, at least Im sure we would smell better.

Optimisim?

2006-11-18T16:18:00.000Z

I Just love those Optimists, they are one hell of a species.

According to Retuers the spokesanimal for the Interior Ministry, Brigadier Abdul Karim Khalaf, said all the hostages were free:

"This matter is now closed and we have declared all the hostages released. If any family says one of their relatives is missing, let them come to the ministry and tell us."

Yeah sure so you could finish the whole family. Idiot!

this is another way of saying case close we don't give a shit of those people go hit your head in a wall and don't open the subject anymore.

The Thin Transparent Line to Anarchy

2006-11-17T09:53:00.000Z

Kindly excuse me for not posting for a while, internet problems mainly; I also had some terrible experience through the past ten previous days. Mostly indirectly but had some effect on a dear friend and some colleagues.

I shall list them below:

NUMBER ONE

Car bomb on the Republic Bridge near the International Zone, Baghdad: the International news Media took this piece of news very lightly, some even ignored it.

What happened was a judge and his driver had just left the international zone gate number 1 “checkpoint 1” when not more than 15 meter from the checkpoint on the republic bridge their car exploded, it seems that the Judge of Al Karkh Criminal High Court after a meeting with Iraqi official disagreed with “They” so “They” equipped his vehicle with a sticky exploding present that took his life and driver.

P.S. any Vehicle entering the International Zone is presumably Checked.

I leave you with your own conclusion.

NUMBER TWO

Iraqi Cabinet spokesman “Ali Al Dabagh” States that “only 42” have been actually abducted and currently 40 of them have been freed” and two remain unknown”.

I Say he’s a fucking liar and to be conservative more that 100 have been Kidnapped, it is also rumoured that two who are Christian in faith have been freed and two who are named “Ali” alsohave been freed. The freed men have talked about the use of sledge Hammers in cracking open some of the kidnapped men, in one case where “According to Chikitita” “they” called on of the kidnapped men’s mother and made her hear her sons screams while they chopped his fingers laughing in the phone “ONE!” the chopping the other finger “TWO!” …etc.

More than 100!

And both ministries Defense & Interior, the Fucking Iraqi Intelligence service, the whole US forces in Iraq, Green Berets, Marines, FBI. Have no idea what happened who did it? Why? And where the hell are they!

Someone is lying! and they are also trying to cover it up!

they have a clear idea of who did it, but the government is covering it up because they would fall since the people responsable are "partialy" the government if not more stronger.

Daily Approximatly 80 people die

Approximatly 40 to 60 are kidnapped by "They" or "Terrorist", (both look the same to me).

And guess what our Prime minister does? He goes to visit the Turks for a couple of days, showing you how our prime minister cares for the Iraqi People.

BREAKING NEWS!! SADDAM HAS ESCAPED!!

2006-11-07T09:06:00.000Z

While escorted to his plea trial Saddam Escaped the Green Zone!! Reports say See the Footage!!

Fear and beyond

2006-10-30T10:35:00.000Z

I feel like a different person, I am now an engulfed by fear & cowardness, I jump at the sound of a squeaking door, I feel like I’m half dead.

I have this feeling of being stalked; it’s like Spiderman when he gets those vibes when danger approaches. Such a terrible feeling, you feel your heart is going to burst out of your chest.

Furthermore this morning, on my way to work I nearly had a car accident, a Black GMC Suburban nearly hit my Car on the Highway, it then swirled towards the pavement and smashed in, I stopped to see what happened, it seems that the driver was shoot seconds earlier while he was driving or something similar, when they pulled him out of the car he was dead due to multiple gun shots.

This is too much…

"They"

2006-10-22T13:00:00.000+01:00

“They” came in more than ten cars, each car had four Armed men in it, they closed the street from both sides, they entered the house and abducted a young man, they put him in the trunk of a Car, I called 130 six times, continuously the phone rang without any answer.

I was standing in the Roof with my AK-47 and just stared at them.

This is the first time I witness such an event, and I felt so hopeless, there were too many of them.

Smoking Guarantees you Death

2006-10-21T12:48:00.000+01:00

After the Blah Blah Blah, the western Neighborhood of Ghazaliya has posted threats for anyone smoking or selling cigarettes, these notes are advertising that “any shop found selling cigarettes will have the shop owner Shot, anyone smoking publicly will also have his genitals confiscated” , the last part is not true I just made it up, but the first part is true.
So it seems that smoking could be bad for your health.

I wonder what they’ll be thinking of next. Tampons?

Strike I

2006-10-19T16:43:00.000+01:00

My Oldest has been turned away from School the past two days, I have no idea of whats going on, its told that the School teachers are on Strike.
All over Baghdad? (not sure) but thier demands are simple, they want wadges as their peers in Kurdistan.

I belive they deserve it.

Blogging?

2006-10-19T16:26:00.000+01:00

It seems That I forgot why I started blogging in the first place,

I first started blogging for a reason,

I wanted people who cared about Iraq to understand whats going on from my own perspective,

a way to express my feelings,

a place to steam off my anger.

This was never and never will be a News Blog, I'm not a reporter, so if your L3 or any other news digger look somewhere else.

and furthermore if you don't concur to my ideas.. well you can always Comment or click away, thats what I always tell my dear wife, if something on T.V. offends you.. click the T.V. off.

Have a Great Evening!

Planting

2006-10-10T11:29:00.000+01:00

My Wife just called, My Firstborn Survived unharmed a Close explosion on her way to School this morning, “They” planted a Bomb near the school.

Nobody is Safe

2006-10-10T08:15:00.000+01:00

If you ever track the news coming out of Iraq, you would probably get a clear Idea of what’s going around, and to narrow things up you would certainly reach to a conclusion that nobody living inside the borders of this country is safe.
Yesterday “they” even killed the vice presidents brother, a General in the Old army, his house was protected and he had a fair number of security guards.
Every day you hear in the News that between twenty to sixty bodies are found of people tortured and killed execution style.

I have seen things that if I post here even though I post anonymously could get me in trouble.

I have seen convoys of death squads setting up Mortar pipe in the middle of the road not 200 meters from Iraqi Army Tanks and checkpoints! Firing round on other neighborhoods for Hours!! Without any intervention by, neither the Iraqi Army, the corrupt police, nor the U.S. forces.

Just to clarify things up, I respect the Police, the Iraqi Army and the MoI Commando’s but there are units in these organizations that are corrupt to the bone and need dissecting quickly or this Nation would never rise to its feet again.

My children are playing a new game.

I discreetly hear them talking about inspecting their Dolls trolley for explosive’s before putting the doll in it.

When my firstborn arrived to life I wished God that she would never hear the sound of a rifle.

I now Wish God keeps us Safe, Healthy and Alive.

P.S. the Security Operation “Forward Together” going around Baghdad is a Joke.

Kubba

2006-10-04T07:39:00.000+01:00

Kubba, is a lovely dish most famously made in Mosul, it consists of to circular paddies of minced wheat stuck together like a pie and between them minced meat with raisins and almonds, it is then either boiled in brine or fried.

Two days ago, a Kubba factory was raided by MoI Comando’s, all (27)? Workers in the factory were “taken away”. When the people in the neighborhood called the damn (130) anti terrorism number, the operator told them “we do not have any operations in your neighborhood”.
Some of the people DID recognize some of those commandos and a riot started in Durra area were those apprehended families belong to.

The Minister of Interior issued the order to arrest the commander of the 8th Commando battalion and his assistant for interrogation.

Seven of those young men’s bodies were found in a dump site yesterday morning.

Confront the “Wolves”

2006-10-03T17:08:00.000+01:00

This afternoon, I was driving in a small street, craving for a damn cigarette and what do I find in front of me but that terrible razor barbed wires put on the street in a zig zag, the MoI Wolves brigade have done this to make cars drive slowly.

I reversed the Car near the Barbed wires, and stepped out, attached it to a hook on the back of the car and stepped on the Gas!!!

Anybody wants some barbed wire?

Mageena Ya Mageena

2006-10-03T16:57:00.000+01:00

In the good old days during the last ten days of Ramadhan, when I was about seven we used to gather all the kids in the street and go knocking on doors singing “Gargeea’an oow Gargeea’an” that was in a different city in Iraq, In Baghdad and Mousl the Children used to sing Mageena Ya Mageena, anyhow the owners of the house we used to go to had to give us treats, like candy and sweets, I think its about like the Halloween “trick or treat” thing, it used to be very joyful and the Mother of a house should get ready days earlier for this occasion.

Of course that was a long time ago.

Al-Baghdadiya Satellite channel has this black comedy program called “Nus Akhmas” which literally means “folding stock rifle” and there objective is the terrible events each day in Baghdad.

It has a song in the End…they use the Mageena song that children used to sing.

Last verse goes like “Mageena ya Mageena, Hatha al Watan Tha’a min Eedena”

translated to “ Mageena Ya Mageena, we lost our country out of our hands”

The Petrol Queues are back!!!

2006-10-03T16:12:00.000+01:00

Should I say more, it’s been like this for the past three days!! Electricity is One hour On each 12 hours. :(

Da Bob's

2006-10-01T07:44:00.000+01:00

A nice Lady has nomminated me for the Bob's, how kind of her ;)

Coup d'é•tat

2006-09-30T10:00:00.000+01:00

Well rumors go like wildfires in Iraq, especially when the prime minister declares a sudden curfew in his capital, I mean what other cause could it be?

Yesterday at approximately 11:00 P.M. the Secretary of the Iraqi Prime minister announced that Baghdad would be under lockdown from the night of Friday (yesterday) to 6:00 A.M. Sunday, this announcement was not explained, the “Al Alam” Satellite News Channel (Iranian) called the deputy minister of interior at 1:00 A.M. this Morning live on T.V. and when asked about the Curfew he answered “Duh? What Curfew?”

Now what should a simple average citizen think is going on?

Rumor has it that there was a Coup d'é·tat last night.

In other “undeclared” news last night their was heavy fighting after the “Seligh” neighborhood” was rained with Mortars by an “unknown” source, the U.S. Apache helicopters filled the skies with flares and not a single news agency announced this.

And to make things worse subtitles on different News agencies said that “A Major player in the Iraqi Parliament had his house checked and found was a car bomb factory”.

What’s going on? What’s true and what’s false?

Are we in a “Wilayat Bateekh”

The Iraq Flag, again

2006-09-27T05:40:00.000+01:00

Miriam says "The current flag characterizes the deepest grief for all the Iraqi people during Saddam’s reign of terror"

I disagree, totally, this flag is the flag of the Iraqi Patriot, the type that never left Iraq, the type that suffered through three wars and horrific sanctions, this flag was the cover of hundreds of thousands of Martyrs during these terrible atrocities that are to be blamed towards Barzani, Talbani, Saddam, Larry King "kidding", Khomanie, Regan, Rumsfeld the two Bushes, King Hussien, Arafat,the UN and every other National politician who supported these wars including every Arab state.

I do not concur to your point of view.

I mean did a flag ever kill somebody?

P.S. Sorry Miraj, Honest Ex-Smoker Mistake :)

Children Confront Terrorism?

2006-09-22T11:04:00.000+01:00

I mean is this stupidity or what? , the story begins a couple of months ago when “I thought I heard” the Iraqi Minister of Education announce on T.V. that “Schools will Confront Terror” I thought at that time maybe it was one of those useless foolish statements that Iraqi ministers most of the time like to announce whenever there is a camera crew nearby, since they have nothing more important to do…except maybe scratch their bottom…when its hot… that is not always.

Well yesterday he did announce that the Motto this year for the Ministry of Education would be “School Children Against Terror” he is Planning Guarding the schools by Iraqi National Guard and Police, making them really good targets… I wonder where his children go to school? Surely not in Iraq.

Stupid statements cause attention, please leave our children out of this.

Dates, the type that grows on Palm Trees

2006-09-21T19:07:00.000+01:00

Well its the time of year, when the Dates need to be cut down of the trees and that includes my Palm trees, I so love Dates (the edible type) I posted some pictures of the process.

Cheers

P.S. its been 24 hours since I Quit Smoking, I’m searching for someone to strangle, any suggestions? ..Other than Rubin?,, suggestions? Anyone?. nobody?

Rasool “Brooh Oobook”

2006-09-10T19:00:00.000+01:00

Nearly every shopkeeper in the “Karada Dakhel – Aboklaam & Attar Street” Area know who Rasool is.
He’s a Young ignorant skinny Individual with many talents, he started as a shoeshine boy and was persistently dirty and ragged, his main goal in life was to get over a failed marriage and Marry again, during my acquaintance to him he used to beg for either a Cigarette or a 250 Iraqi Dinar Bill (approx 10 cents) telling us “Brooh Oobook” (on your Fathers soul” give me a 250. When we used to make fun of him and throw a shoe at him he used to throw it back on our heads and spit on us. When it was lunch time he was the first to join us for lunch. When he finishes he curses us and leaves. But that’s Rasool.
One day he told us that when he arrives to Paris, France and becomes the Ambassador there he would call us and laughs and spit on us.
He eventually did marry again, he tidied himself, and his wife barred him a Son, Rasool was overjoyed and called his Son “Gaith”, he gradually started cleaning Goldsmith shops and Cars and became picky which cars he cleaned “I prefer BMW’s because their owners are better than you stinky people” sitting crossed legs in front of us smoking our cigarettes and drinking my “Istikan” of tea. Of course he gets shoes flying all over him and he runs away.

I haven’t seen him for the past two years.

I was told by a Friend of mine two days ago that last week, Rasools parents were searching for him in Karrada.

He was found in the Baghdad Morgue next day.

He had just finished cleaning cars that evening and was heading for home in Sadr city when someone “forgot” a plastic bag in the Micro Bus…

All that was left of Rasool was his Humor & mischief.

Brothers, Killing each other

2006-09-08T20:14:00.000+01:00

Shia’s are kidnapping the Sunni’s torturing them and killing them, and Sunni’s are decapitating the Shia’s, planting bombs and suicide bombing the markets, Kurds are planning to rip themselves out of the whole country and declaring there own independence, the Turkmen are Angry about that and are worried about Kurkuk, Christian Cheldanians are working hard on their papers to migrate to the U.S. through Cyprus, the Mendain Sabi’es are doing the same, and the Christian Assyrians are thinking about Australia.

Is this true?

Partially yes it is and in the next year if thing remain as they are, if the government remains only thinking of stealing and gathering as much as they can, and if the stupid parliament remains as they are arguing and not listening then the only thing the average Iraqi can do is humiliate himself find a country where he could “feel” safe and secure women are getting listed as “Married” and are trafficked to the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan to work as prostitutes in the nigh clubs, the men are working for petty salaries even though they have high university degrees in these same countries and that’s it.

These freaks “politic parties” that have came with the blessings of the United states to govern Iraq, from the U.S. the U.K., Syria, Iran and Turkey are destroying Iraq, All of them.

My wife is Sunni and my Neighbor is a Turkmen and my other Neighbor is a Kurd, we have lived as neighbors for the pas forty years, we care for each other and we stand for each other.

My best friends are Sunni’s a Kurd and two Cheldanians is that wrong? Have we ever thought about it? No , because we are friends.

Do you know how many Iraqi Doctors, Professors, intellects have left Iraq? Just try going to an Iraqi Hospital one day, you will not find more than one resident in the whole hospitable responsible for everything from Burns to Bones.

Conclusion, We are in DEEEEP S... only God himself can get us out.
and a small piece of advise to my naghbour Iranian's, don't get involved with America, all America did to my country is get it in a worse state than it was during the Tyrants Regime.
you don't belive me look at Afghanistan.

That is All.

Zappy!

Proposed New Iraqi Flag

2006-09-06T13:09:00.000+01:00

Non-Iraqis won't understand the joke behind this it.

Dear Mr. Sheristani, Iraqi Minister of Oil Part II

2006-09-03T19:00:00.000+01:00

Just to be fair, the Petrol problems have been resolved “for the time being”, car queues have nearly diminished, and believe it or not yesterday I was able to fill up my car from the hose for the first time in over a year, oh I wished I had a camera J
So, it seems Mr. Sheristani was able eventually to clear up the mess.

Thank you. And have a wonderful day!

Gidiup!

Killing ING’s

2006-09-02T19:37:00.000+01:00

Last weeks battle between the Sadr Militias and the ING’s “Iraqi National Guards” in the southern city of Diwaniyah was terrible at the end of the fights where the ING’s lost all there ammunition and surrendered eleven ING’s were executed by the cutthroats.
ING’s are Iraqi’s they are our brothers and fathers, when someone hears of such atrocities they would think “what a terrible country”.I have reached a conclusion that I believe is based on facts. This country can not be rescued

Our Flag and a Nice thick Wall

2006-09-02T19:26:00.000+01:00

This is our flag, by “our” I mean the people of the Republic of Iraq, a flag is the pride of ones nation.
Mr. Barzani gave orders yesterday to remove this flag from all official building in “Kurdistan-Iraq” I tell him go hit you head in a nice thick wall.
If you have no pride in your nation’s flag then you can “leave Iraq”. He says that the Kurds were killed and tortured by the governments of Iraq raising this flag, I say what's that got to do with the flag?
I can tell you this, If the central government of Iraq has lost whatever pride and respect it has, although I don't believe they ever have been respected.

Tolerating Stupidity

2006-09-02T19:17:00.000+01:00

For the past eight day Al-Azamiyah neighborhood populated by approximately 450,000 people has been the main focal point of the security operations conducted by the U.S. forces and the Iraqi National Guard.
A major Curfew has been forced. The whole area is under total siege.
Ministry of Defense and the office of the prime minister keep bragging that they have planned this since three months ago with General Casey.
The plan is going smooth; the reports say that they have found some explosives and complicated machinery to make high explosives etc.
One thing they forgot, and it seems that its taking a pattern whenever there is such an operation or whenever there is a curfew. That is they tend to “forget” people need to eat, drink go to their work and people also get sick, they need to get medical treatment.
Part of this area where most of the trouble happens is the “Safenah” area this area in Al-Azamiyah is a kind of slum, its populated by mainly poor people with irregular jobs.
These people in particular and most of Al-Azamiyah are now after eight days of total curfew and siege are now hungry shops have finished whatever they had on the shelves and no food has entered the area for the past eight days, there is a total lack of fuel, food and medicine.
People in the “Safinah” area are begging for bread.
It seems that the geniuses that planned this security measures have forgotten that "Humans" live their. Or have they?
I just can’t tolerate stupidity, and the media are so far away.
It seems that the high brass just doesn’t care.

The Melting Pot and Vito Corleone

2006-08-26T06:32:00.000+01:00

I may not have ever been in the Shoes of the Iraqi's how have Migrated either legally or Illegally to the four corners of the Earth, I can not say that I do know what they have Experienced or are experiencing, I have no Idea whatsoever.

The same thing applies to those Iraqis whom have left this country, especially those whom have left before 1991, the reason.. well to simplify they have not gone through the sanction era of Iraq. Some people may also argue that people who have fled during the eighties have suffered also of the Regime. That is true, but my personal believe is that there could be no comparison.

It is widely said that you can't change what a person believes in unless he chooses to.
In the real world that is absolutely correct, Saddam was never able to change our hearts whatever he did we just showed another face, being cautious is not being hypocrite.

Iraqi's who have fled this place and have settled in other countries have a choice. What they choose is their business, no one can interfere.

I have seen many Iraqis who choose to give their children names that are neither Arabic nor Aramaic or Kurdish, when you ever meet an Adam he may be from an Iraqi decent, when you meet a Jude he may be of an Iraq decent same thing goes for the Sara's and Mariam's and the list goes on.

If it stops at that well we all would understand, but loosing your religion and language is a bit edgy. But we may also understand this.

But being not even the bit proud of Being an Iraqi for whatever reason that I can't understand.
If you believe that you are going to be respected more if you jump in the melting pot by denouncing your religion, your faith, your way of life then you are blinded.
Look at the Chinese the Italians the Koreans the Pakistanis and the Indians, they stick to there culture they don't care what others say.

Then of course, I really understand, the laws in these countries "Anti terrorism Laws" and the way the media show Arabs and Muslims not that I believe that the media falsifies everything; all this causes people to do the above. My young cousin in Canada, a Canadian was called a "Terrorist" by a group of kids in her school because she's dark skinned…

That's why people denounce their background and jump in the Melting Pot.

On other news I was stopped today trying to hunt for gasoline during the glorious morning curfew by the Mehdi Army the asked me to get out of the car and give them my Car registration papers, well I did and one of them said that "your papers are illegal and this is a stolen car, we are going to confiscate it" I told him my name is "Zappy! Vito Corleone" so he apologized for the "misunderstanding", and let me through.

That was a close one...

Have a great Day!

Zappy!

El Delilah from Saturn

2006-08-23T10:09:00.000+01:00

You made me cry...

Rotten Onions and sweet smelling Ministers

2006-08-21T19:18:00.000+01:00

I went to the Grocery’s today, my wife gave me an upgraded list of things to buy, and only thing I found were rotten onions.
The government likes surprises; they surprised us with a two nights three days curfew six hours before it was forced.
I wonder if Mr. Sheristani’s Generator stopped due to lack of Fuel? Or if Mr. Maliki’s Refrigerator went empty? I wonder if they have seen the streets this morning? With tons of rubbish and dug up water pipes the pilgrims dug out due to the extensive heat?
Yesterday was the hottest day in Baghdad, 50.6 Celsius.
Fuel prices last night shoot up to 50,000 Iraqi Dinars per 20 liters that’s $8 a US Gallon.
This afternoon I went near the gas station behind it their were two 36000 liter gasoline trailers behind the station and some armed men guarding them, the low life’s were filling in their 20 liter jerry cans and selling them on a side street.
Location, 500 meters from the ministry of Interior.

I wish I could stick those Rotten Onions up Mr. Sheristani’s …

P.S. I am now a proud owner of three generator units a 8KV/A, a 3KV/A (broken) and a small 950 watt one, adding to that two DC to AC 1KV/A inverters (without batteries) and a member of the elite street generator (“broken” won’t be fixed until diesel fuel goes under the $1 a liter line) and 8 potable water pumps. (Only three work)Only problem is I don’t have enough fuel ;) I am also a member of the Iraqi Insomnia Society (try running every four hours day and night).

The “Army” Controls the Gas pumps.

2006-08-18T13:36:00.000+01:00

I just realized today…

When I came back home from my “screwed up” Vacation I was searching for fuel in the black market, the guy selling the fuel was selling in 6 times the official price not 10 meters away from the pump station, when I asked him why are you selling so high he told me what’s the matter with you? Don’t you know that the Army controls the petrol stations?, because I was in no mood to argue with such a “low life” call me a Bourgeoisie I don’t care, and because the sweat was oozing into every opening of my body well I left angry.

Today after nearly four weeks “I think”, I went to the same lowlife and asked him the same question “the price of fuel today in Baghdad is $1.5 per liter, an average family “theoretically” needs about 40 liters a day for their generators in heats exceeding 49 Celsius “about 120 Fahrenheit” that’s $60 a day.

People do not have such money.

In real life people are not operating their generators more than three to four hours a day, they are sleeping in the gardens and the roof tops, someone may argue that sleeping in the rooftops is actually done in Iraq for a long time ago I answer well yes, but how about strayed bullets and even worse strayed mortars?
Know back to the subject he answered well the Army is in control of the petrol station, he then added to my confusion “The Mahdi Army”.
Now everything is clarified, the government has no control over anything the militia’s are controlling everything the controls our lives our food our security and they grow greedy everyday, you open your mouth --- you disappear or you are found dead with electric drill holes in your body.
Ahh.. by the way in the Adhamiya area the same thing is happening to the petrol stations but they are controlled by the “Mujahidins”
Iraq is controlled by the Gangs by cutthroats and criminals. Neither the sluggish militia infested weak government; neither the Multi national forces that have given up all hope can do anything.

We are talking about a country a civilization, humans under siege.

there is unfortunatly only one way to control Iraq... with the Sword of Justice, cutthroats can't be reasoned with democracy.

P.S. anyone entering Baghdad by plane or Helicopter can see how long the snake like car queues are, waiting on the petrol stations.

Dracul’s Barbecue

2006-08-12T09:11:00.000+01:00

It is told that Count Dracul had his enemies impaled on the outskirts of Transylvania to horrify the Turks from ever wanting to invade Transylvania that was back in the fifteenth century.

Last week a neighbor found his son in front of his door, Impaled with a reinforcing steel rod, there were tomatoes and onions on both sides of that Rod.

I am going to stop blogging for a while.