Iraq:The hidden story

The story of what does not get reported in Iraq by the mainstream media.

A New Open War

By the time the Mahdi army militiamen continue their sectarian killings in the lawless Baghdad City, the situation is still loose and out of control in the western restive Anbar province.

Al-Sabah State newspaper reported that fierce clashes erupted in Haditha, 140 miles northwest of Baghdad, a town were non-combatant local residents were massacred by U.S. Marines in the aftermath of an insurgent attack. The paper added these clashes came a day after insurgents clashed with Iraqi army troops in Ramadi, the capital of the province.

Subsequent insurgent attacks against U.S. forces in the province, the increase of sectarian violence and the continued insurgent control of several cities in Anbar showed that fighting in the region is far from being over.

Fed up with the al-Qaeda foreign and Iraqi fighters in the province, Anbar tribes met early October and decided to combat al-Qaeda fighters especially after the obvious incapability of the US and Iraqi forces in the cleansing of this area from these fighters.

In their meeting, called “Anbar Waking”, the tribal attendees formed “The Anbar Rescue Council”, a group of tribal armed men in three battalions. The battalions were formed in coordination with the Iraqi interior minister Jawad al-Bolani and his deputy Gen. Ahmed al-Jubouri, al-Hayat newspaper reported. The interior minister promised this council of supporting them financially and providing them with weapons in order to “liberate the province from the armed groups which control most of the parts of the province.”

Where once tribal leaders in Anbar and western Iraq welcomed al-Qaeda, providing them with safe houses and other logistical support, there is now open war.

The number of the new local council’s fighters reached 6,000 in addition to 24,000 men who volunteered to be part of this new force, Hamid al-Hayis, a member of the council told al-Sabah and al-Hayat newspapers.

In a telephone interview with al-Hayat reporter, Hayis said the council called on the Iraqi Prime minister to offer the council the “legal form” to allow the fighters, who have been training for sometime, “to break into [Ramadi] and liberate it from the al-Qaeda.” He said their forces are completely ready to liberate the cities but the US forces did not allow them start their operations.

In a separate interview also with al-Hayat, Sheikh Sattar Abu Reesha, the head of the Rescue Council, said that they are waiting for the weapon supplies promised by the interior minister to start their operations.

“We don’t want to form militias,” Abu Reesha said. “We’ll wait for the government to keep its promise.”

Abu Reesha said that there are more than 1,100 foreign fighters who belong to al-Qaeda while the rest of them are Iraqis, mostly former Iraqi army officers who are now residing in downtown Fallujah, Albu Obaid, and Saddamiya neighborhoods.

Hayis, the member of the council, added that most of Ramadi areas are controlled by these armed men who even control areas where government directorates, like the education and oil distribution directorates, are located.

The Anbar tribes that have pledged to hunt al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed to have killed a senior al-Qaeda leader, captured several others, and forced more to flee across the Syrian border. “The council... said that members of their tribes killed four Al-Qaeda members, including a prominent leader in the network known as Abu Shujae Al-Yamani, during an armed confrontation in Sankoura town in western Iraq,” reports the Kuwaiti News Agency. “The council had declared earlier that two Al-Qaeda members were killed and six others were arrested and were handed over to the Iraqi authorities.”

It has been a month now since the council was formally established and the government did not actually fully support it or give it the green light as it was promised, Abu Reesha and Hayis mentioned. Despite everything, the council fighters are ready for a major operation.

“Within the coming few days,” Hayis said. “we’ll break into Ramadi whether the government accepted that or not.”

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Farewell “New Iraq”

It is known among people that young generations are the seeds for a bright future and prosperous country. But what if these generations are traumatized by war? What if they immigrate?

Ahmed, one of my best friends, became hopeless. I chat with him and sometimes we talk to each other through voice chat on the internet. His sense of humor was one of the best among my other friends. This glow of humor is distinguished and maybe forever.

“I am desperate,” he says every time I talk to him. “I am alone and miserable now,” he said in despair as I was gazing at his image through the webcam. He was pale. He was not Ahmed the one I know. He was a different man. I could see his eyes were full of tears resisting falling. He did not want me to see them in order not to depress me. Even when he is sad, he doesn’t want to make others sad.

Ahmed was left alone. Our group of friends has left Baghdad. Safaa resisted to the last minute to stay there but he couldn’t. He left to Egypt to work, study, and find a new life where he can feel alive and able to produce to do something useful instead of staying in a war zone where death is the only production. “I decided to leave in the last minute,” he told me by phone from Egypt yesterday. “I just couldn’t stay there anymore. I expected to be killed at any moment,” he added with a sad tone in his voice. The ministry where he worked refused to give him a two-year leave to study abroad. So he decided to leave them chasing a brighter future he planned for. Unfortunately, this future is not going to be built in Iraq.

Jordan, Syria, Dubai, and Egypt are the new destinations of Iraqis running away from the worst war happened in the region since the civil war in Lebanon in the 1980s. Massive immigrations to these countries and some western countries flourished as everything else in Iraq deteriorated.

Sameem, one of my other best friends, left Baghdad and went to Kirkuk. “It is unbearable to live in Baghdad,” he said. He preferred going to his hometown Kirkuk which is another victim of the war. “If I die by a car bomb is better than being kidnapped, tortured and killed,” he told me in email he sent three days ago. He added that our neighborhood is no longer the same. “Many things have changed since you left,” he said. “It is much worse now.”

The family of my other friend Ahmed has left to Syria before he did. He did not want to go there at first. Satisfied with his computer sciences degree and his electronic and electric store he owned in Adhamiya, he did not join his family there. Since this area is no longer alive and since the militiamen started kidnapping shop owners, he thought about leaving. He is in Syria now looking for a job. He sold his store as well as his family’s house and left for no plan to return.

Most of my blog readers and visitors remember Bashar whose mother was killed in an explosion in our neighborhood last May. He is now desperate like many young Iraqis. He lost his mother, lost his hope and lost everything that brings smile back to his face. He also started thinking of leaving trying to save the rest of his family before he loses them.

We never felt we were going to be separated like this. I remember how our eyes were filled with tears when I left. We hugged each other and cried realizing that we may not see each other again. We were great friends. We always considered ourselves the sign of hopeful Iraq. We were Sunnis, Shiites, and Turkomen and we always considered ourselves the New Iraq, not the “New Iraq” that Hakim's and Sadr's militias and insurgents formed.

Diwali

I’ve just come back from an Indian festival held in my university. Diwali is a major Hindu festival that is also very significant in Sikhism and Jainism. Known as the "Festival of Lights," it symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind.

A group of Indian graduate and undergraduate students came together years ago and decided to celebrate this big holiday on campus. It was a way of bringing a little bit of home here to the United States.

This year’s Diwali, the first Indian festival I’ve ever seen, was alive with the colors and sounds of India. It was such a beautiful festival that amazed me from the beautiful Indian young ladies dressed in saris to the amazing Indian music and dancing by the men, women and children.

Hundreds of people, mostly students and their families attended the festival. Attendees from around the world and students from other universities enjoyed this beautiful event as well.

To my Indian friends: Happy Diwali and thanks for wishing me a happy Eid.

Enjoy the pictures I shot…

Oh My Country...

It was 10 p.m. when I decided to have a break. I have been studying and writing for hours. I turned on the TV to watch the news, especially from Iraq. As I was flipping over the channels, I was suddenly stunned when violin music was played. The music was accompanied by footage from my beloved Baghdad: footage of a mother and her daughter scared when an explosion rocked their house, footage of a mother reading Quran, footage of a daughter pleading to her parents not to go out, footage of sons and daughters hiding under the stairs to be away from the shootings and explosions in their street, footage of Baghdad dressed in darkness, footage of families having dinner together and students studying in dark. Then comes the wonderful voice of Kadhum al-Sahir singing “Oh my country”…

I was still standing in front of the TV listening to the song and looking at the footage. Years of sorrow and sadness flashed back into my mind, years of fear, tears, and anxiety. I couldn’t feel but my tears showering my cheeks.

The footage took me back to Iraq where I felt I was among my family and friends who are still facing this sorrow every second in their lives. I couldn’t feel but saying, “Why? Why?”

To my Iraqi friends and readers, here is the link to the song and its transcript:

"Oh My Country" by Kadhum al-Sahir

Oh my country, may you have a happy morning.
Reunite everyone; heal your wounds.
I yearn to see you smile some day,
When will sadness set you free?

Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds,
Take them all under your wings.
You are their father; you are their mother,
Stay firm, no matter how your winds gust.

Jesus and Prophet Muhammad said,
Their unity is your weapon.
Love, peace, intellect and construction,
May God in the heavens bless your success, my country.

Oh my beloved Iraq; oh Iraq,
Oh my beloved, oh my beloved, oh my beloved Iraq.

Finally, I want all those who love Iraq to pray for my father’s friend and neighbor who was kidnapped few days ago. Please pray that he is released. I know it’s hard to believe he is still alive but let’s hope he is. May God Have mercy on all Iraqis…

Note: what I watched was a documentary called "My Country, My Country" presented on WHY Y channel.

Update: My father's friend's body was found tortured and shot dead in the head.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

After Iraqi Bloggers’ Opinion, Here Comes the Americans’

Since most right wing Americans believe that the U.S. administration is “always on the right track” and that “it’s not responsible” for the chaos that is happening in Iraq, Bush appeared last Friday to admit that the situation is not as good as he used to say. He acknowledged that "it's tough" there and said he would consult with American generals to see if a change in tactics is necessary to combat the escalating violence.

"It's tough on the families who've lost a loved one. It's tough for our citizens
who look at it on TV. It's hard on the Iraqis. They've lost a lot of life," Bush
said.

Bush’s remarks came as Seventy-eight American troops have died in Iraq in October, likely to become the deadliest month for U.S. forces in nearly two years and at least 907 Iraqis have been killed in war-related violence, an average of 43 a day, according to the Associated press.

At the same time, a senior U.S. State Department official offered an unusually candid assessment of the security situation in an interview Saturday with Al-Jazeera television, saying the U.S. had shown "arrogance" and "stupidity" in Iraq. Alberto Fernandez, director of public diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, also said the U.S. was ready to talk with any Iraqi group except al-Qaeda in Iraq to facilitate national reconciliation.

"We tried to do our best but I think there is much room for criticism because,
undoubtedly, there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States
in Iraq," Fernandez said.

Now!! Where are all those who believe in their “god” Bush?! He admits he is in trouble, would you?

Impeachment!

As I was walking in Broad Street in Philadelphia this morning, this book stand attracted my eyes.

Their Own Words

Since the Lancet report showed up, newspapers, blogs, and TV stations rushed to talk and analyze how terrible the situation in Iraq has become since the invasion. Some people said the number is accurate while others said it was far from being accurate.

What I think is that it does not matter if the report is accurate or not. What matters is the fact that the security situation is going from bad to worse, if not the worst. More than three years have passed and things changed.

To see how the situation these days changed life and opinions of bloggers, I have emailed some Iraqi bloggers and asked them several questions about their opinion with respect to the situation in Iraq and whether they think the war was worth it or not.

Before I leave you to read what the bloggers wrote, I would love to mention what my Iraqi Blogger and friend, Iraqi Konfused Kid, wrote concerning the latest discussion held by Iraqi bloggers via emails. Read all about it here.

The blogs are listed alphabetically:

24 Steps to Liberty

When have you started blogging?
August 2005

How did your perceptions change since?
I don’t think I’ve changed dramatically. I do believe though that when I discuss something in the blog now, I put into consideration that there are more angles to approach a thought. And I now try to discuss as many angles as I can so I don’t become biased in what I write. Also, I now think twice before I write about something, because I have a wide base of different readers, whom I respect and appeal to in my writings.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Before the war, I had fun. I had my family and friends around me. I had a plan for tomorrow. My heart did not ache. But I had no future.
NOW, I don’t have my friends around me because they left the country, and I did too. My heart aches all the time. And if I were in Iraq , I would not be able to plan for tomorrow. But I know I have a better future.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?

Yes. The war was totally worth it. Why? Because I now decide what I want to do with my life, not the dictator [I am talking about myself, someone who is trying to have a better future and not wait for the Marjiya to tell him what to do.] And also because let it be once and forever, the Iraqis now know how much the hate to live with each other and how much the will lose if the DON’T live with each other. They can decide now.


Chikitita

When have you started blogging?
May 2006

How did your perceptions change since?
I'm afraid they have changed 180 degrees. I used to be full of hope of a better tomorrow, but the aftermath of Feb. 22 has dragged all my foolish hopes down the drain. It was the time I had to wake up to the fact that Iraq will no longer be the same.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
It is hard to compare. Saddam's era has its pros and cons and so has the post invasion era. As for the former, I hated the fact that we the Iraqi people must worship an idol, who wanted to control our lives and suppress our freedom, but it was no big deal, it was easy for me to cope and go with the flow. The latter on the other hand proved to some Iraqis that idols are not hard to break and it felt good to slander the despot without worrying about possible minders. But with time, the invasion spawned hordes of looters, blood-thirsty gangsters and unnecessary spiteful sectarianism and bloodbaths, which have been so unheard of when the Baathists ruled.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
It was seemingly worth it in terms of showing despots that they are not the gods they have been driven to believe they are. What it did actually was encourage others to be just as vile, and as all Iraqis say in unison, "we used to have one Saddam, now we have a million more vicious replicas".

Freedom of Mind

When have you started blogging?

I started blogging in November 2005.

How did your perceptions change since?

My friend introduced to the Iraqi blogg sphere, which is completely different from the mainstream media i used to encounter all the time. it opened my eyes to a lot more, i heard and read about many events that you don’t read or hear about in the media. new opinions and ideas, new perceptions which we can compare to achieve a some kind of solution.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?

I’m not living in Iraq now, sadly. But from what i gather it is horrible out there. it is completely different now. Back then we were safe, on a personal level, nobody ever felt fear of going out to the street. We were leading a normal life, the only bad thing is that our rights were denied. But now, we think we have our rights, which we don’t. We think we can practice them, but we cant. we think we have freedom and democracy, but freedom and democracy are won, achieved, not given. That’s why we don’t appreciate it.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?

the war was not worth it at all. For one simple reason, it didn’t achieve it goal. And that is for a good reason too, it was a lie. The whole thing was a sham. We are way behind where we were in 2003. Thins war cause a lot of wounds, that won’t heal easily.

Ihath

When have you started blogging?
October, 2003

How did your perceptions change since?

When I started blogging I had a clear idea of what I wanted to say,Now I feel all confused.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was itbefore the war?
I lump my answer to this question with the answer to the question below.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Hard question to answer. I have to admit that there are certainbenefits to the removal of the Saddam regime, even in my personallife. For example, I recently published a book titled "Don't Shoot!... I have another story to tell you". There are certain parts in thatbook I wouldn't have been able to write if Saddam was still in power.Although, I live in Canada, I never dared talk honestly about what isgoing on inside Iraq for fear for the lives of family inside Iraq. Theremoval of the old regime allows me to speak and write in a morehonest way. However, family and relatives back in Iraq are goingthrough hell right now. They live in constant fear for their lives andthings seem very bleak. But then life wasn't that great before the wareither, and now it seems even worse. So it is hard to say if the warwas worth it or not. I don't think it matters to try to answer thatquestion. The meaningful question we should be asking ourselves is, nowthat we are in this mess, what can we do to make it better. Is thereanything we can do?


Iraqi Konfused Kid

When have you started blogging?
July 2005.

How did your perceptions change since?
At first, like most Iraqis, I was just going about my daily life, I was completely ignorant about such things as to who are the current members of the IGC, or the names of the ministers, I used to hear about the important names here and there but basically I was just a normal citizen who just wants to look for his daily bread, however as the days grew I was forced to become interested as the level of internal tensions grew beyond comprehension and became impossible to ignore with the death of thousands of normal citizens, the deportation, the increasing awareness of sects - basically feelings of despair, and most importantly disgust has replaced my neutrality.


Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
People could walk around streets safely, there was more power and water, you used to fear only one person but now you fear so many, even in your own area you cannot feel safe, not a single minute is spent with complete comfort as the dangers around you are boundless: militas, roadside bombs, et all.
Basically, It's a jungle out there.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Hard to answer, everyone wanted to get rid of Saddam, as for me, I do not question the initaitive of war itself - even though it is based on complete fabrications, because it was supposed to help us create a modern democratic country in which we could relieve those long hard days of toil, but regarding American (and Iraqi) policies and actions after the war which have caused this to happen (most importantly: divisions along sectarian and ethnic lines, disbanding the army) I strongly disapprove of. I do not blame Americans alone in this, but they have the biggest share of them as they have jumped headlong into a society with complex undercurrents they should have known everything about, they deserve every bit of the blame because they started the war, not me. I support their cause for my own reasons, I do not support them like a blind sheep that keeps on babbling about gibberish such as liberty and democracy and a New World Order, we both have common interests: I support a moderate Islamic state that is not based on force, and I believe the only way to achieve that is through democratic ventures.

Micho

When have you started blogging?
September 2005.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Differences before and after the war are uncountable. Before the war, we used to live better. All Iraqis in all ages were able to live normally like going to schools, having the feeling that we have a future and a goal that encourages us to move forward. We used to hang out with family and friends on holidays everywhere. The human being by nature is social and cannot live alone. We used to go out safe as there was no killings, assassinations or sectarian differences like what is happening now. There was no fear or loss. Now fear haunted all of us with no exceptions. We cannot go out during the day or night. After the war, Iraq became a place for ghosts, blood, murder and destruction. There is no hope in life. Nothing encourages us to be hopeful. We feel tired and lost. There is no future. All we need is to live peacefully away from the bloody scenes, sounds of explosions, corpses thrown in the street, kidnappings and killings and away from oppression.

Before the war, we did not know what freedom that America brought means. We did not have mobiles or technology like now but the price of freedom is the souls of the Iraqis. We don’t want freedom now. We want the dictatorship as it provided safety and stability.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
I don’t see any logical reason for this war. We do not want freedom. We did not have the mass destruction weapons as they claim. Even if there were [WMD], I don’t think any country is able to attack America. But I think the main reason is the oil and the desire to control the whole Middle East region because they don’t care about the lives of Iraqis as they claim and do not want to provide peace and freedom. Otherwise, they would have not killed millions of children, women, and youths.

Miraj

When have you started blogging?
January, 2006

How did your perceptions change since?
I faced reality by realizing that our role as Iraqi bloggers is bigger than we have thought and that majority of the people who read our blogs were unaware of the facts and the bitter reality that the war dragged on us. Having said that, I found majority of our readers who supported the war are still insisting that America was right. So basically I have lost faith in American people in General with apologizing for the Americans who were and still against the war and the killing of innocents.


Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?

Honestly, I've been very careful not to compare between the two eras as much as I want to because every time I open my mouth about the conditions before the war I find someone accusing me of being a ba'athist. If I was a ba'athist you wouldn't find me here in Iraq suffering just like everyone else. Majority of the Ba'athists are now enjoying their money they stole from us in UAE, Jordan and Europe while the rest of them are killing us by the name of Jihad.

Anyway, despite that before the war I used to beg Allah for a miracle to take Saddam and all his gang members away from us and despite the pain I felt when saw these strangers who invaded our streets and buildings I felt that it was the only way to get rid of him and feel free.

On a personal level, even if I couldn't manage to work for a good company for Saddam's Mukhabart used to control everything and at that time the good jobs used to go mostly to the people with the strong contacts and despite the brutal sanctions imposed on us by the USA , I never had a security problem, I never saw a dead body, I never had to deal with a friend who was raped ,I never had to freak out when ever I try to call a friend with no answer thinking the worse might happened, I never had a problem with what I wear, I used to go out with a bunch of girls up till 10 pm to take long walks either in Alrubai'e street, Mansour or Karrada, I used to take my mother and sister and go visit our aunt and get back home real late, three women in a car in the night in Baghdad (now the idea it self is a good base for a horror movie!!!) .The electricity back then was far better comparing to now, other services were not easy to have but I never had to stand in line for 7 hours to fill my car with fuel nor my parents had to stay for 4 hours on their feet to get oil to the heaters in winter. Long list my friend!

Now we have lost in three years more than we lost in 30 years. You do not have to dig under ground to look for hidden mascaras, the dead bodies are thrown in the streets, a huge operation was preformed against doctors, engineers, writers, journalists, university prophesiers to execute everything that is good in my country. Then if that was not enough, terrorists were encouraged to enter the country from the country's widest open doors, a corrupt government took over and a civil war was provoked. A lot of people fell in that game due to the lack of education since all the educated people were either killed or emigrated from the country and not forgetting the huge gap created by the sanctions which were on educational level as well.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?

It was not worth it at all for the reasons above. Adding to that , after more than three years we still hear Saddam making his speeches from behind bars and leading a war by directing his followers while the world is seeing the so called democratic jury on their T.V sets thinking that America is on the right track and this jury is the proof.
Now we do not just have all the miseries I mentioned above but again, we have Saddam

Morbid Smile

When have you started blogging?
I have started blogging a year and a half ago, and I've been blogging non-stop ever since that time.

How did your perceptions change since?
My perception changed widely since I started writing in my blog; I got to know more about the world around me, and I was astonished about how little the other people in the world knew about Iraq and Iraqis. And one of the reasons that made me continued blogging is to let the world know more about the social and daily life of Iraqi people inside, and now outside Iraq .

Compared to the current situation in Iraq , how different was it before the war?
The situation in Iraq now is way different from how it was before the war. It's true that we were living under a dictator regime, but at least there was no killing and terrorism in the country like now. We could go out anytime we wanted before the war without being afraid of getting kidnapped or killed by car-bomb or a maniac suicide bomber.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Not at all! As I said somewhere else before, there could be other ways to get rid of Saddam rather than launching a war against Iraq . And it's obvious now that the U.S. had plans for the war but never thought of after the war, which resulted in all the murdering and chaos in the country.

Nabil’s Blog

When have you started blogging?
I started blogging in Nov. 2003

How did your perceptions change since?
(At first I was pro war.. now I'm anti war)

Compared to the current situation in Iraq , how different was it before the war?
Its was much safer before the war.. I mean from the security side..we used to stay out side our houses all the nights.. now we have to be at home.. at 6 pm.. cause after that time... it would be dangerous on you to go out in the streets.. I want to say.. that we used to live our life... now we can't roam where ever we want.. its like we're locked up in a very big and horrible prison.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
It was worth it from the side.. that we are over with Saddam dictatorship..(even though the situation now is incomparable with the situation when Saddam was is power.. it was way better)..and its not worth it from the side that we lost our safety.. now criminals, gangsters and kidnappers.. roam in the streets.. do whatever they want.. and there is no law to stop them.. as well as for the Islamic militias.

Najma

When have you started blogging?
June 2004

How did your perceptions change since?
I thought Americans were more understanding! This changes entirely as I started getting comments.
I have stopped watching the news because I got tired of hearing about the killing and theft, of freedom and democracy, and of our new so-called government.
I grew confused over which side to take.. There's constant brain-washing in my inbox and it's hard to keep being the old me.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Too different.. Other than higher salaries, the internet and the mobile, nothing became better. Iraq is gradually turning to a big tomb for Iraqis whose families won't know the reasons of their death. Security can't be felt anywhere, you can be lying in your bed and still get a sharpnel or bullet that would kill you.. Whatever side you'd choose, you'll get killed by the other.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Not! For the above reasons.. I'd rather live under Saddam's regime and have peace of mind than live under whatever regime there is now and lose family members, security, peace of mind and myself.

I might have responded differently a year ago, and I surely would've responded differently 3 years ago.. but Iraq is a mess now, and so are my replies!

Sunshine

When have you started blogging?
I started my blog two years ago.

How did your perceptions change since?
It changed a lot , I became more mature , and feel like I have a mission to do , blogging became the most effective thing in my life , I spend my spare time writing posts , answering , & reading my e-mails , people E-mail me saying that after they read my blog their standpoint changed , and they realized that Iraqis are not different people , it makes me happy , and I will continue what I am doing.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?

Before the war , I used to visit my relatives with my family, and stay there till midnight , we used to go to picnics , & parties , I used to celebrate my birthday with my friends , New year evenings were very special and charming, in which we used to play bingo , monopoly and say jokes, and of course prepare delicious meals and desserts , now we can't do any of these things , our life isn't bright anymore, it is full of danger , fear , and losses.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Well , when I think about the war , I remember all the people I know who were killed , and my relatives who became orphans and widows , my friend who lost her dad , her 2 uncles , 3 cousins , and her aunt's husband , my uncle who was killed by US troops , my relative R who was shot to death inside his house because of absence of security , my aunt and relatives who left Iraq to avoid the dangerous situation , the absence of electricity , fuel , security , the so many terrorists who badly affected the Islam repute by their crimes in the name of Islam , and the list doesn't end , the answer is obviously

NO IT IS NOT WORTHY the only good thing is that Sadam and his regime are jail …but many new Sadam's came to the governorship… internet connection is another good thing..we can now communicate with the others.. ..But Two years ago , I was very optimistic , and thought I will have the perfect life , I was happy and full of hope when the us troops entered Iraq ,I thought at that time that the war is worthy , now I changed my mind .. our life is turning form bad to worse.. The people who died won't be back , the buildings ,the hotels ,the casinos and the place I like won't be back as it was in the past ,the ancient places , Samara and al- malweea is gone for ever,. .. I am very frustrated , and confused ..

Tara

When have you started blogging?
In March 2005.

How did your perceptions change since?
I was regarding the war as liberation at that time. Now I know it’s an occupation!
I hoped that things will be fixed after a short time but now I think leaving the country is the right thing to do, I mean I should leave the country as the American do not want to leave !

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
We were in a big prison & now we are in a huge mess. So, which is better?

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Not worth it. All the deaths, the injured & handicapped people & all those who had forced to leave their homes are big price for what we got today.

Then Some

When have you started blogging?
I started blogging on the 23rd of August, 2004.

How did your perceptions change since?
My perceptions of the situation did not change at all. I expected this to happen. Call me "pessimist", i prefer "realist".

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
Yin-yang. Night-and-day. Or let's say: any horrible things we had in Iraq, now we have it 100-fold more. Before there was one dictator, one guy to fear, one side to watch out for. now? there are at least 100 mini-dictators running around, both Sunni and shi'a.
You need only two guys, three rifles, and a bit of guts, to enforce your will on some neighborhood.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Worth it? Not-at-all.
Why? It was based on false pretexts. (WMDs- false, Qaida link- false)
It destabilized the whole region, not just my country, and hastened the appearance of the iranian/syrian/salafi/you-name-it threat.
Three years on, and America itself has not become any safer.
Three years on, Iraq is not better in ANY field which the invading forces said it will be in. democracy? are you kidding me?buildings and structures? great figures on paper, but please show me their location.. security? HAH!
etc..etc..ad nauseum ad infinitum.
i hope nobody starts preaching to me how essential it is to brave the conditions and tough it out and crap like that. i am not in iraq at the moment yet i have been there for the last three years, and i will return to it in the next few days.

Thoughts from Baghdad

When have you started blogging?
Started blogging in March 2006.

How did your perceptions change since?

I had not known that other Iraqi bloggers were out there before Istarted blogging. After I started blogging, I did a search and foundother blogs, and that really opened my eyes to things that wereoccuring in Iraq that I was not aware of, and it also showed me thatwhat I was experiencing was alot more commonplace than I was aware of. Blogging has also made me aware of everything occuring here, makingme take in all the details so that I can record them for peopleoutside Iraq who are not aware of what is happening here.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?

I did not live here before the war. Only came for a short visit.Back then, in June/July 2001, I was able to stay outside the housetill 1 am at night, since the war, that is impossible. We were ableto go out for social activities, sit on the river; allimpossible/difficult now. Electricity was much more available then,almost nonexistant now. And of course, the small issue of securityand life, people didn't have thousands of stories of kidnappings andmurders to talk about back then. They were basically safe in theirhomes, if they stayed away from politics.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?

This is a very difficult question to answer. Saddam was a tyrant,no doubt about that. People were afraid of him and of opposing him.People had to leave their homes for political differences and otherswere imprisoned/killed. But what is happening now is much worse forthe average person. So many more people are affected by the killingsand random murders that happen by the tens every day. I honestlydon't know that it was worth it, in the short run, at least. Maybe inthe long run, but by then, so many thousands will have died innocently

Zappy

When have you started blogging?
April 2006

How did your perceptions change since?

I always knew that it would get worse i.e., 17 separate states also i prayed that I was wrong; I wanted to hint the simple differences between cultures and civilizations.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
That’s difficult, I hate Saddam and was always annoyed by the Baathies, the UN Sanctions, the difficulties of travel and finding a decent job, but I regret to say it was much safer and we were much happier, nowadays well it’s a total chaotic mess of blood flesh and bones.

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
Yes it was worth it, maybe one day we get back on our feet and the average iraqi understands that Islamic Parties are not different from the Baathists. Else we will be like the Iranian who fled Iran back in 1980's.


Zeyad

When have you started blogging?
I started the blog in mid-October 2003.

How did your perceptions change since?
I initially supported the war, as I thought we had a good chance to establish a democratic government in Iraq and put our legacy of dictatorships and decades of bloodshed behind. As months went by, my perceptions changed dramatically. I realised that change was more likely to empower sectarian and religious fundamentalists at the expense of Iraqis, to facilitate the breakup of Iraq into sectarian and ethnic cantons, as well as to invite the intervention of neighbouring countries into our affairs. I witnessed friends, relatives and neighbours abducted by gangs and killed in senseless, wanton violence. and many more leaving the country and taking refuge elsewhere. I was forced to quit my job after receiving threats and my family has broken apart. My life will never be the same again.

Compared to the current situation in Iraq, how different was it before the war?
We knew how to avoid trouble. There was no fear of being abducted on your way to work or while shopping the market, as long as you did nothing wrong. No fear of being stopped at a random checkpoint and killed because of your last name or because of what you looked like. You were able to work the system to your advantage. Your family and friends were safe. True, there was a lower standard of living but basic services were running and you were safe. There was still no hope for a better future and we were all desperate, but is it really different now?

Do you think the war was worth it or not? Why?
I'm afraid to answer that question.

Disgusting

This is something different form what I first wrote for this entry. I deleted the whole thing after reading two articles over and over.

When the government was formed, I was a little bit optimistic especially when I heard Maliki saying that he is going to do his best to disarm the militias and work for the benefit of Iraq. How stupid I was! Days proved me wrong. Months and months have passed and here I am in America and nothing has changed. I keep asking myself: why there are no loyal people in the government who actually want to do something to help? Why there are ministers who rob form the country’s resources instead of enriching them? Why we hear speeches only and no actions are taken? Why and why and why?

Today, two things frustrated me. The first one was Maliki’s decision to wait to disarm militias. He said this will happen by “the end of this year or the beginning of the coming year.” When I saw the headline in USA Today’s article, I was so frustrated. I read the article and was more frustrated. What the heck he is talking about? Hundreds of people are dying because of the militias and death squads. I mean HUNDREDS!!! Which means a digit followed by two more digits on the right. Each digit is a soul! A life! A person! A mother! A father! A friend! A baby! Are these nothing? Were they born just to be killed? For what? For fake democracy and some stupid slogans? For what? For the sake of a group of white and black turbaned extremists? Does waiting till the end of the year is going to solve something? Let’s count. Let’s suppose there are only 100 people die in Iraq per day. That means 3000 per month which also means 3000 multiplied by 90 days [Oct., Nov., and Dec.] wow! You find out the sum…and wait! Send the number to Maliki because it seems he's bad in Math!

The other thing that made me so frustrated too is that America’s funniest monkey called Maliki and assured him that he still gets support. Bush called Maliki after the latter was scared to death that he might be kicked off because of his failure.

Read what the Washington Post reported:

"He said he was worried about a report that said we were giving him two months,"
White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters, referring to what Maliki told
Bush in the 15-minute phone conversation.

Snow said Maliki, who he said
brought up the timetable question with Bush, was referring to a "rumor" about
"attempts to replace him" if certain conditions weren't met by a certain
time.

Ok. First of all, he begged Bush! And that’s insulting in our culture. Secondly, if they all say Iraq is a “sovereign democratic country” and that the government “has the full power to do whatever it wants”, why did Maliki sound like Bush is the real prime minister of Iraq? If you are confident of yourself and willing to do something, why do you beg others to keep you in your position? This whole phone call revealed many things including the fact that Maliki is just a puppet in the hands of the US administration.

Instead of acting like this, Maliki should have shown some respect to those who die everyday. Enough humiliating our identity. That’s unendurable. If he is really working for his country, he does not need to beg. He should show us actions to make us believe in what he is doing. Jeeeeeeez! These people make me feel I want to throw up.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Email

Kidnappings, torture and death! What else does an Iraqi see or hear everyday? Even outside Iraq, Iraqis are haunted by reading what is going on there. One of the means that makes me connected to my country is the internet. Yesterday, a friend of mine emailed me and told me about the kidnapping of one of his friends. The kidnapped young man is a reporter and works for an Iraqi media news agency. Here is what happened in my friends own words:

I kept the names of the reporters and the news agency anonymous for their own protection.


"Hi ****

A friend of Mine who works in [a news agency] was kidnapped yesterday and tortured and then was released at the last moment in Sadr City.

This is how the story went according to his brother for I have not seen the guy himself yet. The [news agency] received a phone call asking for a [reporter] to head to their office in Sadr city in Baghdad to cover a conference over there. The [news agency] first asked for some people to come and escort the crew into Sadr City , but the high ranking Sadr official told them that they will be secure all the way to the office. The crew went there and they did cover the conference. As they were leaving the office, few meters from the office and inside Sadr City, 9 cars came and snatched [the reporters] and released the driver thinking that he might be a taxi driver and not with the crew. The driver immediately informed the [news agency] who immediately called the high ranking Sadr official.

[The reporters] were blind folded and handcuffed and were taken to a house in Sadr city. He was beaten and tortured there and was asked wither he was a Sunni or a Shiite. He was saved because he carried a copy of his Father’s ID card which says that he is from Ummara ( even though that he is Sunni but they did not know that) he told them that his Father is a Shiite from Ummara and he did talk to them about Ummara for he dose know it very well. He was asked wither his mother is a Sunni or a Shiite. He told them that his mother is a Sunni. They kept cursing his father and calling him bad names for marrying a Sunni.

Mean while the Sadr office was looking for [the reporter] and they told the [news agency] not to worry for they will find him. After the one hour torture, suddenly the men who were beating [the reporter] started to apologize to him and set him free along with the [other reporter]. He told his brother that when he got out of the house he found himself in the middle of Sadr city and there were kids playing right in front of that very same house. He took a Taxi and went back to the [news agency] and did the report on the Sadr office Conference which he went there to do in the first place.

The High ranking official from the Sadr office called him after that report was [shown up] and told him that there was a group which was present at the conference who did not like his [news agency] and not him personally that made all this.

This is what I heard from [the reporter’s] brother."

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Weekend

The last week was so overwhelming and depressing for me. There were too many things to do at once, including keeping track on what is going on in Iraq. “Welcome to grad to school,” one of my best American friends always tells me whenever she sees me studying hard.

I was frustrated so much the last couple of weeks because of the deterioration of the situation especially when my family and friends told me that it’s been ten times worse than before I left. The scene of bodies shown up tortured and killed in the streets is breaking my heart.

I think of Iraq, Baghdad, my family and friends every minute if not every second. Even when I look in the eyes of people, I remember my parents, sister, niece, friends and everyone I know and think of what they are doing at the moment. Are they scared now? Is there shooting near the house? I thought if I keep feeling as sad and frustrated like this, I may end up in a hospital by the time my country needs me to succeed and go back and help.

So to lessen the pain of this feeling, I decided to enjoy the weekend. Instead of staying in the apartment, I thought of going out and have a small trip in Philadelphia’s Center City.

Today, the weather was great. It was chilly but sunny. I decided not to let anything make me upset or sad. I checked my emails, took a shower, had breakfast and went out for my new adventure. In order not to go back home early, I took one of the books with me. I decided to read it in one of the parks.

Market Street was my first destination. Iraqis by nature are addicted to shopping. That’s why you see many of them are killed mostly in markets than in other places. So I decided to go shopping first. The first shopping place I went to when I first arrived was the Gallery Mall, one of the most popular malls which extends over four blocks.

After shopping, I went to Benjamin Franklin Parkway, an amazing place that I would never miss seeing. Being there makes me fee I am in Paris, not in Philadelphia. The surrounding streets look like the Champs-Élysées. My last stop was the Logan Circle where I sat facing the Swan Memorial Fountain. Surrounded by people reading, jogging, taking pictures and children playing, I opened my book and started reading. I didn’t feel the time. I kept reading and reading until I found it was 5 p.m. The beauty of the place made me read as much as I can without feeling bored or tired.

The book I was reading is called Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstile. What is funny is what I read in one of the chapters that talked about truth in covering stories. The writers talked about an incident happened after the death of President John Kennedy. Former president Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, sent for the Secretary of Defense at the time. The book says that Johnson wanted know what was really going on in Vietnam. So the defense secretary, Robert McNamara, went there and came back with two press conferences saying that “progress was noteworthy” there. Eight years later, the book added, The Washington Post and The New York Times published a secret government-written history. “Things were going to hell in Vietnam,” the book quoted the two papers saying. I stopped reading for a second and thought of what is happening now. I laughed at the fact that history repeats itself. Same things are happening but by different people. I don’t know why people don’t learn from their previous mistakes. History is written to teach, not to be in books on shelves.

After I finished reading two chapters of the book, I went back home fresh and satisfied with what I have done today.

Enjoy the pictures.

Pennsylvania Convention Center



The Gallery Mall

Market Street

One of the cafes in Center City

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.

Dunkin' Donuts in Market Street.

Starbucks, my favorite!

Swan Memorial Fountain

The City Hall

A Street leads to Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Liar Liar Shows up Again!

The number of the dying Iraqis is increasing. No one is doing something to help. Neither the government nor the parliament is trying to end the bloodshed. And now what? More than half a million people were killed since the occupation. What made it worse is Bush’s statements regarding that. “I don’t consider it a credible report. Neither do Gen. Casey nor the Iraqi politicians,” Bush said in a conference aired on abc TV channel. As if people believe in all of those he mentioned including himself. What a jerk!

I hear you! I did the same when I saw him saying this...

Oh my God! Are you crying? This is a doll. It's not your daughter! Mr. Bush says neither he nor Gen. Casey beleives in that. Oops! I forgot our elected government does not recognize the number either.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Yahoooooooo! Groups

Imprisoned in their houses, young men and women in Iraq have one companion only. Internet is the only thing that makes them feel they are still alive and can communicate with others in their age.

Before I left, the Iraqi youth used to exchange Iraqi jokes. By course of time, the jokes developed from being innocent into being indirect attacks against the Americans, Iraqi government, Iranians, insurgents, militias and of course the collapse of the aspects of life there. But the case has changed. Something other than jokes is being exchanged through the Iraqi Yahoo youth groups. Some of the widely-read messages stress on how Iraqis should unite in these hard times while the others warn Iraqis from the “imperial plans” of how to divide Iraq and the whole region.

I got the maps posted here in an email from a friend of mine who joined one of the dozens of Iraqi youth groups. The hundreds-if not thousands-group members were exchanging such kinds of emails in the last couple of days.

My other friend who is also a member of the same group sent me another email he got from the other group members. It was about how life was far better under Saddam. It was accompanied by powerful pictures of Saddam in his military uniform and with beautiful pictures of Baghdad before the war.

In spite of all of these messages, the biggest number of shared emails so far includes jokes, but bitter ones. Let’s hope these messages do not go beyond this limit. Otherwise, God knows what would happen.

Click on the picture to get a bigger size.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Like Drums

I was on the last step on the stairs in my grandparents’ old house when my entire family and relatives were downstairs looking at me. They were all sad with their faces pale. I asked my uncle if there is a problem. He looked at me from downstairs and said, “It’s our neighborhood”. We both sighed and then I woke up at this moment.

I ran to the computer to see if something bad has happened. My heart was beating fast. I could hear the beats as if it came from a drum. “The email- yes- first,” I said to myself even before wearing my spectacles. I noticed that there is something wrong! I couldn’t read my emails. I grabbed them without even looking at them. My heart was still beating. I found nothing in the email. It was a positive sign. But I said wait! Maybe there was nothing in the email because something bad might have happened. So I checked the newspapers headlines and read all those about Iraq to check if something happened in my neighborhood or my relatives’. I found nothing. Another sigh followed by me leaning on the chair. PHEW!

I found out later that the nightmare almost happened in reality but in my house. My parents told me on the telephone that my relatives were all gathered in my our house for Iftar, the Muslims’ time of breaking their fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

These days, I have nightmares almost everyday. The continuous bad news keeps me always worried. I don’t know how to explain that but I believe it is happening for many reasons. First of all, I don’t remember I slept well since the invasion. Sounds of bombs, shooting, and the fear of being killed everyday deprived me from sleeping well. I had to wake up at least three times at night with my heart beating fast as if someone is chasing me. This feeling is still haunted inside me. I still wake up at night on any sound of any thing and still have nightmares of my family and myself being chased and killed. Eventually, I wake up dizzy.

Sounds of sirens of police vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances are an everyday scene in Philadelphia. They are almost the same ones I used to hear in Baghdad. There is a high percentage of crime here and that makes me worry sometimes. TV channels always report about someone killed or robbed, not to mention the car accidents. But I always keep telling myself that I survived three wars, sanctions and tyrannical era. I can manage being safe. It won’t be worse than what is happening in Baghdad.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

"Just a Comma"

Being in the middle of action is hard but being away and aware of it is even harder. I can’t stop thinking about Baghdad and the daily horror people are going through every single minute in their lives. Some people may think that I am safe now and should not think about it anymore. I have to say that I am more horrified and worried than in any time before. My heart breaks and aches everyday when I read the news. My breakfast nowadays is internet. Even before I wash my face, I go to my desk, turn the computer on, and read the news. Usually, I end up depressed and sad thinking of the ordeal that seems is not going to end.

The last two weeks have been incredibly terrible for Iraqis. The government seems to be obviously unable to do anything, literally nothing. The members of the so called “Council of Representatives” are busy spitting at each other by the time people are being kidnapped, tortured and killed in cold blood every minute, if not every second. The scene of the dead bodies seems to be haunting on the “new free” Iraqi lands, blood is now seen more than the water people drink, and the Tigris is deserted and full of bodies drilled, beheaded and torn. Moreover, if I want to talk about black funeral banners, I need hundred pages to be fair talking about those whose names are dug on these black cloths which are almost in every street now.

Few days ago, newspapers rushed to talk about how the “friend” forces were able to arrest Dulaimi’s bodyguard suspecting him being linked to al-Qaeda. Well, DAH!! Good morning! Finally, someone woke up. Or maybe they did not wake up. They were already awake but when the snake reached their safe haven, they felt the real danger coming. So they decided to stop it.

What made me so angry is the debate that happened afterwards. Since they detained the bodyguard, Parliament members started spitting and throwing stones at each other, including Dulaimi as if they were shocked that he and the Vice President Hashimi [thanks to democracy that brought them to power] are part of insurgent armed groups in Iraq. What is funny in all of that is that Bahaa al-Araji, another Member of Parliament from the Sadr list, attacked Dulaimi in interviews as if his Mahdi Army thugs are peaceful like birds. Who knows? Maybe weird creatures came from another planet and are breaking into houses and setting up checkpoints in the middle of the day.

As I was reading the news on the web the last month, a Washington Post article drew my attention. It was about the death squads and the checkpoints they set up to hunt civilians and then kill them. I was reading the article for two reasons: first because part of my studies is to read them and the other was because I wanted to see how is it in Baghdad after I left few months ago. The story was very detailed and accurate. The writer described how the situation looks like there by putting the reader in there. I even felt the horror through the words. As I reached the end, I felt myself sinking in tears of fear and horror. I looked at myself in the mirror and remembered every moment of fear I went through. I still have the same feeling but not for me. Just the idea of imagining my family and friends in this situation makes feel sick. I urge you to read the article here.

Last month our lovely president visited the United States. He disputed on reports of growing violence in Iraq and declared, "I can assure you there will be no civil war." Now, what do I make of this? Is he blind? Or what? Someone tells me because this is really irritating. If there is “no civil war”, what does he consider what is going on now? What does he call what the militias and armed groups are doing? Oh Oh! I forgot… It’s only “terrorism”. Oops, I can’t differentiate between his voice and Bush’s. They sound so much alike. Well, it doesn’t matter. They are two faces of the same coin.

"The media is only focusing on the negative and exaggerating it," the Associated Press quoted Talabani. Ok, now tell me anything positive happened. Don’t tell me “restoring water to the marshes in southern Iraq” like what one of 24 steps’ readers said in a comment about reconstruction because that’s stupid. Zarqawi is killed? Nah! Nothing is changed. Iraq is “free”? Nope! It is not.

It’s funny that by the time our “representative” was saying that setting a deadline for withdrawal of U.S. troops would be a tragedy for Iraq, new polls by the U.S. State Department revealed that “a strong majority of Iraqis want U.S.-led military forces to immediately withdraw from the country, saying their swift departure would make Iraq more secure and decrease sectarian violence.” If you read the details in this Washington Post article, you’ll know the reasons. People attacked me previously when I said although Saddam was a tyrant, we were able to live relatively normal life. In this article, other people are saying the same thing.

He paused for a moment, then said, "We just want to go back and live like we did
before." from the WP article

Out of this unplanned war, people and U.S. soldiers are being killed everyday due to unforgivable mistakes the U.S. administration committed. In today’s paper, the Washington Post reported “Thirteen U.S. soldiers have been killed in Baghdad since Monday” registering the highest three-day death toll for U.S. forces in the capital since the start of the war. This happens by the time Bush indifferently says that this traumatic period in Iraq will be seen as "just a comma" in the history books. Wow! I didn’t know that for him the value of more than 2,700 U.S. troop and the hundreds of thousands Iraqis' deaths is "just a comma."

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com