Four Years Later, Regret

I don't want to write another post about the ill-advised invasion, or the miserable state of the occupation. I did a little of that a few weeks back, on the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Today, on the anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, the day I literally felt my heart sink, I leave you with the reality of "liberation".

One way I have felt closer and more hurt by this war is because one of my closest friends is Iraqi. When her great aunt and uncle were brutally murdered in their home a few years back, I felt the reality of the numbers I heard everyday. When her recently wed cousin was also killed in Iraq, I did not know what to tell her. Today, she spoke to one of her cousins on the phone... a young girl who is too mature for her age, one of many that have become adults as a result of living through this war. Today, the 14-year old told my friend...

"I hated Saddam, I really did. He hurt Jido* a lot. But the day his statue came down in Baghdad 4 years ago, that's the day Iraq died. And thats the day we all died."

Another powerful account is that of a man who helped in the oft televised image of the Saddam statue being brought down by Iraqis and American soldiers. The Post profiles his story...

"We got rid of a tyrant and tyranny. But we were surprised that after one thief had left, another 40 replaced him," said Jubouri, who is a Shiite Muslim. "Now, we regret that Saddam Hussein is gone, no matter how much we hated him."

(*Jido: grandpa)

Four Years Later

Hundreds of thousands dead.
Millions displaced, internally and externally.
Homes burned, mosques destroyed, schools bombed, markets attacked, lives destroyed.
Corruption rules. The kidnappers rule. The murderers rule.
Welcome to Iraq, four years after liberation.

53% of Iraqis have a close friend or relative who has been hurt or killed in the war violence.
86% worry about a loved one being hurt.
51% say they try to avoid leaving their homes.
70% report multiple signs of traumatic stress.

In November 2005, 63 percent of Iraqis felt very safe in their neighborhoods. Today just 26% say the same.
33% don't feel safe at all.
In Baghdad, 84% feel entirely unsafe.
In 2005, 54 percent said their power supply was inadequate or nonexistent; now it's up to 88%. In 2005 just 30% rated their economic situation negatively. Today it's 64%.

75% say they lack the freedom to live where they wish without persecution, or even to move about safely.
48% cite security as the single biggest problem in their lives, up from 18 percent in 2005.

97% of Sunni Arabs and Shiites alike oppose the separation of Iraqis on sectarian lines.

42% think their country is in a civil war; 24% more think one is likely.

Three in 10 say they'd leave Iraq if they could.

[source 1, 2]

Letters to the editor, on the 4th anniversary

At the anti-war protest this weekend in Washington, D.C.:


My thoughts on the 3rd anniversary of the war (and pictures)

Iraqi Children "Play" Civil War

I'm not a big fan of the Wall Street Journal, especially with regards to Iraq-related stories. But one article in today's paper caught my attention, and it "touched me" in a very sad kind of way. It's the story of a 5-year old boy living in a Shiite dominated town, finding pleasure in tagging along with the Mahdi Army, retelling stories of Shiite militias defending his neighborhood, and proudly calling his Sunni neighbors "terrorists." Who taught him this? Why should his favorite toy be a fake AK-47? Why should he want to beat up any kid he thinks isn't Shiite?

Maybe I should repeat this. A five year old...shouldn't he be learning the alphabet in his kindergarten class? The debate is over. This is how you know it's civil war. When the 5-year old Shiites and Sunnis are ganging up against each other and calling each other "terrorists." I'm sure the Sunni kids are playing similar "games."

In Baghdad Slum, Sectarian Strife Is Also Child's Play

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A year ago, a young gunman walked into Ali Hussein's living room and drew a weapon. The intruder's head was wrapped in a scarf, leaving a narrow slit for his eyes. His clothes were all black, the favorite attire of a powerful Shiite Muslim militia. He introduced himself as a commander, shouted the incantation "God is greater" and warned Sunni Muslims not to fight back. With that, he raised his plastic pistol.

The gunman's name is Hassoni, and he was only 4 years old at the time. The scene unfolded in his father's house in Baghdad's Sadr City slum, a sprawling Shiite Muslim district stretching toward the eastern edge of the Iraqi capital. "I was happy to see him this way because it means he has courage," Mr. Hussein, 26, said of his son. Since then, Hassoni's favorite game has grown more elaborate, migrating from the living room onto the neighboring streets, drawing in other children and increasingly emulating the violent world of the adults.

As Iraq careers toward full-scale civil war between its Shiite majority and Sunni minority, the culture of celebrating sectarian strife has taken root even among the very young in Sadr City. Home to more than two million people, the Baghdad district is the stronghold of the Mahdi Army, a Shiite militia blamed for abducting and killing Sunnis. But to Sadr City residents, the Mahdi Army is a revered self-defense force, the only group they see as capable of preventing wholesale slaughter of Shiites at the hands of Sunni extremists. Shiite politicians blame atrocities against Sunnis on rogue forces that falsely claim to represent the real Mahdi Army.

The celebration of sectarian violence is widespread here. Some militia leaders have acquired almost mythical status, including Abu Dera, an elusive gangster alleged to be behind some of the worst sectarian killings of Sunnis. In the lore of the streets, Abu Dera and other fighters are Zorro-like figures who strike into the heart of Sunni neighborhoods, dispense swift revenge and return home unharmed.

Hassoni, who is now 5, spends hours listening to such tales in his family's grocery store, where customers routinely trade stories -- real and imagined -- of Shiite militias fighting Sunni insurgents. Abu Dera became his hero, and his father has helped encourage the adulation by playing songs on his stereo extolling the valor of Shiite gunmen. "Abu Dera is trying to kill the bad guys," said Mr. Hussein, who works as a security guard at the Ministry of Education and sometimes helps patrol his neighborhood.

A friendly boy with striking brown eyes and neatly combed hair falling over his forehead, Hassoni says he wants to grow up to be powerful enough to have a big car and armed guards surrounding him.

When he plays with friends, the boys divide themselves into two groups -- one Shiite and the other Sunni -- and shoot at each other with pellet guns, lurking behind cars and in roadside ditches. "Kids always refuse to be Sunnis, but because they need to play, some of them have to pretend to be Sunnis," said Mr. Hussein, who often watches his son's hours-long battles. Using trash, the children erect their own barricades. Hassoni likes to pretend to be Abu Dera and calls himself the leader of the gang. Other members include a boy nicknamed Bush Senior for his foreign-looking red hair. Hassoni often returns home with torn clothes and pellet bruises.

A few blocks away, Qassim Abdul-Ridha, a father of four, said his 6-year-old son, Karar, and his gang fight street battles against other children, often sending a girl to scout out the rivals' hiding places. Chanting "Muqtada" in homage to Muqtada al-Sadr, the powerful Shiite cleric who leads the Mahdi Army, the boys try to capture their opponents' toy guns as trophies.

The real Mahdi Army is always nearby to provide inspiration. Sometimes, Hassoni hangs around grown-up gunmen manning the real roadblocks and runs errands for them, such as bringing them food and drink. He also gathers war stories and then breathlessly relays them to his parents. The latest tale Hassoni heard on the street involved a group of Shiite gunmen who mounted a rescue mission of Shiite hostages held by Sunni extremists. The gunmen ended up kidnapping the kidnappers and brought them to Sadr City. "He's very excited, always smiling, when he tells us these stories," his father said.

One day, Hassoni brought home a steel pipe he found in a garbage dump and declared it to be a rocket launcher, which he was going to use to fire mortars at Sunni neighborhoods, much as real militiamen do. Asked recently what he thinks of Sunnis, he answered with one word: "terrorists." Together with other children, Hassoni fills empty bottles with sand, and sticks a twig in them to resemble a fuse. The bottles serve as make-believe bombs for use against imaginary Sunnis or American patrols.

Hassoni's arsenal of toy guns has grown from one plastic pistol to include two AK-47 models and a sniper rifle with a scope, now his favorite weapon. Mr. Hussein gave him the rifle as a gift at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan when Iraqi families exchange presents. Hassoni was so excited, his father says, that he paid no attention to a toy train and a toy piano given to him by his mother and aunt. The black life-size rifle looks completely real.

The line between the game and real life has grown increasingly blurry. In late November, suspected Sunni insurgents detonated five car bombs inside Sadr City, killing 240 Shiite civilians, the bloodiest attack since the U.S. invasion in 2003. The blasts occurred just over a mile from Mr. Hussein's house, and Hassoni saw the black plumes of smoke. Later that evening, Hassoni and other children patrolled their street looking for strangers. Hassoni started saying things like, "Sunnis hate us and don't want us to be anywhere near them," his father said.

A few days later, Hassoni and his gang spotted a boy they didn't know. They stopped him and demanded to know what he was doing on their street. "I heard the Mahdi Army saying that if you see strangers, ask them where they come from and what they are doing here," he said. "And that kid was not from our area." When the boy tried to run away, Hassoni and his friends caught him and beat him up.

Later, it turned out that the boy and his parents, all Shiites, were visiting relatives on Hassoni's street. "We had a lot of problems with our neighbors because of this fight," Mr. Hussein recalled. He said he sat his son down for a talk, telling him it is wrong to attack other boys. Hassoni promised to behave but said he will continue looking for strangers on his street.

Iraq, After the Gallows

The world is still recovering from the hangover of Saddam's execution (no pun intended). With the leaking of a cell phone recording of the full hanging, more questions have been raised, and more people are angry with the way the cold blooded dictator was put to death. I've been following the reaction of the blogosphere in general, and the Iraqi blogosphere in particular, as well as other editorials in major newspapers around the world.

A great summary of the reactions of Iraqi bloggers to the hanging is provided by Iraq Slogger. While most of them agree that Saddam should have been put to death, nearly all condemn the way the execution was handled and indicate that such a shameful process does not bode well for the future of Iraq. Click here to read the full summary. (h/t Healing Iraq)

Sami - Iraqi Thoughts I am still shocked even after watching hours of TV. Its funny how as I grew up this was the man I hated most in my life and have always wanted him killed but for some reason the feelings of joy were not what I expected.

Iraq Pundit- Saddam has long been a dead man walking, and I don't care about him or whatever hell he has gone to. My concern is how his well-deserved execution will affect the continuing crisis in Iraq.

Dr Fadhil Badran (Iraq4Ever)- The assassination of Saddam Hussein has killed the last hope of peace in Iraq.

Treasure of Baghdad Although I expected it, I was shocked when I heard it. I felt I want to cry but my tears were mixed, tears of happiness and sadness at the same time. Memories of my life under Saddam flashed back in my mind like a train moving fast.

Meanwhile in Iraq, the killings and kidnappings have not stopped. Iraqi Konfused Kid provides a heart wrenching account of his friend's ordeal in attempting to save the lives of his brothers who have been kidnapped by militias. It's a must read.

But by far one of the best editorials I have read about the execution is Ghada Karmi's piece in the Guardian:

It was always clear that Saddam's fate was sealed from the moment US forces "got 'im", in Paul Bremer's tasteless phrase. He was to be used as a trophy of a mindless and catastrophic war, to redeem America's dented image. But it was also essential to stop him revealing secrets about the west's past enthusiasm in supporting and arming his regime. Hence he was tried on the relatively minor charge of killing 148 people in the village of Dujail, after a plot to assassinate him. Far better to put him away safely for that rather than risk his exposing western hypocrisy, treachery and double-dealing.

Also, today's New York Times editorial, "The Ugly Death of Saddam Hussein" hits the right note:

Saddam Hussein deserves no one’s pity. But as anyone who has seen the graphic cellphone video of his hanging can testify, his execution bore little resemblance to dispassionate, state-administered justice. The condemned dictator appeared to have been delivered from United States military custody into the hands of a Shiite lynch mob...

Most Americans, whatever their view of the war, understand that the rule of Saddam Hussein brought a murderous curse and untold suffering upon the Iraqi people. Mr. Hussein has now gone to his grave. But the outrageous manner of his killing, deliberately mimicking his own depraved methods, assures that his cruelty will outlive him.

Saddam Hanged, Part II

It's nearly impossible to avoid the news of Saddam's execution over the past few days. Every blog I visit, every channel I watch, every newspaper I flip through, every conversation I have has involved the fate of the former Iraqi dictator. I wrote my last post about the hanging before I had seen the images of Saddam being taken to the gallows. Since then, a lot of feelings have come over me, the most prominent of which is an utter sense of hopelessness and mild disgust.

I'm disgusted with the videos which I don't believe should have been made public by random individuals who were present at the execution. I'm disgusted with the chants I heard while Saddam was being hanged; individuals calling out the name of Muqtada Al-Sadr, for example. I'm disgusted with the "houses of mourning" for Saddam that sprung up in different parts of the Arab world. There's a lot to be angry about right now.

Trying to take it all in, I'm starting to realize how much of a negative impact this event will have on the future of the Iraq that is already in shambles. Many questions come to mind when I think of what has happened over the past three and a half years in Iraq. Sanctions, weapons, lies, invasion, victory, capture, elections, trial, chaos, conviction, civil war, hanging.

Saddam Hussein deserved to die, and all Iraqis deserved to see the man who tortured them given the justice he deserves. All is a key word here. Not just the supporters of Al-Sadr, and Al-Maliki. But every single Iraqi, because they all suffered under his rule. Unfortunately, the occupation in Iraq has succeeded at intensifying the sectarian differences between Iraqis, and they have used Saddam as a tool for that. He has been portrayed as the representative of the Sunni population, although he abused any Sunni and any Iraqi who did not bow down to his commands. Projecting the hanging as a victory for only some Iraqis is wrong, but it is the only way to succeed in "dividing and conquering" what is left of Iraq. If Iraqis were united at this time, Saddam's hanging would have been much more meaningful. Instead, it has become an event that will only exacerbate the existing tensions between the population.

Saddam should not have been hanged until he was tried for every crime that he was accused of. Executing him after only one trial related to his Shiite victims, and ignoring the Kurds and Sunnis who were oppressed by this man can only be explained in one way. The trial, conviction, and sentence of Saddam Hussein was meant to divide the Iraqi people and not unite them against him. Iraqi Sunnis became synonymous with him which is baseless lie. As I mentioned before, every Iraqi suffered from him, and his victims from all sects and ethnicities should have been avenged through his trial and even present at his hanging. The fact that Moqtada Al-Sadr's loyalists were even able to penetrate what should have been a highly secure execution. Instead of chanting against the dictator and for a better future for Iraq, they chanted the name of a man who is a divisive leader of a militia responsible some of the chaos and not a uniting force in Iraq.

Finally, the fact that he was quickly executed while his trial on other charges has just begun raises many questions. Was the US afraid of a trial that would reveal that Saddam received his chemical weapons from them? Did they not want to hear Saddam say that they had secretly given him the green light to invade Kuwait? Did the US not want to highlight to the world the fact that they were silent while Saddam gassed the Kurds?

Too many questions, not enough answers. The only thing clear today is the bleak future of Iraq. I'll leave you with excerpts of some interesting articles on this subject.

The Los Angeles Times Editorial says the execution has become irrelevant today:

It is absurd to regret the death of a man so brutal. His removal from power was heartening to defenders of human rights everywhere. Yet it's worth asking, as U.S. troops go on heightened alert in Baghdad, whether Hussein's death represents progress or yet another anticlimax for Iraq. When his regime was toppled in the spring of 2003, and again at his ignominious capture three years ago, Iraqis and U.S. troops — not to mention Washington policymakers — allowed themselves to hope that they had reached some kind of turning point in the war.

No one voices such unrealistic optimism anymore. Hussein's irrelevance was one of the main achievements of the war in Iraq. It is also one of the main reasons why that war continues.

This from the New York Times article, "Hussein Divides Iraq, Even in Death":

Almost four years after United States troops entered Iraq with a broader foreign policy goal of ushering in a “new” Middle East, one built on democracy and rule of law, the execution of Mr. Hussein on one of the holiest days in Islam marked the unceremonious demise of that strategy, many Arab analysts said.

“If you compare the results to the objectives the U.S. claimed to realize, whether it was democracy or control of the region, their policies have evidently failed,” said Nawaf Kabbara, professor of political science at Balamand University in Beirut. “They were not able to spread democracy, control anything or make any serious breakthrough. It is a failure on all levels.”

As vicious as he was, Mr. Hussein also held the country firmly together. Beyond military control, there was a subtle social glue: Iraqis of all sects loved to hate Saddam together. Now that he is gone, Shiites are afraid to joke with Sunnis about him, and Sunnis feel they are being blamed for his crimes.

Others, namely Kurds, opposed the quick hanging. Now, Mr. Hussein will not testify in other important genocide cases, especially the trial over the Anfal military campaign against the Kurds, in which he is accused of unleashing mass killings and chemical attacks that killed tens of thousands of villagers.

“The truth of what happened in al-Anfal has been buried,” said Abu Abdul Rahman, a 38-year-old Kurdish taxi driver. “What happened in al-Anfal? Who took part in it?”

Mr. Hussein may be gone, but the fear that succeeded him is what defines her life today.

“Where can I live, if Baghdad is divided?” she said in English. “In the Shiite sector or Sunni sector?”

“I have to run away. It’s not a place to live in anymore.”

And this also from the NYT, "For Arab Critics, Hussein's Execution Symbolizes the Victory of Vengeance Over Justice":

“Saddam Hussein was guilty a thousand times over, but still the Americans and the Iraqi government managed to run a shabby trial,” said Jihad al-Khazen, a columnist and former editor of the pan-Arab newspapers Al Hayat and Asharq al Awsat. “If they organized a fair trial with international observers that could have served as a model for other countries. Instead they messed it up, and I think Saddam in the eyes of many people will now be seen as another martyr.”

Saddam Hanged

Rumors were flying all day today as to whether the former Iraqi dictator had been handed over to Iraqi authorities, which would indicate that his execution is nearing. There's not much that can be hidden with the 24-hour news technology we have at our fingertips. Indeed, most major news networks are now reporting that Saddam Hussein has been hanged according to the sentencing of the Dujail trial which ended a few months ago. It is indeed the end of an era, and the end of a brutal tyrant. Unfortunately, it is not the beginning of a good thing either. Iraq today is in shambles. Nevertheless, the actions of this cold blooded murderer should not be mixed with the politics of occupation in Iraq today.

What baffles me is what I will see tomorrow morning when I turn on the television and see the reaction of the Arab and Muslim world, which will likely be a condemnation of the execution. I do understand where many people are coming from, that they consider his trial unfair and the whole issue of the occupation to be tainting it. That is probably the case, and Saddam probably did not receive a fair trial. However, I do not recall that he granted anyone a fair trial when he was ruling Iraq with an iron fist. I consider myself an advocate of human rights, and that any suspect should be innocent until proven guilty. In my eyes, however, Saddam crossed all the lines of humanity and justice. Some might say that he was forced to use such policies to keep Iraq together, but I see that he had no regard for human life.

As the New York Times Editorial wrote today, the trial of Saddam should have been fair so as to set the tone for the new judicial system in the country, and the respect for rule of law:

The important question was never really about whether Saddam Hussein was guilty of crimes against humanity. The public record is bulging with the lengthy litany of his vile and unforgivable atrocities...

What really mattered was whether an Iraq freed from his death grip could hold him accountable in a way that nurtured hope for a better future. A carefully conducted, scrupulously fair trial could have helped undo some of the damage inflicted by his rule.

It could have, but it didn’t. After a flawed, politicized and divisive trial, Mr. Hussein was handed his sentence: death by hanging.

Many people will argue that George W. Bush and many other leaders have more blood on their hands than Saddam. That might the case, but does that mean that if we cannot try one criminal we should not try any? It is a double standard indeed for an occupying and invading force like the US to be calling for justice for Saddam when the US government supported him only a decades ago. But does that mean we should let him go? Allow him to live in exile and disregard the injustices he inflicted upon his people?

A day will come when other tyrants like him will fall. Those who think that they are all-powerful today should read a little history and know that this is what Saddam Hussein thought he was. And now he is dead after people danced around his corpse which was hung to death.

I always hated the old adage, "my enemy's enemy is my best friend". I hate it because it appears to justify actions. It appears to justify that the US collaborated with Saddam when he was the enemy of their other enemy, Iran. I hate it because some people use it to justify their support for Saddam claiming that his enemy is the US which is causing all the chaos in Iraq.

For everyone who says that Saddam is a hero, please stop right here. Please stop, and put yourself in the shoes of the countless families in Iraq who's lives were ruined by this man. The women who woke up to find their husband's bodies lying in a trash bag in front of their homes. The Kurdish families who were wiped out because they dared to ask for equal rights. The Shiites who were massacred because they wanted their voices to be heard. And the Sunnis who were forced to be slaves at the feet of this tyrant to avoid getting shot.

Some Arabs and Muslims will feel ashamed today and degraded because Saddam was technically executed at the hands of American forces, because of the invasion, and because they caught him. Is this really what makes you ashamed? Is it not your own leaders who were silent when he killed your brethren? Are you not ashamed that the Arab world was not able to defend Iraqis in the face of international sanctions a decade ago? Are you not ashamed that you are so militarily incapacitated that any European country could probably invade your territory over night without much effort? Are you not ashamed that you still have leaders like Saddam ruling over you in the most barbaric of ways? Does it not make you ashamed that the Arab world is so far behind the rest of the world? Does this not make you ashamed?! Please tell me what makes you ashamed! If you are ashamed that Saddam is being killed at the hands of foreigners, then shame on you, because there are so many other issues that we should be ashamed of.

Every single Iraqi was a victim of Saddam Hussein, and I am glad he is dead. I am glad that he will now meet the Lord who created him and watched him commit the worst crimes imaginable, and will show him the Justice he deserves.

Will his execution bring peace to Iraq? No. Most Iraqis right now are too worried about their safety to care about this news. They will hear it and feel it. They might be happy, they might be sad. Will it help them put food on the table? Will it allow them to go out in the streets in the day and the night without fear of never coming back home? Absolutely not. The civil war in Iraq today is a direct result of the unplanned aftermath of the military victory which the US claimed.

Saddam's execution will not change that reality. Saddam's execution is a reminder and a symbolic event.

Let those who are following in his footsteps today take note.

Random News Stories

Hunger has been eradicated in the US. Yes, you heard me right. We no longer have a problem called "hunger." It's now called "low food security". The people at USDA are geniuses, really. Now the homeless man in front of my office will be saying, "Hi, I'm hungry suffering from very low food security, can you spare a dollar?"

You know there is something either seriously wrong with CNN or seriously wrong with some of my fellow Americans when you see this headline on their website: Woman Microwaves Baby. It was on the homepage yesterday. Sad, sad world.

Does something happen to politicians after they leave office? Because it seems to me that they start making sense only when they're not in office. Powell now says Iraq is in a "civil war." Or maybe they just have more freedom to speak their mind when they leave.

And to stop North Korea from nuking the world, the Bush administration has thought of a genius plan: no more iPods for Kim Jung Il. Yeah, don't dream of them buddy. We're not going to sell them to you! Nana nana na naaaaa!

Did you know Matt Lauer is 48?! Am I the only one who thought he was 35 or something like that? His make up artist must be good.

It's the War, Stupid.

Cover of The Independent, Nov. 9th.

[hat tip: Tworset]

BREAKING NEWS: Rumsfeld Resigns

From the AP:

President Bush said Wednesday Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is stepping down and former CIA Director Robert Gates will take over at the Pentagon and in prosecuting the war in Iraq.

Rumsfeld, architect of an unpopular war in Iraq, intends to resign after six stormy years at the Pentagon, Republican officials said.

The development occurred one day after midterm elections that cost Republicans control of the House, and possibly the Senate, as well. Surveys of voters at polling places said opposition to the war was a significant contributor to the Democratic victory.

Bush described Rumsfeld as a "superb leader" in a time of change, but said his defense chief recognizes the value of "fresh perspective." He said Rumsfeld is a "trusted adviser and friend," and that he's "deeply grateful" for his service to the country. Bush said he and Rumsfeld agreed that "the timing is right for new leadership" at the Pentagon.

American politics is so entertaining!

Saddam, Gaza, and the Elections

The past week has been a blur. It's been a nightmare for Palestinians in Beit Hanoun, and Iraqis in Baghdad and other parts of the country. One is left speechless in the face of such atrocities that do not elicit international action or even empty words of condemnation. Saddam's sentencing, however, did generate some chatter from various leaders around the world who praised the death penalty sentence for the brutal dictator.

When Saddam was captured, I was much more relieved than when I heard the sentence today. The situation in Iraq today makes the trial of Saddam Hussein seem so insignificant. I think death by hanging is not even a good enough punishment for this murderer. Still, I believe that God knows His business with him and his henchmen and has special accommodations for them in Hell. It's ironic that Bush is relishing in Saddam's misery since I'm pretty sure that his place in Hell won't be too far from the Iraqi dictator's. Nobody really knows who will go to heaven or hell, and I don't really care, because what I do know is that each and every one of us will get what we deserve one day.

Something that has really bothered me about Hussein's trail was when he tried to make himself appear like the victim and continuously made religious references like carrying the Quran with him and yelling "Allahu Akbar". I mean, C'MON buddy, did you just wake up and discover Islam after you were captured?! Oh wait, I forgot, you did put "Allahu Akbar" on the Iraqi flag. That means you're a good Muslim. But seriously, I don't understand anyone who would fall for this act of his. He didn't remember that Allah was Greatest when he butchered the Kurds, Shiites, and even Sunnis for decades. He didn't remember that Allah was watching him when he pointed his pistol at his daughters' husbands and his other relatives. He is just like every other person today who is misusing Islam for their own illegitimate purposes. I despise them all.

And I despise the likes of Bush too who are calling the verdict a "great victory". How convenient it is that the sentencing is announced two days before the mid-term elections! Bush wants to say to the Americans who are sick and tired of this war, "See, we are catching the bad guys!" Where were you cowards when he was gassing the Kurds? Oh wait, maybe you were giving him money to commit his crimes? Or were you providing other forms of military and political support to Saddam Hussein just because he was fighting your enemies, the Iranians? Indeed, my enemy's enemy is my best friend. Doesn't matter if this best friend is a cold blooded dictator. I just hope I live to see the day when George W. Bush and Donal Rumsfeld are tried for crimes against humanity.

And in Palestine, oh Palestine.

Be ashamed, oh Arab and Muslim men, be ashamed! Be ashamed that our Palestinian mothers, sisters, and daughters must now stand in the face of Israeli gunfire to protect their men while you are sitting peacefully in your homes, living under oppressive regimes that do not have enough dignity to show some support for their Palestinian brethren. They do not even have the courage to condemn these atrocities, and even if they do that, their lack of action speaks much louder than their empty words. Just stay home, stuff your stomachs with food, and your brains with images of Nancy Ajram, your lungs with shisha smoke, and watch as Palestine and Iraq fall apart.

It isn't enough, Olmert and Bush, that you are starving the Palestinians?! STARVING THEM TO DEATH. Maybe now you feel bad for them, which is why you are sending your men with big guns and big planes to kill as many of them as possible before they claim that they have died from starvation. Fifty lives you have ruined in less than a week. Fifty families you have broken in a matter of days.

Unfortunately, you still do not understand. You do not understand that Palestinians do not die of lack of food. They can only suffer from lack of freedom. Lack of justice. And lack of peace. They die fighting for freedom, justice, and peace. They do not die fighting for oil.

Here's to hoping the Democrats can change something this November. (And no, I'm not holding my breath).

(Photo credit: A wounded Palestinian woman lies on the ground as others run for cover after an Israeli tank opened fire at them at Beit Hanoun town in northern Gaza strip, November 3, 2006. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem)

I don't have a title today

Just wanted to give a little update since I haven't blogged in what feels like ages. Many things came up over the last week that pushed me away from my dear blog, mainly the last few days of Ramadan as well as Eid which was Monday-Wednesday. I took Monday and Tuesday off so this week feels like it really flew by (which is not always a good thing).

I wanted to post about Eid around the Muslim world and in my neck of the woods, but I really could not get myself to do that. This Eid was indeed bittersweet because of what seems to be the never ending bloodshed in Iraq and Palestine. I couldn't post anything really jolly about Eid, nor did I want to post bloody pictures from the car bombs in Iraq or Gaza on Eid day.

Needless to say, Iraq is tearing at my heart in what is an increasingly obvious and undeniable civil war that is ravaging many parts of the country. I pray night and day for the Iraqi people who have suffered more than enough under Saddam's tyrannical regime, and now under the horrors of the post-Bush-invasion. Injustice is something I cannot bear to watch.

So as Ramadan and Eid have ended, I should expect to be back to my regular schedule, but that is not the case this time around. I am facing an uphill personal battle with various forces that I cannot begin to describe. Over the next week, I will be facing two very difficult exams--academic and personal. As I pray for patience and strength, my hardships seem utterly incomparable to what others in our world have to face on a daily basis, from war to famine to oppression and occupation. I am indeed blessed.

May God have mercy on us all.

I hope to be back to blogging more regularly in the next week or so. Thank you for continuing to check up on me.

Meanwhile in Iraq...

The threat letters are everywhere...

"Warning.. Warning.. Warning. To the worshippers of the Sajjad mosque: Beware of coming near this mosque, or your fate will be death. Woe to the unjust. Death to transgressors. Damn you, lackeys of the occupiers."

"Warning. Warning. Warning. To the Palestinian traitors who allied themselves with Wahhabis, Takfiris, Nawasib and Ba’athist Saddamists, especially those who inhabit the Dar Al-Shu’oun area: We warn you that we will eliminate you all if you do not leave this area entirely within 10 days."

"As a result of the criminal and sectarian behaviour of what is called (the disgraceful) Jaish Al-Mahdi and (the treacherous) Badr forces by killing, kidnapping and deporting the Sunni community (at Mahmoudiya, Rashidiya, Sha’ab, Shu’la and Hurriya), as well as violating the honour of Sunnis and plundering their possessions, the organisation has decided, Inshallah, to return the strike twofold and treat them the same (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth). It has been decided to deport you from Sunni areas, including Ghazaliya, within 24 hours, or otherwise your heads will be cut off, the same as your militias act with members of the Sunni community. He who has warned is henceforth excused." [Healing Iraq]

The "secterian violence" continues...

Iraqi police found 60 bodies dumped across Baghdad in the 24 hours until Tuesday morning, all apparent victims of sectarian death squads, a grim reminder of the spiraling communal bloodshed that has killed thousands.

A bomb placed under a car near a Sunni mosque in the southern Baghdad district of Doura exploded at midday, killing 10 people, police said. [Reuters]

Yet another Republican Senator on Iraq:

It seems to me the situation is simply drifting sideways," Warner told reporters after completing his eighth trip to Iraq. "It was a markedly different trip from ones before. We just did not have the freedom and ability to travel where I have been before." [Chicago Tribune]

While our young Americans are dying for Bush...

The US military is suffering one of its worst weeks since the invasion. Fourteen US troops have been killed since Monday. The military says that's the highest three-day total so far. A military spokesperson attributed the deaths to a record number of bomb attacks on US troops. Meanwhile a new poll by the veteran advocacy group VoteVets.org has found nearly two thirds of troops who've fought in Iraq and Afghanistan believe the military is overextended. [Democracy Now]

In Iraq, school is out...

Iraq's school and university system is in danger of collapse in large areas of the country as pupils and teachers take flight in the face of threats of violence.

Professors and parents have told the Guardian they no longer feel safe to attend their educational institutions. In some schools and colleges, up to half the staff have fled abroad, resigned or applied to go on prolonged vacation, and class sizes have also dropped by up to half in the areas that are the worst affected. [Guardian Unlimited]

In Baghdad, no family is spared...

The brother of Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president was assassinated yesterday by gunmen who broke into his home, the third of the politician's four siblings to be slain this year. Sunnis blamed Shi'ite militias and demanded a crackdown to stop the sectarian violence raging in the capital.

Iraqi authorities, meanwhile, arrested the head of the mess hall at a base where as many as 400 mainly Shi'ite policemen suffered food poisoning during a Ramadan meal in what may have been the first known attempt by insurgents to carry out a mass poisoning against police. [Boston Globe]

But in Washington, a "Day of Celebration" is in the works...

Tucked away in fine print in the military spending bill for this past year was a lump sum of $20 million to pay for a celebration in the nation’s capital “for commemoration of success” in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Not surprisingly, the money was not spent.

Now Congressional Republicans are saying, in effect, maybe next year. A paragraph written into spending legislation and approved by the Senate and House allows the $20 million to be rolled over into 2007.

The original legislation empowered the president to designate “a day of celebration” to commemorate the success of the armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and to “issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” [NYTimes]

And there you have it folks. This is Iraq. Not Condi's Iraq. Not Rumsfeld's Iraq. Not Bush's Iraq. Not Fox News' Iraq.

[technorati tags: Iraq, war, Bush, John Warner, civil war]

Away From Bush's Reality, Iraq is Slipping into Civil War

"Nations don't declare civil war, they slip into it." One of my professors said this to our class last year. As I am listening to and reading about the news in Iraq, I cannot help but think about this ominous statement. It is a frightening thing to wonder how much worse the situation in Iraq could get. A full fledged civil war would simply be the straw that broke the camel's back, that is, if it's not already broken. And while all signs point in this direction, the Bush administration continues to maintain that "progress" has been made, that we must "not relent", and we cannot "let the terrorists win." Well, Mr. President, let us distinguish reality from rhetoric.

"If America were to pull out before Iraq can defend itself, the consequences would be absolutely predictable — and absolutely disastrous," Mr. Bush said. "We would be handing Iraq over to our worst enemies."
Mr. Bush said Saddam sympathizers, armed groups backed by Iran and al Qaeda terrorists from across the world would use Iraq as a base of operation.
"They would have a new sanctuary to recruit and train terrorists at the heart of the Middle East, with huge oil riches to fund their ambitions," the president said. "And we know exactly where those ambitions lead. If we give up the fight in the streets of Baghdad, we will face the terrorists in the streets of our own cities."

Does it seem too naive to wonder who brought those terrorists into Iraq? Is it stupid to ask who instigated the "fight in the streets of Baghadad" in the first place? Is it wrong to ask, Mr. Bush, why were brought into this mess on the basis of a lie?!

This is what a new Pentagon report says about your "progress" in Iraq:

Iraqi casualties soared by more than 50 percent in recent months, the product of spiraling sectarian clashes and a Sunni-based insurgency that remains “potent and viable,” the Pentagon said in its latest comprehensive assessment of security in Iraq.

Since the establishment of the new Iraqi government on May 20th, the average number of weekly attacks has increased to 800. As a result of these attacks, Iraqi casualties have increased more than 51 percent. According to the report,

Iraqi casualties among civilians and security forces reached nearly 120 a day, up from about 80 a day in the pervious reporting period from mid-February to mid-May. About two years ago they were running about 30 a day.

No, these are not just statistics. These are fathers, sons, mothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. They are human beings now being tallied like insects by the US War Ministry. But wait, there's more! As the New York Times reports, the targets of the attacks has also changed:

“Although the overall number of attacks increased in all categories, the proportion of those attacks directed against civilians increased substantially,” the Pentagon noted. “Death squads and terrorists are locked in mutually reinforcing cycles of sectarian strife, with Sunni and Shia extremists each portraying themselves as the defenders of their respective sectarian groups.”

Iraqis are increasingly pessimistic about the future of their country, despite the report's findings that there "technically" isn't a civil war yet.

The report notes that sectarian violence is gradually expanding north to Kirkuk and Diyala Province. Further, the confidence of Iraqis in the future has diminished, according to public opinion surveys cited in the Pentagon report.

Still, the study says the fighting in Iraq does not meet the “stringent international legal standards for civil war,” without further explanation. Even so, the sectarian fighting has been bloodier than ever.

Meanwhile in D.C., Washington Post op-ed columnist George Will talks to Republican Senator Warner about the prospects of civil war in Iraq. While the senator insists that "the essential characteristics of civil war are not yet present in Iraq," he also recognizes huge obstacles to preventing the country from slipping into it.

But Warner also knows: The Iraqi government's writ runs barely beyond Baghdad's Green Zone. The security forces are not yet competent to hold areas that U.S. forces clear of insurgents. Holding such areas might require sending more U.S. forces to Iraq, which would further alienate Iraqis. Moqtada al-Sadr, whose support helped make Nouri al-Maliki Iraq's prime minister, has a militia that is becoming Iraq's Hezbollah -- a sovereign force within the state, and one imperfectly controlled by Sadr.

Not too far from Warner, President Bush is on a speech campaign aimed at spewing more propaganda about "fascists", "Nazis", and the perils of giving up on Iraq in advance of the November elections. The president continues to preach to his "base" while most Americans are simply not buying the rhetoric. Three major polls have shown an all-time high in opposition to the war in Iraq.

A new Associated Press/Ipsos poll that surveyed the country [...] showed that 60 percent of Americans believe that the war in Iraq has increased the chances of a terrorist attack in the US. But in another sign of trouble for the Bush administration, the AP/Ipsos poll also shows that more Americans believe the Democrats will do a better job [in protecting the US] than Republicans, 47-40 percent.

The same poll also shows that 43% of Americans are embarssed by the US image overseas. A CNN poll indicates that 61% of Americans are opposed to the war in Iraq. The poll also indicates what the American public thinks of their leader:

Most Americans (54 percent) don't consider him honest, most (54 percent) don't think he shares their values and most (58 percent) say he does not inspire confidence.

While President Bush continues to link the war in Iraq to the War on Terror, most Americans feel that invading Iraq has increased the likelihood of the US being attacked again.

Not everyone agrees the war in Iraq is central to the war on terror, as the Bush administration maintains. Six in 10 polled think there will be more terrorism in this country because the U.S. went to war in Iraq. Some feel strongly that the two wars are separate.

Throughout all this, the president is still able to keep his sense of humor:

On Wednesday, Bush maintained that his series of speeches, which will culminate in an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 19, are not political.

Yale Shmale, indeed.

[technorati tags: Iraq, war, Bush, civil war, polls, Americans]

What to Make of Zarqawi's Death

I've been rather silent on the big news that US forces aided by Jordanian intelligence were finally able to get their hands on Abu-Musaab Zarqawi. This usually happens to me when a political event this important occurs, especially when the media is all over it. I prefer to sit back and take it all in and then begin to rationalize and organize my thoughts, which are many.

My initial reaction was of course shock, followed by excitement and relief, and finally ended with a lot of skepticism and concern. I didn't doubt that he had really been killed or ponder any conspiracy theories, god forbid. The skepticism was related to the idea that bringing down this large terrorist figure would put an end to the violence and terror in Iraq.

It has been constantly drilled in our minds that Al-Qaeda is a unique network because it is not organized in a strict hierarchical way. It consists of cells, splinter groups, and different types of leaders who are immediately replaced if they are compromised. So then why should we even begin to believe that such an event will hurt the insurgency in Iraq?

Most observers have correctly noted that his death is more of a symbolic event, which might slow down Zarqawi's men, but they will be back with a vengeance soon. That's not to mention the hundreds of other similar groups and even more gangs and thugs who usually do not have much in common except their criminal acts. The "insurgency" is such an overused and nebulous term that its simply pointless to even use it. The diversity of the groups makes it that much harder for the Iraqi government to crack down on them, that is if they are even trying.

Many people have said that the US is the one who created Zarqawi. While I do not completely agree with this notion, it is obvious that the embarrassing planning for the post-war phase in Iraq by the "coalition" forces was and continues to be the main cause of the chaos and lawlessness that has overtaken the lives of Iraqis. The dismissal of the former army and the focus on the initial military aspects of the war overshadowed any consideration for what would happen once Baghdad fell.

The US is not solely responsible for Zarqawi, however. The fact that he has many supporters in the Arab world who might not support his attacks on civilians, but do agree that resistance against the occupation in Iraq is legitimate. Even when this "struggle" is taken outside of Iraq, to Jordanian wedding halls, the anger at such terrorist activity is short-lived and soon forgotten. The problem is that in the Arab world, if you are condemnig Zarqawi, most people presume that you are supporting the US. Even with members of my extended family, I have trouble convincing them that just because I condemn Zarqawi or Bin Laden that doesn't mean that I support Bush. Millions across the Middle East are simply sick and tired of the United States' policies in the region and subsequently refuse to blame any other party for the ills that plague their populations. I agree with fellow blogger Lina that education is one of the best ways to put an end to this kind of thinking and foster healthy dialogue and debate.

On a final note, I would've much rather seen Zarqawi caught like Saddam (like a rat) and would've liked to hear him attempt to defend himself. But then again that might've given him a platform to spew his radical thoughts and gain more popular support. Maybe his death is better.

[technorati tags: Iraq, war, Zarqawi, Al-Qaeda, US, terrorism]

What I Heard About Iraq

by Eliot Weinberger (excerpts only)

In 1992, a year after the first Gulf War, I heard Dick Cheney, then secretary of defense, say that the US had been wise not to invade Baghdad and get ‘bogged down in the problems of trying to take over and govern Iraq’. I heard him say: ‘The question in my mind is how many additional American casualties is Saddam worth? And the answer is: not that damned many.’

In February 2001, I heard Colin Powell say that Saddam Hussein ‘has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbours.’

That same month, I heard that a CIA report stated: ‘We do not have any direct evidence that Iraq has used the period since Desert Fox to reconstitute its weapons of mass destruction programmes.’

In July 2001, I heard Condoleezza Rice say: ‘We are able to keep his arms from him. His military forces have not been rebuilt.’

On 11 September 2001, six hours after the attacks, I heard that Donald Rumsfeld said that it might be an opportunity to ‘hit’ Iraq. I heard that he said: ‘Go massive. Sweep it all up. Things related and not.’

I heard that Condoleezza Rice asked: ‘How do you capitalise on these opportunities?’

I heard that on 17 September the president signed a document marked top secret that directed the Pentagon to begin planning for the invasion and that, some months later, he secretly and illegally diverted $700 million approved by Congress for operations in Afghanistan into preparing for the new battle front.

...

I heard the vice president say that the war would be over in ‘weeks rather than months’.

I heard Donald Rumsfeld say: ‘It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.’

I heard Donald Rumsfeld say there was ‘no question’ that American troops would be ‘welcomed’: ‘Go back to Afghanistan, the people were in the streets playing music, cheering, flying kites, and doing all the things that the Taliban and al-Qaida would not let them do.’

I heard the vice president say: ‘The Middle East expert Professor Fouad Ajami predicts that after liberation the streets in Basra and Baghdad are “sure to erupt in joy”. Extremists in the region would have to rethink their strategy of jihad. Moderates throughout the region would take heart. And our ability to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process would be enhanced.’

I heard the vice president say: ‘I really do believe we will be greeted as liberators.’

...

I heard about Hashim, a fat, ‘painfully shy’ 15-year-old, who liked to sit for hours by the river with his birdcage, and who was shot by the 4th Infantry Division in a raid on his village. Asked about the details of the boy’s death, the division commander said: ‘That person was probably in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

I heard Private Jessica Lynch say: ‘They used me as a way to symbolise all this stuff. It hurt in a way that people would make up stories that they had no truth about.’ Of the stories that she had bravely fought off her captors, and suffered bullet and stab wounds, I heard her say: ‘I’m not about to take credit for something I didn’t do.’ Of her dramatic ‘rescue’, I heard her say: ‘I don’t think it happened quite like that.’

I heard the Red Cross say that casualties in Baghdad were so high that the hospitals had stopped counting.

I heard an old man say, after 11 members of his family – children and grandchildren – were killed when a tank blew up their minivan: ‘Our home is an empty place. We who are left are like wild animals. All we can do is cry out.’

...

I heard Colin Powell say: ‘I’m absolutely sure that there are weapons of mass destruction there and the evidence will be forthcoming. We’re just getting it now.’

I heard the president say: ‘We’ll find them. It’ll be a matter of time to do so.’

I heard Donald Rumsfeld say: ‘We know where they are. They’re in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad, and east, west, south and north, somewhat.’

I heard Richard Perle tell Americans to ‘relax and celebrate victory’. I heard him say: ‘The
predictions of those who opposed this war can be discarded like spent cartridges.’

I heard Richard Perle say: ‘Next year at about this time, I expect there will be a really thriving trade in the region, and we will see rapid economic development. And a year from now, I’ll be very surprised if there is not some grand square in Baghdad named after President Bush.’

I heard the president say: ‘I know what I’m doing when it comes to winning this war.’

I heard the president say: ‘I’m a war president.’

...

I heard Donald Rumsfeld say: ‘I don’t believe anyone that I know in the administration ever said that Iraq had nuclear weapons.’

I heard Donald Rumsfeld say: ‘The Coalition did not act in Iraq because we had discovered dramatic new evidence of Iraq’s pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. We acted because we saw the evidence in a dramatic new light, through the prism of our experience on 9/11.’

I heard a reporter say to Donald Rumsfeld: ‘Before the war in Iraq, you stated the case very eloquently and you said they would welcome us with open arms.’ And I heard Rumsfeld interrupt him: ‘Never said that. Never did. You may remember it well, but you’re thinking of somebody else. You can’t find, anywhere, me saying anything like either of those two things you just said I said.’

...

I heard the president say: ‘I want to be the peace president. The next four years will be peaceful years.’

I heard the president say: ‘For a while we were marching to war. Now we’re marching to peace.’

I heard that the US military had purchased 1,500,000,000 bullets for use in the coming year. That is 58 bullets for every Iraqi adult and child.

What I Heard About Iraq first appeared in the London Review of Books in 2005 and was later published into a small book by Verso. Click here to read the full text.

[picture #2: An Iraqi boy cries as he waits outside Baghdad's al-Yarmouk hospital June 1, 2006. Two of his brothers were shot by unknown gunmen - killing one and seriously wounding the second. REUTERS/Ali Jasim. picture #3: An Iraqi woman mourns as she waits outside Baghdad's al-Yarmouk hospital June 1, 2006. Two relatives were shot by unknown gunmen, killing one and seriously wounding the second. REUTERS/Ali Jasim. picture #4: Relatives mourn their dead outside a morgue in Baqouba, Iraq Thursday, June 1, 2006, after gunmen ambushed a minibus in the town killing at least five people and wounding three on Wednesday. A pregnant woman was shot dead at a US checkpoint in Iraq while on her way to give birth, officials said, sparking further controversy amid a furor over an alleged marines shooting rampage.(AP Photo/Mohammed Adnan).]

[technorati tags: Iraq, war, failures, Bush, Blair, Rumsfeld, Blair, WMD, Saddam, Baghdad]

"And so, chaos reigns"...in Iraq

The meeting between President Bush and PM Blair last week attempted to show support for the new Iraqi government and reassure the world the Iraq is indeed on the right path towards democracy. Most observers, however, quickly picked up on the uncertainty that laced the leaders' words, especially as Bush expressed regret for egging on the Iraqi insurgents in July 2003 (it was one of his many cowboy moments) when he said: "bring 'em on!". Iraqi government or no Iraqi government, the reality of the situation across the Cradle of Civilizations is chaotic at best. My friend and fellow blogger Fatima describes the challenges of everday life in post-war Baghdad, from sleepless nights without electricity to risky walks to the grocery store. This is from her latest post:

So I continued the other way, and stopped by to chat with my husband's aunt. She was telling me that her 20 year old son, B, was standing in line for gasoline this morning, and saw some cars pull up and shoot some poor guy in front of his house. His body was left out in the burning sun for a couple of hours before anyone picked him up. Horrible, but sadly becoming a daily recurrence here.

She also describes the measures average Iraqis have taken to protect themselves and their property because they cannot rely on the government to ensure their safety:

This particular neighbor had their oven gas canisters stolen on two different occasions from their doorstep. Since then, they have covered their gate with barbed wire, and put a spiky metal piece on top of their gate door. They had to take security matters into their own hand, because no matter how many times these thieves come to our neighborhood, more than likely, no policeman has the time, dedication nor ability to catch them. And so, chaos reigns.

This is the reality of Iraq today. I don't want to hear Rumsefeld's rhetoric about a few thousand Iraqi policemen who were trained. Don't tell me about improving electricity or water availability or catching insurgents when every family suffers because the lack of the most basic needs that were available even during Saddam's reign.

For god's sake, just admit you were wrong, Messieurs Bush, Blair, Cheney, Rumsfeld. Admit you had no plan B. Admit that you invaded Iraq knowing you could win the battle but forgetting that you had to also win the peace. Admit that your "coalition" was the weakest that history has seen and now has fallen apart. Admit that you ignored advice from top level officials and continue to ignore advice from congressmen and former military men who are telling you that you are only digging yourself a deeper hole.

Your dignity has already been lost.
Your words are no longer believed.
Your rhetoric is "so yesterday."

Relevant articles:
Iraq is the Republic of Fear; The Inshallah Occupation; Exporting Chaos*

[*h/t Jordan Journals]

[technorati tags: Iraq, war, failures, Bush, Blair, Rumsfeld]

Three Years Later...Mission Unaccomplished

It was three years ago today when President Bush thought it would be "cool" to land a plane on an aircraft carrier and announce the end of combat operations in Iraq and the success of US and coalition forces.

Today, three years after that infamous stunt, Iraq is as unstable as one could imagine.

Three years later, thousands of Iraqis are fleeing their homes in neighborhoods ravaged by sectarian violence.

Three years later, members of the new Iraqi security forces ripped off their military uniforms protesting a plan that would force them to serve outside of their province.

Three years later, more and more Americans are doubting the success or possibility of success in Iraq. A CNN poll shows that 44% of Americans believe the US will never accomplish its goals in Iraq, 40% believe the US will accomplish its goals in Iraq someday, and only 9% believe US goals in Iraq have already been accomplished.

Three years later, "the troop training program that the United States began in 2003 to protect Iraq's oil and electrical lines" has proven to be a failure, according to an inspector general report.

Three years later, "a US Congressional inspection team set up to monitor reconstruction in Iraq has published a scathing report on failures by contractors to carry out projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In one case, the inspectors found that three years after the invasion only 6 of 150 health centres proposed for Iraq have been completed by a US contractor, in spite of 75 per cent of the $US186 million allocated having been spent."

Mr. Bush & Mr. Rumsfeld, I hope you feel accomplished.

[technorati tags: news, Iraq, war, Bush, democracy, failure, oil, violence]

Bin Laden & Zarqawi Speak Out... And I Shout Back!

Apparently, they're in the mood to talk these two thugs. Osama bin Laden released an audio tape on Sunday reiterating his prevoius assertions that the West is at war with Islam. He cited recent events related to the cutting of aid to the Hamas led Palestinian government as proof of this "crusade" against Islam and Muslims. Bin Laden also called on his supporters to prepare for a long war against the "crusaders" in Sudan. These calls fell on deaf ears as both Palestinian and Sudanese sources distanced themselves from bin Laden's statements.

Today, a website that broadcasts information related to Abu-Musab Al-Zarqawi's insurgent network released a video showing an unmasked Zarqawi making more threats against the "crusaders" in Iraq. He threatened that "what is coming is even worse." Zarqawi also admonished the US for not accepting a truce offered by who he referred to as "our prince and leader", Osama bin Laden.

Two these two cowards, I say:

We don't need your sympathy. We don't want to hear your conspiracy theories explaining everything going on in the world. We don't need to hear verses of the Quran from you because you are hypocrites, choosing to exclude most of the basic principles in Islam. We don't need you to feel bad for the Palestinian people. We don't need you to ask the world to help Hamas, because unlike you, Hamas chose a civilized way to enter politics and change the status quo of the Palestinians. We don't need you to tell us about human rights and crusades in Darfur. We don't need you to tell us to go fight our Muslim brethren in Darfur who are suffering everyday, and not because of a "crusader" war.

We need you to get the hell back in your stupid cave and stop talking to us. You've done enough damage claiming you are acting like a righteous Muslim, blowing up innocent people in planes and hotels and resorts. You know nothing of jihad. You know nothing of what Muslims across the world are going through because of your murderous acts.

You do not know that Muslims in America and Europe are suffering everday because of your sick interpretation of the noble concept of jihad. You do not know that young American Muslim girls are being targeted because of your filthy words. They are being physically attacked, their headscarves torn off by extremists of other religions, just like yourself and because of your actions.

You do not know what our Muslim brothers go through in the West everyday when they are in the airport, in a college classroom, in their offices, on the trains. They are all suspects now, all because of your sick ideas and your personal ambitions, none of which have to do with our beautiful religion.

Everything that we have accomplished and every step that we have made to bring the beauty and essence of Islam to the rest of the world has been hijacked by you and the innocent young boys that you prey on. You brainwash them into thinking they are doing the work of God. There are many of them across the Arab and Muslim world. Poor, hopeless, jobless, willing to do anything to put out the rage inside their hearts. Their ineffective leaders have sucked the life out of them, and you deceive them even more. You lie to them and tell them they will go to heaven, to meet their Lord. Oh my Allah, how He has taught us in the Quran to LIVE for Islam before we die for it. To live for others, to help others, to spread Islam through our peaceful and kind actions.

How dare you even begin to think that you are following in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet Muhammad...how dare you taint his image. How dare you cause cartoonists to make fun of him because of your murderous actions. They are not at fault. You Osama and Abu Musab are at fault. That caricature was of YOU and NOT our beloved Prophet. He is innocent of what you claim he has preached. He preached nothing but peace. He was a patient and soft spoken man, not a sword wielding one. He cared for his neighbors, even the Jewish one who threw trash in front of his home everyday. Yes, you heard me, his Jewish neighbor.

Leave the Muslims alone. We don't want you to speak on our behalf. We don't support your terrorist tactics. We don't need your conspiracy theories. We need you to go back to your cave and ask Allah for forgiveness for all the sins you have committed. I, for one, will never forgive you for what you have done to my brothers and sisters in humanity whom you have killed, and I cannot forgive you for the damage you have inflicted on Muslim communities across the world, especially those in the West. May you live in misery throughout this life and may you burn in Hell in the next one.


[technorati tags: bin Laden, Zarqawi, news, failures, Islam, Muslims, peace]

Truth or Lie, Bush Used it To Support Illegitimate War

"The policy was set. The war in Iraq was coming and they were looking for intelligence to fit into the policy."

This is what former top CIA official Tyler Drumheller said today on CBS' 60 Minutes regarding the Bush administration's tactics. Ed Bradley spoke to Drumheller as well as former ambassador Joseph Wilson about the Niger uranium issues that surfaced in the months before the lead up to the Iraq invasion.

It all started much earlier than many would expect. Only one month after 9/11, the Bush administration received information from Italian intelligence sources that Saddam Hussein had purchased 500 tons of "yellow-cake uranium" from Niger, of course with the intention of using it to build a nuclear weapon. Drumheller says that most people at the CIA doubted the report, and questioned its authenticity. They didn't give it much attention.

VP Dick Cheney, however, insisted that this claim be investigated, so former ambassador Joseph Wilson was sent to Niger in February 2002 to do just that.

Wilson spent eight days in Niger looking for signs of a secret deal to send yellowcake to Iraq. He spoke to government officials who would have known about such a transaction. No one did. There had been a meeting between Iraqis and Nigerians in 1999, but Wilson was told uranium had never been discussed. He also found no evidence that Iraq had even been interested in buying uranium.

Wilson adds that he came back confident that the Italian intelligence had been false and that there was no basis to the Niger uranium deal. He relayed this information to the CIA, and then director George Tenet used the results of the investigation to convice Bush's speech writers to remove any references to the story because "it was overblown" and "the evidence was weak." Although the Niger story was removed from a speech Bush was scheduled to give in Cincinnati, it would soon reappear in much more high profile address by the president.

At the same time, the CIA had made another breakthrough: Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri, had agreed to reveal Iraq's military secrets to the agency, ratting out his long time boss, Saddam Hussein. The administration was excited to hear that such a high level source had decided to speak out. What he told them, however, would be even a bigger shock.

"He told us that they had no active weapons of mass destruction program," says Drumheller.

"So in the fall of 2002, before going to war, we had it on good authority from a source within Saddam's inner circle that he didn't have an active program for weapons of mass destruction?" Bradley asked.

"Yes," Drumheller replied. He says there was no doubt in his mind at all.

"It directly contradicts, though, what the president and his staff were telling us," Bradley remarked.

"The policy was set," Drumheller says. "The war in Iraq was coming. And they were looking for intelligence to fit into the policy, to justify the policy."

Once again, the Bush administration clearly heard from a high-level source that there were no WMD in Iraq. They had been planning to take Sabri's account seriously had he revealed something more in their interest. Now, they claimed that his information "could not be corroborated."

The Niger story resurfaced when an Italian spy claimed he had documents to prove the purchase of uranium by the Iraqis. He tried to sell them to an Italian reporter, but after close inspection, she doubted their authenticity. Elisabeta Burba says they were "bad forgeries", and handed them over to the US embassy in Rome in late 2002.

Drumheller says the CIA station chief in Rome, who worked for him, told him he didn't believe it. "He said, 'It's not true. It's not; this isn't real,'" Drumheller recalls.

Still, in January 2003, the National Intelligence Council conducted yet another investigation of the Niger story and concluded that it was baseless. This should've been the end of the story, until...

"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa," the president said.

In his 2003 State of the Union Address, just weeks after the final investigation, President Bush insisted on using the Niger story to support his bid for an invasion of Iraq. Even after many analysts and experts had agreed the story was baseless and there was no evidence to support it, the president used it in one of the most important statements to his people. He knowingly used false information to support a war he had planned to conduct regardless of the nuclear ambitions of Saddam Hussein. He knowingly lied to the American people.

If this isn't a good reason to impeach this president, then please turn your tv on and wait for a report about the civil war in Iraq. If that still isn't enough, I don't know what is. Maybe we should just send a stripper with some cigars to the White House. That'll do it.

[technorati tags: Iraq, war, failures, US, Bush, lies, Iraq, WMD, Niger]