Dutiful Daughters...
Most Daughters are very dutiful, are they not ?
And those who no longer are, must have been at some point in the past, very dutiful...
Dutiful daughters are ageless, they can be 1 or 100, or anywhere in between. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors...
Even if they have no more reason to stay dutiful, they remain so...
To the memory, keeping it burning like a vigil. To the legacy, keeping it alive, for future generations. To the heart keeping it ticking, so it will not stop beating.
They are the story tellers dutifully giving it away...
A loyalty that is almost genetically transmitted, a form of Love, maybe at times not a very “useful” one, but a Love nonetheless.
I am sure there are dutiful sons too, but am not a son...I would not really know.
Of course, the more “ primitive”, “backward”, “underdeveloped”, the family is, the greater the loyalty, the greater the Love...
It cannot be all that bad, being primitive, backward...can it now?
But as with all great loyalties and great loves, a price tag is always attached, sometimes a heavy one.
Take me for instance. I am a dutiful daughter. Sometimes breaking at the seams but dutiful nonetheless. Keeping it on, holding it together...
It is a must, or so I believe.
When I return home after some absence, it can be two hours or two days, I am always greeted with the latest news. An avalanche of news that comes tumbling down over my head.
To the extent, that I made a pact at home. We agreed that from the minute I walk in and counting 30mn, I am not to hear any story whatsoever.
If you only know how difficult it is to keep this pact of silence, however short.
So the pact gets re-negotiated, every time I see a look of despair or angst in the eyes of someone close.
So I say : “Ok, let’s have it. What happened? Who died again?”
Then it is spurted out and the avalanche comes tumbling down, again, along with the tears...
These moments are almost always concluded with my saying: “Ok let’s go and give our condolences. This is the least we can do.”
Sometimes I get very irate when the pact is not respected and I re-renegotiate.
I say : “You are to break the 30mn pact only if someone is in the process of dying. The dead, I can do nothing about, now.”
And inevitably the 30mn are hardly over when someone blurts out : “ X has severe chest pains, clogged arteries and needs a catheter immediately - no hospital would take him” or “Y’s diabetes and hypertension are getting totally out of control and there is no medication” or “Z can’t find a doctor in the vicinity” (they all flew away or the ones present only consult from home - they closed down their clinics) or “ A. needs an injection now and she can no longer afford it”...
I sigh and say: “I’ll see what can be done” and I look at my empty hands and pray for miracles, for Divine intervention, for anything... just anything.
Sometimes I lose it totally and scream at the top of my lungs: “ Who the hell do you think I am ? Joan of Arc or Florence Nightingale ? Give me stuff I can do something about!”
Or I explode and shout: “ Yes that’s it. Death, dying, illness... For once give me a piece of news that is different. A marriage, a birth or even a divorce. What’s happening, no one is getting married or divorced anymore?”
My family looks at me and it is usually my mother who shakes her head in disbelief and says: “ Jnoon, wallah, jnoon” (Madness, by Allah, this is madness.) And this is usually followed by a sullen silence that falls on us like a brick. The brick of powerlessness. Theirs and mine.
And every single time, I go through the whole ritual, feeling guilty and thinking of ways of metamorphosing into a Florence Nightingale or a Heart surgeon...
But am not the only one in this predicament. There are thousands of other dutiful daughters around me, in much worse conditions with more tragic stories...
Take for example the daughter sold into prostitution because her father can no longer afford feeding her and he says “ At least she will have something to eat.” (read FULL article here and you MUST – ENOUGH of your blinkers !)
Or the daughters forced into the oldest trade, servicing your brave boys or the rich clients abroad – one way of feeding their family. And these dutiful daughters with no choice, acquiesce.
(another article for you here)
And there are also, dutiful daughters lingering in overcrowded prisons with no trials, waiting for their names to be called to the gallows. And of course there are dutiful daughters being hunted down.
One of them is Raghad Saddam Hussein Al Majid. The daughter of the legitimate President of Iraq.
A woman, who lost her father in a state organized murder, her brothers, her husband, her country. She is also a mother, a sister, an aunt...
A warrant has been issued for her arrest. So called “insurgency” charges.
One article states that her mother Sajida is also wanted, as well as 41 other names on the “hit” list. Another article says that Raghad Saddam Hussein will meet the same fate as her father.
Not only her, but anyone who praises the martyr and hero Saddam Hussein is considered a threat.
And if you happen to be someone who wants to keep the memory alive, then you also qualify.
And even if you happen to dislike Saddam Hussein but you happen to be a patriotic Iraqi or a nationalist Arab, then you also qualify.
All these above categories are fit for execution according to our new democratic sectarian shia government.
My female instincts tell me, and I really hope am very wrong this time, that the sectarian, shia, Iranian government - put in power by the free and democratic government of the U.S.A, to silence the Iraqi people – are preparing another “gift” for the Eid. Just like the one they "offered" us on the 30th of December 2006.
Another way to deal a psychological and political blow to the Resistance. And another way to remind us what will await us should we resist as well.
Come to think of it, I am very “surprised” that this kind of dictatorship does not make you feel uneasy. I am equally “surprised” that you all barked at the “totalitarian”, “oppressive”, “dictatorial” regime of Saddam Hussein, when what is happening on a daily basis does not really move you. “He killed his own people” you kept barking and barking...and you managed to produce so many reports, that you, oh so wonderfully created. Did you not ? And you barked so more...
But when a million Iraqis are killed in 4 years, by the so called democratic government's militias and thugs and by your own brave boys issued from a so called democratically elected government, you always manage to come up with that same lame, ugly sentence of yours, when cornered : “Well you see, he killed his own people.”
For those of you out there, who are “bothered” by my “constant” reference to Saddam Hussein, not only as an inspiration, not only as a symbol but as the personification of the UNITY of Iraq, a country soon to be divided into pieces, and as an emblem of a true anti- imperialist, patriotic, secular, lover of this land, this is my final reply to you :
As a dutiful daughter of this Land. As my Father’s and Mother’s daughter. As a daughter of Iraq, I openly and publicly declare the following :
If Raghad Saddam Hussein, the woman, the mother, the sister, the wife, the daughter, is left to be lynched like her father...
If any of you allow it to happen again and any of you can mean - Iraqis, Arabs, Americans, Europeans, Asians, Indians, Africans, South Americans...
You, the U.N and its agencies. You the NGO’s and governmental institutions.
You, "anti-war", rightist, leftist, centrist. You, academics, students...
You, layperson, citizen, whatever your religion, race or gender...
If you let that happen, any of you, I will publicly renounce my Iraqi origins.
I will burn my birth certificate, my passport and my identity card. I will change the color of my hair, will change the color of my skin, will change my name...
I will declare myself a persona non grata, an outcast, with no identity, no name, no land, no origins and no roots.
I will dutifully bear the void of nothingness and the feeling of erring, rather than bear witness to one more Iraqi being hanged and then sit and listen to the deafening silence that will follow...
And I will tell you, take it , have it, it will no longer be a loss for me.
I can no longer be associated with this sinking ship called not only Iraq, but the “human race”. Yours.
So dutiful Daughters of Iraq and elsewhere...
Instead of shopping for “cloths” and “clothes” with which you hide yourselves or adorn and expose your dead bodies, use them for making voodoo dolls.
And instead of sewing and knitting, use your pins and needles to jab truths.
And instead of carrying your brooms to sweep, use them to fly...across barriers and frontiers.
And instead of your salads and soups, make magic potions...
And instead of your whining and nagging, recite mystical incantations...
And find IT.
The witch hunt has begun. And you are to become witches again.
Dutiful daughters that you are.
It is already there, it is already in you.
As, for you the sons...? I don't know, am not a son. You tell me.
P.S: Thank you Souad Massi - the wonderful Algerian singer- for accompanying me tonight.
Painting : Iraqi female artist, Betool Fekaiki
Comments
'Not only her, but anyone who praises the martyr and hero Saddam Hussein is considered a threat.'
Does that mean you are on the hit list too? I hope your blog name is a pseudonym...
Scary stuff.
I am a dutiful daughter, also I am an only child.
I am quite happy to stick pins in a poppet for you. I've been a pagan for years, but I have never wished harm on anyone.
I hope that Raghed does not meet the same fate as her father. Just how much injustice can Iraq bear?
Here is a little something we can all do. I think the best one, at this point would be to Heal a Broken Heart, for Iraq’s heart is broken. Follow these instructions, you never know, if we all do this between us we may work a miracle.
Follow these instructions:
Use a circle of blue cloth, fill with All-Heal, Balm of Gilead Buds, Feverfew, myrtle and white rose petals. Take a white felt heart, cut into half. Sew it together with blue thread, while charging the charm with energy, and add some thread into the herbs. Add a copper coin to draw new love, (if wanted). Put the heart inside the circle of blue cloth, and bind in to a pouch with white thread.
It is almost 4:00 a.m. I must read your post before I retire to bed. I should have been in bed 2 hours ago. No! Now I must write. I must!
I have a toothache. No I don't.
I want to write but I can't.
An avalanche of news that comes tumbling down over my head.
Is the impatient avalanche saying, "We are so happy that you have returned."
How many dutiful daughters are there? One? To be welcomed home? To share the avalanche? I suppose everyone will be avalanched on return.
I can say I am sorry. That does nothing. So I am not sorry. I cannot be sorry in the face of IRAQ. I don't know how you feel, but I will try. It helps you not but it does, me. And does nothing for me, because I am helpless too. You don't agree. I am with you. You can't be wrong, not now. If only I can be in your shoe?
I read one of the stories. I had read the other a few days ago. Feeding the children... Almost always a woman going out for the children.
Since I was a teenager, I have held the view that a woman who prostitutes out of necessity still retains her honour.
Only my father could say how dutiful a son I have been but he died seven years ago, almost to the day. I was dutiful to my children. I raised them alone from ages 5, 8 and 10. When they were not with me I was constantly inquiring about their sleeping arrangements, their food and whether they are warm at nights. Today, they are grown and all married, but I feel the same for the children of IRAQ.
Interpol, The UN, The EU, NATO, The Mossad, all birds of a steel feather. I can pray for Raghad. I know this is not enough.
I don't know what else to write; all the writings are sterile and unhelpful.....
As you so very correctly state, if a single hair on the head of the President's daughter is ALLOWED to be touched, then it's not just you, Layla, who'd not want to be associated with what is called the 'human race' – we will have stooped far too low. She is made a target of this despicable regime simply because she is the President's daughter - and like every daughter in the world, will stand up for her father come what may.
There hasn't yet been a response to this from any of the supposed 'Human Rights' groups, women's rights groups, the legal fraternity, etc. But, can we now depend on any of these to fight for Justice? Justice has been abused since 2003 as far as Iraq is concerned, and before, if we are to go back to the cruel sanctions.
And what happens to those who are DIRECTLY responsible for the genocide in Iraq: Bush, Blair, Howard, all their sick cronies; Maliki and all the other traitors in Iraq and outside? Why haven't their names been listed, since all the killing of thousands upon thousands has been so clearly documented? WHO will answer for these CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY?????
A resounding NO to any further acts of barbarism and lynching, the worst of which we were so unfortunate to witness on the 30th of December, 2006. And to seek a woman (mother, sister, daughter, wife)simply because she happens to be the daughter of the slain President is just beyond comprehension and goes against everything human.
Sick, sick, sick world which desperately requires Divine cleansing.
The so-called "execution" of Saddam or what should be described as a lynching, proves to the very core, the failure, the fear, the destructive nature and the sectarianism of the Iranian regime in Iraq.
The attack on Raghad is a warning to all Iraqi's and Arabs who oppose the Iranian presence in Iraq and it is to serve the purpose of silence.
You will hear people say that Silence is Golden, Ignorance is Bliss, but both are an excuse for continued genocide, which has turned a country from a concentration camp into a death camp.
The issue is not about "insurgents" or what Saddam did when he was in power but what the illegal occupation and the Iranians are doing now.
Not only are they violating Iraqs soverignty by their very presence but they are telling other Arab countries to relinquish their soverignty to US/Iranian rule and hand over Iraqi citizens.
Mr. Sheristani (or Mr. Al-Rubaii as he is now known) has also asked Jordan to hand over Iraqi refugees who oppose the Iranians in Iraq, who if the Joranians capitulate, will also get murdered by Tehran.
What is also needed, along with the mass protest, is for Western passport carrying Arabs to start showing their own presence in the West and publically threaten to boycott products, businesses of those from countries who may support these "extraditions" but also to start publically lobbying both embasseys and members of parliament, and threaten to pull your votes and support if the MP does not protest in public.
People should contact their local press, write open letters to Embassies and MP's and contact your local radio stations.
Do not let silence be the killer!
Hunt them down. Kill them. Send their filthy bodies back to Qum.
We get Palestinians, Egyptians, Lebanese saying "Oh, look Iran is defying the west, they will give us the first real MUSLIM atomic bomb".
They chant in the streets of Cairo "We are all Nasrallah".
All Arabs have been beguiled. Fooled. Cheated. They believe in some nonsensical Muslim unity which has NEVER existed.
They believe that Iran is standing up to Israel.
Okay, list for me how much money Iran has spent on fighting Israel.
How many Iranian youth have died fighting Israel.
How many Iranian military units engaged against Israel?
How many Iranian cities did Israel bomb?
How many Israeli cities did Iran bomb?
WELL? What's the matter? You don't like the number zero?
ZERO!
And it will ALWAYS be Zero.
While Iraqis are hacked to bits, and their women burned alive by Iranians, these Arabs choose to blame the Mossad or Mussolini for that matter.
The Mossad is playing a dirty game. But this one they leave to their sisters in Iran.
Pfffft. Go to hell.
Maybe you Arabs would like to sit down and chat with Iraqi prisoners of war who returned to Iraq and told of great horrors at the hands of the Badr Brigade and the Hakim Whores who killed Shia and Sunni soldiers alike.
The Shia Iraqis were "asked" to give up their Arab identity in favor of the Persian one.
As Layla (not Leyla) said, it is not about Shia and Sunni.
Persia uses Shia as an excuse to destroy Iraq.
Persia will shake hands with the devil to conquer Iraq. They would burn down their own mosques to do that.
Saddam Hussein warned of the Iranian threat for decades. All of those who stood against the invasion of Iraq warned against the Iranian threat.
So, to the Arabs, get your heads out of the sand and wake up to the real threat in the Middle East.
All Iraqis who stand against Iranian occupation of Iraq are targeted.
We all know this.
My family bravely fought the Iranian horde in the 1980s. And we do so again.
They are going after Raghad Saddam Hussein because she is a symbol.
A symbol (as a fellow blogger pointed out to me in an email and I refused to listen at the time) of Arab unity in Iraq.
You can call Saddam a tyrant or you can call him a savior. It does not matter.
The point is Iraq was whole for 35 years from 1968-2003. Now it is being torn asunder. By the so-called democratic process.
Take that with you when you go to hell.
Iraqis today are fighting many invaders. And the Arabs are standing by and watching. And betraying.
*Tigh*
http://www.uruknet.de/?p=m35479&s1=h1
Talk about a bitch slap to the Iraqi Occupation but what were talkin about is.........
check the link, your song for today!
I dunno. Can't the King overrule them on matters of security?
I can't see interpol issuing their security "warning" two days after al-mutti went to Amman without some kind of consultation with the Jordanians.
I fear a big selling of Iraqis is afoot.
Syria is the only last place for them now. And maybe Qatar.
Who knows. As Layla (not Leyla!) said, witch hunt has begun.
*Tigh*
Have you ever noticed how it's always the daughters who maintain contact/visits with their parents, while sons become puppets to their wives parents???
(this may be a western thing).
I'm not sure why, but I like this art. It's ghostly, yet I like the colors and weirdness. (my psych appt. is tomorrow...hehehehe).
I am sorry that I did not comment on Peter Tosh. Six years ago I sat in the basement of a high school friend, in Toronto. We sipped beer (yes, haram, I know, but....once in a blue moon) and watched Bob Marley videos. My preference is Hindi music, but I also listen to Rap, for the message. I have worked with many rappers and would-be rappers, and observe the treatment of young Blacks, in New York City (NYC) and the subway, by the white police. During the Lebanese civil war, the observation was made that a young blackman had a better chance of growing into adulthood in Lebanon than in Harlem, NYC. I came to "know" Bob Marley, through his message. I am quite familiar with the name Peter Tosh, but had never listened to his music, until you opened my ears. Yes, I did follow your instructions and listened well to the lyrics, at the earliest opportunity, and several times after. As I listened, I thought about Iraq and realised that peace will never be permanent without justice. While Justice Delayed is Justice Denied, for Saddam, Justice was denied and the verdict was certainly not delayed. I am so guilty, I can't be sad.
So you were disappointed with us and did not invite us to your next concert. I came, nevertheless. Because I wanted to. I couldn't follow the lyrics but I followed the "mood." Now, anything of that genre will draw me to Iraq, and bring me a thought about you. Thanks for bring me.
I'm not a big T. Chapman fan and I don't think Iraq is a 'revolution'. The people of Iraq didn't overthrow Saddam, nor are they overthrowing anything else at the moment. Just a whole lot of finger pointing and death being served up.
A more fitting song would be 'Crazy' by Seal.
sometimes you just have to get a little crazy.....
would that delight you by any chance?
Do you have anything else kind of simpler...?
Like how to turn stones into hardened shit balls to be thrown at the current govt and the brave boys?
I hope you will not sue me for insomnia :-)
Am glad you liked Peter Tosh he is quite underated. He is a good reggae artist, of course along with Bob Marley who is one my heroes.
I like hindi music too. I like all music. Souad Massi is a very talented artist and it brings me joy when I can share my little repertoire with others who can appreciate.
Thanks for posting and welcome to my blog. I will certainly extensively visit yours.
Good luck with your project.
Hello. You said some very pertinent things.
1 - we, as a race have stooped too low and how true.
2- who will judge the criminals of today?
I wish more people bothered to look at the same image from a different angle.
I am not sure what you represent?
Some mega porn site ?
The mongering over there, started over here...Here being in the West. And maybe administering some healthy sex instead of consummer sex can start tackling the killer instincts over there, in your part.
Hence, you will less be likely to screw other people the way you do.
Very well said. Iraqis with foreign passports really need to ACT. And Arabs need to act and Westerners need to act. Honest to God, whichever way I look at it, what is happening to Iraq has never happened in the same way to any other country.
YA PEOPLE, YA NASS, open your eyes.
By the way, I love the two last songs. Tracy Chapman is great. And yes it is a revolution. A massive, cultural, moral, spiritual, political revolution....
I am looking forward to tomorrow's song.
Maybe Iraqi Arab women are growing balls since the Arab men's have shrunk into non existence. A wishful thought from the past.
the Iraqi people did not overthrow Saddam but what the occupation is being met with is resistance, which is itself a revolutionary movement.
The Iraqi resistence is not just fighting for independence but like other revolutionary movements in the world, are also fighting for life, self government and the right to have full control over Iraqs resources.
The traditions which the resistance are standing on, are not abstract, which many anti-war campaigners would like many to think.
These are traditions which every occupier has faced in Iraqs history, traditions which saw the overthrow of the British installed Hashemite monarchy, revolutionary traditions which were the force behind oil nationalisation, zero tolerence on illiteracy and poverty.
It was revolutionary resistance which won Iraqi women freedom, which saw women being involved with resistance activities, in a womens history which gave the Iraqi people such women as Naziha Dulaimi and Huda Ammash.
What the occupation are imposing is oppression and war but what they are being met with is resistance and revolution.
For the past one hundred years, Iraq has been going through what can only be described as a perminant revolution.
VERY well said. I have nothing to add.
I need to warn other readers that we will be hunted down and we will also be virtually hacked and our blogs destroyed.
So if for any reason, mine disappears as I know it has happened to others, you will know why.
King Abdullah might be able to overrule but if the Jordanians were made aware of the fact, that they could potentially lose millions in investment, face international protest and public ridicule that maybe Abdullah might change his mind.
When your trying to build up your economy on tourism, its not a good idea to have your customers thinking they are enterring a living Auschwitz, where the state is applying Gestapo methods to vulnerable people.
After all, people can always visit Giza.
I understand what you mean about the resistance, but what and who is the resistance? It's not all Iraqi's against American forces.
It's a host of othe players thrown in the mix too. Which doesn't make it a revolution, it makes it a disaster of colossal proportions.
There are way too many elements fighting with and/or against each other to consider it a 'revolution'. When ALL Iraqi's fight on the same side, then it'll be a revolution. Until then, it's pure madness and hell.
The Iraqi revolution would've been to deny America's entry into the country. At this point in time, that's beyond the issue. The issue now is how do Iraqi's of any kind, (sunni, shia) unite, regroup and defend themselves? I don't know and I'm not going to pretend I have the answer. I can't believe they didn't do it from the start.
I think it says something when an outside force is allowed to roll in and destroy that easily. Americans would've never allowed something like that to happen to us, I'm proud of that. Come hell or high water, we are willing to fight for our way of life.
hindsight is always 20/20 and I don't think anyone could've predicted the amount of outside interference from neigbhoring countries.
which brings me to the song I quoted..
"but we're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy".
sometimes you gotta get a little crazy!
"Americans would've never allowed something like that to happen to us."
Americans have allowed the Zionist lobby to hijack their history.
Either you make an armed revolution or you make an armed revolution.
He is asking that
1) Syria throw out all former Baathists and what are now considered terrorists
2) Refuse entry to all Iraqis, including known resistance fighters and those seeking refuge because they are on Iran's wanted list.
Iran will not give up till its modern day Persoplis is as ashen as the ancient one.
We need an Alexander.
*Tigh*
Almost all of the Arab art you post here would have been considered degenerate by the Nazis.
"The witch hunt has begun. And you are to become witches again.
Dutiful daughters that you are.
It is already there, it is already in you."
I'm with you there Layla. "The Burning Times - A Memorial".
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2786102354532104771
You know, you keep arguing with me and then you come round to my point of view. Cool eh? The truth is just so self-evident.
Maitreya
I will burn my birth certificate, my passport and my identity card. I will change the color of my hair, will change the color of my skin, will change my name...
I will declare myself a persona non grata, an outcast, with no identity, no name, no land, no origins and no roots.
I will dutifully bear the void of nothingness and the feeling of erring, rather than bear witness to one more Iraqi being hanged and then sit and listen to the deafening silence that will follow...
And I will tell you, take it , have it, it will no longer be a loss for me.
I can no longer be associated with this sinking ship called not only Iraq, but the “human race”. Yours."
Hey, come on, sail away with me. We have so much in common and we could be so good together :-)
Maitreya
This little witch cannot manufacture miracles, as much as I would love to help you out. If you want to try it out, under a full moon is the best. It's actually very relaxing, meditating as you imagine yourself being the roots of a giant tree. It's an earth magic "thing".
Apparently a witch can make profiles disappear! It would seem I have upset one of your regulars, after leaving a post on his/her blog that had no comments. Profile is now unavailable.
Don't forget that coffee!
i have just started a new blog in english , i hope you check it out and tell me what you think of it
http://meansnecessary.blogspot.com/
thanks
Alzaher
Egypt
how could the Iraqi Army have denied entry to Coalition troops, when the Iraqi side were denied modern weaponary under the sanctions?
All polls that have been conducted, each show the majority of Iraqis are in favour of the resistance.
The disaster is not for the Iraqi's, as what is being thrown up is the age old question of independence and self determination, its showing the rights of small nations to defend themselves against agression but its also exposing who Iraqs real friends are.
The issue effecting the "shiite" "Sunni" etc, is the fact that outside forces are coming in and exploiting the situation to create divisions, divisions that were never present until 2003.
If we look at the acts of "ethnic seperation", then we can see each time that this is coming from outside forces, with walls and attacks being carried out by US and the Badr, Mehdi armies, which when you look at the origins of these organisations, are not even Iraqi but Iranian established and funded movements.
The shiite and sunni question is a deviation away from the poverty, illiteracy, the illegal occupation, prisoner abuse and the "Vichey regime" in the Green Zone.
You say that "Americans would've never allowed something like that to happen to us, I'm proud of that. Come hell or high water, we are willing to fight for our way of life." But when its the Americans who are imposing this on others, the US are now crying for their "dead boys" and still wonder why 9/11 ever happened.
Come hell or high water, it must be embarrassing to know that the American way can't even get a light bulb working in Baghdad and similar to the American actions with hurricane Katrina, cant even provide safe, clean drinking water.
Hindsight is not 20/20 and the US knew already that Chalabi, Allawi, Dawa and SCIRI were all a bunch of con men, so dont be deluded and if they didn't it makes me question their reading abilities.
They also knew about the outside inteference, as the US hesitation for invasion after the first Gulf War was of prolonged occupation, resistance, and "outside inteference".
The Iraqi people are fighting for their way of life, one that does not include children walking into schools and shooting each other and I am proud of that.
What you must ask yourself though, is how many Timothy Mackvies will be coming home?
Those who are impressed by Iran do so not only becaue they are frustrated by their leadership, but also because Arabs don't read enough, so they don't know- which is basically the fault of their regimes.
Many forget that hadn't it been for the the Iraqi resitance, Iranians wouldn't have dared to open their mouths
I agree with some of your points, but I have a few contentions I'd like to make. (this is a bit longer than I intended).
First- If Arab countries EVER united into a cohesive force and spent their riches on building their own technology, instead of palaces, UAE, KSA etc.. America would have a challenge. So saying that Iraqis were denied modern weaponry is a mute point. America spends billions on weapon technology and you don't see Bill Gates creating Islands off the western coast of America. Sometimes Arabs can't get out of their own way.
Second-All Iraqi's may be against the resistance NOW; they weren't in 2003 when it started. When people are willing to ago to the other side, it is a telling statement about how Iraqi's feel about Saddam. It is also a strategy the west exploits to perfection. Again, Arabs being used as pawns.
Third- Your comment 'it must be embarrassing to know that the American way can't even get a light bulb working in Baghdad and similar to the American actions with hurricane Katrina'.
So you blame the West for denying Iraqi's modern weaponry, which resulted in Iraq being decimated in days, and you think we should be embarrassed because we can't get a light bulb to work in Iraq. Hmmmm....I'll sleep on that one.
The Hurricane Katrina was an issue of the African American Governor NOT doing HIS job, yet because he's black no one argues the point. Disaster planning and infrastructure is the GOVERNORS JOB. The age of political correctness in America has become despicable. If he were any other race, he would've been fired years ago!
Fourth - 'The Iraqi people are fighting for their way of life, one that does not include children walking into schools and shooting each other and I am proud of that.' You should be proud of that. I'd be proud if my second amendment rights weren't stripped away and I could shoot back at someone trying to shoot me ;-)
(liberals cringe when I say this)
Timothy McVie is dead.
"See ya, off the planet A-hole" I have no sympathy for people who wallow in delusional self-pity. If you can't succeed in America, you're not trying hard enough. As for 'more of them coming home'. I doubt it. After Iraq, America is better than ice cream!
Here is another Peter Tosh song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUZNymIvEoQ
My favourite, as it happens :-) and here
http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=75182
is a good place to run to. Come on, you're the smartest woman on the web; are you up for it? And yes, I dare to ask you.
My response to your post on the previous article is very long, and I suspected that Layla would have edited it so I placed it on my own blog and the link is here
Happy reading!!!
I think it says something when an outside force is allowed to roll in and destroy that easily. Americans would've never allowed something like that to happen to us, I'm proud of that. Come hell or high water, we are willing to fight for our way of life."
You're proud of what exactly? If Americans had been subjected to being bombed into the stone age, if we had been subjected to over a decade of sanctions, then bombed again, then invaded, then occupied, and mercilessly slaughtered, you really thing Americans would have the courage to fight? They'd be hiding under their couches.
They hide now, don't you know? They run around shopping to hide from their conscience.
So get down from that proud horse. We have nothing to be proud of. We are a lazy, over-stuffed, bunch of sheep, ready for the slaughter.
Layla, I believe the magic is in imagining (conjuring) the outcome, from the deepest depths of the heart, with love.
today's song for you is... (click the link!)
I remember this from my own childhood and was quite glad to be re-reminded whilst in a Palestinian refugee camp working with orphans.
It should be made the anthem for all dispossed children (include your own blurb) and I hope that people will link it to their blogs too!
"we are willing to fight for our way of life."
This is exactly the statement that was repeated, numerous times, in the West's attempt to demonize Muslims. There were Muslim Zombies in their closets, denying them "their way of life."
Did the Native Americans have their "way of life?"
Lady, the American Way of Life was on display with the Supreme Court's decision on the 2000 elections, and the disenfranchisement of 91000 blacks, who were not felons, as was claimed.
"The Iraqi revolution would've been to deny America's entry into the country."
The American flyboys, in their Apaches, devastated the formations of the massed-Iraqi-Army. They were experiencing their "ultimate climax." It's the American Way, to butcher the "weak" and be deluded into thinking they are fighting "mano-a-mano." Flyboys were experiencing real-world video games. Lady, game-software is many times more profitable than educational-software. And almost all of the popular game-software are VIOLENT. Its the American Way to be violent. It was/is utterly naive (deadly) to expect, even a fully armed Iraqi Army, to withstand the onslaught of "infinitely" superior weapons. Yet, despite the fact that Iraqis are fighting Iraqis, they seem to have brought the world's mightiest army to its knees.
To "not expect" the unexpected is "the American way of life," very shallow-thinking people.
Educating Americans is an exercise in futility.
(AKA Lady Penelope London Agent)
Im out of town tomorrow so I'm including tomorrows song for you.
best as ever
I read your reply to Maitreya.
It had me in stitches.
I wanted to write a piece specially dedicated to the Brits, but you've beat me to it.
I can add nothing that will not sound "pale" and "bland" in comparison. - It was very funny...
Lambasted comes to mind.
Now, I am curious to see what Maitreya will have to reply in which I hope to be an interesting and highly witty repartee.
I will miss your songs. Can't wait for a new surprise the day after tomorrow inshallah. Stay safe.
By the way, the latest reply to Shaboor, Shapour, aka Muwafak al Rubaie from the Jordanian authority concerning R.S.H. is the following :
" They are not READY to surrender Raghad" and "not dealing with that situation RIGHT NOW."
Link : http://uruknet.info/?p=m35507&hd=&size=1&l=e
NOTICE the use of Language : "not Ready and not right now..." translate it into :
When we are ready and maybe later.
Fucking typical jordanian.
Till soon ID.
First UTube, I believe the music is by Lorena McKinitt?
Thanks for reminding me of the Dark Ages that the "civilized West" bombed us back into...
Seems the witch hunt from your side of the ocean has not stopped. They are just after the muzzies now.
Peter Tosh is good. I liked the song but can't stand Mike Jagger.
Except when the Rolling Stones play my favorite "Can't get no satisfaction". The guy is a sick retard.
As for Butlin's holidays (hahaha), I think Chavez needs to review his stand vis a vis Ahmadinajad.
That's my writing style, when I get started. I am glad you were entertained. I wrote a piece about an Islamic School in my country of birth. It, also, was hilarious. So I was told.
The description of “The Ulama” in Tyranny Of The Few - By Mirza Yawar Baig on ICH, aptly described the situation.
The Jardonians are basically saying up the ante and we would sell anyone and everyone you want us to sell.
*T*
PS. In 1961, Nasser sent his troops to protect Kuwait from Iraq. Along the border it was one egyptian, one british, one egyptian, one british and so on ...
In 1991, Egypt sent its troops to get its debts written off by the Paris Club and IMF and also in exchange for their loyalties, Ismat Abdel Meguid became SG of the AL.
The bastard never visited Iraq a single time during his tenure.
Not one single time.
Egypt, Jordan and the Arabs take on Iran? Hahahah .... well ONLY if it were to defend Israel. But to defend other Arabs? There's no profit in it so why bother.
Your reply to Maitreya should be required reading. It contains all the Brit history one needs to know!
On a separate topic, you mention the article by Mirza Yawar Baig on ICH ("Tyranny of the Few"). Below is a reply I sent to Mr. Baig. As far as I can tell, Baig runs a successful consulting business out of Bangalore, India. The 'moderation' he implies is self-serving and is a prerequsite for the corporate business he solicits.
-----------------------------------
Reply to Mirza Yawar Baig:
So, Mr. Baig, what is your message? Muslims should 'pull up their socks', become 'moderates', and follow the path of 'Satyagraha'---non-violence? Your message is very much in sync with western propaganda which you seem to have un/consciously imbibed. The 'moderate', 'good' Muslim is precisely what the imperialists and their coolie intellectuals wish of the Muslim Ummah as the former proceed with industrial scale killings in pursuit of global hegemony. Here, please refer to the link below entitled: "Is the United States killing 10, 000 Iraqis Every Month? Or Is It More?". Furthermore, some of what you state in your essay, including on Iraq, is sheer speculation based on your own biases and not factual. You are either naive and/or have a bit of latent opportunism in you. The 'moderate, good' Muslim that you personify will surely do well on the corporate sponsored lecture circuit and bring in lots of contracts for your consulting firm. And from what one can tell, you are already benefiting.
The coolie intellectuals I refer to above are like the sheep you refer to. Sheep are indeed sheep and you should take a close look at the mirror before pontificating on the subject.
PS for those who are interested in Iraq, Layla Anwar's website is highly recommended as many ICH readers are already well aware. www.arabwomanblues.blogspot.com
"Is the United States killing 10,000 Iraqis Every Month? Or Is It More?"
http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=6538
“If Raghad Saddam Hussein was responsible for all that is happening in Iraq with the chaos, massacres, car bombs, al-Qaida, the Mahdi Army ... then the Americans shouldn’t be in dialogue with the Iranians, but with her,” a former information minister, Saleh Qallab, wrote Monday in the pro-government daily Al Rai.
“It’s about time that Iraq, instead of creating the ‘Interpol hurricane,’ proves its courage and says loudly and clearly that the one responsible for all that is happening in Iraq is Iran,” he said.
Raghad has been known to speak publicly in support of the anti-American insurgency in Iraq — most recently in Yemen in February, when she joined hundreds of Baath party supporters commemorating the 40-day period since Saddam’s death.
At the gathering, Raghad — who supervised Saddam’s defense before his conviction and subsequent hanging — said that “as long as the resistance and the mujahedeen are fulfilling their duties in Iraq, the Iraqi people, without any doubt, will achieve victory.”
MSNBC
Too bad this is the former minister.
*T*
Kos okht ile nafadak, Elif air ab tizak. Bidde neek immak, arie fique koos zamel kalb.
SAW
"spent their riches on building their own technology, instead of palaces"
Lady, they are spending their riches buying American weapons and creating jobs for Americans. The Saudi interest assembled the technology for AWACS.
Had Saddam not built Palaces, where would the American military have billeted? Isn't it interesting how the Americans demonizes and criticizes the extravagance but when they arrive they usurp these at their leisure for their pleasure? Saddam built an excellent medical system. The Americans bombed the hospitals and commandeered those which they chose not to bomb. Not unlike the action of the Israelis in the occupied territories. My son-in-law is a, born-in-America, medical doctor. He may be a great doctor or war-fighter but with intent to kill, I cannot condone his actions. He said he will die for the country (the US) and my daughter. He never answered my question, “Why aren’t you at the front-line?” No-brainer? That’s the man, no brainer. The Hippocratic Oath or the Hypocritic Oath?
Sorry, Layla. You make and raise your children but you know not why they choose, killers.
The American economy is doomed to manufacture weapons, almost exclusively, since almost its entire non-military manufacturing has migrated to China, a communist country with Most Favored Nation (MFN) status. Sino warming? Then they must sell those weapons, to both sides of the conflict, hence creating conflicts makes the difference between Life and Death for the American economy. It’s about oil and I return to that in another post. I know Layla does not agree.
After Iraq is dismembered (fucked-up, by the American lexicon), each new (American Satellite) country will make massive purchases from America. Oil (after the parasites have imbibed) will be exchanged for that enviable Commodity of Ass Destruction (CAD), weapons. Providing jobs for Americans will prevent them from taking to the streets to over-throw the Royal government. Compare Great British and France. Royalty still exists in Great Britain but not in France. How sad. No more, “I take this land in the name of the Quirk in Buckingham Palace.”
After Technology jobs have ferreted-out all the Indian students it can find, in the US, the remaining ones (jobs) are beamed over (outsourced) to Bangalore, where the smart people live. So, now students, you know one of the places where the dumb don’t live. And another place where they do. Quiz tomorrow.
A few years ago, I commented to an official at the local job-office that the local University was funding the education of the foreign students, while Americans (my children included) must fund themselves. He said, “That’s where we get our brains from.” He made that statement on behalf of himself and almost every other American.
The quality and standard of life in pre-invasion Iraq did not induce an addiction for the decadent West. “Sorry Brits, this is Iraq and your China days ended…(large number) years ago.” (Sir, Your Madesty, Your Royal Higherness, Maitreya, are you tuned-in?) That was their undoing. How dare them not suck and grovel, at our embassy, for a Visa. And then suck and grovel upon arrival.
Microsoft recently made a decision to open a facility in Canada, and not the US. Reason? Workers (predominantly Indians) cannot obtain visas to work in the US. “Students, which of you want to live in the LOD (Land of the Dumb)?”
In order to show that there is an increase in manufacturing jobs, The Bush Government counted MacDonald’s jobs among manufacturing jobs. When asked why, the response was, “They make things, don’t they?” Americans are being wonderfully manu-fuck-tered by their Government. Students, please repeat after me: manu-fuck-tered, manu-fuck-tered, manu-fuck-tered.
Americans are so blind. Bush claimed that outsourcing jobs is good for the Economy. President Bush hasn’t understood, doesn’t and never will, understand how the GDP is concocted. Yes, it is a concoction, infused with British Opium. China is no longer buying.
Why did the British government stop the investigation of BAE?
"The British investigators were ruffling feathers. They had reportedly gained access to a number of Swiss bank accounts.
The Saudis made it clear to the British government: Call off the corruption inquiry or you won't get the next big contract to supply $12 billion worth of fighter planes
The Government's decision however has probably saved 5,000 British jobs."
BAE has kept up to 5,000 expatriate technicians and pilots in Saudi Arabia over the last two decades, in heavily guarded compounds at Riyadh, Dharan, Khamis Mushayt and Tabuk. An entire MoD department in London, with up to 700 staff, has administered the government-to-government programmes. With annual revenue of up to £2bn, the Saudi programmes have provided BAE with 12-25% of its profits and kept the company afloat. Here is the link to The Guardian Article
Working Brits=Weapons of Ass Destruction (Miatreya, listen up)
"Second-All Iraqi's may be against the resistance NOW; they weren't in 2003 when it started."
Really? All Iraqis are against the resistance?
Hmmmm....I'll sleep on that one.
And while you’re at it, sleep on this one also
"Pentagon Paid $998798 to Ship Two 19-Cent Washers"
And this does not account for all the purchases the twin sisters had made. Could it be that they also shipped some lit light bulbs?
he's black no one argues the point…... If he were any other race, he would've been fired years ago!
I agree, totally, absolutely and completely.
Now, comment on the failed and closed Black bank in Harlem and the bailed-out (at tax payers expense) S&L in which The President's brother and his friends had controlling interests. When they declared bankruptcy, they were in possession of penthouse(s) on Madison Avenue.
…second amendment rights…
Is the Right to Bear Arms synonymous with the Right to Open Fire in School?
“shoot back at someone trying to shoot me”
At whom was the school shooter shooting back?
If you have not heard by now, the traitor Maliki has publicly apologized to Iran for the death of its soldiers during the Iraq-Iran war.
Publicly. Apologized.
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who fought to defend our homeland from a brutal fanatical racist and imperialist persian regime mean nothing to the "iraqi" prime minister.
If you have not embraced the resistance yet, perhaps this will wake you up.
*T*
I’ll make a few quick points, since it would be rude to ignore such a long and well said piece.
Yes, they are buying America weapons, but when America sells weapons (planes, tanks, guns etc) to other countries, It gives them the stripped down, walmart version.
The US Army is trained to fight and survive in outdoor, harsh conditions. The fact that they chose to stay in a palace instead of being in the dirt is silly.
Oil is part of it but not all of it. The re-mapping of the Middle East has been in the works for some time.
As for China- Don’t get me started with the trade laws. It’s pathetic, but yes you’re right. We give China way too much of our industry and get little in return. If America tanks, so will China and that’s only the beginning. Israel, Egypt and all the other countries relying on American money will tank too.
This is getting long..I’ll finish later. But you make so awesome points.
(hope no spelling errors, didn't spell check :-)
L.
Home early but aching badly, as you already know the reason why!
Todays mission is a song on the theme of your article, which also reminds me of Jordan and was inspired by something that was said by a person today.
Also, I feel that a child can only be dutiful when the parent provides leadership otherwise ....
best
On Mr. Baig’s article, I was referring only to that section about the Ulama, as it relates to the region where I tried to bring decency, dignity and respect to Muslims. The Imams are all uneducated thugs, leveraging the Muslim community for their own monetary gain. A hijab/khimar wearing young woman is a prostitute with less than a fifth-grade education, but she is “teaching” fifth grade. The headmaster of the school has little beyond a low-grade high school education. He is a pedophile and does not support the children from his previous wives. The Muslim community receives little respect from non-Muslim members of the community. They are viewed with very deep suspicion.
Beyond that, I question much of his writing. In a subsequent post, I will discuss the Satyagraha principle as I feel it relates (or should relate) to the Ummah
To Layla:
I am sorry; I inadvertently sent the last reply while attempting to “Preview” it. I have since made a few corrections and additions. Seems you posted the piece in its entirety, unedited it. The corrected version is here
Here is a major amendment:
“The number of jobs actually involved is much larger than 5000. And the the spin-off economy? Think about it. This would be one reason for the dismemberment of Iraq, by that British TuBerculosis. The creation of another Saudi Arabia, subservient to the drug-pushing and money laundering Brits and jobs for those shapely British cubes (people). In another post I will comment on the Multinational Corporations and local government. Recall: TB volunteered to operate the Iraqi oil fields in the “interest of Iraq” and use the money to “repair war damage and develop Iraq.” Softly, Softly."
OMG…the sarcasm is hilarious. I can’t stop laughing enough to write a decent rebuttal.
Everyone knows Bush is an idiot, but the sad part is that he’s not the only idiot in US Gov’t. It’s been going on for a while.
Points you make; ‘million dollar washers’. Come on..they replaced the $20,000 hammers 15 years ago. It’s called inflation!
McDonald workers—Visa’s--Education for foreigners free--S&L bailout and on it goes. Unfortunately these are the ‘nice’ things this country has done. It’s all a shell game.
I meant ‘all Iraqi’s are against the occupation, not resistance’.
As for Second Amendment Rights, in some states it’s illegal to carry a gun unless licensed. However, It’s damn near impossible to get a license for a handgun, yet most criminals and gangs have them. If someone starts shooting around here, people will die. MY point- I should be able to defend myself as the second amendment states.
Did anyone notice during the Virginia Tech tragedy that the ONLY people capable of stopping the kid shooting were the police! Yep, they had weapons, bullet proof vests, shotguns, tanks (kidding), but they were all HIDING behind trees, cars, corners! While kids inside had to face the maniac with nothing! NOT ONE police officer was willing to go into the building and take his chances, will all his gear, weapons and training. PATHETIC. The person in charge of that police response should be fired! Talk about failing to do your job.
I did not post your comments about my age and birthday. First because it is none of your fucking business and second because you got both accounts wrong !
I am dedicating this song for him and our other " Hunk" al Maliki...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX58TfMj5UI&NR=1
The Kiss of Death insh'Allah.
"Iraq Does Not Exist Anymore": Journalist Nir Rosen on How the U.S. Invasion of Iraq Has Led to Ethnic Cleansing, a Worsening Refugee Crisis and the Destabilization of the Middle East
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/08/21/1349252
bit tifi wela bit tibla'ee? kis em ick inta khawal!
for you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iqZfUtAXXg
Actually mate I'm not JR, infact, I'm your worst nightmare ;)