Politics: The only Game in Town.


Spent all afternoon watching the European Football Cup.

Mom likes watching football too. We both get very excited, and I am the one who usually shouts the loudest during a football match with an occasional (OK -- more than occasional) "bad" word thrown in when "my team" doesn't score, to the utter and total exasperation of my poor Mom.

Of course, today I supported Turkey against Portugal, and Switzerland against the Czechs. You see it's all politics. I prefer Turkey to Portugal due to geographical proximity. I suppose the fact that we have a "shared history" had also something to do with it.

And I prefer the Swiss to the Czechs. Again, I suppose I view the Swiss as more "neutral" than the Czechs whom I perceive to be quite racist when it comes to Turks, Arabs and Russians...

Besides, I have kept bad memories from my trip to Czechoslovakia when I was a budding teenager. I later, understood why Milan Kundera's writings give this imminent, foreboding sense of Suicide as the only exit in Life.
Seriously now, I found Czechoslovakia to be a most depressing place for a 13 year old, then.

After the Football match and the loss of Turkey and Switzerland, we settled for the news.

Maliki with his three day beard and 100000 rings silver rings from Qum on his fingers, landed in Tehran, kissing and hugging. He went there to comfort and alleviate Iranian insecurities about the American long term presence in Iraq.
Of course the Iranians are worried because they would like to have Iraq for themselves alone. So he's trying his best to assuage their fears and reassure them that he and the other Shias in Iraq (those coopted by Iran, of course) will do their best so Iran can remain their preferred Occupier.

Mom's reaction was instantenous - Shoofee, shoofee hadha al adabziz. Look, look at this man with no morals, she exclaimed.

We were both taken by this sudden urge to throw our shoes at the TV screen and then decided it's best not to as we can't afford a new one.

Then, H.Clinton appeared and Mom said in her typical Iraqi dialect

- Ballahee, just look at this pappaz. Ballahee means by God and pappaz in Iraqi dialect is an old Turkish word meaning - clown, jester, puppet...

Mom added - Am glad she's stepping down, she's a true pappaz.

So I asked her - What about Obama, what do you think of him ?

- Obama, the booma ? Booma means owl, but in Iraqi dialect it also means someone very stupid - you must be kidding me! The Americans will never vote for a black guy. Besides, his grandmother's name is Sarah Hussein and lives in a village in Kenya and can't speak English. Do you think these cowboys will vote for someone whose grandmother is a Muslim and lives in a village in Africa ? Of course they won't.

- Hmmm... I guess not. So McCain will be in?

- Yes, akeed.- For sure.

- But they say -- he might bomb Iran, you know,

- He won't. But if he does - Bil Janaham. To Hell.

At that point, she got up and poured us some hot, freshly brewed, refreshing, nicely flavored, Iraqi tea...

I can't really blame Mom. After all she's another refugee in forced exile, an elderly lady whose only wish in life was to spend the remaining of her days with her family, in her home, in her country.


Painting: Iraqi artist, Qais Al-Sindy. 2007.

Comments

KM said…
I guess 'they' can always bomb Iran. They've always kep that 'option' on the table. The alternative being remiving it from the table which is an optiond they'd never do.

The US has already used atomic weapons, lied and defied laws.

I don't agree with it but I wouldn't put anything past 'em when the cards appear to be stacked against them. The US administration scratched the missile treaties and they still have the ICBM's.
Anonymous said…
You're right. I would never vote for Barack. I would consider Colin Powell, maybe.
Anonymous said…
No, America can't allow itself to break its kinky muta'a with Iran for the time being.

Maybe when the Iranian proxies have completed their de-Arabization task in the ME, GOD FORBID.
G.Gar said…
Salam Layla,


"I suppose the fact that we have a "shared history" had also something to do with it".

Were you being ironic here?

The Arab lack of action regarding what is going on in Iraq, is so irritating. It is shameful indeed!
Layla Anwar said…
km,

I don't believe the U.S or Israel will bomb Iran. They NEED Iran to play the sectarian card for them.

If they attack Iran - there will be no more sectarian card to play.

Besides, one does not build nuclear power plants in 1 or 2 years and have them functioning over night.

Obviously both the Americans and the Israelis were aware of Iran's nuclear "ambitions" and it has been going on for many years too.

Had they wanted to "eliminate the Iranian threat" they would have done so before --- in fact they would have made sure that a Khomeini does not come to power and depose their Shah.

But -- the coming of Khomeini on the scene was a prelude to what one witnesses today in IRAQ. He was a nessary trigger ....


Furthermore, and am sure very few people are aware of that :

In 1981, Iraq was only starting to build some nuclear plants for civil use. In no time the ISRAELIS bombed these facilities in 1981 - Operation OSIRAK.

A few months ago - the Israelis bombed so called nuclear facilities in Syria (even we don't know if they were nuclear or not) but Israel went ahead and bombed them to the total silence of the world.

Has anything similar happened to IRAN thus far ?

Of course not --- Israel and the US NEED IRAN to play the sectarian divide and rule card ----all the way to Saudi Arabia, passing by Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, the Gulf States, Pakistan and ending up in Saudi Arabia.

In other words, wherever there are shias --- Iran will be kept together to serve the grander imperial purpose.
Layla Anwar said…
cowboy,

how come nothing surprises me from you? Could it be that you are so predictable ? - Yep I thought so too.
Layla Anwar said…
anonymous,

Spot on ! Of course, you are right. Please read my reply to KM.
Layla Anwar said…
Amre Al-Abyad.

Salam,

"shared history" as in the Ottoman empire I suppose and maybe other things as well.

Yes of course, the Arab silence is more than shameful. What do you expect from cowards and sell outs?

People don't understand that IRAQ has irreversibly changed, transformed...people don't understand....this is most enerving.
Anonymous said…
KARLMARXWASRIGHT--Your mom is a smart lady. Give her a big hug for me.
Layla Anwar said…
Karlmarxwasright,

Thank you I shall do that.
KM said…
"Has anything similar happened to IRAN thus far ?" - Layla

Yes, Iraq & Syria had their 'run-ins' with Israelis. Different circumstances now taking place. Like I've said before, Saddam was an obstacle for both Iran & America. A new field was opened up and they will work together in some areas and butt heads in others.

It's less exhausting to work together but no way in hell will the US corporate-government sit back completely and give control to Iran or let Iran take complete control.

Iran, like so many other countries that have found out, escpecailly those in SE Asia & Central & South America....when the US corporate government has used one to a point where the usefulness has been sucked dry...they do a 180.

I would not put Anything past anybody in todays's chess games. What appears to be....it may be a set up in the long game.
KM said…
cowboy,
I would save yer time come voting day. Its not worth the time. They're gonna do whatever they want to do anyway.

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