An Arab Woman Blues - Reflections in a sealed bottle...

I vaguely remember the title of this film. It was “Looking for Mr.Goodbar”, starring Diane Keaton, if I recall correctly. Another neurotic, desperate, dependent, insecure, American “woman”, looking for love in all the wrong places... An emotional survival story. I've read a lot of your so-called emotional survival stories... Your dog dies, and you seek emotional survival by either sleeping with the first pretender or you are stuck in therapy for another 5 years. You lose your job and there you go, acting out, fucking around as if there is no tomorrow... You grandparent or parent dies and ditto, you recourse to the same... Your twin towers collapse and ditto again – you have been in therapy ever since. Your therapist is very understanding, after all you pay him/her over 200 dollars an hour and she/he pats you on the back and tells you it’s ok, it’s nothing but a phase of grief...don’t punish yourself, you are just trying to heal... How very touching indeed. You the puritanical, hall...

I doubt you have read or seen the following in your mainstream media, but here goes... Yesterday, the American occupation forces sealed and fortified with more men and guns the "sooooneeeeee" neighborhood of Adhamiya. Do let me know when you people will learn to pronounce correctly. The story goes -- Huge gatherings and demonstrations took place in the Adhamyia ghetto to commemorate. Yes, huge crowds of Iraqis gathered, braving your smelly brave boys and their deadly arsenal to remember the leader and president of Iraq - Saddam Hussein - who turned this country into a jewel in less than 30 years and that you destroyed in less than 5. In the Sayydiyah neighborhood, your smelly brave boys arrested not less than 120 people, for commemorating too. A lot of children and women were part of those arrested. On another hopeful note, rumors circulating in Baghdad say that Al-Maliki was shot hence his urgent transfer to London. Can't confirm it but it is a piece of very good omen fo...

A short post on "Absence" on the other Uncensored blog .

Just heard it now -- seems American occupation troops are on "high alert" tonight and tomorrow and the day after -- just in case "something" takes place in memory of the 30th of December - the day that President Saddam Hussein was lynched in an American- Iranian/Shia-sectarian morbid setting. On another note, an Iraqi delegation will be sent next week to Iran - to ratify "a few clauses" in the Algiers agreement of 1975. What will they do? Add the whole of Basrah to Shatt al-Arab and hand it over to Iran? and give Basrah the official title of an Iranian province ? On yet another note but all related - Muqtada Al-Sadr sent a delegation to Kerbala today to ratify a few "local laws." Kerbala has its own laws it seems... Welcome to the disunited statelets of Iraq.

Al Jazeera announced that Iraqi P.M (hahaha) Al-Maliki is on his way to London for a "routine medical examination." Roads to Iraq ( via Uruknet.info ), heard on another TV channel, Al-Sharqiya, that a permission was sought from his family - "Why is he unconscious?" she rightfully asks. I ask another question, why on the 29th of December, one day before the murder of the late President Saddam Hussein ? Is Maliki really unconsciously ill ? or Does he want to spend New's Year's eve with Gordon Brown? or Something is being prepared in the coming days? In any event, one sure conclusion to draw, Iraq is a public health hazard, and what Maliki the sectarian shia shit and his Dawa party sowed, they will definitely reap. Let's just pray it shall be a one way ticket -- to Hell.

As tacitly agreed, with a few of you--namely JR and a few unamed others--I have just published something "new" on the other blog. Your "comments" will be accepted here and I shall have a good laugh.

Conquer, divide, split and fragment. Pit one against the other and one against the same... Yesterday’s foes are today’s friends, and today’s friends are tomorrow’s enemies... And the show goes on... I have been reading extensively about the Sunni Awakening Council, the new Sunni- Kurdish rapprochement , the Sunni–Sunni tensions, the Shia–Shia conflicts... I have also been reading the so-called analyses circulating. A lot of them are bullshit, as usual... They all seem to miss the essential crucial point, the core essence, the crux of the matter and you don’t have to be a wiz in sociology and politics to figure that one out. Namely, that: - in the absence of a functional representative State, - following the dismemberment of all political and civil institutions, - in the wake of over 5 years of a condensed, concentrated, violence that has totally DESTROYED the country, - with a massive exodus and a massive death rate - with a continuous, debilitating, provoked poverty, and an unemployme...

I think last Christmas and this one are the worst I have ever experienced... I did not celebrate the Eid, and will not be celebrating Christmas either. There is nothing to celebrate. Thousands of lambs have been slaugthered, and the blood of Jesus has not stopped dripping by the gallons. I did not even dare call the Christian side of the family and wish them anything. I just sent a message with "God protect us all." I know that Christmas is a difficult time for a few people. Different reasons. Family gatherings are not always pleasurable, they may bring back memories of a family one had always wished was different...Some people don't even have a family to celebrate with. And some have been in grief for what seems like an eternity, and they no longer have the heart for anything, anymore... I belong to the last category. Not only me, but most of the people I know, at least most of the people that surround my little world. My little world that has shrunk to the computer and ...

Here are my posts translated in Spanish - for those who are interested. A big thank you to Sinfo Fernandez and to Rebelion.org. http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=60950 http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=60914 http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=60596 http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=58996 http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=58648 http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=58490 http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=58403

Just heard it now, Condi Rice is full of good wishes for the Middle East. The statement just issued on her behalf says to the effect that the U.S does not wish to see any more turmoil in this region. That it extends its "friendly" hands to Syria and Iran and primes diplomacy over war. Condi Rice also assured the Palestinians that her administration is very eager to find a long lasting solution to the 60 years old Palestinian problem (to which her country contributed greatly...) How nice for all of you of "good faith." In other words, Condi is saying Iran and Syria thank you for having helped us dismantle the only Arab country that posed a real (in pre-sanctions years) and potential threat to Israel (should Saddam Hussein still be alive)... What Condi Rice is telling the Arabs is that America and the West in general do not fear rogue states and theocracies loyal to it. After all, Israel is a Jewish theocracy, Iran is a Shia theocracy and Saudi Arabia a Sunni theocrat...

I have it fresh for you guys... While you are doing your Xmas decoration and writing good wishes cards... While you are on your usual bulimia of shopping and stuffing your frigdes and cupboards with more... While you are arranging your, oh so sweet green Xmas tree and arranging for your Santa to stuff socks for your kids with all kind of goodies... How nice, how generous! Stuff the socks and stuff the turkey, eat, drink and be merry... Why not indeed. You deserve it. You are such a good people, with such a great conscience. Who could really say otherwise? Well got news for you fellow "humans", I can say otherwise... The latest figures from UNICEF on the children of Iraq reads as follows: - 2 Million Iraqi kids this month are DIRECTLY threatened by disease, illiteracy, violence and famine. - 25'000 kids are displaced each month and are susceptible to getting killed . and do not forget the Bingo, Jackpot, Luck charm number for your holiday seasons, - 5 Million Iraqi k...

Thanks to all of you who sent me their Eid Greetings. They are much appreciated but please, don’t anymore. I am not celebrating. I did not celebrate last year nor will I celebrate this year. Some relatives called me to give me their good wishes. I said " thank you, same to you ." End of conversation. My mother nagged me to come and greet the visitors who poured in all day. I said "Am busy. " End of conversation. My brother called. “ Sis, happy Eid.“ I said, “Oh, really?” Am not celebrating. Will not celebrate. Refuse to celebrate. Make a point not to celebrate. Am on strike. Yes, am on strike. And my strike is even more meaningful for this is the first time since “ our liberation” that the sectarian Shiites from Iran, in charge of “running” the "Iraqi" government as per the directives of Teheran, Washington and Tel Aviv, decided to celebrate it the same days as the Sunnis. How come you may ask? Last year they made it a point to celebrate it one day later....

Planting the seeds of Division. This is a continuation on my previous post . For those of you who are new to this blog, please read part I first. As I tried to demonstrate with facts – that none can dispute – Iraq from 1958 onwards, right up to the 80’s, and despite the Iran-Iraq war, managed to build itself into a Nation State. As I said, the bulk of this nation building was done under the rule of Saddam Hussein. Again, like it or not. In order to understand what was later to unfold, I ask you to keep that concept of “nation state” at the back of your minds. Only then will you understand the dismemberment of Iraq as it insidiously, gradually took place and culminated in a full blown occupation in 2003. Before tackling the sanctions years which I believe I have already covered in past writings – I would like to cover briefly the Iran-Iraq war. This can be considered a separate chapter by itself, independently from the rest, but as I will try to demonstrate, this is not the case. The I...

Breakthrough & Nostalgia When I say and repeat that you, Americans have destroyed everything in Iraq, I am met with scorn and anger. Some of you are too simplistic and equate destruction with buildings in ruins. Having a limited a vision, you can’t go beyond the material, the physical... I reiterate, you Americans have destroyed everything in Iraq. And I mean EVERYTHING. Since 1958 until 2003, Iraq, its government and its people strove relentlessly to build a modern nation state. The biggest developmental boom took place under the Baath regime and in particular under Saddam Hussein. Like it or not. In 1972, the oil was nationalized. By 1982, illiteracy and preventable diseases were eradicated. Education including higher education was free of charge. The government would disburse 5000 grants yearly for postgraduate studies abroad to England, Germany, Russia, France... By 2003, Iraq accounted for 30’000 scientists. Yes, you read me right, 30’000 scientists. And when in 2003, Bush sai...

continued from last post.../ So where was I ? Right, I went out to have some fun... I frankly don't understand how all these people landed here. There was a Brit woman, whose accent I could not grasp except for the "wot, wot, wot" And then I understood one other sentence, it said "you should all be grateful like, do you see wot I mean like?." Hmmm....Not a good start you must admit. Poor peroxide blonde woman from the Midlands. Poor, poor woman from England for she really got it from me tonight. Talk about cold/hot English showers. Did I say showers? Wrong. The Brits don't shower, they have a bath...soak in muck about once a fortnight and they call that cleanliness and tell you "wot you on about mate?" Well this "wot you on about" Tesco/Sainsbury/Safeway look-alike cashier (these are names of supermarkets in not so Great -Britain.), in the Middle East, playing sophisticated, got it from me tonight... You know "wot I mean like mate?...

I am still debating within myself, as to whether I should sit and continue...or go out and have some FUN. A bunch of friends have asked me to join them to listen to that crappy American guitar player again. The word FUN irritates a lot of you, I know. The Americans are into sick fun and the Fundies into the same sick fun. Both lead very sad lives..their sense of fun is so Abu Ghraib - Abeer like, and the sectarian shits, so Basrah, Baghdad...style. So caught between these two extremes, am still debating...within. Mind you, it should be a lot of fun watching this clumsy american guitar player...and make fun of him. I love that...it's very exciting. The Fundies in my head, have already pointed their fingers and wagged it like a dog's tail... OK am decided...life -Abu Ghraib, Mahmoudiah, Baghdad, Basrah...- style is no fun. The 40 plus women murdered monthly in Basrah, without counting those rotting away in American and Iranian Shia led prisons are not having fun. I shall make up ...

Someone is dying to see a civil war in Lebanon again. Why do I have this eerie feeling that Iran and Israel are itching big time? Why can't I shake off this deep gut instinct that they would love to repeat their collaborative Iraq scenario in Lebanon ? I have more to say about that. I have more to say about Iran and Israel and a new road map Arabs need to think through pronto before they get totally engulfed by those two equally vile barbarians, whose ultimate goals and objectives coincide perfectly well. Later...

For those of you who care to read a short but sure introduction about Arab men, please consult my "Uncensored" blog. I did say Arab not Muslims. So don't give me your usual shit. Thank you.

There is a sacred spot outside of Damascus called Sednaya. It is a very old monastery run by nuns, on top of a steep hill, overlooking the whole of Damascus and its surrounding areas... Inside this monastery, there is a tiny worship place, a sanctuary. You need to bow down as you enter... In the middle of this sanctuary, there are hundreds of candles burning and the smell of incense. The main wall is adorned with golden icons, and in the middle, there is a small niche, glowing with light, and this is where Mother is. Our Lady Maryam, had appeared in Sednaya and has healed many... Pilgrims flock from all over the Middle East, Christians and Muslims alike, invoking Mother, supplicating her, asking for favors, for healing, for blessings... I was there too. The tiny sanctuary was very crowded and we waited in line to visit this niche and talk to Mother... I stepped aside, and found a corner. I kneeled..I had a lot to tell Her. As I usually do, I pray first for my family, my friends and tho...

When they poured across the border I was cautioned to surrender this I could not do... I took my gun and vanished. I have changed my name so often I've lost my wife and children but I have many friends and some of them are with me. An old woman gave us shelter, kept us hidden... And the soldiers came She died without a whisper. There were three of us of this morning am the only one this evening, but I must go on the frontiers are my prison... Oh, the wind is blowing. Through the graves the wind is blowing. Freedom will soon come, and will come from the shadows... Lyrics from the Partisan by Albert Cohen . Depicting the anti-Nazi Resistance. World War II with its ghettos, its camps, its bombs, its rapes...The Reich all over again... The names have changed though. They are called Mohamed, Hassan, Khalid and Muntasir-the Victorious. It is no Aushwitz, its called Adhamiya, Ameriya, Adil...and Gaza. There are no 6 pointed stars, just a scan of irises and a badge... And maybe a tattoo so...

It was time for me to leave. With my back against the wall, there was only one way- through that Door. A door I had known for years. A door I had memorized by heart. A door who was so faithful to my comings and goings...She never failed to open or close, totally at my bequest. This time, it called on me and said " pull me open" and I did... I can still feel the brass handle in my hands, copper colored, rusty and engraved with all of your fingerprints... My hand hesitated a while before it gripped it. It rested there until I summoned the force to turn that knob and pulled that Door towards me... It was very silent that morning. I found myself tiptoeing in the empty house. As if not to wake anyone up. They were all absently asleep. I checked each room and even arranged the covers of one of the beds. I made sure it was well stretched with no creases. A perfect empty bed... The shutters were down, but not completely. I thought to myself, let the Light in. Maybe the Light will vi...

I was told in order to make a point, any point, you need to overcome whatever emotions, past experiences, dislikes, tastes and preferences...You need to have an eagle's view, be an effective negotiator in " non violent" communication, think out of the box, attack the argument but not the one who holds it, debate in a civilized way, be ready to listen, reframe, be concise...in short comprehend the other's point of view. The American jargon calls it a win-win situation, negotiating for "excellence" (hahahaha- sorry can't help this outburst of "hysterical" laughter. It's just these two antinomic precepts "American" and "Excellence" that never fail to crack me up.) In the light of the above recommendations and seeing that the "surge" is really working, the figures for the month of November is 718 Iraqis dead, only. Hey what's 718 Iraqis killed ? It's nothing... America thank you, you are just excellent. It’...