Sifting Through Boiling Blood.
Every time I want to start a new post about Iraq, I am at loss.
I simply don't know where to start. And this has been going on since I've started blogging...
I want to write about deformed babies in Falluja. I want to write about the sectarian arrests in Ameriya. I want to write about the use of napalm in Mosul.
I want to write about the street children of Baghdad and the widows. I want to write about despicable Iran and its militias. I want to write about the never ending criminality of the Americans. I want to write about the disgrace of; the anti-war movement(hahaha), of the journalists, of the media, of the so-called experts on Iraq. I want to write about other Iraqi bloggers, about their stupidity and immorality when it comes to the occupation of their own country. I also want to write about refugees, about our confusion, our hopelessness...I want to write about my memories, my homesickness, my anger, and my grief...
And every single topic I want to write about, makes my blood boil.
So I've devised a little mental trick to help me sift through all of this. I ask myself a simple question -- Right now, right this minute, what is making your blood boil, the most ? And I pause and usually this is how a topic is chosen from the myriad of catastrophes that have assailed us, from the myriad of punishments that have been unjustly inflicted on us - us, true Iraqis.
Hence, I've decided to write about a conversation I witnessed today between Sarah and some English female, an NGO worker here.
A bit of background information is necessary.
Sarah is a 52 years old Iraqi widow. She has no children, no parents and her only family is her brother who works abroad and sends her money whenever he can.
Sarah is highly educated, speaks 3 languages fluently, and is unemployed, as all Iraqi refugees here are not allowed to seek any form of work.
Sarah is bored, so she volunteers to do some translation work for a Western NGO, her own way of helping other Iraqis. She met this English THING, another female who has been here for less than 6 months, working for the same NGO but paid, of course.
Part of Sarah's unpaid voluntary work is to visit Iraqi families and translate for this English Thing, so this Thing can assess what the families needs are.
Sarah being a direct witness to the state these Iraqi families find themselves in, offered spontaneously, over and above her voluntary work, to donate whenever she can, a modest sum of money, from the little she receives, to help alleviate some of these families urgent needs. Sarah made no promises to become a regular donor, she just said she will help whenever she can.
And true to her word, every month, she would save a little amount and give it to this English Thing, who would then distribute it herself.
And this is when my blood started to boil...
I met Sarah and this English Thing today over a cup of coffee. And we spoke about us Iraqi refugees and how we have been forgotten by everyone -- as if we didn't exist anymore. We spoke of the pressing and urgent needs of many of us, our lack of resources, living off donations or charity, so on and so forth...
Then, this English Thing said, out of the blue, in her disgusting patronizing English accent and I wish I can imitate her for you, right here, but alas this is not possible...But just try to imagine the accent please.
" Owh by the waay Saraah, you did not downate anything this month. You knoww how impowrtant it is for "us" to help thowze refugees. It is a reaal shayme when a downor pledges suppowrt and fails in her obligations."
Sarah obviously caught off guard and not expecting this in public, went all red, with embarrassment.
But I did not. I froze with a cold rage and with the speed of lightning, I dug up from my memory reservoir, the English method of "retaliation"...but very calmly just like the English way, hypocritically calm.
Of course, what I really wanted to do, was grab her from her British Home Stores acrylic - made in India - shirt and drag her out of the café onto the street and kick the shit out of her. But remembering the English "way", I decided I will achieve exactly the same result, using their methods, their English methods.
Me to the Thing - What a pity. I am sure you're ever so concerned about the plight of Iraqi refugees. Do tell me, in confidentiality of course, who are your other donors ? Apart from Sarah and other Iraqis you met.
- Owh, Owh, well no one else, reaally.
- I see. And I suppose you know that Sarah is a refugee herself and she has no income, wouldn't you think it to be "wiser" to approach others who may be better off than Sarah? After all she is an Iraqi too.
- Owh, Owh, well there is no one else to approach.
- I see. Did it ever cross your mind, perhaps, to approach your own government since it is partly responsible for the Iraqi refugee crisis.
- Well, mmmm, you seea, there is sow much bureaucratic red tape in England, one can hardly ever approach thowse in positions of authowrity.
- Oh really? What about thowse English people who are quite well owff, how about approaching them for instance. And you hardly need to gow to England for that, they are so many of them heare. Am sure you know where they gathear on weekends.
- Ea, Ea, Ea, I could not do that reaally. That would be mowst unprofessional.
- Oh reaally ? How about approaching the Americans, and God knows how many of them pollute this place. After all, they are also responsible for the Iraqi refugees and by law, isn't that so dear ?
- Well, I suppowse you have a point heare. But you sea, when a downor pledges, they reaally ought to fulfil their pledge.
- So are you trying to tell us - Iraqi refugees, that other Iraqi refugees are our responsibility ?
She finally shut up and changed the subject -- she talked in her perfect repugnant English way, about the hot weather heare.
But I would not leave at that...I had to kick the shit out of this Thing.
- So you've been here for 6 months right ?
- Yeas, quite pleasant I must saay.
- And what were you doing before coming here ?
- Ea, Ea, I worked as secretary in a lawyers office.
- And now you're Deputy Director of this NGO right ?
- Yeas, correct.
- Ah! And any exposure to the Middle East prior to this trip ?
- Owh, not reaally.
- So what made you decide to come and "help us", besides your tax free monthly salary and the good weather ?
Now, her face went red. I thought to myself, you go girl, push harder...and without waiting for her reply, I pressed on...
- And what do you know about Iraq and the Iraqis ?
...and I didn't stop there,
- And who are you to embarrass this poor woman in public, with your snotty air when you're so ignorant yourself, and when you were nothing but a secretary in a lawyer's office. Do you know that this woman has a PhD and I bet you anything you have not even completed your A levels.
Sarah kicked me from under the table, but I refused to stop.
Why should I stop ? We've lost everything already and surely this English Thing was not going to add anything to our lives. Fuck her, I thought to myself. And I continued...
- So you come here, with your pompous, patronizing English airs, trying to belittle us, over and above our misery, a misery produced by YOU and your country and your people, and your government. Have you got no bloody shame ? Iraqi refugees are your bloody responsibility not ours.
The English Thing all ruffled tries - But, but...
- NO BUTS here. You should be grateful that we've accepted to sit and have coffee with you in the first place. Am sorry Sarah but I can't take this English Thing anymore...Am leaving.
I paid my share, grabbed my handbag and walked out into the hot sunlight, taking deep breaths, trying to dampen the heat from consuming me, trying to extinguish the fire inside of me...
I saw a grocery story, I stopped by, bought an ice cold bottle of water, gulped it down in one go, hoping to cool the blood boiling in my veins...
Then I walked briskly and walked and walked some more...cursing the very fist day I learned English. Cursing the very first day I came face to face with anything English. Cursing the very first day I met any English Thing.
Painting: Iraqi artist, Sattah Hashem.
I simply don't know where to start. And this has been going on since I've started blogging...
I want to write about deformed babies in Falluja. I want to write about the sectarian arrests in Ameriya. I want to write about the use of napalm in Mosul.
I want to write about the street children of Baghdad and the widows. I want to write about despicable Iran and its militias. I want to write about the never ending criminality of the Americans. I want to write about the disgrace of; the anti-war movement(hahaha), of the journalists, of the media, of the so-called experts on Iraq. I want to write about other Iraqi bloggers, about their stupidity and immorality when it comes to the occupation of their own country. I also want to write about refugees, about our confusion, our hopelessness...I want to write about my memories, my homesickness, my anger, and my grief...
And every single topic I want to write about, makes my blood boil.
So I've devised a little mental trick to help me sift through all of this. I ask myself a simple question -- Right now, right this minute, what is making your blood boil, the most ? And I pause and usually this is how a topic is chosen from the myriad of catastrophes that have assailed us, from the myriad of punishments that have been unjustly inflicted on us - us, true Iraqis.
Hence, I've decided to write about a conversation I witnessed today between Sarah and some English female, an NGO worker here.
A bit of background information is necessary.
Sarah is a 52 years old Iraqi widow. She has no children, no parents and her only family is her brother who works abroad and sends her money whenever he can.
Sarah is highly educated, speaks 3 languages fluently, and is unemployed, as all Iraqi refugees here are not allowed to seek any form of work.
Sarah is bored, so she volunteers to do some translation work for a Western NGO, her own way of helping other Iraqis. She met this English THING, another female who has been here for less than 6 months, working for the same NGO but paid, of course.
Part of Sarah's unpaid voluntary work is to visit Iraqi families and translate for this English Thing, so this Thing can assess what the families needs are.
Sarah being a direct witness to the state these Iraqi families find themselves in, offered spontaneously, over and above her voluntary work, to donate whenever she can, a modest sum of money, from the little she receives, to help alleviate some of these families urgent needs. Sarah made no promises to become a regular donor, she just said she will help whenever she can.
And true to her word, every month, she would save a little amount and give it to this English Thing, who would then distribute it herself.
And this is when my blood started to boil...
I met Sarah and this English Thing today over a cup of coffee. And we spoke about us Iraqi refugees and how we have been forgotten by everyone -- as if we didn't exist anymore. We spoke of the pressing and urgent needs of many of us, our lack of resources, living off donations or charity, so on and so forth...
Then, this English Thing said, out of the blue, in her disgusting patronizing English accent and I wish I can imitate her for you, right here, but alas this is not possible...But just try to imagine the accent please.
" Owh by the waay Saraah, you did not downate anything this month. You knoww how impowrtant it is for "us" to help thowze refugees. It is a reaal shayme when a downor pledges suppowrt and fails in her obligations."
Sarah obviously caught off guard and not expecting this in public, went all red, with embarrassment.
But I did not. I froze with a cold rage and with the speed of lightning, I dug up from my memory reservoir, the English method of "retaliation"...but very calmly just like the English way, hypocritically calm.
Of course, what I really wanted to do, was grab her from her British Home Stores acrylic - made in India - shirt and drag her out of the café onto the street and kick the shit out of her. But remembering the English "way", I decided I will achieve exactly the same result, using their methods, their English methods.
Me to the Thing - What a pity. I am sure you're ever so concerned about the plight of Iraqi refugees. Do tell me, in confidentiality of course, who are your other donors ? Apart from Sarah and other Iraqis you met.
- Owh, Owh, well no one else, reaally.
- I see. And I suppose you know that Sarah is a refugee herself and she has no income, wouldn't you think it to be "wiser" to approach others who may be better off than Sarah? After all she is an Iraqi too.
- Owh, Owh, well there is no one else to approach.
- I see. Did it ever cross your mind, perhaps, to approach your own government since it is partly responsible for the Iraqi refugee crisis.
- Well, mmmm, you seea, there is sow much bureaucratic red tape in England, one can hardly ever approach thowse in positions of authowrity.
- Oh really? What about thowse English people who are quite well owff, how about approaching them for instance. And you hardly need to gow to England for that, they are so many of them heare. Am sure you know where they gathear on weekends.
- Ea, Ea, Ea, I could not do that reaally. That would be mowst unprofessional.
- Oh reaally ? How about approaching the Americans, and God knows how many of them pollute this place. After all, they are also responsible for the Iraqi refugees and by law, isn't that so dear ?
- Well, I suppowse you have a point heare. But you sea, when a downor pledges, they reaally ought to fulfil their pledge.
- So are you trying to tell us - Iraqi refugees, that other Iraqi refugees are our responsibility ?
She finally shut up and changed the subject -- she talked in her perfect repugnant English way, about the hot weather heare.
But I would not leave at that...I had to kick the shit out of this Thing.
- So you've been here for 6 months right ?
- Yeas, quite pleasant I must saay.
- And what were you doing before coming here ?
- Ea, Ea, I worked as secretary in a lawyers office.
- And now you're Deputy Director of this NGO right ?
- Yeas, correct.
- Ah! And any exposure to the Middle East prior to this trip ?
- Owh, not reaally.
- So what made you decide to come and "help us", besides your tax free monthly salary and the good weather ?
Now, her face went red. I thought to myself, you go girl, push harder...and without waiting for her reply, I pressed on...
- And what do you know about Iraq and the Iraqis ?
...and I didn't stop there,
- And who are you to embarrass this poor woman in public, with your snotty air when you're so ignorant yourself, and when you were nothing but a secretary in a lawyer's office. Do you know that this woman has a PhD and I bet you anything you have not even completed your A levels.
Sarah kicked me from under the table, but I refused to stop.
Why should I stop ? We've lost everything already and surely this English Thing was not going to add anything to our lives. Fuck her, I thought to myself. And I continued...
- So you come here, with your pompous, patronizing English airs, trying to belittle us, over and above our misery, a misery produced by YOU and your country and your people, and your government. Have you got no bloody shame ? Iraqi refugees are your bloody responsibility not ours.
The English Thing all ruffled tries - But, but...
- NO BUTS here. You should be grateful that we've accepted to sit and have coffee with you in the first place. Am sorry Sarah but I can't take this English Thing anymore...Am leaving.
I paid my share, grabbed my handbag and walked out into the hot sunlight, taking deep breaths, trying to dampen the heat from consuming me, trying to extinguish the fire inside of me...
I saw a grocery story, I stopped by, bought an ice cold bottle of water, gulped it down in one go, hoping to cool the blood boiling in my veins...
Then I walked briskly and walked and walked some more...cursing the very fist day I learned English. Cursing the very first day I came face to face with anything English. Cursing the very first day I met any English Thing.
Painting: Iraqi artist, Sattah Hashem.
Comments
I hate these people even when they are not trying to do good. Horrible. They are disgusting. Same public school as Blair and his wife. Pleased I don't live there anymore. I didn't know these pompous posh pukey people were still around, actually.
Another enemy.
Did you sleep with the au bon pain guy too? man you really get around.
give me my money back or the two beside me will be bounced off the walls.
I'll give you 8/10 for your treatment of her.
But your Koran tells you to speak to a man in a language he understands.
Next time you confront someone like this; maintain a smile throughout and finish of with
'Oh S O R R Y Y Y Y'
In our Anglo Centric Societies, 'we' very often say sorry even though 'we' aren't and often when 'we' utter words, it's not te same as giving our word.
You should have told her about (princess in waiting) Kate Middlleton locking lips with Prince Willie's best mate Guy.
go seek mental help NOW!
This is a blog about Iraq, not some mental asylum. Follow the advice I gave to lucky ---get help now. Freak !
I could not maintain the English hypocrisy for too long....
they come here, they know fuck all---Not only are they ignorant, condescending, patronizing, paternalistic, stuck up, snotty, vulgar, bland, and lifeless, but they also have the audacity to come and preach to Iraqis how we should help Iraqis when they are the fucking murderers.
Typical colonial shit all over again. I hate their guts, fuck them and fuck their queen.
That woman was a real jerk to embarrass your friend. You did a great job clearing her stinking air of superiority. Taking the high road and beating her on her own turf was more effective than convincing your "Resistance" buddies to kidnap and murder this woman.
Why didn't you stop when Sarah kicked you? Don't you care about your friend? Once you drove your point home, why did you undermine your victory by saying "Iraqi refugees are your bloody responsibility not ours"? She had to think - "well, I didn't vote to go to war, and now I am here, truly risking my life to help, and this ungrateful Iraqi pisses all over me. They got what they deserve."
Overall, you did good by talking to "the enemy", airing your grievance, instead of advocating their destruction.
Greg from USA
An "appeaser"... you'll never get a green card like that Layla.
Kudos! - trash always needs to be taken out...
In solidarity.
I want to help you, what do you need?
if you need money i can give you, but i can't return you back to Iraq because all the Palestinians are already dead there right?.
If you need anything just ask me by my email el kharobaey , samerdl@gmail.com
I also must congratulate you on the way you dealt with the brit Thing because she didn't see it coming.
You go girl!
Addressing some of your comments wrt God:
-------
"IF you follow the 'creation' as it is described in Christianity & Islam, the lineage thru history does not even come close to even a fraction of how old the Earth is."
"Religions have alot of murder contained within them."
"I am to worship a thing with so much jealousy, division, hatred, egotism, killings, destroying every living man,woman, child & beast within cities and still believe 'this' is a loving & wise god?"
"'IT' is a jealous god, a vengeful, destructive god, a god that works with curses and carries out genocides and puts plaques on Humanity. The list goes on and on and angels are sent to fought alongside armies"
--------
How can a loving God allow good or innocent people to suffer?
I have a big problem with Mohammad. I do not implicitly trust him because of his use of deception and violence to convert unbelievers. I suspend judgment because I am ignorant of his true nature. "Judge not lest you be judged"
There are a lot of things in the Old Testament I have a problem with - for example the flood.
"The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned"
Assuming we follow creation all the way back to the big bang, to a singularity the size of an infinitely small point, then what came before the big bang? Actually, if you focus on the small point, it immediately becomes apparent that the amount of matter in that point is arbitrary. God surely decided on the amount of matter because - from the perspective of cause and effect - nothing else could have. What could cause matter to exist on an infinitely small point? Nothing. No "thing". God could do it, and the "mechanism" God uses cannot be discovered by man. If you trace cause and effect back far enough, you eventually run into the paradox of what created that initial point or points in the first place. The answer is that "God only knows." For some people, what I am saying now is gibberish. For others, it is a revelation. Who else but God reveals such truths?
I have come to believe that the answer to why God lets evil happen will be revealed to me when I die. As a human I have zero capacity to intuitively understand why God allows evil to happen. I let my conscience be my guide to decide which words are from God and which words are not.
Km, you have to ask yourself - if you don't believe in God, then what happens to your being, your "soul" when you die? The alternative to believing in God is believing in eternal death. Do you believe you are destined to be dead forever in a few short years?
How depressing.
Greg from USA
"Overall, you did good by talking to 'the enemy', airing your grievance, instead of advocating their destruction."
Do you strive to be a condescending asshole, ...or does it come naturally?
I will say and have said, that I do not believe in the god that was written by man in the 3 holy books.
Odd how the human race writes laws to try to stop killings, wars, genocides, rapes,etc yet a god that carries these thing out is worshipped. Who needs a devil if god can do all of it?
Ever heard of the phrase: "do not throw a string of pearls to hogs"
simple explanation being, hogs wouldn't know what to do with it and just trample it into the mud. We are the hogs and this Utopia you dream of are the pearls. God gave us a perfect world and we fucked it up. We continue to fuck it up and that will never change.
I have read your blog a couple of times, and was just wondering something. You said that you are a refugee. I am curious if you are an internal refugee, or if you are currently residing in some other Arab country.
Also, what do you have against the Iranians?
.
Well done Layla Anwar. Way to go! I bet that made you feel much better.
The Bitch is in Jordan
You are christian. I have a question for you.
In yer bible and way of thinking, God created the Earth, the heavens and every single living & non-living. He also created ALL the angels and the angels Were Created to obey and worship Him only. Correct? Is this not what it says?
And then since God can do Everything, he then had to take a day to "rest". Is this also not what yer holy book proclaims?
Too bad that the blood of many men in the Arab world is not like yours! I don't know whether I should feel angery or sad.
The blood of every Arab man and woman IS like Layla's - except that they are not aware of it.
I never bother replying to grrrrrrrreg from the United Asses, unless absolutely imperative.
And who wants a green card ? not me for sure. If they gave me ALL of their USA on a golden platter, I would not take it.
Wish can take out more trash, but that was my own little humble contribution to (not so) Great Britain.
I assume you know what am talking about LOL.
They come and write reports that no one reads, then they feel so upright and say " And what are YOU doing for Iraqis? "
You can take the man out of the colonial pot but you can't take the shit out of the colonial mind.
Salam,
So kind of you to offer -- and here is a Palestinian offering an Iraqi some help. Asseel, wallah asseel.
You mentioned the Palestinians in Iraq -- had many Palestinians friends there, a lot of them have been driven out and some of their family members killed in cold blood by Muqtada Al-Shit and his psychopathic gangs. That same Al-Shit that these so called "anti-zionists" assholes, like Nir Rosen, Cockburn, and sorry to say other palestinians uphold as "resistance against the occupation"
This is another subject that makes my blood BOIL.
wallahee you live in a la la land...what do I care about your friggin cat!
Thank you. Wish I can do more :(
Salam and thank you !
Where is my Qais ?
Sitting in my lap ---purrrrrrrring.
Thanks, am glad I made you laugh...
I want them to become the laughing stock of the world. So lets all LOL at them.
As for the other stuff, will write to you.
what does it matter if I am "external or internal"?
Exiled is exiled.
What do I have against Iranians ?
I have nothing against Iranians but I have everything against IRAN.
Since you said you've been reading my posts --- then you should understand why.
My location is none of your fucking business. You remind me of those pathetic women who have nothing to do all day but just sit and gossip about who is what.
You're another sad, pitiful case. Go get a life - doubt you can.
Salam,
Wouldn't it be nice for a change if the collective pot boils over !
But they are too busy dreaming of divine victories !
I like that --- operation Iraqi Freedom.
I shall use it again :-)
Ever wonder why it�s so difficult to tempt people who have total faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Their SOUL belongs to God.
When Satan tries to tempt Jesus, he uses mental weakness: lust of the eyes (kingdoms), lust of the flesh (food) and Pride ('if you are the son of god..."). It's not until satan realizes that Jesus belongs to God that he stops trying to tempt him.
Luk 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
Luk 4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Luk 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Luk 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luk 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Luk 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
Luk 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Luk 4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
Luk 4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
Luk 4:11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Luk 4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Luk 4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
Again, read yer holy book and stop sweeping 'the bad' under the rug. Your god instigates wars, rapes, murders, ethnic cleansings, famines, plagues, blood sacrifices, etc.
Your holy book also claims there is ONLY ONE GOD.
Apparently you must have a tremendous amount of faith, but even if you have the faith the size od a mustard seed, you can say to a mountain, 'move' and it will be moved.
Now here's an experiment you can do. Think of a mountain. This mountain can be located anywhere in the World. Concentrate real hard on this mountain and meditate on it so that you can move it. Get back with me when yer mountain has moved and I'll call Al Jazerra & CNN.
'THOU SHALL NOT STEAL ', huh? This is straightforward and contain no exceptions or special circumstances.
Seems to be quite a moral statement doesn't it?
What if for example, there were to be a 11 year old little girl in Bolivia or Palestine or Iraq that was very very much in need of an apple or some water? WHat if she had no money and while walking the markets decided to grab that apple or container of water and take it because she had no money to buy it?
The 'commandment' is very specific. 'THOU SHALL NOT STEAL'. It gives absolutely no exceptions or special circumstances.
Yes, yer holy book proclaims that God made Everything. This includes the satan and all the other angels. The angels, it is written, were created by God so as to worship & obey the creator.
However, the satan creation obviously had not heard of that. It rebelled and in this heavenly rebellion ( it is written ) that a third of the angels of heaven followed him(satan).
How did satan pull this off?
The US president as spokesperson for the United States Corporate Government has declared himself 'christian' and to be carrying out 'justice' in Iraq and anywhere else they see fit.
And You support the mission.
"I want them to become the laughing stock of the world."
What comes around goes around. I hope you like getting laughed at.
"what does it matter if I am "external or internal"? Exiled is exiled."
You are a poser. Go back home to Iraq and volunteer to do something good for your people, poser.
Greg from USA
I will go back, for sure, once every single FILTH like YOU is done AWAY with.
And trust me, that day is coming.
And we shall see who will laugh last. Wanker!
The holy books were written by men. When I read parts of the Bible, I feel that God is reaching out to me. Other parts are just mens vanity. Regarding moving mountains, it would not make sense for God to empower a person to move a mountain just to satisfy his vanity.
"Is this 'Devil' one of 'God's' creations or what??"
Yes, and it makes you wonder if God loves Satan as well.
Greg from USA
1 in 1000 people you will meet is a US soldier. Unless you bring weapons, you have nothing to fear. You need to go back to report on what is really going on in Iraq. You put down other Iraqi bloggers, but they are really there. They are brave enough to do it, are you?
Greg from USA
Regarding whether you are an internal or external refugee, it is a question brought out by this statement contained in your post.
Sarah is highly educated, speaks 3 languages fluently, and is unemployed, as all Iraqi refugees here are not allowed to seek any form of work.
I thought that reading your post would be easier to get a picture of the situation, if you clarified to which country you were referring.
Regarding Iran, I suppose I just hadn’t found any compelling justification for your resentment against Iran in so far as it affects Iraq’s current plight.
Regards,
Greg Potemkin (not to be confused with the other “Greg from USA”)
Sitting on my lap and purrrrrrrrrring."
??????????????? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I asked where is the love of your life, if there is any ("Qays" as in "Qays and LAYLA").
I was definitely not prepared to such a flamobloyant vaguely pornographic reply from you !!!!!!!!
Qays or Qais is the name of my cat!
Clean that dirty mind of yours.
I have a feeling you've just learned about the US occupation of Iraq --- today.
IRAQI REFUGEES.
Externally displaced - are NOT allowed to seek any employment. Whether they are in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria or Iran. And the 1st 4 countries is where the 2.5 million Iraqi refugees are.
Internally displaced - Those that have escaped to the North of Iraqi now known as Kurdistan ---are NOT allowed to work unless they have a special permit sponsored by two kurds (we are talking of the SAME country here)
Those who have been diplaced and sought refuge in the South, are being sent back like from Basra since the city can't take anymore influx.
As for IRAN- I have covered Iran and its full participatory role in the US occupation of my country. I have also written extensively about the sectarian militias armed, funded, trained and infiltrated by the Iranians. I have spoken about the current Iraqi puppet govt being Iranian through dual nationalities.
So read my blog. and Consult on a daily basis the articles published on www.uruknet.info.
I hope you are not one of those who needs an armed sectarian militia to drill holes in your body and that of your family before you become convinced with the evidence.
regards.
the old testaments were translated from Hebrew. There was no equivalent word for stealing. The literal Hebrew translation was " don't take your neighbor's ass" (donkey) Beasts of burden were needed for agrarian cultures to function in the old days. To take a man's donkey was to take away his livelyhood. If you actually want further explanations you can e-mail me. lasonuo@hotmail.com
Again,...read yer holy book. You continue to avoid this Very Thing....read it.
I'm just taking parts of what it actulayy states.
According to the very words in it, you can not seperate the OT from the NT. Jesus (as it is written) said he did not come to abolish the laws.
Give me yer take on 'eloheem'.
So if I use yer 'time-stamped' defintion of theft / stealing, it is ok to commit theft / larceny just as long as I do not take steal yer beasts of burden?
That could mean that you could toss out yer 10 Commandmenst in their entirety due to them no longer applying in today's World. I like that idea. :-)
Maybe there can be ...the 9 Commandments or the 9 and 2/3 Commandments.
Greg, I am going to take a leap of faith here but it seems that yer holy book gives you guidance on ethics & models of morality.
Oil fires more devestating than atomic bombs & radiation ???
I actually was fully aware of the US invasion and occupation. (Incidentally, I was opposed to it from the start.) However the information regarding restrictions on Iraqis from a different region working in Iraq was something I was not aware of – thanks for pointing that out.
As for the 2.5 million Iraqi refugees being in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt, I was under the impression that there were some still in Iran, as they had been summarily dumped there by Saddam’s regime in the early 1980’s. Have they all been repatriated?
As far as Iran’s “participatory role in the US occupation”, I don’t think that is a fair characterization. Many of the people who make up the current US sponsored government in Baghdad had been resident in Iran (during the rule of Saddam), but I don’t see how that makes Iran a “participant” in the US occupation.
Lastly, I do recognize the sectarian nature of the situation – I Blogged on the subject a while back. However, it should be recognized that there is a great deal of sectarianism on all sides (due to a variety of sources and causes).
I will continue to read your blog (and www.uruknet.info), but you might try and figure a way to bridge the sectarian divide, rather than simply condemning those on the other side.
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regards
Greg Potemkin (again, not to be confused with the other “Greg from USA”)
Here is a piece worth reading. Am sure Layla has much more.
http://www.tenc.net/docs/helping.htm
Even if one can not agree that there is a direct working relationship between America & Iran on some issues..to say the least, Iran did benefit greatly from the American led illegal invasion into Iraq.
15/6/08 11:48 PM
"Iran did benefit greatly from the American led illegal invasion into Iraq"
So come on and name all those "benefits" you claim Iran has got "from the American led illegal invasion into Iraq"...
Its nitey nite time for me
In the mean time though, you could take the intiative to look things up for yerself. I mean come on..yer not payin me
The Iranians no longer have an enemy regime to their west - a regime which had previously launched an invasion of their country (which cost them hundreds of thousands of casualties).
They (the Iranians) also can now engage in trade with Iraq (despite the US occupation). I believe that the Sazman-e-Mujahedein –e-Khalq, a military opposition group which was given sanctuary and bases in Saddam’s Iraq can no longer operate there freely. Moreover, the current “government” of Iraq (such as it is - not being in control of much of the country and all) now takes into account Iranian concerns.
To question whether the overthrow of Saddam was beneficial for the Iranians is absurd. However, the question “Cui Bono” may be important – but it doesn’t suffice to fix blame.
Obviously, Iran was happy to see Saddam overthrown, but I still don’t see how one could reasonably blame them for the current occupation.
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As to cui bono: the jewnazi Israhell. They started the destruction of Iraq and of the muslim world. And it's only the beginning...
Here's a piece to gt you kick-started. I dont agree with every single word but...
Iran does have the upper-hand; atleast this side of a nuclear exchange with the US. Iran could literally be wiped off the map with a nuclear exchange with the US.
Think too of the Straits of Hormuz and how S. Arabia & Kuwait need no trouble in the Gulf. Iran also needs no trouble with their own shipments, but Iran ( as Layla has already pointed out ) is busy wheeling & dealing with contracts inside Iraq.
Another point to consider regarding the US situation is this:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7120
Sorry to break the news anon but the US corporate - governmant is a dead-ender.
One of them said that my prior statement was "idioticly ridiculous", - obviously, I disagree with that assessment. But he then went on to say that the Zionists are largely behind this war against Iraq - to which I agree, to a certain extent.
Certainly neo-cons in the US (who are accurately described as "Israel Firsters") were banging the drums in the US for this war.
I think that was largely because they wanted to install a pliant government in one of the largest Arab states, one which had previously been governend by a ruler who was militantly anti-Israel, and which was the possessor of the second largest oil reserves in the region.
This seems pretty obvious to me, perhaps if the anonymous posters could choose a nom de plume of some sort, we could continue this conversation in a more fruitful manner.
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that crap by Sr�a Trifkovi� isn't worth reading. Whoever thinks Russia will oppose the US in the ME (and in other places) is just a fool. Russia has never been helpful to the muslim world. Putin was - if my memory serves me right - the first president to visit Israhell. Medvedev is a Jew. India is cooperating with Israhell and the US. China is busy transforming its country into a slave factory for the US and EU market and is really financing the US wars. All these "bigs" (and practically ALL THE WORLD!) just go along with the criminal policies of Israhell and the US. Isn't it funny: the more that the jewnazis the ameronazis are strengthening their - and the world's - economic blockade on Iran the more crap is being produced about the "strength/hegemony" of Iran in the region.
I add here my comment to the Maliki's predicament that is the topic of the other thread: Maliki will do what he will be told to do - by the ameronazis. Every single iraqi dollar/dinar is in the jewnazis/ameronazis' hands. And the jewnazification of the world is marching on - not only in the US, Australia, Canada and here in Europe, but also in the muslim, arab world - one needs just to watch al-Jazeera English TV channel...
On second thought, this may be all you get. No time to find pieces for you.
I re-read yer last 2 posts. I'm trying to understand where yer coming from first off.
In one of yer posts to me ( 16/06/08 4:51 AM ) you ask me to name the benefits Iran has taken the opportunity to get after the US illegaly invaded Iraq.
Then in yer next to the last paragraph in yer post from 17/6/08 9:24 AM, you write on how Iran has gained "strength / hegemony".
Looking at these 2 posts of yers, yer saying Iran did not get any advantage from the illegal US invasion into Iraq, but yer also saying that Iran gained strength / hegemony.
Which is it?
OHHH how I'd love to read the results of a psychological evaluation on Greg.
18/6/08 12:56 AM"
You must really have terrible reading (dis!)abilities to produce the crap you're producing...
Give me a run-down on China and the US dollar and the Federal Reserve Note. I imagine you wil say China is buying US treaury bonds but theres more going on than that.
Give me the run-down on this.