A Family in Baghdad

Good afternoon..
I have put the English translation of my war diaries..at the "family war diaries" link.
I`ll keep putting more translations next days, inshalla.
faiza

Good morning..
well , I`m not angry if somebody took the pictures from my link
to show it for the world...
I love Iraq, and be happy that the photos are seen all over the world.
********
about my old diaries during the war, I `ll put their translation
as soon as I can..
hope you all good day.
faiza

**********

Did you know you were being "ripped off"? This faker is putting up your pictures as his/her/its own:

I beg you to link to me
http://baghdad-pictures.blogspot.com/
asmar ahmad | Email | Homepage | 05.22.04 - 3:22 pm | #

He/she/it is posting this in all the blog comments boxes.

--
Brian Hall
Web editor

Good morning..
I`m going to put new pictures from Baghdad..
but I want to write a comment about this letter I had received
from an American friend...
well, I believe that USA is not the perfect place on the planet..
there is no such perfect place.
it`s a country filled with many problems..
so, why don`t they save their time and money to use it for improving their society ??
and why they have the motto: we are the leaders of the world ,we are teaching others what is the right and what is the wrong??
no body is perfect....
help others?
yes, help others...but don`t try to force them to look and think
just as you WANT...
cause there is no one perfect..
just God , He is the perfect.
******
and somebody asked me about the new Iraqi leaders..
we all think ,in this time , the leader is coming due to an American specifications...
when the leader is coming due to Iraqi specifications..
we can say : we are free, and our country is free..
it`s a matter of time...
I think everything is going to be good..as we wish.
but with time....
yes, it`s just a matter of time !!!
faiza
************


Dear faiza
.........
.........

I read your blog and everything the other American women told you about us
losing our rights is true. After the planes went into the trade centers
Americans were afraid and angry. The Bush administration took advantage of
the fear and anger to pass some laws that I think are unconstitutional. The
right to go into your home without a warrent, to take your belongings, to
arrest you and hold you indefinetly without charging you with a crime.

We were told that the Government had to "get" the terrorists and these laws
would help them to do that. Most Americans believed that at the time.

And yes, we do have a lot of very poor people here. We have a lot of social
welfare programs, but they don't give the poor people enough to live a
decent life. There are jobs, but the jobs for unskilled help don't pay
enough to live on. Many families struggle to maintain their families. In
rural areas people are very frugal and grow their own food. That helps.

The cost of living is very high. I don't know what things cost in Iraq, but
here it costs almost $4.00 for a gallon of milk, a small apartment cost
about $700 a month to rent. To feed a family of four would cost about
$125.00 a week, and that would be just for basic food, not the prepackaged
fancy kind.

Our schools are not the best any more. Some of the schools are dangerous.
Angry city youth have formed gangs and they fight each other, often killing
innocent bystanders. All of this has happened in the last 20 years.

America is in a moral and social decline. Many American families took their
children out of the public school system and schooled them at home. We call
it home schooling. In fact, I home schooled my children for five years.
They went to a public high school, but they went with their morals intact.

Drugs and alcohol are a big problem, many kids start using them in high
school and before. Drugs are illegal, but it doesn't seem to matter, kids
are still able to get them if they want them.

In America we still have the freedom to work towards change. There is an
opportunity to challenge laws that you don't agree with. One of the things
that I worked on for 4 years was a summer program designed for kids at risk
of failing in school. It is just one example of a way of trying to help.
There are people all over America working for change. I just pray that it
isn't too late.

Love,
Joan

الثلاثاء 25/5
صباح الخير..
بغداد هادئة الآن....
الكهرباء تنقطع 4 ساعات وتعود لساعتين فقط, الصيف قادم, والحر يزداد, وقوات الإحتلال ستعطيك قائمة طويلة من الأعذار...
ربما سيكون الزرقاوي هو أحد الأسباب...
بالمناسبة, لا أدري ما سر العداوة التي بين الزرقاوي والعراقيين البؤساء؟؟
كل التفجيرات التي تستهدف المدنيين الأبرياء ورجال الشرطة العراقيين , الذين تطوعوا لخدمة الناس, ابتداء من الإعتداء على السفارة الأردنية الى آخر اعتداء بتفجير أمام منزل نائب وزير الداخلية قبل أيام...
ما الأسباب؟؟
وكيف يتم اختيار الأهداف؟؟
الله وحده أعلم...
المفروض ان الزرقاوي عدو لأمريكا...فلماذا غير البرنامج وصار عدونا ؟؟
لا أحد يعلم...
وبالنسبة للكهرباء, فما عدنا نهتم, صدام حسين قضى سنوات الحصار وهو يقدم الأعذار كل صيف...حتى مضى الى مصيره .
نقضي الصيف بلياليه الحارة , والنوم القليل...ونصبح بوجوه شاحبة ورؤوس فيها صداع...
ولا أدري كيف يمضي نهار العمل أو الدراسة .....بلا تركيز.
*******
بعد مرور ست شهور على الكتابة في هذا الموقع...تأكدت عندي القناعة, التي كانت في ذهني
عندما فتحنا هذا الموقع...
قلت لرائد سأكتب بالعربي, وأبحث عمن يترجم...
لأنني على قناعة ان التغيير الذي نريده لحياتنا نحو الأفضل, سياتي من العرب أولا,ثم من شعوب غربية قد تساعد بنسبة صغيرة...
80% المراهنة على العرب
, و20% المراهنة على اناس من الخارج ليساعدونا...هكذا كنت أظن.
الإحتلال سيمضي, بعد سنة أو اثنتين أو عشرة..
لكن السؤال الذي ينبغي أن يبقى في رأس كل عراقي أو عربي أو مسلم..
ماذا قدمت من مشاركة لدفع هذا الإحتلال ؟؟
هو ليس مسألة احتلال للعراق فقط...هو محاولة لاحتلال لعقولنا..وتغيير ثقافتنا وطريقة تفكيرنا..
وهو محاولة لإبعاد الذاكرة عن تاريخنا, ومحاولة لإبعاد ديننا عن المشاركة بحياتنا...
يعني غسيل لعقولنا لنصبح تابعين مثل العبيد لهم...لماذا؟؟
وبماذا هم أحسن منا ؟؟
بالدبابات والطيارات والصواريخ؟؟
نعم..هم يملكون التكنولوجيا...
لكنها هل تكفي لغزو عقولنا؟؟
ربما هي مناسبة لغزو مدننا, لكن عقولنا نحن الذين نقدر أن نحميها أكثر من المدن التي سقطت..
والعقول هي الحصن الأخير الذي لا ينبغي أن يسقط....
*****
عندما تزورون العراق, سترون الخراب والدمار من الحدود...
والطرق السريعة الجميلة التي تربط بيننا وبين الأردن وسوريا..
صارت محفرة ومخسفة من الأثقال التي مرت عليها...والإهمال الذي جعلها بهذا الشكل المحزن...
من يهتم؟؟
هكذا كل العراق...
كانت في عهد صدام , بكل مساوئه, دولة وهيبة...
كانت مؤسسات تعنى بالمدن ونظافتها, والطرق الداخلية , والطرق الخارجية , ومعايير السلامة فيها..
ويوجد شرطة مرور بكثافة تناسب حاجة المدينة لتخفف من الإزدحامات...
والآن , كل يجري على ليلاه...
ما العذر؟؟
البعثيين ورجال النظام السابق, أم الغرباء من رجال المقاومة, أم الزرقاوي المعتوه ؟؟
من لا ينجز ابسط الخدمات؟؟
اين هي دوائر ومؤسسات الدولة بعد أكثر من سنة؟؟
وماذا يفعل مجلس الحكم الذي عينه بريمر؟؟
الأمريكان يتفرغون( للعناية ) بمن يعارضهم , ويرتبون لهم حياة سعيدة في السجون...
والذين في خارج السجون ماذا يفعلون ؟
بعضهم يختبيء في بيته خوفا ورعبا...
وبعضهم يتكلم , ويستمع له نفر قليل..
وبعضهم يركض من الصباح للمساء عساه ينال صفقة مع الأمريكان , تحقق له أحلامه البعيدة في الغنى والجاه والمنصب...
وبعض العراقيين يمشي خلف الأمريكي مثل كلب ذليل...يتملق له ويدافع عنه..ومستعد لقتل العراقيين جميعا...
هذا هو الكارثة بعينها...
هذا هو الذي يبعث على الحزن والكآبة,و ليس منظر قوات الإحتلال لوحده الذي يفعل هذا..
بل أخوك الذي منك وفيك...يخونك, ويبيعك للمحتل...
فعلى من تعتب بعد هذا ؟؟؟
********
وكتاب عراقيون لهم مواقع على صفحات الأنترنت
بعضهم يعيش في العراق , وبعضهم خارجه..
يبثون الكذب ويصفقون ويتملقون لللأجنبي الذي احتل بلادهم...
الم يفكروا بماذا هذا الأجنبي أفضل منا ؟؟
أظن انني اعرف الجواب..
هؤلاء الذين لم يحبوا اوطانهم ولم يحترموا دينهم وتاريخهم وشعبهم ...بل يحتقرون كل ما هو عربي ومسلم...ويحترمون كل ما هو اجنبي وبعيد...
فلماذا تدعون انكم منا وتكتبون كأنكم تمثلوننا ؟؟
من اعطاكم الحق ؟؟
تكلموا عن انفسكم فقط...
وقولوا ما تشاؤون...لكن لا تقولوا نحن عراقيون...
فالعراق بريء منكم...ويخجل من امثالكم..
وحين تأتي نهايتكم السوداء المشينة مثل افعالكم...
تذكروا.... انه لا يفلح الخائنون....
********
أقف امام الأمريكي , مدنيا او عسكريا..أو مسؤولا في القيادة..
وأساله....
بماذا انت افضل مني ؟؟
بعلمك, ام ثقافتك, ام تاريخك , ام دينك؟؟
ومن اعطاك الحق ان تدخل الى وطني , تعيث به فسادا وظلما , وتستثمر اموال الشعب كما تشاء...
تعطون ارقاما خيالية للمقاولين من شركاتكم, والجنود , والموظفين المدنيين من غير العراقيين..
ورفعتم رواتب العراقيين , من عشرين الى مئة او مئتين...
وكأنكم تمنون عليهم...
وتنشروها في وسائل الإعلام كانها انجازات عظيمة..
الجندي الأمريكي , راتبه اربعة آلاف دولار, ويقتل العراقيين المدنيين ولا يحاسبه أحد..
لأنه منزه...ولا يحاسب , ولا يخطيء...
والذين عذبوا السجناء , اين هم , وكم عددهم ؟؟
ومن حاسبهم؟؟
سوى تلك المسرحية, والمحاكمة, لجندي واحد , وسجن لمدة سنة واحدة؟؟
ان بقينا هكذا, سيكون مصيرنا مثل الفلسطينيين...
خراف تذبح ولا أحد يهتم...
الناس مشغولة بحياتها ولقمة العيش...
مستقبل اولادنا واجيالنا...ان لم ندافع عنه نحن...فمن سيدافع عنه؟؟
هل سنتركهم يواجهون العالم المشوه الذي ينتظرهم ليغوصوا فيه؟؟
عالم بلا قيم بلا مباديء بلا رحمة...
*******
وكل شعوب الوطن العربي أصبحت محتلة وهي في بيوتها...
بلا دبابات , أوهليكوبترات تجول في المدن..
من شاشة التلفزيون يأتي احتلال العقول, من فضائيات تقدم قيما تافهة وسفيهة...
من غناء ورقص ومسابقات...
من ستار اكاديمي وغيرها...اين هو الشباب العربي ومن قدوته اليوم؟؟
قدوته الفنانات والفنانين؟؟
ومن هؤلاء في المجتمع, وما هي الفئة التي ينتمون اليها؟؟
وما هي ثقافتهم وقيمهم التي يقدمونها لأولادنا؟؟
نعم , أعرف ان هذا الجيل مظلوم وتائه....
بين قيادات ديناصورية لا تقدر أن تقدم شيئا جديدا لشعوبها, وبين نجوم تافهين يسيطرون على الشاشات وعقول الشباب صغار السن والتجربة...
كيف هو المستقبل ؟؟؟
ومن سيقوده؟؟
هذا الجيل الذي يكاد لا يعرف شيئا من ثقافة وتاريخ وعلوم , سوى الأغاني والضحك والتفاهات؟؟
وتغزو عقله دعايات الموبايلات والسيارات والمشروبات الغازية؟؟
جيل يتعلم كيف يستهلك ويتمتع...
لا يتعلم كيف يعمل وينتج اشياء ذات قيمة...لا يتعلم كيف يبني ويفكر ويبدع...
سوى في الغناء والرقص...
أسفي عليه من جيل...
الكل شارك في تشويهه, وتحطيم صورته ومكوناته
من صحف ومجلات وراديو وفضائيات...
كأنهم اتفقوا جميعا على هدف واحد...
انتاج جيل جديد تائه تافه , تسهل قيادته نحو اي هدف...مثل قطيع من الغنم.
اتمنى ان يتوقف كل هذا المسلسل يوما ما..
يوقفه قرار جماعي, بعد صحوة جماعية, لأمة تتجه نحو الهاوية...وهي تدري
ولكنها لم تتخذ القرارالشجاع بعد...
قرار التوقف...ومحاسبة الذات عن الإنهيار الذي يحصل, لتأتي لحظة الصحوة.
**********
المجتمع في امريكا منقسم الى فئتين..
فئة متدينة, يمثلها بوش, وهي نفسها الفئة التي قادت الحرب على العراق, لأنهم يظنون اننا برابرة..ووحوش, وهم الذين سيجعلون منا بشرا..باعتبار انهم اصحاب الحضارة والديمقراطية...ونحن الجهلة.
وفئة ليبرالية..تؤيد الزواج الشاذ, والإجهاض, وتؤيد الإنسحاب من العراق..لأنه ليس من مسؤوليتهم تربية الآخرين..نحن احرار مثلنا مثل الشاذين عندهم...
هكذا هي الصورة هناك...
فعلى ماذا نراهن؟؟؟
من سينقذنا سوى نحن؟؟؟
*************
من اعظم حسنات هذه الحرب , انها جلبتهم الى هنا..لنلتقي بهم وجها لوجه
كنا مفتونين بهم..نظنهم أكثر منا ذكاء وقدرة على معالجة امور الحياة
فاكتشفنا انهم اناس عاديون مثلنا...
فيهم الذكي والغبي, الطيب والخبيث, الواعي والجاهل...
شعب عادي جدا...
لكن لهم قيادات عميقة المكر والدهاء..تعرف كيف تخدر الشعوب وتغسل أدمغتها
وتوجهها نحو أهداف فيها مصلحة لتلك القيادات..
وعندما اكتشفنا قسوتهم في التعامل مع السجناء...وقبلها مع المدنيين الأبرياء الذين يقتلون كل يوم برصاص قوات الإحتلال العشوائي والذي يعبر عن استهتارهم بنا وبمشاعرنا
والقتل والدمار والإغتيالات في العراق...ولا أحد يهتم ولا أحد يقدم المساعدة
اكتشفنا كم هي كاذبة حريتهم وديمقراطيتهم
وسائل الإعلام هناك تريد من الشعب الأمريكي أن يصدق ما يقوله بوش فقط...ولا بصدفون وجهة نظرنا..ويعتبرون كل من ينتقدهم كذاب
اين الديمقراطية؟؟
والإهانات والعذاب الذي تعرض له العراقيون, اين حقوق الإنسان؟؟
الحمد لله الذي اتى بهم الى هنا لنكتشفهم على حقيقتهم
لكن ما زال ثمة حمقى ومغفلين يدافعون عنهم من هنا
ونقول اما هؤلاء لا يعلمون , او منافقين, أو خائنين
وسيأتيهم اليوم الذي سيفتحون عيونهم على الحقيقة, بطريقة ما
***********
ماذا اراهن على الشعب الأمريكي؟؟
بماذا يمكن ان يساعدني؟؟
بعد ست شهور من الكتابة على الموقع غيرت رأيي
تقديري ان 95% من المسؤولية لتغيير حالنا نحو الأفضل هو من مسؤوليتنا..
ومجرد 5% من الآخرين ليشاركوا في المساعدة
نحن نتشابه معهم بأشياء كثيرة, ونختلف بأشياء كثيرة...
الإختلاف عميق...
نحن شعوب ما زالت تتمسك بالدين لتعرف قيمة الحق من الباطل...الخير من الشر
اما هم,فشعوبهم باسم الحرية...اخرجوا الدين من حياتهم...فتاهت واختلطت كل القيم
مجتمع يعطي الحقوق ذاتها , لفئات مختلفة من البشر...
كيف احافظ على المباديء والأشياء النقية حتى لا تنقرض؟
اعطي المتدين حقوقا مثل الشاذ؟
واعطي المتزوجة شرعيا حقوقا مثل التي تعيش بزواج غير شرعي؟
(قل هل يستوي الأعمى والبصير أم تستوي الظلمات والنور؟؟)
ما معنى الحرية, وما هي حدودها؟؟
لا توجد حدود للأشياء هناك...افعل ما شئت...هذه الحرية
وأنا اراها دمار وتحطيم للعلاقات داخل المجتمع
الولد والبنت ينفصلون عن العائلة مبكرا..وينخرطون في متاهات الحياة...بعضهم ينجح, وبعضهم ينحرف...لا أحد يتدخل..هذه حرية.
اظن ان العمر سيفنى هناك في تجارب فاشلة حزينة واختيارات كثيرة سيئة وصالحة..وربما في النهاية يعرف الطريق الصحيح, وربما لا...هو حر...يضيع كيف يشاء... وربما الى الأبد.
**********
مجتمع متعب مشتت
كيف اتوقع منه ان يساعدني في محنتي ؟؟
هم الذين يحتاجون المساعدة والنصيحة
ونحن الذين بحاجة للصحوة من غفلتنا...والإعتماد على انفسنا , لنبني مستقبلا جميلا واضحا
لا ينقطع عن جذور الماضي , ولا يتوه في عوالم بعيدة
عندنا كل مقومات النجاح...والإستقلال, لنثق بأنفسنا , ونمضي في صناعة المستقبل الذي يليق بنا
وبأجيالنا...دونما إملاآت من غرباء
**************
في هذه الأيام الصعبة..يفتن الناس..ويضيعوا اولوياتهم
لكني اظن ان الحماية هي في الرجوع للقرآن
وأحاديث الرسول(تجتمع عليكم الأمم كما تجتمع الأكلة على القصعة...فقالوا أمن قلة يا رسول الله؟
, قال بل انتم كثر, لكنكم كغثاء السيل,هنتم على اعدائكم
( احببتم الدنيا وكرهتم الموت
( لا يصلح آخر هذه الأمة الا كما صلح أولها)
أي بالعودة الى دين الحق .
وعندي ثقة ان هذا سيحدث, لكنه بعد وقت...متى؟؟
العلم عند الله وحده
************

Good morning...
last night the weather was very hot, without electricity ,and with lots of mosquitos...
in the morning, I drove my car hardly to reach work..
I was very tired and sleepy:(
*****
I have put pictures from our old days...on the link .
yes they were happy days..you can see the happiness on our faces
but now,...we feel sad and tired..
sometimes you have to seek about happy things , even from past.
to keep the smile on your face, and the hope in your heart...
faiza

hello..
I have got this email from a good friend..
she is happy..
she reminds me of our old happy days, with sisters or friends..
laughing and chatting about different things..
now, it`s summer hot days, with bad electricity...
day and night....
friends and sisters are seperated, every one has his own pain
and sadness..
tanks and helecopters moving all the time..
day and night...
bad news from Najef and Kerbala...
what is coming with tomorrow??
our tomorrow is full of fear and worry...
faiza


***********
Summer is here and it is very hot already. And humid. But everything
growing is lush and green and blooming. I am getting ready for an annual
ALL GIRL trip. There are six of us who have been friends since we were 11
years old. (Thats 47 years of being friends!)Two of us since we were
four!!! We have spent one week together since we all got married, so we
would never loose track of each other. We see eachother more often,
however, since we all have roots here. 3 of us still live in Shreveport,
one in Mississippi, one in Kansas and one in South Louisiana. This year we
will go to west Texas. We enjoy this time so much. We get to act like kids
again. We laugh alot and watch sweet, romantic movies that our husbands
would NEVER watch! We shop and sometimes eat out and sometimes cook in. We
are renting a cottage on a lake. Its a good time to relax and talk and
drink lots of coffee!
Just wanted to say Hello again! Hope you are well. Write when you have time.
Love and peace,
Zeldean

Good morning...
I have put new pictures from Baghdad..
and I have nothing to say about news...
you hear and know every thing...
and I feel tired..
I don`t want to talk about any thing..
faiza

****************

Dear Faiza,

I was looking at your site just now. I had read that article about the marine who at last questioned his behavior and the behavior of the armed forces in Iraq. I am glad that he began to think about what he was doing and stopped murdering people. But I feel so sad about the way human beings behave. I know that murder and hate and dehumanizing people has happened everywhere in the past, in the present, and will continue into the future.

Every time I see or hear about the abuse in the prison that is coming out in our media now, I feel like crying. I can't understand how people can smile and give the thumbs up sign next to a beaten to death Iraqi man. I can't understand how the marines can laugh and cheer when they kill someone. I can't understand how people volunteer in the first place to learn how to kill people.

If I wanted to, I could not read the news or look at the photograghs. No one at my work or within my social group discusses what is going on. I could live my life as if these things were not happening. But I do not close my eyes and the unfortunate people of Iraq do have the luxury of tuning out the atrocities that occur everyday there.

I wonder how my mental state would be if I lived there, because it depresses me when I read the news in the safety of my home or in my office at work.

Thank you for reaching out to others. Thank you for the pictures of the flowers from your garden. I have a lot of respect for you for the information you share that is not so good, but real, and for sharing the beautiful things in your life too.

I am not a very religious person, but I still pray for everyone who is suffering everywhere in the world and I pray for the safety of you and your family too.

Take Care,

Carol

Good morning..
there is an old say..
they don`t belive you, cause they don`t WANT to see
and they don`t WANT to hear...
so, how could they believe??
they are such cheating themselves..
someday may be...they have to stop and open their eyes..
and will see and hear every thing..
may be...
faiza
****************

Dear Faiza, here's a Marine Sgt's tale. He has left the service, having
come to understand the reality of the crimes being committed and why Iraqis
have turned against us for good reason of those crimes against innocent
people.

Skip

--------------------

The Marine's tale: 'We killed 30 civilians in six weeks. I felt we were
committing genocide'

By Natasha Saulnier

23 May 2004 "The Independent" --- During 12 years in the US Marines,
including three years putting new recruits through boot camp, Staff Sergeant
Jimmy Massey hardly questioned his role. But what he saw in Iraq changed
that.

"In a month and a half my platoon and I killed more than 30 civilians," Mr
Massey said. He saw bodies being desecrated and robbed, and wounded
civilians being dumped by the roadside without medical treatment. After he
told his commanding officer that he felt "we were committing genocide", he
was called a "wimp".

Mr Massey, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and depression, left
the Marines in November. Back home in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina,
he says the cause of the uprising in Iraq is that "we killed a lot of
innocent people".

His 7th Marine Weapons Company, armed with machine guns and missiles, was
one of the first into the country in March last year. "We would take over
villages and control checkpoints," he said. "My men and I would fire warning
shots at oncoming vehicles. But, if they didn't stop, we didn't have any
qualms about loading them up."

The Marines were told that Iraqis were filling ambulances with explosives,
and that soldiers were dressed as civilians, but after pouring fire into
vehicles and hearing no explosions, they started to doubt the truth of these
claims.

"Iraqi military compounds had nothing in them, except for dismantled tanks,
equipment that was barely functioning, and barracks that looked like ghost
towns," Mr Massey said.

The incident that haunts him most took place early in April, near an Iraqi
military compound five miles from Baghdad's airport. "There were
approximately 10 demonstrators near a tank," he said. "We heard a shot in
the distance and we started shooting at them. They all died except for one.
We left the bodies there.

"We noticed that there were some RPGs [rocket-propelled grenades] about 200
metres away from them - they might have come from the military compound. The
demonstrators had the ability to fire at us or at the tank, but they didn't.
The survivor was hiding behind a column about 150 metres away from us. I
pointed at him and waved my weapon to tell him to get away. Half of his foot
had been cut off. He went away dragging his foot. We were all laughing and
cheering.

"Then an 18-wheeler [truck] came speeding around. We shot at it. One of the
guys jumped out. He was on fire. The driver was dead. Then a Toyota Corolla
came. We killed the driver, the other guy came out with his hands up. We
shot him too.
"A gunny from Lima Company came running and said to us: 'Hey, you just shot
that guy, but he had his hands up.' My unit, my commander and me were
relieved of our command for the rest of the day. Not more than five minutes
later, the Lima Company took up our position and shot a car with one woman
and two children. They all died."

The next day the platoon guarded a checkpoint at Baghdad Stadium. "A red Kia
Spectra sped toward us at about 45mph. We fired a warning volley above it
but the car kept coming. Then we aimed at the car and fired with full force.
The Kia came to a stop right in front of me, three of the four men shot
dead, the fourth wounded and covered in blood. We called the medics, but he
died before they arrived. That day we killed three more civilians in the
same circumstances. I talked to my captain afterwards and told him: 'It's a
bad day.' He said: 'No, it's a good day.'"

Mr Massey watched as badly injured Iraqis were repeatedly "tossed on the
side of the road without calling medics". His reaction to the event that
triggered the recent siege of Fallujah - the sight of the blackened,
mutilated bodies of four American private security men - was that "we did
the same thing to them".

Iraqis, he said, "would see us debase their dead all the time. We would be
messing around with charred bodies, kicking them out of the vehicles and
sticking cigarettes in their mouths. I also saw vehicles drive over them. It
was our job to look into the pockets of dead Iraqis to gather intelligence.
However, time and time again, I saw Marines steal gold chains, watches and
wallets full of money."

Several members of his platoon expressed concern that so many civilians were
being killed, but Mr Massey says he told them: "We've got a job to do."
Finally, however, he voiced his own doubts to his commanding officer. "I
told him I felt like we were committing genocide in Iraq, that we were doing
harm to a culture. He said nothing and walked away. I knew my career was
over." Later, he says, his superior poured abuse on him, saying, "You're a
poor leader. You're faking it. You're a conscientious objector, you're a
wimp."

After being sent back to the US, Mr Massey was offered a desk job. "I had
seven years until retirement from the Marine Corps, but I told them I didn't
want their money any more," he said. The Marines' slogan - "No better
friend, no worse enemy" - now embitters the former sergeant, who says
remorse keeps him awake at night.

"One day we would go into a city and set up roadblocks where civilian
casualties would take place, and then the next morning we would undertake a
humanitarian mission," he said. "How do we expect people who've seen their
brothers and mothers killed to turn around and welcome us with open arms?"

hello..
I have put new pictures on the link..
I hope you`ll like it
faiza

Saturday, May 22
Good morning…
Although the world news is getting mixed with each other, it's generally similar; injustice and darkness are controlling the world…
This is the news in brief…
********
Few days ago, Israeli tanks destroyed hundreds of houses in Rafah, south of Gaza strip, and killed more than 120 Palestinian civilians. Hospitals were filled with bodies and blood….
Yesterday, two thousand Israeli peace activists led by members of the Israeli parliament launched demonstrations against Sharon's hostility, and clashed with the Israeli police …
We thank them, as we believe that there still exist some honorable people who refuse injustice against human being…
Those were Israelis, what about the Arabs??
**************
In Najef, there have been fighting and clashes between the occupation troops and Al-Sader followers, a demonstration was organized in the city, by another pro-bush shia`a party against Al –Sader...
They are dividing people's opinions, so that the truth will be lost.
***********
In Manama, Bahrain, demonstrations have started against occupation forces that entered Najef. As a result of that, the minister of interior affairs was relieved…
Everything is prohibited (i.e. stay at home doing nothing but eating, drinking and sleeping like sheep). That is what the Arab governments are doing with their people to satisfy the USA.
************
Al-Chalabi threatened America…
The Friends of yesterday are enemies now. Bremer has given orders to the Iraqi Police for breaking into his house and his party headquarters.
This man's reputation has fallen down…USA accused him of giving secret information to Iran.
We, Iraqis, are mocking at this thing because accusations are always ready for anyone who challenges the USA.
Yesterday, he was one of the best candidates for the presidency. Now, he is not qualified.
**************
Donations campaign has started in order to help the people of al-Falluja re-build their destructed city. Everybody who has heard participated in this campaign, believing that we are one nation after all, sharing the same pain.
Unfortunately, the Arab neighbors are sleeping deeply, what a pity!
How are they going to defend themselves before their God on judgment day?
*******
The Arab Summit has started this morning, and the question raised was what they are going to do. Are they going to decline and deny –as usual- what had happened in Iraq and Palestine in their speeches?
If I were them, I would feel ashamed of coming and participating in such a meeting.
Most of the Arab people never cared for such summits because there would be no results but great halls, cameras, pens and papers, and finally useless announcement.
Lets all admit that it's time of cowardice and failure for Arabs.
The evil has succeeded in breaking all the bonds and ties among brothers…
********
God describes humans in the beginning of holy Quran, at the start of surat Al-Bakarah, And He classified them into three types:
Believers, and described them in two verses. Unbelievers, and described them in two verses. And the hypocrites, and described them in more than ten verses.
*********
The majority of people is either sleeping or engaged with its daily life, exactly just like J. Orwell's description in his novel "1984".
They were just like ants …fully busy with silly matters that make them blind for what's going on around them…
As he foretold in his novel, the "Big brother" has been into all houses and controlled the minds, and kept brain-washing people…
********
The communist system lasted for 70 years, it was full of lies, injustice and fact disfiguring…People in Russia have come back to live freely.
And for Iraqis, Saddam regime lasted for 35 years, and finally fell down, forever…
Now we have opened our eyes once again but unfortunately the" Big brother" has come to control our minds and our life…
We are sure that "he" will go away and fall down, sooner or later...
Then we'll smile…
And the God will smile in His highness…
God said in surat fatir "Have they not traveled in the land, and seen what was the end of those before them -though they were superior to them in power? Allah is not such that anything in the heavens or in the earth escapes Him. Verily, he is all-knowing, all-own-impotent."
***********

Good morning..
I have to thank my enemies for sending me new friends :)
well, yes we are all brothers and sisters in God..
He is one God ...
faiza
******

Faiza,

I have never visited your blog before today, I read
other people suggest you were an American-hater, but I
thought I would read anyway to see.

I was reading what you wrote about what is going on in
Boston, and I was nodding my head, thinking, "This
Faiza is a smart woman!" There is also a "war" in the
USA, between people with traditional values and people
who are very liberal and think that "anything goes as
long as it doesn't hurt somebody else." They have
bought the lie that if a "crime" has no victim, it is
not a crime at all. They do not see that they
themselves are the victim, because they destroy
themselves and society too. Ours is a non-violent war,
though... a war of words and votes. I thank God that
the USA has not become as secular as some European
countries, who seem (as the New Testament says) to
have "given themselves up to vile passions." Many of
them don't go to church or even think about God.

Here is what I think is strange. The opinions of my
liberal friends are: "Homosexuality is okay. Same sex
marriage is good. Stop telling me about right and
wrong. George W. Bush is evil. He is religious, he's
so stupid. Good Iraqi citizens want us to leave Iraq.
We should leave right now and let the UN handle Iraq!"
And the conservative American's opinion is the
opposite on all of these issues.

So Americans against traditional morality are mostly
against the US "helping" Iraq, because they think
we're doing more harm than good. And those that are
for traditional morality mostly want the US to stay in
Iraq awhile longer, thinking that is better for Iraq.
I find that so strange, and wonder what it means. Both
sides want what is best for Iraq. One thing that keeps
me from siding with the liberals on the Iraq issue is
that I wonder what is guiding them, because their
values are so different from mine, and I know they are
not asking God for guidance.

Another thing I find disturbing is that terrorists
will say the USA is evil, and will point to same-sex
marriage as proof. And then also, faithful, peaceful
Muslims will look at same-sex marriage and think the
same thing! That breaks my heart. I do not care what
the terrorists think of the USA, their good opinion is
worthless to me. But I do care very much what other
Muslims think.

Please know this - the USA is not immoral because some
of our citizens are. For example, when people of faith
stand together, I see that our common belief in God is
more important than our nationality. I have more in
common with you, Faiza, than I do with an atheist
American.

I wish there were a way that people who love God would
unite. If we put God first, and our nationality
second, maybe we would see each other as brothers and
sisters. God is our only hope.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have two sons
myself and if I was not sure that the future of this
world was in God's hands I would be a nervous wreck.

Cindy