A Family in Baghdad

Good morning..
I put new pictures about Amman today..
wish you`ll like it..
and wish you happy day.
faiza

Friday, 2nd., July, 2004
Good morning…
We are still on our summer vacation in Amman, but I miss Baghdad, and can't stop thinking about her. I wonder how people could live out side of their countries…how much sorrows and memories they carry in their hearts and minds…one's country is a precious thing, that couldn't be replaced by another. The homeland is like the father and mother, a blessed value which couldn't be taken lightly….nor be bought and sold…
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Amman is a small city; positioned upon seven hills… the weather is nice and moderate in the summer, very cold in winter. The summer months are short, the winters long. When I lived there in the late 1970's, it looked like a small village, compared to Baghdad that was living her golden days…I longed very much to hear an Iraqi speaking the Iraqi distinctive accent in the streets of Amman, I felt a deep forbidding, a strong feeling of homelessness, despite the fact that Baghdad was merely a thousand kilometers away…
But Amman today has grown, with a lot of new buildings, especially after the Kuwait war, when thousands of Palestinians and Jordanians returned there who used to live in Kuwait, investing their savings, building multi-storied buildings, and hotels.
Today Amman is filled with Iraqis, especially the rich ones, who bought houses here, settling temporarily until things would calm down in Iraq…
The old Amman is the city of the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's, crowded with buildings, the houses are small and clinging to each other. But the new Amman is the city of the 1980's forwards, districts filled with residential multi-storey buildings, some times separate, privet villas, with a lot of supermarkets and western-style malls. Also there are western restaurants, night clubs, and coffee shops. Because the nature of the land is mountainous, therefore the streets are narrow and jagged, very difficult to drive through, especially during winter in the rain, with the slippery grounds. The traffic system here is very strict, in order to cut down the dangers of accidents, and lower their numbers…
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The news of Baghdad is far away…as if it is in another part of the earth…we have no way but to listen to the news through the media. As for the people here, each is busy with his own life matters.
When I was in Baghdad, I used to listen to news and events directly from the people, or see them with my own eyes, but here, I feel that only a small margin reaches us…and many details are skipped, then I imagine the people in the west and how would they get the news… they being very far away from all this reality, from the true picture of matters…and I do not blame them when they think about us in a way very different from the truth.
They would get the news and its interpretations through the world-wide news networks, and these are institutions that has proved, time and again, their lack of integrity … the items are re-phrased according to the mentality and moods of the director responsible for the media there…
In Baghdad, when we sit down to talk and discuss what is happening in Iraq, we do not differ very much, for the evidence are clear and occurring daily, but here in Amman, for example, no one has heard or seen, so view points are different according to the assessments of the speaker…
As to the situation in America, I laugh and wonder, how would they hear the news? In what light? I can appraise the situation in which the citizen lives there, but I wouldn't want any of them to stick to their viewpoint as if they were 100% sure… I want them to take in consideration that they are thousands of kilometers away from the real site of events, and news get to them through un-completely reliable news networks.
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The news of Baghdad last week was…the handing over of sovereignty to the Iraqis was carried-out in a hasty, sad way…as if speaking for it self… so, this is the new sovereignty, something to be handed over from far away, and Iraqis would see it as people from other countries in the world would on TV screen, as if the whole matter doesn't concern them at all…
The Iraqis are hiding in their homes, in fear of explosions and daily death, and sovereignty was delivered, and they were laughing at their tearful situation…who went away, and who came along???
Premmer went away, and the American Ambassador came in the same day…and two days later, the American flag was raised on the new Embassy in Baghdad, as if saying: Here I come back at last…how much casualties, American and Iraqi dead, it cost me to come here, rising in pride…, and how much billions of dollars in budget, … and who is the dumb fool who thinks I would get out of here??? The Iraqis watch, and smile bitterly…
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The news of explosions continues from Baghdad, then the bombing of Falluja yesterday, and new victims fall…and the Iraqis wonder: Where is the new Iraqi authority? Where is the independence? Why are the American war planes still roaming the skies of Iraq, bombing civilians, and no body defends them???
A new comedy… but the question is: who are they laughing at??? Themselves, the world, or the Iraqis?
I have written about the history of the Iraqis, I wanted whoever reads it to realize that the Iraqis are no fools, but the fool is that who involves himself with them…thinking himself smart, and could fool them. All kinds of tricks and ruses have passed them, and they memorized them. And as I always say: it is only a matter of time…everything clarifies with time…
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And then yesterday, a new comedy…the Trial of Saddam Hussein.
These are merely plays to attract people's attentions away from what is going on… the priorities now are how the Iraqis will live, how will they build their life all over again…and the beginning would be to build a state, institutions, police, and an army, to keep the law and order.
But Bush continues the game; he seems to enjoy it, wanting to have his personal revenge upon Saddam, distracting the world by this story.
As for us, the Iraqis, what would change in our lives or future if we see Saddam in trial or not? If he dies, or go to prison? Would that bring back our dead??? Would it repair the damage and destruction that has befallen our lives, our country???
We truly believe that Bush, by his malicious, clumsy, inconsiderate policy, has joined Saddam Hussein in destroying our lives. And for a correct justice, he should be placed with Saddam Hussein in the same accusation cage, he should be asked for the foolishness he committed when he started this war, asked about the lives that were reaped, innocents and non- innocents, in this dumb war…which we gained nothing from, except destruction and devastation, and going back tens of years…
As for him and those who supported him to rage this war, the American flag returned to wave on a new colony, a colony that those who harbored the dreams of expansion and imperialism inside America always dreamed of…and here she is, finally, in their arms…to rake havoc and destruction with…as any imperialist would…
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Translated by May. Baghdad.

الجمعة 2 تموز 2004
صباح الخير....
ما زلنا في عمان, نقضي اجازة الصيف...
لكني مشتاقة لبغداد , ولا أقدر ان اتوقف عن التفكير بها...وأتعجب كيف يعيش الناس خارج اوطانهم, وكم يحملون من أحزان وذكريات في قلوبهم وعقولهم...الوطن شيء ثمين ولا يعوضه شيء آخر...
الوطن مثل الأم والأب, مقدسات لا يمكن الإستخفاف بها...مقدسات لا تباع ولا تشترى...
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عمان مدينة صغيرة , تقع على سبعة جبال..جوها جميل ولطيف في الصيف, وبارد جدا في الشتاء .فترة الصيف قصيرة ,وفترة الشتاء طويلة ….
عندما عشت فيها نهاية السبعينات , كانت تشبه قرية صغيرة, مقارنة ببغداد التي كانت تعيش ايامها الذهبية..
وكنت اتحرق شوقا لرؤية عراقي يتكلم بلهجته المميزة في شوارع عمان, وكنت أحس بوحشة شديدة وشعورا قويا بالغربة, رغم ان بغداد تبعد الف كيلومتر فقط…
لكن عمان اليوم توسعت, وكثر فيها البناء, خصوصا بعد حرب الكويت حيث عاد اليها آلاف الفلسطينيين والأردنيين الذين كانوا يعيشون في الكويت, فاستثمروا فيها مدخراتهم وبنوا العمارات والفنادق..
واليوم عمان تمتليء بالعراقيين, خصوصا من الطبقة الغنية , الذين اشتروا بيوتا هنا واستقروا مؤقتا حتى تهدأ أمور العراق..
وعمان القديمة, هي عمان الخمسينات والستينات والسبعينات…وهي مكتظة بالبناء, وبيوتها صغيرة متلاصقة,
اما عمان الحديثة, منذ الثمانينات وحتى الآن , فهي عبارة عن أحياء بعمارات سكنية متعددة الطوابق, واحيانا توجد فلل منفصلة. ويوجد الكثيرمن السوبرماركت والمولات الغربية الطابع , وكذلك المطاعم الغربية والنوادي الليلية والكوفي شوب …
ولأن طبيعة البلاد جبلية, فالشوارع ضيقة ومتعرجة, ويصعب القيادة بها خصوصا في الشتاء والمطر والأرض الزلقة, ونظام السير هنا متشدد , حتى يخفف من خطر حوادث المرور ويقلل من عددها…
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وأخبار بغداد بعيدة…
كأنها في جزء آخر من الكرة الأرضية…
ليس سوى سماع الأخبار من وسائل الإعلام..أما الناس , فكل واحد مشغول بشؤون حياته الخاصة.
كنت في بغداد اسمع الأخبار والأحداث مباشرة من الناس أو أراها بعيني, أما هنا فاحس ان هامشا صغيرا يصل,
وتفاصيل كثيرة تغيب..
واتخيل تماما الناس في الغرب كيف تصلهم الأخبار…وهم بعيدون عن هذا الواقع, وعن الصورة الحقيقية للأمور…ولا ألومهم حين يفكرون بنا بطريقة مختلفة تماما عن الواقع…ستصلهم الأخبار وتفسيرها على ذمة شبكات الأخبار العالمية, وهي مؤسسات اثبتت قلة مصداقيتها في كثير من الأحيان, فالخبر يعاد صياغته حسب مزاج المسؤول عن الإعلام هناك…
في بغداد , حين نجلس للحديث والنقاش عما يحدث في العراق, لا نختلف كثيرا , لأن الشواهد واضحة ويومية
أما في عمان مثلا, فلا أحد رأى أو سمع, وتختلف وجهات النظر حسب تقديرات المتكلم…
اما في أميركا, فأضحك واتعجب, كيف سيصلهم الخبر؟ وبأي تفسير وتفسير؟
استطيع أن أقدر الحالة التي يعيشها المواطن هناك, ولكني لا أود أن يتشبث الواحد منهم بوجهة نظره كأنه متأكد مئة بالمئة…اريده أن يضع في ذهنه انه بعيد ألاف الكيلومترات عن الواقع الحقيقي, وتصله الأخبار عبر شبكات غير موثوقة تماما في مصداقيتها…
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أخبار الأسبوع الماضي في بغداد..
تسليم السلطة للعراقيين, تمت بطريقة مسلوقة وسريعة ومحزنة…كأنها تتحدث عن نفسها..هذه هي السلطة الجديدة, شيء يتم تسليمه من بعيد, يراه العراقيون على شاشات التلفزيون كما يراه الناس في دول العالم الأخرى, وكأن الأمر لا يعنيهم ابدا..
العراقيون يختبؤون في بيوتهم خوفا من التفجيرات والموت اليومي, والسلطة تسلم , وهم يتفرجون, ويضحكون على حالهم المبكي, من الذي ذهب؟ ومن الذي جاء؟
خرج بريمر, ودخل السفيرالأمريكي في نفس اليوم…وبعد يومين رفع العلم الأمريكي على السفارة الجديدة في بغداد…وكأنه يقول: ها قد عدت أخيرا الى هنا…كم كلفتني من خسائر وقتلى من امريكان وعراقيين حتى اعود الى هنا شامخا بكبرياء….وكم كلفت من موازنة وبلايين الدولارات حتى اصل الى هنا..ومن هو المغفل الذي يظن انني سأخرج من هنا ؟؟؟
العراقيون ينظرون اليه ويبتسمون بمرارة.
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وتظل أخبار التفجيرات مستمرة من بغداد , ثم قصف الفلوجة امس , وضحايا جدد, والعراقيون يتساءلون: اين السلطة العراقية الجديدة, واين الإستقلال, ولماذا ما زالت الطائرات الأمريكية تجول في سماء العراق وتقصف المدنيين, ولا أحد يدافع عنهم؟
مهزلة جديدة …ولكن السؤال: على من يضحكون؟
على انفسهم أم على العالم , ام على العراقيين؟
كتبت سابقا عن تاريخ العراقيين, واردت من خلاله أن يدرك من يقراه, ان العراقيين ليسوا بالأغبياء, وان الغبي هو الذي يورط نفسه معهم…ويظن نفسه ذكيا, ويمكنه خداعهم…كل الحيل والألاعيب مرت عليهم وحفظوها…
وكما أقول دائما: انها مسألة وقت…كل شيء يتوضح بمرور الوقت.
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وبالأمس مهزلة جديدة…محاكمة صدام حسين.
هذه مسرحيات لإشغال الناس عما يدور..الأولويات الآن هي كيف سيعيش العراقيون, وكيف سيبنون حياتهم من جديد, دولة ومؤسسات وشرطة وجيش, لحفظ النظام والأمن, وبداية العمل…
لكن بوش يستمر في اللعبة ويبدو انه مستمتع , ويريد ان يحقق انتقامه الشخصي من صدام, ويلهي العالم بهذه القصة.
بالنسبة لنا كعراقيين, ماذا سيغير من حياتنا ومستقبلنا لو رأينا صدام يحاكم م لا ؟
لو مات أو سجن؟
هل سيعيد موتانا؟
هل سيصلح الخراب والدمار الذي اصاب حياتنا ووطننا؟
نحن نؤمن تماما أن بوش بسياسته الخرقاء الحاقدة المتهورة, شارك مع صدام حسين في تدمير حياتنا..
ومن أجل عدالة صحيحة, ينبغي أن يوضع مع صدام حسين في نفس قفص الإتهام..
وينبغي ان يساءل عن الحماقات التي اقترفها حين شن هذه الحرب, ويساءل عن الأرواح التي ازهقت من الأبرياء وغير الأبرياء في هذه الحرب الغبية….التي لم نحصد منها سوى الخراب والدمار والعودة الى الخلف عشرات السنين …
أما بالنسبة اليه ولمن ساندوه لشن هذه الحرب, فقد عاد العلم الأمريكي يرفرف على مستعمرة جديدة طالما….طالما حلم بها المنادون بالتوسع والإمبريالية, من داخل اميركا….
وها هي بين يديهم الآن, يعيثون فيها فسادا وتدميرا….كأي استعمار.
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Friday, 25th., June, 2004
Good morning…this is the week-end day, the day to stay at home and do all the heavy house hold chores.
The conditions in Baghdad are much in tension; explosions have become a daily occurrence, and in streets heavily filled with civilian pedestrians…and this is a sad, fearful situation.
Day and night, we ask GOD to send his revenge upon those responsible for these explosions, and expose them to the whole world, to give us the patience to endure the hardships of hard days, and for the future to carry the good, well-being to Iraq and the Iraqis…
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I am still reading books about the Modern history of Iraq, by Dr. Ali Al-Wardi, and Mr. Abdul-Razzak Al-Hassani. Each says that the information sources are documents of prior periods of Iraq's history, from the National Documentation library, or some other documents Dr. Al-Wardi used from the British Documentation library in London, which spoke of Iraq in the days of the British Deputizing. Of course, in Baghdad, the National Documentation library was burned during the first days of the American occupation last year…so, if any one wanted to make a research or a study about the Iraqi history during the Monarchal period, or prior to it, or later to it, I do not know if they would find any official documents…it is really very sad, but this is only a small part of what has befallen us…. And what is hidden remains much worst, as the old poet says…
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I read the history, then put my hand over my head…I close the book, and fall in deep thoughts of astonishment, and sorrow. Then I re-open the book, to read again: Iraq falls under the Ottoman domain for the years 1516-1914. Four centuries of the worst periods of darkness, ignorance, cruelty, backwardness, and a continuous plunder of the wealth of Iraq. A continuance repression of a continuance flow of revolutions and up-risings, executing honest, freedom-seeking men who demand the independence of Iraq, and the evacuation of Ottomans…
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Then World War 1 came, and new coalitions were formed between nations against the (Sick Man), as the Ottoman Empire was called in its last few years…and when the war was lost to the Ottomans, their wealth was divided between the coalition states, I mean the countries that came out victorious in the war… so Iraq became a part of the wealth that England inherited, along with Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
The British troops entered Basra in 1914, then Baghdad in 1916, then Mousel in 1917. The occupation was not confronted in a clear way at the beginning; there was some coolness in the first stages, then hesitation, because most of the population carried feuds and ill- feelings towards the former Ottoman authorities, and that made them believe the British announcement that (we have come as liberators, not conquerors), as General Modd said in his speech. But the popular uprisings started in a short time, against the British presence…
1917- The uprising of Al-Najaf and Kuffa.
1918- The uprising of Al-Najaf and central Euphrates region cities.
1919- The uprising of the Kurds (Karkook, Hallpcha, Dania).
1920- The famous revolution that spread all over Iraqi cities.
1922- The formation of the Iraqi Kingdom, and the announcement of King Faisal 1st., as the King of Iraq.
1926- Demonstrations against the British and their policy in the country.
1930- Demonstrations against the treaty with England.
1931- Demonstrations against the same treaty with England.
1932- The announcement of the pseudo independence, and Iraq joins the Nations League.
1936- The military insurgence of (Baker Sidky), and the formation of a new government.
1937- The assassination of (Baker Sidky), and the return of the old government that has fled the country.
1941- The insurgence of (Rashid Aliie Al-Gaylani), and a new government, then England interfered, threw down the new government, executed its leaders, then re-established the old government.
1947- The Iraqi Army going to Palestine…but no serious war occurs, no bullets shot. There were the rumors of (No Orders). Then Palestine fell, and the state of israel was announced the next year.
1948- The uprising of January, martyrs fell in demonstrations against the Prime Minister Salih Jabur, and the Portsmouth treaty.
1949- The Forming of parties loyal to Britain, by Nouri Al-Said, and Salih Jabur.
1951- Demonstrations against the forged elections, martial law, the shooting of demonstrators and political prisoners inside their cells.
1952- An uprising, and martyrs.
1954- An uprising, and martyrs, against a new treaty.
1956- Demonstrations against the Trio-aggression upon Egypt, (by France, England, and israel).
1957- The forming of the National Unity Front, between the Iraqi National Parties.
1958- The 14th. Of July Revolution, the announcement of the Independent Iraqi Republic.
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A long history, filled with pain and sacrifices … the Iraqi people are really, a nation of dignity, pride, and heroism…
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The British occupation lasted more than 40 years, so, what progress took place during that time?
History books say, that agriculture remained back-wards, because the British engrossed the former state property lands, or farmer's property, then give them to thanes, or heads of tribes who were loyal to them, to strengthen their positions, and their power against the poor, miserable people.
In industry, the only section that saw any progress, was the oil connected industry, no major industry that was something notable was built, and the foreign goods (British and others) invaded the Iraqi market, so that Iraq would become a consuming place for their goods.
And, they refused to leave the country, the excuse being their fear the Ottomans, or someone who supports them would regain power.
Isn't history laughing and gloating, while repeating it self all over again???
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Then came the Republic rule, and Abdul-Kareem Qasim, in July, 1958.
There were trials for the former politicians; the nationalists were released from prisons. I remember the Iraqis killed Nouri Al-Said, who was the Prime Minister during the kingdom time, and his body was pulled in the streets, in revenge for his victims, the nationalists Iraqi young men who were killed in the streets and prisons. Miss Bell said about him in her diaries: He is the most loyal Iraqi towards England, the most faithful to its justice and noble values, its most ardent defender.
And as I read the history, I can not blame them for what they did to him; it looks like the rage of the crushed, poor Frenchmen who broke into the Bastille prison, then it was the revolution, and the beheading of the king, Louis the16th. And his lovely wife, Marie Antoinette, for they didn't feel the pains of the crushed ones, nor their hunger, and lived in splendor and wealth, so they met an ugly death, just like their foolishness and selfishness.
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Going back to the 1958 revolution… in the same month (July, 26th.) the Temporary Constitution of the republic was announced, then the Personal Affairs Law, which gave the Iraqi woman, for the first time, equal rights to the man. The parties went to public activity, instead of secret, and in September, the Agricultural Reform Law was issued, which stated the top limits of land ownership permissible, then distributed land to the farmers.
The government started an Industrial Development Program, signed commercial contracts with the Soviet Union, to import the machines and equipments needed at the state organizations and establishments.
The republic annulled the 1954 agreement with Britain; the British soldiers left the military bases at Habbania and Shiaba in May 1959, and the Iraqi flag was raised upon them. On the same day, a decision was made to disband the agreements with the United States, in 1954-1955, about military and financial aid. Iraq officially withdrew from what was called the (Baghdad pact) in August, 1959.
Do you believe that an attempt was made to assassinate Abdul-Kareem Qasim on that same year, in October 1959? Its main figure was Saddam Hussein, who was then in his early twenties. Did he appear on his own? Or did someone train him then put him up as an enemy for this nation and its people??
Anyway, the attempt failed, and Saddam Hussein run away out of Iraq for years, then returned before the toppling of 1968.
In 1961, the government issued Law No. 80, by which Iraq regained back the Oil Privileges Lands that used to be monopolized by western oil companies. But, then, who would let Iraq enjoy security and rest? My father always repeated, while laughing, a saying by Gandhi, leader and liberator of India from the British occupation: (If two fish fought at sea, be sure that England is the cause of it.). I don't think he meant England by name, but rather a symbol of imperialistic countries. Of course, problems and inquietudes started in Iraq… the Communist party, from one side, demands to join the government, and the Ba'ath party, from the other side. The government tried to take a balanced position from parties, not to lean on the side of one party, to the cost of another…but failed to achieve that equation. The conspiracies against the government continued, until the 1963 insurgence, and Abdul-Kareem Qasim was killed, the power was seized by conflicting powers, Ba'athies and Militants. I do remember violence, conflicts and nettings between the Ba'athies and the Communists, that used to make people very worried, as they refused these shameful acts.
Then came the insurgence of 17 th. July, 1968, the Ba'ath party seized power.
To tell the truth, at the beginning they did make good additions to the lives of Iraqis… education improved, universities multiplied, a program against illiteracy was implemented, there was free medical treatment for all citizens in the hospitals, the Nationalization of Iraqi oil, and the National united front for different Iraqi political parties. There was a very clear movement of building and development in all of Iraq.
But Saddam was in the front…the president then was Ahmed Hassan Al-Baker, whom I found no Iraqi, till now, who hated him, or mentions him in a bad way. He was a polite, peaceful man…we never heard his name mentioned in a song, nor saw a cruel, dictatorial, or vicious behavior from him. But Saddam Hussein came along and put himself in the picture, put the man into retirement, then installed himself as president of the Republic, and supreme leader of the Armed Forces….since that day, Iraq went back to living in hell. He seized power in 1979, then started netting the leaders of the Ba'ath party who formed some kind of danger for him. He imprisoned most of them, and executed others by false or made-up charges. He made war against Iran, used chemical weapons against Kurds in Hallabcha, dealt with Iraqis in violence and force, a wave of killings and executions started, a long, miserable, movie that the Iraqis lived through, filled with sorrow and pain. Since those days, Saddam put his hand in the hands of the west, became their public allay, so calamities started falling upon us once more.
They never criticized him then, because he was doing what satisfied them. That period was the darkest, most oppressive, and dictatorial for the Iraqis. After his attack on Kuwait, he was in disagreement with the west, so he became their No.1 enemy, and they started a campaign against him. They wailed for freedom and democracy, unknown to the Iraqis, they cried for the Kurds in Hallabcha…. History really is full of funny stories, and as they pass in time, they become clearer to those who observe them, their meanings also become clear, more comprehendible, while at the time they happened, they might seem ambiguous, bearing a thousand and one explanations…as the time moves on, things become clearer, simpler.
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How do we go back to make a new, happy Iraq again?
I think the first, and last step would be an Iraqi independent government… independent… independent from the west and its polices, for of all our long history and experiments with them, we gained nothing but devastation, and destruction of our country…
From their greed and meanness comes our misery, they breed fighting, problems among the people, or the parties, or make agreements with a mad man, and make a dictator out of him, supplying him with money, power, and weapons so as to make wars on neighbors, destroy his nation, and we loose our hopes in a peaceful, settled life, for tens of years.
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And now, how is our life?
Death, destruction, ruins, mercenaries from all nationalities, roaming around in our land, raking havoc, killing people…so that every day passes to more victims, and a far away hope of a peaceful, more settled life.
And then I get e-mails from people asking me why I say we miss our past days…didn't Saddam fall? Didn't you find a new opportunity for a happier life???
And I remember in Saddam's days, how I used to be afraid of the taxi driver, if I speak to him about the government, he might belong to the secret intelligence, and I might go to hell, afraid of the telephone operator if I speak about a forbidden subject, they might inform about me, then I might go to hell. I used to fear the newspaper employee who takes orders for greetings to the president, which I refused to participate in, fearing he would speak about me, and then I would go to hell. I feared the door bell, ringing at noon time, my heart would fall then, I would say: these are the intelligence men to take the satellite receiver and put us in jail, because it was forbidden.
Today all that is gone, Saddam Hussein is gone…but evil isn't gone from the world…and my fear took new shapes.
I fear a stray bullet from a brave American soldier, who was sent here to liberate the back-wards Iraq, and its monstrous people, a bullet that could kill me, or one of my boys, or relatives, or neighbors, or friends. I am afraid of artillery missiles, thrown randomly upon civilian areas at night; when they receive a missile by an Iraqi resistant fighter. I fear trapped cars exploding in the streets of Baghdad, any time, taking along tens of innocent people. I fear the night raids and searching campaigns, presumably looking for weapons or resistant fighters in the houses… where they get into rooms, opening closets and drawers, perhaps steeling some money or jewelry, as so many people we know told us, who were unfortunate to have this happen to them, but to whom they would complain??
And I fear a dark future to a country occupied by a foreigner who dose not love us…but deals with us as if we are scum, and he is the superior who wouldn't make a mistake…
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Then I found my way writing on the internet, only to find thorns and fear…
I receive mean, poisonous letters, because I want the occupation forces to leave Iraq…then some lunatic by the name of Asmar stole pictures from my site and put them in his site, sending massages to companies and magazines, some of them signed in my name, asking them to put advertisements on his site, thus earning hundreds or thousands of dollars, but I have no way to complain against him.
Then came another lunatic, his name is Jeffrey, and started writing against the Iraqi sites that oppose the occupation, and of course I am one of them…spoiling my reputation, saying I am a Ba'athi, then a Bourgua, then a Wahabbi… where is the freedom and democracy that we enjoyed???
We escaped Saddam Hussein, but ended up with ten, a hundred, or more, of those who look like Saddam Hussein, to spoil our lives again.
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Do not say we are back-wards…for the long years we spent fighting the British occupation, you spent them building your lives towards the best, developing your industry, and economy…while your governments sucked our blood, and our wealth…have you ever thought about us??? Have you ever felt sorry about us?
Have you pushed against your governments to remove its evil hand from us, and let us live in peace??
No one is better than another…we were borne with similar brains, intelligence, and capabilities…and the Iraqi living in America or Europe, or any country in the world, creates and produces as any other human being…but creativity and production here needs security, settlement, and independence, and this is what the Iraqis want now… security, settlement, and independence … to build their lives all over again…and build the future of their children and grandchildren….without fear…without enemies to poison their lives
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Translated by May.

Good morning..
we are in Amman today..
it`s calm, the weather is nice..
but,I missed Baghdad..
and wish every thing in Baghdad is going good
look for the pictures I put this morning
about Amman and our yesterday trip from Baghdad
wish you all nice day..
faiza