Saturday, January 15, 2005
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Good morning…
I am still in Amman, taking an open vacation. Life is comfortable without the worries of work, the fear of assassinations and explosions, nor the worrying about what the mysterious tomorrow shall bring.
This is a temporary condition for me, until some picture is clarified in my mind, and then I shall decide if I will go back to Baghdad, spend the time here, in a new job, study, or travel abroad…I don’t know, I haven’t decided yet.
The boys are far away, my heart keeps thinking about them, and I always pray for their safety, and well being, hoping that GOD will reunite our small family again, someday in Baghdad, for I miss our times together, our talks, and laughs, as we gather for lunch or supper, with all their shouts, arguments, and discussions… all these are lovely moments, carved in memory….
The war has separated us……
War is the ugliest thing man has invented.
************************************************
My movement away from Baghdad made me sad, however, it has opened new horizons in life for me. I have more spare time to read, and I begun thinking of acquiring more books. The tasks of business and home in Baghdad didn’t leave me much spare time.
By GOD, the hobby I love most in life is reading books, for it opens the doors to far away, mysterious worlds, making them look clear, and close. I bought books by Briziniski, Henry Kissinger, and of course, Samuel Huntington’s book; “The Clash of Civilizations”, and a beautiful, one of a kind, Lebanese book, about the history of the Arabic thoughtway, by Dr. Omar Faroo’kh….waw, I have the world in my hands…the eastern thoughtways, and the western, yes, the west… I didn’t take wide insights from its thoughtways, but I want to know how the western leaders think these days, how do they see the world, and us.
A first step must be taken to open a dialogue with the Other…to understand the vocabulary of his thinking in life. Even if you disagree with him…get to understand his way of thinking first, then get to the dialogue, or argument.
I do not like the fools who have a stiff view point, and stick to it, never changing their mentality speech, or their manner of dialogue with the other. These frozen minds are a disaster upon peace in the world, and an obstacle in the way of narrowing the differences between view points.
Such mentalities exist in the western speech towards the east, and in the eastern speech towards the west. A softer, more logical language of dialogue must be found… a dialogue language less hostile towards the other… a mature dialogue language, that respects humanity, its culture, and future. A language that seeks to establish peace and welfare to all the people on earth.
Earth now has become a small village, we communicate with each other without barriers… I receive e-mail messages from Japan, China, India, and Pakistan, just like from Canada, America, England, France, and south America. We are all willing to have a dialogue…we are all humans…our goals in life are similar. We want a safe, free, good life…that is all.
Is this such a difficult thing to ask??
*******************************************************
Well, the books of politics are generally boring, but the reader is forced to be patient, in order to understand the end.
And the end of Briziniski’s book: (The Grand Chess Board) astonished me, for he presented a review of America’s relations with the world nations, Europe, Asia, and others. Then, he started putting suggestions at the end of the book, of how America could maintain her role as the mistress of the world, or the leader of the world.
I smiled…for I understand this human ambition in seeking immortality, perhaps since the days of Gilgamesh, the Iraqi character, pre-history, but there is a well-known saying, in Iraq, and I am sure there is something very much like it in the west; “ If the matter was bound to be forever to another, it wouldn’t have gotten to you”. This means, if the power and authority were eternal for the other, it would have remained so for ever, and it wouldn’t have moved on to you, somehow…
Most humans are fools…and vain. And when one of them receives a post…he keeps thinking of all possible means of remaining glued to that post, or place, trying not to give it to another….
Only silly dreams….for it will go away from you, whether you liked it or not… if it would have remained with another person, it wouldn’t have gotten to you.
But who could stop the fools in their tracks, and their vanity??
Perhaps only GOD… someday. And this day always comes along, turning the situation, so, some vain fool would go, and another comes along, more foolish and vainer…
What a funny world this is.
*******************************************
By the end of the book, the writer says; there is a survey of the American peoples’ opinions, stating that most of them do not like the idea of their country ruling the world, or getting mixed up in other country’s affairs, because America is a democratic state, and a democratic state could not be an imperialistic occupier… that is right.
So, he says: A great event would unite the American nation on a decision like; yes, let America interfere in the world nations’ affairs, and thus ruling the big chess board.
How would such a transformation take place?? The writer says: If America was subjected to a tragic, catastrophic event, like Pearl Harbor, and the Japanese attack in world war II, causing huge human casualties, then, yes, the majority of the nation will agree to the interference of America in the world, and waging a new war.
These recommendations stunned me. The book was finished in 1997, and the September 11th events took place in 2001. what happened was exactly like the writer recommended, him being the former National Security Adviser.
What should I say?? Was the person (or persons) who carried out the disaster of September 11th in love with America, and wanted her to be the mistress of the world? Did he (or they) hate her, and wanted her to be the mistress of the world? Was this terrible crime really committed by the enemies of America??
What foolish enemies they must be, those who wanted glory and superiority for America, over the world, giving her all the reasons she needed to move on.
Or were they from inside America itself??.... I don’t know….
Puzzling questions…so, who’s got the real answers?.... I don’t know.
That is why I do not like politics, nor taking part in it… because it is an ambiguous, non-innocent game….where good and evil are mixed up…. A game ruled by the theory of: The Aim Justifies the Means. And that means using any possible way to reach the target… even if it was without morals, or mercy, or justice.
And that is what’s happening in the world today.
And that is what makes me say: this ugly, dumb language, which destroyed the world, must be changed, and a beautiful, polite, moral language of dialogue must be found, one which contains principles, mercy, and justice…
The world then will become a place much safer and more beautiful ….
And undoubtedly…. More peaceful.
****************************************************
Translated by May/ Baghdad.
Good morning…
I am still in Amman, taking an open vacation. Life is comfortable without the worries of work, the fear of assassinations and explosions, nor the worrying about what the mysterious tomorrow shall bring.
This is a temporary condition for me, until some picture is clarified in my mind, and then I shall decide if I will go back to Baghdad, spend the time here, in a new job, study, or travel abroad…I don’t know, I haven’t decided yet.
The boys are far away, my heart keeps thinking about them, and I always pray for their safety, and well being, hoping that GOD will reunite our small family again, someday in Baghdad, for I miss our times together, our talks, and laughs, as we gather for lunch or supper, with all their shouts, arguments, and discussions… all these are lovely moments, carved in memory….
The war has separated us……
War is the ugliest thing man has invented.
************************************************
My movement away from Baghdad made me sad, however, it has opened new horizons in life for me. I have more spare time to read, and I begun thinking of acquiring more books. The tasks of business and home in Baghdad didn’t leave me much spare time.
By GOD, the hobby I love most in life is reading books, for it opens the doors to far away, mysterious worlds, making them look clear, and close. I bought books by Briziniski, Henry Kissinger, and of course, Samuel Huntington’s book; “The Clash of Civilizations”, and a beautiful, one of a kind, Lebanese book, about the history of the Arabic thoughtway, by Dr. Omar Faroo’kh….waw, I have the world in my hands…the eastern thoughtways, and the western, yes, the west… I didn’t take wide insights from its thoughtways, but I want to know how the western leaders think these days, how do they see the world, and us.
A first step must be taken to open a dialogue with the Other…to understand the vocabulary of his thinking in life. Even if you disagree with him…get to understand his way of thinking first, then get to the dialogue, or argument.
I do not like the fools who have a stiff view point, and stick to it, never changing their mentality speech, or their manner of dialogue with the other. These frozen minds are a disaster upon peace in the world, and an obstacle in the way of narrowing the differences between view points.
Such mentalities exist in the western speech towards the east, and in the eastern speech towards the west. A softer, more logical language of dialogue must be found… a dialogue language less hostile towards the other… a mature dialogue language, that respects humanity, its culture, and future. A language that seeks to establish peace and welfare to all the people on earth.
Earth now has become a small village, we communicate with each other without barriers… I receive e-mail messages from Japan, China, India, and Pakistan, just like from Canada, America, England, France, and south America. We are all willing to have a dialogue…we are all humans…our goals in life are similar. We want a safe, free, good life…that is all.
Is this such a difficult thing to ask??
*******************************************************
Well, the books of politics are generally boring, but the reader is forced to be patient, in order to understand the end.
And the end of Briziniski’s book: (The Grand Chess Board) astonished me, for he presented a review of America’s relations with the world nations, Europe, Asia, and others. Then, he started putting suggestions at the end of the book, of how America could maintain her role as the mistress of the world, or the leader of the world.
I smiled…for I understand this human ambition in seeking immortality, perhaps since the days of Gilgamesh, the Iraqi character, pre-history, but there is a well-known saying, in Iraq, and I am sure there is something very much like it in the west; “ If the matter was bound to be forever to another, it wouldn’t have gotten to you”. This means, if the power and authority were eternal for the other, it would have remained so for ever, and it wouldn’t have moved on to you, somehow…
Most humans are fools…and vain. And when one of them receives a post…he keeps thinking of all possible means of remaining glued to that post, or place, trying not to give it to another….
Only silly dreams….for it will go away from you, whether you liked it or not… if it would have remained with another person, it wouldn’t have gotten to you.
But who could stop the fools in their tracks, and their vanity??
Perhaps only GOD… someday. And this day always comes along, turning the situation, so, some vain fool would go, and another comes along, more foolish and vainer…
What a funny world this is.
*******************************************
By the end of the book, the writer says; there is a survey of the American peoples’ opinions, stating that most of them do not like the idea of their country ruling the world, or getting mixed up in other country’s affairs, because America is a democratic state, and a democratic state could not be an imperialistic occupier… that is right.
So, he says: A great event would unite the American nation on a decision like; yes, let America interfere in the world nations’ affairs, and thus ruling the big chess board.
How would such a transformation take place?? The writer says: If America was subjected to a tragic, catastrophic event, like Pearl Harbor, and the Japanese attack in world war II, causing huge human casualties, then, yes, the majority of the nation will agree to the interference of America in the world, and waging a new war.
These recommendations stunned me. The book was finished in 1997, and the September 11th events took place in 2001. what happened was exactly like the writer recommended, him being the former National Security Adviser.
What should I say?? Was the person (or persons) who carried out the disaster of September 11th in love with America, and wanted her to be the mistress of the world? Did he (or they) hate her, and wanted her to be the mistress of the world? Was this terrible crime really committed by the enemies of America??
What foolish enemies they must be, those who wanted glory and superiority for America, over the world, giving her all the reasons she needed to move on.
Or were they from inside America itself??.... I don’t know….
Puzzling questions…so, who’s got the real answers?.... I don’t know.
That is why I do not like politics, nor taking part in it… because it is an ambiguous, non-innocent game….where good and evil are mixed up…. A game ruled by the theory of: The Aim Justifies the Means. And that means using any possible way to reach the target… even if it was without morals, or mercy, or justice.
And that is what’s happening in the world today.
And that is what makes me say: this ugly, dumb language, which destroyed the world, must be changed, and a beautiful, polite, moral language of dialogue must be found, one which contains principles, mercy, and justice…
The world then will become a place much safer and more beautiful ….
And undoubtedly…. More peaceful.
****************************************************
Translated by May/ Baghdad.
# posted by Faiza Al-Araji @ 10:55 am 
