Saturday, March 04, 2006
Good morning..
Iam in NewYork this day, its very cold here, the snow is every where, its from yesterday.
am with many Iraqi women here to participate activities about women`s day with Global Exchange organization. we wil talk with American poeple about war on Iraq and our experiences through it since about three years..
what is our goal?
we just want to let the people here undestand more about Iraq from Iraqi people, not from biased media..
well, I will not say we will change everthing and our dreams will be achieved soon,,
but at lest we are trying to help our people to get peace and stability in Iraq..
we hope we can make a small change..
all my best..
faiza
www.womensaynotowar.org
Iam in NewYork this day, its very cold here, the snow is every where, its from yesterday.
am with many Iraqi women here to participate activities about women`s day with Global Exchange organization. we wil talk with American poeple about war on Iraq and our experiences through it since about three years..
what is our goal?
we just want to let the people here undestand more about Iraq from Iraqi people, not from biased media..
well, I will not say we will change everthing and our dreams will be achieved soon,,
but at lest we are trying to help our people to get peace and stability in Iraq..
we hope we can make a small change..
all my best..
faiza
www.womensaynotowar.org
# posted by Faiza Al-Araji @ 3:41 pm 
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Sunday, February 26th, 2006
Good evening…
The last few days were very harsh for the Iraqis, after the bombing of the Imamain Shrine in Sama'ara, then the raids on mosques in many cities of Iraq, so the whole thing would look like a sign for the beginning of civil war in Iraq…
All the Iraqis I talked to in Baghdad or Amman were angry, saying- we are innocent of these actions, and whoever committed them wanted to start a civil war by force in Iraq, but "he" will lose, without doubt, for the Iraqis are not willing to have any kind of war- civil or sectarian…
I follow up the news from Iraq, through the Iraqi satellite channels, the meetings with the people there, and with various religious, political, and social leaderships in Iraq, and they all condemn what happened. And through the Mobile phone messages between me and my friends in Baghdad, I feel like I live among them, recalling back the ordeal of the war in its first days, in March 2003, when we were in our houses watching the events; the state fell, the occupation forces entered, and mercenaries got in, those who destroyed the museum and stole the antiquities, the national library was burned, with the Historical documents, the Ministries were plundered, then burned afterwards (except the Ministry of Oil), the Universities were plundered, burned, or its libraries were destroyed, as if it was a barbarian onslaught, reminding us of what the Moguls did to our ancestors, when they entered Iraq, centuries ago….
It was also said in history books that Tigris, the great river, turned black, because of the ink from the many books that were torn, then thrown in it…
At that time, we were attacked by Mogul Barbarians, who did not understand the meanings of Civilization, Books, Culture, or Arts. And usually, there is hate from the unenlightened against the civilized. The Mogul invaders expressed that hate by destroying Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, and the center of the Cultural, Scientific, and Artistic radiation of its time….
And in 2003, Baghdad was subjected to another type of invasion. It was supposed that the new invaders were civilized, who came on to relieve us from a tyrant they themselves helped manufacture. Then, under many pretexts, they steered the armies, the tanks, the missiles, and the unconventional weapons- cluster bombs, depleted Uranium, or white Phosphorous, and threw it all on Iraq; on lands, and people, under the slogan of: Liberating Iraq.
Those who were to die, died, those who were to be wounded, got wounded, the infrastructure of the country was ruined, and the waters, soil, and Iraqi air were poisoned and contaminated, and shall remain so for tens of years to come, for the traces of these heavy elements, the leftovers of war, will remain to pollute the waters and plants, and to cause diseases like Cancer, Kidney failures, Nervous system failures, bone structure ailments, and other types of diseases caused by the existence of malignant elements in the environment, caused by the war's leftovers…
*****************************
The "Civilized Country" that invaded us, couldn't prevent the destruction and devastation from being repeated in Iraq. And we all wondered; was it a lack of management from their side, or was it a deliberate act?
On the contrary; we saw that the American administration invested the plundering and ravishment that took place in Iraq and encouraged it, by propagating it, and emphasizing it through their media, to send a message to the world: these are the Iraqi people, they are a bunch of riffraff savages, we shall stay here to teach them civilization, order, and human rights…
And now, almost three years passed with us under the occupation, what did we reap?
The same scene is being repeated again…
The Iraqis are in their houses, and some mercenaries are ravaging the country, bombing, burning mosques, and killing randomly, to tell the world that Iraq is on the brink of civil war…
***********************************************
Going back to my diaries on the first days after Baghdad fell, when I wrote about my confusion, my fear of what is to come, I used to pray to GOD to unite the Iraqis, and not scatter them…
But Iraq today is not the same as it was when the occupation entered… we used to live like one patient family, enduring the sweet and the bitter, as they say; we lived through wars, lost loved ones, drank the goblet of injustice, and endured…
Then, the boycott came, we suffered a lot of life's cruelty, the lack of revenues, and we endured; we used to long for a kilo of white flour, we used to bake bread in our houses. There isn't a family in Iraq that didn't suffer from the cruelty of those days. Our hearts united, because we lived under the same canopy, we consoled each other in harsh conditions. So, we felt like we were one family, gathered by many mutual ties, upon which the generous, sweet, tolerant Iraqi spirit prevailed, and our souls remained optimistic with what tomorrow shall bring…
We aspired to change the political regime in Iraq, by honest, nationalistic Iraqi minds, from inside Iraq, who would plan and scheme to change the regime without heavy casualties; we hoped a new political authority would assume the reins of rule in the country quietly, without violence, revenge, or a settlement of past accounts…
We hoped everything should be changed by pure, Iraqi hands, bringing along a new intellectual speech; independent, nationalistic, and mature, in the interior or exterior policy…
But what happened?
It happened that a major force like America interfered in our affairs since Saddam Hussein took over power, and there are some reports of the American Central Intelligence declaring that they helped him to take over the rule in Iraq, then, his clumsy policies went on to realize their demands and special agenda; he started the war on Iran, destroying and weakening the Iraqi economy, killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in that silly war, then, he bombed the Kurdish villages with chemical weapons, but who supplied him with the chemical weapons? He used that weapon against the Iranian army in battles, with the knowledge of the American government, but then he was their ally, and everything he did was satisfactory, and covered up by them; so, there weren't any scandals in the media, or stories of what he did to the Iraqis. I even read this sentence more than once in different places: the American Central Intelligence used to notify him about every coup attempt the Iraqis plotted against him….
After the Kuwait war in 1991, there was a real chance to overthrow Saddam Hussein by Iraqi hands, but the American government gave him the green light to bomb the mutinous Iraqi cities with artillery and warplanes…
I used to wonder- why?
All the Iraqis used to wonder with me, but I suppose we got the answer now, after all these years; for it turned out that the American government didn't want the change in Iraq to take place by a decision of the people, or according to their will, for then it would bring on a real national government, that would give the priority to the Iraqi's interests, having a strong legitimacy derived from the people, and then no one can threaten that government, as long as the people themselves were satisfied with it…
And so, the war on Iraq came along to overthrow Saddam, put the leaderships that America wants, and to work out plans about Iraq's future according to the American vision, not the Iraqi…
This is the only explanation to the story of why didn't they help the Iraqis in their uprising in 1991.
The passage of time, and the accumulation of events, gave the reasonable explanations…
************************************
And since the arrival of the American governor to Iraq, Premer, he started implementing the program that the American administration wanted to apply in Iraq… the hateful sectarian and ethnic program, as their media started talking about Iraq as: the Sunnie Triangle, the Shia'ats region, and the Kurdish region…
They introduced these terms into our lives for the first time, and all the media started repeating these terms after them, like parrots…
The temporary Governing Council was appointed on sectarian and ethnic bases, by quota system, a matter which evoked the Iraqis amazement, and wondering…
Then, came the State Running Law, laid down by Premer, which was all based on sectarian and ethnic footings, inserting the word (Federalism) as a title to divide Iraq into three parts…
All this was happening, and the Iraqi people were away from the deciding position; these decisions concerning their destiny and future, were dictated from above, from up there, in Washington. Some miserable Iraqi leaders were brought in to sit in the "Green Zone", moving in the streets of Baghdad under the protection of the occupation army, and do not represent the ambitions of the Iraqi, nor his vision of events…
Can there be more misery than this??
*****************************
Then, came the first elections; the atmosphere was charged with tension, with the attempt to marginalize portions of Iraqi people under silly pretexts. The first election took place, and many Iraqis boycotted it, wondering about its legitimacy…
After three months of efforts, a government was formed; the ministries were divided on sectarian bases- this is a Shia'ats ministry, then that means that all, from the Minster, to almost all the employees were Shia'ats, and that is a Kurdish ministry, from the Minster to the employees…
Well then, where shall the engineers, doctors, or lawyers from other sects go?
And thus the principal of qualification was dropped when employing people, and the principal of sectarianism came first, to qualify you to enter this place, and that…
Since when have we, as Iraqis, thought in this silly way, and evaluated things through this vision? We reverted to dark ages, of which we never heard before, in the history of our fathers, or ancestors…
Some militias started appearing in the streets, this one belonging to this (….) Party, and that one belonging to that (….) Party, while the professional, national Iraqi Army, founded since 1921, was disbanded, its leaders sent to sit home; and some of them were assassinated, some collaborated with the occupation, and others were put in Abu Ghareeb prison…. An agreement to establish Party sectarian Militia was issued, which then were assigned to work in the Interior Ministry, for example, to carry out dirty operations against the Iraqis, all the while being as far as can be from being a national force, or belonging to Iraq…
Violence became the common language on the streets; gangs for killing, looting, and kidnapping, Party Militia that kill and assassinate at will, and the Iraqi citizen is lost, disoriented, wondering: what is to become of us? Where is the country heading to? Who allowed for all this distortion to happen in Iraq?
Aren't these the policies of the occupation forces and the American administration, since they entered Iraq? tearing Iraq into sects and ethnics, then feeling happy and enjoying to spread the news: they are fighting among themselves, the country is on the brink of a civil war, how can our forces leave the country? It can't, so, the occupation forces should stay to prevent the civil war from happening….
The outside world is so far away from us, and they believe what they hear, specially the American people…
While we, inside Iraq, live another story, and the truth of the situation is totally different from what the international news media report…
*******************************
Then, came the play of voting for the new constitution; the people said- a constitution dividing the Iraqis and does not unite them, is no good. A constitution whose bases were laid by the American governor, Premer, not by the Iraqis, who gave it the legitimacy?
Then, the second elections took place, a few months ago, the Iraqis were very optimistic about, and almost all Parties participated in it. We said- let this be a new beginning. But the results were somehow forged. A state of anger and frustration spread in the country; someone out there is making fun of us, always pulling us back to the zero point…
The political process is moving in a slow, stupid, hampered way, the American ambassador is a party in the dialogue, stating his conditions for forming the new government, and the crisis isn't solved yet…
And lastly, these explosions in mosques took place, by unknown hands, to add more gloom to the scene in the Iraqi field…
Well then; if the Iraqis were sitting at home, hurting, and condemning what is happening, the leaders of the religious sects, the political Parties, and the Iraqi Social Coalitions, and even Al-Ba'ath Party, Al-Qai'ida, and the Resistance denounced bombing the mosques and killing the innocents in Iraq…
If the majority of people refused the idea of the civil war, and the leaders of the political and religious formations refused the idea of the civil war…
Well then, who wants a civil war in Iraq?
It is evident that the Iraqis are the last who want it, but there is someone who is pushing towards it, from the day Baghdad fell till now, but he didn't succeed…
For whose benefit a civil war in Iraq should happen?
Who is the first beneficiary out of it?
We all wonder…
No doubt, the one who wants Iraq to remain torn and weak, wants the foreign occupation forces to remain in it indefinitely, is the one who wants this war to start…
But the Iraqis do not want it, for they say- we are brothers, we can not fight, all that is happening is made- up, carried on by unknown mercenaries, we pray to GOD to expose them, and let their schemes fail…
****************************
I talked to a lot of our kin and friends in Baghdad, yesterday and today, and they said: Do not fear for us, we organized joint comities in the neighborhoods, by Shia'ats and Sunnies, we cleaned the mosques and performed joint prayers. Every ordeal makes us stronger, fear not for us…
I said: Thank GOD, this is Iraq, and these are the Iraqis I have known all my life.
They said: Tell the whole world the truth of what is happening, there is no civil war in Iraq, and will not be. All these are lies, and the dreams of the Iraqi's enemies.
***************************
How can Iraq get out of the dilemma in which America put it?
The answer to this question lies with the Iraqis, and they agree upon it; the answer is to put the bases of a national unity government, without ethnicity, without sectarianism, giving the Iraqis healthy atmospheres for dialogue among them, without the interference of the occupation to support a group or marginalize a group, then, putting a timetable for the withdrawal of the occupation…
For thousands of years we lived together; Muslims and Christians, Shia'ats and Sunnies, in peace and harmony, our history never witnessed this violence, destruction, and free bloodshed like we saw during the occupation years that has passed upon us. Even in the days of Saddam Hussein, we never witnessed such fear for our lives and families, and the Iraqi society was never ripped apart like what happened now…
This ordeal made the Iraqis sterner, their vision clearer, and made them more convinced to choose the path of national unity as an only choice to get out of the deadlock in which the present American administration's policy put them into, and the only intact way to build a new Iraq….
The Iraqis are in agreement on the choice of National Unity, and rebuilding Iraq all over again, on just, right bases. But who will convince the American administration to get out of Iraq, and stop its military and political interferences?
Here lies the problem……..
----------------------------------------
Translated by May/Baghdad.
Good evening…
The last few days were very harsh for the Iraqis, after the bombing of the Imamain Shrine in Sama'ara, then the raids on mosques in many cities of Iraq, so the whole thing would look like a sign for the beginning of civil war in Iraq…
All the Iraqis I talked to in Baghdad or Amman were angry, saying- we are innocent of these actions, and whoever committed them wanted to start a civil war by force in Iraq, but "he" will lose, without doubt, for the Iraqis are not willing to have any kind of war- civil or sectarian…
I follow up the news from Iraq, through the Iraqi satellite channels, the meetings with the people there, and with various religious, political, and social leaderships in Iraq, and they all condemn what happened. And through the Mobile phone messages between me and my friends in Baghdad, I feel like I live among them, recalling back the ordeal of the war in its first days, in March 2003, when we were in our houses watching the events; the state fell, the occupation forces entered, and mercenaries got in, those who destroyed the museum and stole the antiquities, the national library was burned, with the Historical documents, the Ministries were plundered, then burned afterwards (except the Ministry of Oil), the Universities were plundered, burned, or its libraries were destroyed, as if it was a barbarian onslaught, reminding us of what the Moguls did to our ancestors, when they entered Iraq, centuries ago….
It was also said in history books that Tigris, the great river, turned black, because of the ink from the many books that were torn, then thrown in it…
At that time, we were attacked by Mogul Barbarians, who did not understand the meanings of Civilization, Books, Culture, or Arts. And usually, there is hate from the unenlightened against the civilized. The Mogul invaders expressed that hate by destroying Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, and the center of the Cultural, Scientific, and Artistic radiation of its time….
And in 2003, Baghdad was subjected to another type of invasion. It was supposed that the new invaders were civilized, who came on to relieve us from a tyrant they themselves helped manufacture. Then, under many pretexts, they steered the armies, the tanks, the missiles, and the unconventional weapons- cluster bombs, depleted Uranium, or white Phosphorous, and threw it all on Iraq; on lands, and people, under the slogan of: Liberating Iraq.
Those who were to die, died, those who were to be wounded, got wounded, the infrastructure of the country was ruined, and the waters, soil, and Iraqi air were poisoned and contaminated, and shall remain so for tens of years to come, for the traces of these heavy elements, the leftovers of war, will remain to pollute the waters and plants, and to cause diseases like Cancer, Kidney failures, Nervous system failures, bone structure ailments, and other types of diseases caused by the existence of malignant elements in the environment, caused by the war's leftovers…
*****************************
The "Civilized Country" that invaded us, couldn't prevent the destruction and devastation from being repeated in Iraq. And we all wondered; was it a lack of management from their side, or was it a deliberate act?
On the contrary; we saw that the American administration invested the plundering and ravishment that took place in Iraq and encouraged it, by propagating it, and emphasizing it through their media, to send a message to the world: these are the Iraqi people, they are a bunch of riffraff savages, we shall stay here to teach them civilization, order, and human rights…
And now, almost three years passed with us under the occupation, what did we reap?
The same scene is being repeated again…
The Iraqis are in their houses, and some mercenaries are ravaging the country, bombing, burning mosques, and killing randomly, to tell the world that Iraq is on the brink of civil war…
***********************************************
Going back to my diaries on the first days after Baghdad fell, when I wrote about my confusion, my fear of what is to come, I used to pray to GOD to unite the Iraqis, and not scatter them…
But Iraq today is not the same as it was when the occupation entered… we used to live like one patient family, enduring the sweet and the bitter, as they say; we lived through wars, lost loved ones, drank the goblet of injustice, and endured…
Then, the boycott came, we suffered a lot of life's cruelty, the lack of revenues, and we endured; we used to long for a kilo of white flour, we used to bake bread in our houses. There isn't a family in Iraq that didn't suffer from the cruelty of those days. Our hearts united, because we lived under the same canopy, we consoled each other in harsh conditions. So, we felt like we were one family, gathered by many mutual ties, upon which the generous, sweet, tolerant Iraqi spirit prevailed, and our souls remained optimistic with what tomorrow shall bring…
We aspired to change the political regime in Iraq, by honest, nationalistic Iraqi minds, from inside Iraq, who would plan and scheme to change the regime without heavy casualties; we hoped a new political authority would assume the reins of rule in the country quietly, without violence, revenge, or a settlement of past accounts…
We hoped everything should be changed by pure, Iraqi hands, bringing along a new intellectual speech; independent, nationalistic, and mature, in the interior or exterior policy…
But what happened?
It happened that a major force like America interfered in our affairs since Saddam Hussein took over power, and there are some reports of the American Central Intelligence declaring that they helped him to take over the rule in Iraq, then, his clumsy policies went on to realize their demands and special agenda; he started the war on Iran, destroying and weakening the Iraqi economy, killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in that silly war, then, he bombed the Kurdish villages with chemical weapons, but who supplied him with the chemical weapons? He used that weapon against the Iranian army in battles, with the knowledge of the American government, but then he was their ally, and everything he did was satisfactory, and covered up by them; so, there weren't any scandals in the media, or stories of what he did to the Iraqis. I even read this sentence more than once in different places: the American Central Intelligence used to notify him about every coup attempt the Iraqis plotted against him….
After the Kuwait war in 1991, there was a real chance to overthrow Saddam Hussein by Iraqi hands, but the American government gave him the green light to bomb the mutinous Iraqi cities with artillery and warplanes…
I used to wonder- why?
All the Iraqis used to wonder with me, but I suppose we got the answer now, after all these years; for it turned out that the American government didn't want the change in Iraq to take place by a decision of the people, or according to their will, for then it would bring on a real national government, that would give the priority to the Iraqi's interests, having a strong legitimacy derived from the people, and then no one can threaten that government, as long as the people themselves were satisfied with it…
And so, the war on Iraq came along to overthrow Saddam, put the leaderships that America wants, and to work out plans about Iraq's future according to the American vision, not the Iraqi…
This is the only explanation to the story of why didn't they help the Iraqis in their uprising in 1991.
The passage of time, and the accumulation of events, gave the reasonable explanations…
************************************
And since the arrival of the American governor to Iraq, Premer, he started implementing the program that the American administration wanted to apply in Iraq… the hateful sectarian and ethnic program, as their media started talking about Iraq as: the Sunnie Triangle, the Shia'ats region, and the Kurdish region…
They introduced these terms into our lives for the first time, and all the media started repeating these terms after them, like parrots…
The temporary Governing Council was appointed on sectarian and ethnic bases, by quota system, a matter which evoked the Iraqis amazement, and wondering…
Then, came the State Running Law, laid down by Premer, which was all based on sectarian and ethnic footings, inserting the word (Federalism) as a title to divide Iraq into three parts…
All this was happening, and the Iraqi people were away from the deciding position; these decisions concerning their destiny and future, were dictated from above, from up there, in Washington. Some miserable Iraqi leaders were brought in to sit in the "Green Zone", moving in the streets of Baghdad under the protection of the occupation army, and do not represent the ambitions of the Iraqi, nor his vision of events…
Can there be more misery than this??
*****************************
Then, came the first elections; the atmosphere was charged with tension, with the attempt to marginalize portions of Iraqi people under silly pretexts. The first election took place, and many Iraqis boycotted it, wondering about its legitimacy…
After three months of efforts, a government was formed; the ministries were divided on sectarian bases- this is a Shia'ats ministry, then that means that all, from the Minster, to almost all the employees were Shia'ats, and that is a Kurdish ministry, from the Minster to the employees…
Well then, where shall the engineers, doctors, or lawyers from other sects go?
And thus the principal of qualification was dropped when employing people, and the principal of sectarianism came first, to qualify you to enter this place, and that…
Since when have we, as Iraqis, thought in this silly way, and evaluated things through this vision? We reverted to dark ages, of which we never heard before, in the history of our fathers, or ancestors…
Some militias started appearing in the streets, this one belonging to this (….) Party, and that one belonging to that (….) Party, while the professional, national Iraqi Army, founded since 1921, was disbanded, its leaders sent to sit home; and some of them were assassinated, some collaborated with the occupation, and others were put in Abu Ghareeb prison…. An agreement to establish Party sectarian Militia was issued, which then were assigned to work in the Interior Ministry, for example, to carry out dirty operations against the Iraqis, all the while being as far as can be from being a national force, or belonging to Iraq…
Violence became the common language on the streets; gangs for killing, looting, and kidnapping, Party Militia that kill and assassinate at will, and the Iraqi citizen is lost, disoriented, wondering: what is to become of us? Where is the country heading to? Who allowed for all this distortion to happen in Iraq?
Aren't these the policies of the occupation forces and the American administration, since they entered Iraq? tearing Iraq into sects and ethnics, then feeling happy and enjoying to spread the news: they are fighting among themselves, the country is on the brink of a civil war, how can our forces leave the country? It can't, so, the occupation forces should stay to prevent the civil war from happening….
The outside world is so far away from us, and they believe what they hear, specially the American people…
While we, inside Iraq, live another story, and the truth of the situation is totally different from what the international news media report…
*******************************
Then, came the play of voting for the new constitution; the people said- a constitution dividing the Iraqis and does not unite them, is no good. A constitution whose bases were laid by the American governor, Premer, not by the Iraqis, who gave it the legitimacy?
Then, the second elections took place, a few months ago, the Iraqis were very optimistic about, and almost all Parties participated in it. We said- let this be a new beginning. But the results were somehow forged. A state of anger and frustration spread in the country; someone out there is making fun of us, always pulling us back to the zero point…
The political process is moving in a slow, stupid, hampered way, the American ambassador is a party in the dialogue, stating his conditions for forming the new government, and the crisis isn't solved yet…
And lastly, these explosions in mosques took place, by unknown hands, to add more gloom to the scene in the Iraqi field…
Well then; if the Iraqis were sitting at home, hurting, and condemning what is happening, the leaders of the religious sects, the political Parties, and the Iraqi Social Coalitions, and even Al-Ba'ath Party, Al-Qai'ida, and the Resistance denounced bombing the mosques and killing the innocents in Iraq…
If the majority of people refused the idea of the civil war, and the leaders of the political and religious formations refused the idea of the civil war…
Well then, who wants a civil war in Iraq?
It is evident that the Iraqis are the last who want it, but there is someone who is pushing towards it, from the day Baghdad fell till now, but he didn't succeed…
For whose benefit a civil war in Iraq should happen?
Who is the first beneficiary out of it?
We all wonder…
No doubt, the one who wants Iraq to remain torn and weak, wants the foreign occupation forces to remain in it indefinitely, is the one who wants this war to start…
But the Iraqis do not want it, for they say- we are brothers, we can not fight, all that is happening is made- up, carried on by unknown mercenaries, we pray to GOD to expose them, and let their schemes fail…
****************************
I talked to a lot of our kin and friends in Baghdad, yesterday and today, and they said: Do not fear for us, we organized joint comities in the neighborhoods, by Shia'ats and Sunnies, we cleaned the mosques and performed joint prayers. Every ordeal makes us stronger, fear not for us…
I said: Thank GOD, this is Iraq, and these are the Iraqis I have known all my life.
They said: Tell the whole world the truth of what is happening, there is no civil war in Iraq, and will not be. All these are lies, and the dreams of the Iraqi's enemies.
***************************
How can Iraq get out of the dilemma in which America put it?
The answer to this question lies with the Iraqis, and they agree upon it; the answer is to put the bases of a national unity government, without ethnicity, without sectarianism, giving the Iraqis healthy atmospheres for dialogue among them, without the interference of the occupation to support a group or marginalize a group, then, putting a timetable for the withdrawal of the occupation…
For thousands of years we lived together; Muslims and Christians, Shia'ats and Sunnies, in peace and harmony, our history never witnessed this violence, destruction, and free bloodshed like we saw during the occupation years that has passed upon us. Even in the days of Saddam Hussein, we never witnessed such fear for our lives and families, and the Iraqi society was never ripped apart like what happened now…
This ordeal made the Iraqis sterner, their vision clearer, and made them more convinced to choose the path of national unity as an only choice to get out of the deadlock in which the present American administration's policy put them into, and the only intact way to build a new Iraq….
The Iraqis are in agreement on the choice of National Unity, and rebuilding Iraq all over again, on just, right bases. But who will convince the American administration to get out of Iraq, and stop its military and political interferences?
Here lies the problem……..
----------------------------------------
Translated by May/Baghdad.
# posted by Faiza Al-Araji @ 4:41 pm
Monday, February 27, 2006
Death Squads in Iraq
Good evening…
I was reading two analytical articles about the situation in Iraq. Although the two articles are not recent (published in ends of 2005), but they discuss the situation of Iraq since the January 2005 elections until now…
The two articles: The Crying Wolf and The Salvador Option were both written by Max Fuller, of the Center for Research on Globalization website.
I got these links from the blog of Dr. Imad Khadduri, many thanks for him to provide me with this information.
Hope you find these articles useful.
Faiza
I was reading two analytical articles about the situation in Iraq. Although the two articles are not recent (published in ends of 2005), but they discuss the situation of Iraq since the January 2005 elections until now…
The two articles: The Crying Wolf and The Salvador Option were both written by Max Fuller, of the Center for Research on Globalization website.
I got these links from the blog of Dr. Imad Khadduri, many thanks for him to provide me with this information.
Hope you find these articles useful.
Faiza
# posted by Faiza Al-Araji @ 7:42 pm
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Good morning….
With a heart loaded with sorrow at what is happening in Iraq, I met my friend, the Kurdish woman, who came in a short visit to Amman. She works in an organization concerned with cases of human rights in Iraq. I truly respect these organizations, for I see them more respectable than some thief organizations, who trick people, talking by the names of widows and orphans, to steal the donations money. My heart grew tired of them, and I no longer trust most of them. Now I send my personal donations, or whatever I receive from others, to poor families, or widows and orphans I know personally in Baghdad, outside Baghdad, or through one or two organizations, whom I trust the women in them, and see them respectable, and dedicated…
We decided to meet the next day to have lunch together, and talk about subjects concerning the Civil Society Organizations in Iraq…
On the next day she said, before lunch: let us go and see some ladies from various Iraqi cities, here in this hotel, who are in Amman to attend a forum about the Family Law, and the Personal Affairs Law…
And when I asked her about the responsible authority, or the sponsor of this activity, I knew among them the same Iraqi names that sponsored the Dead Sea Conference about the Iraqi Women leaderships…
So, I am to meet the same faces…
I told her: look, I do not like attending such activities, I do not want to meet anyone, for I have been to conferences like these, and heard a lot of empty words, I do not want to…
She said: so what, let us meet them and listen to what they say…
I hesitated, I didn't want to disturb my mood by seeing these people, for they were a group who chose a path different from mine. I do not pretend to be a hero, or a national leader, and they are scum, no. but I am tired of the empty talk, of wasting the money of the Iraqi or the American people, spent on hosting such conferences or meetings…
I always ask: what will it add?
There are hundreds of thousands of poor and hungry people in Iraq who need care, who deserve to have productive projects made available for their families, to provide for them a good life, and a restful future. As for spending the money on 5-star hotels, dinners, lunches, and plane tickets for Civil Society Organizations who live on the margins of the Iraqi's life, well; it is a disaster….
I discovered, when I went to Vermont to join the Peace Institute, that this is a problem from which most post-war societies suffer; as a budget ranging of about tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars annually is dedicated to sponsor conferences or meetings for members of Civil Society Organizations, which are, in fact, just talk about freedom, democracy, the political process, the elections, and lab…, lab…, lab…. and huge expenses on hotels, plane tickets, dinner and lunch meals, and endless absurdity…
While on the ground of reality, a post-war society needs real activities, on the ground, to treat the wounds of war, and its disasters, and to help thousands of bereaved families…
There is a lot of money, but there is a difference of opinion about how to spend this money…
This is the point of disagreement between me, and these people….
********************************
We went into the hotel; my friend said they were in the restaurant. I looked at the clock, it was about 2 pm. I didn't know it was so, and I was embarrassed, for we entered the restaurant while the ladies were having lunch…
One of them came forward to greet us, I found out she was my friend and neighbor in Baghdad. We greeted and kissed each other, I told her: I want to ask you about what you are doing here, so, did you finish your meal?
She said: yes, come along, let us go and sit on a separate table…
After we exchanged questions about our families and news, I asked her about the meeting.
She said: it is about the Family Law, and the Personal Affairs Law…
: Well then, any new matters?
She said: A doctor of law came from Morocco, her name is Fareeda Banany. She gave us lectures about the Moroccan experience, about the struggle of women there to get their rights, and she also talked about Islam and Al- Sharee'a (the Islamic doctrine), and Al-Fikih (Jurisprudence)…
And what is the point connecting all these? I asked…
This is the main topic of discussions, she said…
Hummm, I said to my self…
So, there is a main line, which is Islam? Who sponsors the meeting?
She said: the Woodrow Wilson Institute.
Well, well, I smiled, and told myself; I will go home, open up the Internet, and find out who is this institute…
And what is the main point, in brief, of this meeting? I asked…
She said: well, we should try to change some of the laws that restrict the women's freedom, and we should reduce the guardianship of the man…
Hummm, like what?
She said: like the right of custodianship of man over woman, and asking for equality for women, according to the Sedaw International Agreement…
I said: so you are required to market the Sedaw Agreement in Iraq, and replace the Islamic Sharee'a with it?
She said: No, not exactly, but we told them we do stick to our religion and principals, and cannot support such ideas…
Very well, when will you finish? I want to see you after the session… I said.
We have a lunch recess, and will go in in a little while, and shall not be long. This is the ending session…
****************************
My Kurdish friend came, and told me: I took permission from the director of the meeting, and will go into the Hall as watchers only, come on…
We sat in a corner of the hall, watching…
There was a directorate in the front, of women from various nationalities, but they were in agreement on one line, I mean; on a viewpoint they came to market to the minds and hearts of the participants. This is how I saw the case, when the boring, and embarrassing question came at the end of the conference, and every other conference of that type, a question asked to every participant, as if humbling her: come on, present your loyalty to us, we have brought you here, and served you lunches, and dinners…
Ha,ha,ha, by GOD, the picture does look like that. I participated in the Dead Sea Conferences, and have been subjected to this discomfiture. At that time, it was required from the head of each Society to recite the boring loyalty sentences: I promise that when I go back to Iraq, I will tell them that you are the best of people, will let the Iraqi people love you, and will gather a million signatures of solidarity with you, ha, ha, ha, and such empty talk, of the type conference organizers like to hear, and write in their reports to their bosses…
Of course, I wasn't the head of the Society, and my colleague said these words, and she meant them, because she believed this was her only means of keeping her organization alive, and perhaps gaining a few dollars to freshen up, personally, I mean; they are meant for the organization, but she will snatch them up, to improve the personal conditions of her life, as usual …
At the beginning, these types made me angry and sad, but by the passage of time, they made me laugh, feeling pity and sorry for them, the types of losers, opportunist humans, living on the margins of their societies, without a real influence on people's lives, because they lack truthfulness, and are filled with greed, so, how can they be representatives of their societies?
These types are eager for, and lie face down for the occupier, because he gives them importance, and put bets on them, to be his means of sneaking to people's minds and hearts…..
This is how I view my experience of working with the Iraqi Civil Society Organizations after the war…
Now, there is more than 5500 Civil Society Organizations, and this is a funny thing. Half of them, for example, are for widows and orphans, some are for talking about freedom and democracy, others for business men and women, for youth, the handicapped, looking after the families of martyrs, for defending human rights, and so…
These Societies and Organizations should be united under a big classification, and join as an alliance, so that their efforts can be united, and feel the seriousness of working among people, reaping evident fruits. Not like how things are moving now; each organization consists of 10 people, or more, or less, circling the labyrinths of financing, and seeking a way to survive, that will make them take illegitimate ways to earn money. Perhaps a big portion of the founders or members of these organizations aim at personal profits, not serving people, and that is because of the high unemployment rates in the post-war Iraq. All these negative issues land in the work of Civil Society Organizations, diverting a lot of them from their noble, natural course…..
*************************************
The name of the lady who administered the meeting was Halla, she was an old woman, with a face full of wrinkles, small eyes that indicate her owner is bossy, thin, unruly hair, and an accent that says she isn't American by origin. I thought she was Italian, because she destroyed the accent. I asked my friend, the Kurd: where is this lady from?
Iranian…
Oh, an Iranian? Then she is supposed to be from an Islamic country, coming to these meetings to address Muslim women, who, of course, would have turned away from a purely American spokeswoman…
The one beside her I knew, as she spoke, that she was Lebanese, her name was Fatima…, and the one beside her was an Iraqi woman I knew, (she wore an orange-colored veil in the Dead Sea, and now she was wearing a green veil); Zaynab Sewaegi, from Basra, a struggler opposing the Saddam regime, that is how the Americans from the Bush group introduce her. She lives currently in America, married to an American, supports the war on Iraq, for she sees it as a great war of liberation, which was worth all the casualties that befell Iraq and the Iraqis…
Of course, it is a matter of opinion….
Absent from the session was the Moroccan doctor, Fareeda Banany, who was angry about Islam and Al- Sharee'a. She traveled back in the morning, and from what I understood from the participants, that they quarreled with her a lot (had a conflict) about her ideas on Al- Sharee'a and Al-Fikih, and her constant criticism of these items. She wanted to convey a message to the women here that laws and rules dealing with women in the Islamic world should be changed, by opening the door to Ijtihad (interpretative judgment), because most of these laws was derived from Al-Fikih, and not from Al- Sharee'a (the Holy Quran). And Al-Fikih was put by men (like Al-Malikee, Al-Hanbalee, Al-Jaffa'ri,…), and as such, these men might be subject to mistakes in their Ijtihad, and it is time that we, women, should move to put pressure on the clergy in our countries to change these rules, and create new Ijtihads, more fair to woman.
***************************************
The Iranian lady, Halla, the administrator of the meeting, asked the participants to speak up their true opinions about what they saw and learned in the forum, without wasting time in giving their thanks…
But the participants fell to laughing, evading, wasting time in giving thanks and gratitude about the forum. I looked at them, one by one, and put myself in the position of the Iranian lady, Halla, as they presented their evaluation…
If I was in her shoes, I would have been angry, and frustrated, and by GOD, I do think this is what she felt, for she didn't receive a clear, decisive answer but from a few…
The majority was laughing, and evaded giving any clear opinion. I, as an Iraqi, understood perfectly they were flattering, and didn't voice their true opinions. Even my neighbor, whom I met before the ending session, said that the main idea of the forum didn't appeal to her, and she wasn't convinced with it, but in the Hall, as it was her turn to say her opinion, she said: Thank you for the efforts, we benefited a great deal…
I laughed and told my Kurdish friend: but this isn't her real opinion… either she was dissembling, or hiding what was in her heart, lest she would collide with the supervisors of the meeting, so she wouldn't be called- ungrateful, or for fear of being excluded from attending future forums and conferences…
This is the reality of the matter…
Do the women, the Iraqis or non-Iraqis, do they comprehend what is going on in the participant's minds?
Or are they just performing their duties, and that should be enough? Then they would represent their reports to their supervisors, about the success of the forum, how the Iraqi women accepted the revolutionary ideas against Al-Fikih, and Al- Sharee'a, and how will they go back to Iraq to perform an innovative social revolution….
Ha,ha,ha.
I do not know who is the naïve one in the equation, who is the one fooling the other, and using him? These broke American organizations, which come to market their ideas in our societies, or those Iraqi organizations who accept the invitation?
**************************************
There was an Iraqi journalist, who presented a polite, quiet interjection, she said- thank you for the forum, we did learn new things, but we do not want to give up our religion, nor our heritage…
And in a last interposition, an engineer from an Iraqi Islamic party, presented a clear, strong opinion. She said: In spite of the clashes with Dr. Fareeda Banany in the last four days, we did benefit from the forum, learned new issues, but we will not abandon our religion…
The Iranian Lady asked the women participants to give her a title of a topic for a coming forum, but in vain. They shattered her nerves with long, boring, meaningless sentences. More than one woman suggested a forum under the title: the Difference between Al-Fikih and Al- Sharee'a in Islam…
I fell into laughter; why would American women come from the Woodrow Wilson Institute to present explanations about the Islamic Sharee'a…
These points show the silliness and shallowness of this type of Muslim women, well then, you fool, the libraries of Baghdad are full of books, go and read; this is your religion, your people, and this is your future…
What can I say?
If I were one of the participants in this forum, I would have enjoyed embittering the lives of Halla, Zaynab, Fatima, and Fareeda, but unfortunately, I missed the chance, and it was evident they used the ignorance of the participants in a sensitive issue like this… some of them knew me, from the Dead Sea Conference days, and my writings about it, so, they wouldn't dare to invite me to join in such conferences or forums. They usually choose an easy game, when the participant has little knowledge and information, so they could pass on to her their great preaching ideas…
********************************
After we went out of the Hall, I stood by to be introduced to the journalist, and the engineer from the Islamic party, and we laughed a lot…
I knew other participants from the south, other than these two, but they evaded, and wouldn't declare their opinions frankly…
I said to them: why did you come to participate? Did you know about the subject?
They said: yes. We were hesitant, but some people advised us to go, so the field wouldn't be all clear for fools, or the flattering hypocrites. There should be a presence of Iraqi women who are mindful to defend and debate. They should know we are not parrots that can be taught, then go back to Iraq and repeat what they heard…
I laughed a lot, and felt a sense of victory. I told them: I do not fear for the Iraqi women, for most of them are smart, and can't be fooled…
We exchanged our addresses with each other, so we could form a continuous contact net between us… I told them: See how many benefits you gained by coming here? First of all, you heard the stale ideas they want to market for the Iraqi women: to implant the rebellion spirit against our husbands, fathers, and brothers, and against our religion and culture, the spirit of contempt against our Fikih and Sharee'a. But all this make us cling, with more determination, to our identity, make us stronger, and firmer, gaining the reward from GOD, The Lord of all Creatures, because we defended our religion. And we gained the acquaintance of new friends, with whom we can cooperate to help the Iraqis, and build Iraq the way we think will please our GOD, and our people…
We will keep in touch… we said our goodbyes with kisses, laughter, and sweet words…
I felt that Iraq was still O.K, in spite of the calamities…
As long as there were honest men… and honest women in Iraq, Iraq shall not be defeated…
****************************************
I saw an astonishing type, I want to talk about…
When I entered the hotel, and while I was talking to my former neighbor, one of the participants came forward, a woman wearing the traditional Iraqi Aba (long, black garment). Oh, how much I love this Aba, it reminds me of my mother, may GOD bless her soul…
She came, and I introduced myself to her. She said with a smile: I heard your name before…
I said: and who am I addressing?
She said: Dr. …….
Are you a Doctor in medicine? I asked.
No, she said. I am a Pharmacist…
Welcome, I said. Please be seated…
She said: no, I want to have lunch, then we can sit and talk…
I waited till the end of the session, then I met her outside the Hall, when everyone was having tea.
I asked her: What do you think of this forum? Do you think it is appropriate that an American organization should come along, interfere into our lives, and suggest to us how to think, and formulate our lives? Why don't we tell them that these are our private affairs, for us to change naturally when we wish, and without conflicting with our religion…
She said: not everything they said was wrong…
I asked: what do you mean?
She evaded, not wanting to tell her true viewpoint…
This is a type of Iraqi people who emerged after the war, a type I like to nudge, and provoke, to find out what is inside their minds…
I said: I mean; we have a heritage of 1400 years, which we can't easily omit…
She looked angrily to me: 1400 years of failure…
I looked at her, and fell to laughter, I said: why failure, my dear? The Arabs did not become a nation with power, effectiveness, and civilization until they embraced Islam, until they had the Faith….
She backed up, saying: oh, yes. In this, you are right. Then she slipped away from me…
I went to the women standing nearby, and asked: who was this woman?
They said: don't you know her? She was a member of the former National Assembly, a candidate in the list of Ahmed Al-Chalabi in this election, but she lost…
I said: do you mean this woman was in the former Iraqi Parliament? And she joined in formulating the Iraqi Constitution? This woman is an enemy to herself, an enemy to her people and culture, who put her there? Those in the Parliament are supposed to represent the spirit and intellect of their people, whom is she representing??
They laughed and said: these are the types of the new Iraq… Ha,ha,ha…
I felt astonished… why do you wear the Iraqi beautiful costume, and inside you despise Iraq, and what's in it?
This is just what made me angry… as for her opinions, she is free…
This is the time of imported freedom and democracy….
************************************
Then I saw another type…
A Women categorizing herself as one of the cultured women of Iraq, fashionable, sweet, and stylish. But someone threatened her, and she fled from Iraq…
She said they were the ancestralialists… and I found a campaign in the western newspapers that the cultured Iraqi women are targeted by the forces of the darkness, and the ancestralialists…
Then I opened the website of her women's organization … and I found they put their photos with the American Governor, Premer. They were very happy, one of them was almost going to lie on his chest…Ha,ha,ha. By GOD I am not making this up against them, the website is there in the Internet. I do not want to expose them, but they seem to be fools who didn't understand how to express the image of the new Iraqi women, so they thought that taking a memorial photo with Premer is an expression of happiness for liberating Iraq…
And that is why she received the threat from the ancestralialists…
She should thank GOD they didn't kill her. This is a sign of their being democratic, Ha,ha,ha.
And there are a number of Iraqi women like this one, who were killed for inconsiderateness, and the lack of assessment for the conditions, so they went victims of their foolishness…
They collaborated with the occupation forces in a clear and public manner… then, the western newspapers would write about them; oh, these were patriotic women who became victims of extremists…
The story isn't like this…these were reckless women who didn't comprehend how to behave during the dangerous and restless political and security conditions in Iraq after the war… and they paid the price with their lives…..
These are another type of Iraqi women….
******************************
I took with me some of the forum's pamphlets, about the sponsoring authority of this meeting…
I found it was the Woodrow Wilson Institute, with the RAND Institute…
I went back home, went on the Internet, and looked for the RAND Institute, and the answer was: one of the opinion and thought institutes that cooperate with the American intelligence and defense agencies, and they aid the military institute in handling the new challenges in the fields of terrorism and national security…
Meaning- on the ground of reality, the American army is occupying Iraq, tearing it apart, and destroying it, and institutes like RAND and others get in, to brain-wash the minds of Iraqi man and women, by passing through their policies by training members working in the Iraqi government, or non-governmental organizations…
Meaning- fastening the collar from every side….
This is the democracy-building strategy in the Middle East…
I saw the leaflet of the Woodrow Wilson Institute: they have a special program named: the Middle East program, it talks about Islam, Al- Sharee'a, and their relevance to the women-concerning laws, how to pass the Sedaw Agreement to become the referential of the Muslim women, instead of Al- Sharee'a and Al-Fikih, so that the Arabic and Islamic countries should put on the guise of democracy, and the modern age…
In the leaflet I found the names and pictures of the ladies who resided in the meeting today: Halla Asfandiyari, the Iranian, Fatima Kasem, the Lebanese, and Fareeda Banany, the Moroccan… I saw that all came from countries in the Arabic and Islamic worlds, they work in these institutes, letting themselves become tools into the hands of these institutes, to transfer thoughts from them, to the women of the Arabic-Islamic world…
I looked into the Internet to find more about Fareeda Banany. I found that she wrote a lot of analysis about the Verses of the Holy Quran, and the sayings of the Prophet, which respect the woman, her freedom, and dignity. Her speech should have been addressed to Men: this Islam is a great religion, it didn't unjustly treat the woman in any way, so, go back and hang on to it…
But her speech was the opposite: give up Islam, and hang on to the Sedaw Agreement for women's rights…
May GOD forgive her…
In the meeting, and the forum, I saw about 25 women; mostly from Iraq, one from Kuwait, one from Bahrain, and one from Yemen… they came to listen, and transfer the thoughts of Banany to the women of their homelands….
*******************************
Now I smile, and wonder: this American Administration is pathetic; they spend the American's money, or that of the Iraqi oil, to invade our countries, by waging military and political wars, then, they try to enter into our heads to dig up what's inside, then try to remove the "contents" of our minds, and exchange them with other thoughts suitable to them…
Ha,ha,ha…
Do they take us for fools?
Who is the one who deserves pity?
By GOD, I see Islam growing, triumphing, and prevailing, especially after the war on Iraq…
And these fools circle in endless labyrinths…
May GOD aid his believing subjects everywhere, and particularly in Iraq, giving them strength, and granting them victory….
And, may peace be upon you….
===========================
Translated by May/Baghdad.
Good morning….
With a heart loaded with sorrow at what is happening in Iraq, I met my friend, the Kurdish woman, who came in a short visit to Amman. She works in an organization concerned with cases of human rights in Iraq. I truly respect these organizations, for I see them more respectable than some thief organizations, who trick people, talking by the names of widows and orphans, to steal the donations money. My heart grew tired of them, and I no longer trust most of them. Now I send my personal donations, or whatever I receive from others, to poor families, or widows and orphans I know personally in Baghdad, outside Baghdad, or through one or two organizations, whom I trust the women in them, and see them respectable, and dedicated…
We decided to meet the next day to have lunch together, and talk about subjects concerning the Civil Society Organizations in Iraq…
On the next day she said, before lunch: let us go and see some ladies from various Iraqi cities, here in this hotel, who are in Amman to attend a forum about the Family Law, and the Personal Affairs Law…
And when I asked her about the responsible authority, or the sponsor of this activity, I knew among them the same Iraqi names that sponsored the Dead Sea Conference about the Iraqi Women leaderships…
So, I am to meet the same faces…
I told her: look, I do not like attending such activities, I do not want to meet anyone, for I have been to conferences like these, and heard a lot of empty words, I do not want to…
She said: so what, let us meet them and listen to what they say…
I hesitated, I didn't want to disturb my mood by seeing these people, for they were a group who chose a path different from mine. I do not pretend to be a hero, or a national leader, and they are scum, no. but I am tired of the empty talk, of wasting the money of the Iraqi or the American people, spent on hosting such conferences or meetings…
I always ask: what will it add?
There are hundreds of thousands of poor and hungry people in Iraq who need care, who deserve to have productive projects made available for their families, to provide for them a good life, and a restful future. As for spending the money on 5-star hotels, dinners, lunches, and plane tickets for Civil Society Organizations who live on the margins of the Iraqi's life, well; it is a disaster….
I discovered, when I went to Vermont to join the Peace Institute, that this is a problem from which most post-war societies suffer; as a budget ranging of about tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars annually is dedicated to sponsor conferences or meetings for members of Civil Society Organizations, which are, in fact, just talk about freedom, democracy, the political process, the elections, and lab…, lab…, lab…. and huge expenses on hotels, plane tickets, dinner and lunch meals, and endless absurdity…
While on the ground of reality, a post-war society needs real activities, on the ground, to treat the wounds of war, and its disasters, and to help thousands of bereaved families…
There is a lot of money, but there is a difference of opinion about how to spend this money…
This is the point of disagreement between me, and these people….
********************************
We went into the hotel; my friend said they were in the restaurant. I looked at the clock, it was about 2 pm. I didn't know it was so, and I was embarrassed, for we entered the restaurant while the ladies were having lunch…
One of them came forward to greet us, I found out she was my friend and neighbor in Baghdad. We greeted and kissed each other, I told her: I want to ask you about what you are doing here, so, did you finish your meal?
She said: yes, come along, let us go and sit on a separate table…
After we exchanged questions about our families and news, I asked her about the meeting.
She said: it is about the Family Law, and the Personal Affairs Law…
: Well then, any new matters?
She said: A doctor of law came from Morocco, her name is Fareeda Banany. She gave us lectures about the Moroccan experience, about the struggle of women there to get their rights, and she also talked about Islam and Al- Sharee'a (the Islamic doctrine), and Al-Fikih (Jurisprudence)…
And what is the point connecting all these? I asked…
This is the main topic of discussions, she said…
Hummm, I said to my self…
So, there is a main line, which is Islam? Who sponsors the meeting?
She said: the Woodrow Wilson Institute.
Well, well, I smiled, and told myself; I will go home, open up the Internet, and find out who is this institute…
And what is the main point, in brief, of this meeting? I asked…
She said: well, we should try to change some of the laws that restrict the women's freedom, and we should reduce the guardianship of the man…
Hummm, like what?
She said: like the right of custodianship of man over woman, and asking for equality for women, according to the Sedaw International Agreement…
I said: so you are required to market the Sedaw Agreement in Iraq, and replace the Islamic Sharee'a with it?
She said: No, not exactly, but we told them we do stick to our religion and principals, and cannot support such ideas…
Very well, when will you finish? I want to see you after the session… I said.
We have a lunch recess, and will go in in a little while, and shall not be long. This is the ending session…
****************************
My Kurdish friend came, and told me: I took permission from the director of the meeting, and will go into the Hall as watchers only, come on…
We sat in a corner of the hall, watching…
There was a directorate in the front, of women from various nationalities, but they were in agreement on one line, I mean; on a viewpoint they came to market to the minds and hearts of the participants. This is how I saw the case, when the boring, and embarrassing question came at the end of the conference, and every other conference of that type, a question asked to every participant, as if humbling her: come on, present your loyalty to us, we have brought you here, and served you lunches, and dinners…
Ha,ha,ha, by GOD, the picture does look like that. I participated in the Dead Sea Conferences, and have been subjected to this discomfiture. At that time, it was required from the head of each Society to recite the boring loyalty sentences: I promise that when I go back to Iraq, I will tell them that you are the best of people, will let the Iraqi people love you, and will gather a million signatures of solidarity with you, ha, ha, ha, and such empty talk, of the type conference organizers like to hear, and write in their reports to their bosses…
Of course, I wasn't the head of the Society, and my colleague said these words, and she meant them, because she believed this was her only means of keeping her organization alive, and perhaps gaining a few dollars to freshen up, personally, I mean; they are meant for the organization, but she will snatch them up, to improve the personal conditions of her life, as usual …
At the beginning, these types made me angry and sad, but by the passage of time, they made me laugh, feeling pity and sorry for them, the types of losers, opportunist humans, living on the margins of their societies, without a real influence on people's lives, because they lack truthfulness, and are filled with greed, so, how can they be representatives of their societies?
These types are eager for, and lie face down for the occupier, because he gives them importance, and put bets on them, to be his means of sneaking to people's minds and hearts…..
This is how I view my experience of working with the Iraqi Civil Society Organizations after the war…
Now, there is more than 5500 Civil Society Organizations, and this is a funny thing. Half of them, for example, are for widows and orphans, some are for talking about freedom and democracy, others for business men and women, for youth, the handicapped, looking after the families of martyrs, for defending human rights, and so…
These Societies and Organizations should be united under a big classification, and join as an alliance, so that their efforts can be united, and feel the seriousness of working among people, reaping evident fruits. Not like how things are moving now; each organization consists of 10 people, or more, or less, circling the labyrinths of financing, and seeking a way to survive, that will make them take illegitimate ways to earn money. Perhaps a big portion of the founders or members of these organizations aim at personal profits, not serving people, and that is because of the high unemployment rates in the post-war Iraq. All these negative issues land in the work of Civil Society Organizations, diverting a lot of them from their noble, natural course…..
*************************************
The name of the lady who administered the meeting was Halla, she was an old woman, with a face full of wrinkles, small eyes that indicate her owner is bossy, thin, unruly hair, and an accent that says she isn't American by origin. I thought she was Italian, because she destroyed the accent. I asked my friend, the Kurd: where is this lady from?
Iranian…
Oh, an Iranian? Then she is supposed to be from an Islamic country, coming to these meetings to address Muslim women, who, of course, would have turned away from a purely American spokeswoman…
The one beside her I knew, as she spoke, that she was Lebanese, her name was Fatima…, and the one beside her was an Iraqi woman I knew, (she wore an orange-colored veil in the Dead Sea, and now she was wearing a green veil); Zaynab Sewaegi, from Basra, a struggler opposing the Saddam regime, that is how the Americans from the Bush group introduce her. She lives currently in America, married to an American, supports the war on Iraq, for she sees it as a great war of liberation, which was worth all the casualties that befell Iraq and the Iraqis…
Of course, it is a matter of opinion….
Absent from the session was the Moroccan doctor, Fareeda Banany, who was angry about Islam and Al- Sharee'a. She traveled back in the morning, and from what I understood from the participants, that they quarreled with her a lot (had a conflict) about her ideas on Al- Sharee'a and Al-Fikih, and her constant criticism of these items. She wanted to convey a message to the women here that laws and rules dealing with women in the Islamic world should be changed, by opening the door to Ijtihad (interpretative judgment), because most of these laws was derived from Al-Fikih, and not from Al- Sharee'a (the Holy Quran). And Al-Fikih was put by men (like Al-Malikee, Al-Hanbalee, Al-Jaffa'ri,…), and as such, these men might be subject to mistakes in their Ijtihad, and it is time that we, women, should move to put pressure on the clergy in our countries to change these rules, and create new Ijtihads, more fair to woman.
***************************************
The Iranian lady, Halla, the administrator of the meeting, asked the participants to speak up their true opinions about what they saw and learned in the forum, without wasting time in giving their thanks…
But the participants fell to laughing, evading, wasting time in giving thanks and gratitude about the forum. I looked at them, one by one, and put myself in the position of the Iranian lady, Halla, as they presented their evaluation…
If I was in her shoes, I would have been angry, and frustrated, and by GOD, I do think this is what she felt, for she didn't receive a clear, decisive answer but from a few…
The majority was laughing, and evaded giving any clear opinion. I, as an Iraqi, understood perfectly they were flattering, and didn't voice their true opinions. Even my neighbor, whom I met before the ending session, said that the main idea of the forum didn't appeal to her, and she wasn't convinced with it, but in the Hall, as it was her turn to say her opinion, she said: Thank you for the efforts, we benefited a great deal…
I laughed and told my Kurdish friend: but this isn't her real opinion… either she was dissembling, or hiding what was in her heart, lest she would collide with the supervisors of the meeting, so she wouldn't be called- ungrateful, or for fear of being excluded from attending future forums and conferences…
This is the reality of the matter…
Do the women, the Iraqis or non-Iraqis, do they comprehend what is going on in the participant's minds?
Or are they just performing their duties, and that should be enough? Then they would represent their reports to their supervisors, about the success of the forum, how the Iraqi women accepted the revolutionary ideas against Al-Fikih, and Al- Sharee'a, and how will they go back to Iraq to perform an innovative social revolution….
Ha,ha,ha.
I do not know who is the naïve one in the equation, who is the one fooling the other, and using him? These broke American organizations, which come to market their ideas in our societies, or those Iraqi organizations who accept the invitation?
**************************************
There was an Iraqi journalist, who presented a polite, quiet interjection, she said- thank you for the forum, we did learn new things, but we do not want to give up our religion, nor our heritage…
And in a last interposition, an engineer from an Iraqi Islamic party, presented a clear, strong opinion. She said: In spite of the clashes with Dr. Fareeda Banany in the last four days, we did benefit from the forum, learned new issues, but we will not abandon our religion…
The Iranian Lady asked the women participants to give her a title of a topic for a coming forum, but in vain. They shattered her nerves with long, boring, meaningless sentences. More than one woman suggested a forum under the title: the Difference between Al-Fikih and Al- Sharee'a in Islam…
I fell into laughter; why would American women come from the Woodrow Wilson Institute to present explanations about the Islamic Sharee'a…
These points show the silliness and shallowness of this type of Muslim women, well then, you fool, the libraries of Baghdad are full of books, go and read; this is your religion, your people, and this is your future…
What can I say?
If I were one of the participants in this forum, I would have enjoyed embittering the lives of Halla, Zaynab, Fatima, and Fareeda, but unfortunately, I missed the chance, and it was evident they used the ignorance of the participants in a sensitive issue like this… some of them knew me, from the Dead Sea Conference days, and my writings about it, so, they wouldn't dare to invite me to join in such conferences or forums. They usually choose an easy game, when the participant has little knowledge and information, so they could pass on to her their great preaching ideas…
********************************
After we went out of the Hall, I stood by to be introduced to the journalist, and the engineer from the Islamic party, and we laughed a lot…
I knew other participants from the south, other than these two, but they evaded, and wouldn't declare their opinions frankly…
I said to them: why did you come to participate? Did you know about the subject?
They said: yes. We were hesitant, but some people advised us to go, so the field wouldn't be all clear for fools, or the flattering hypocrites. There should be a presence of Iraqi women who are mindful to defend and debate. They should know we are not parrots that can be taught, then go back to Iraq and repeat what they heard…
I laughed a lot, and felt a sense of victory. I told them: I do not fear for the Iraqi women, for most of them are smart, and can't be fooled…
We exchanged our addresses with each other, so we could form a continuous contact net between us… I told them: See how many benefits you gained by coming here? First of all, you heard the stale ideas they want to market for the Iraqi women: to implant the rebellion spirit against our husbands, fathers, and brothers, and against our religion and culture, the spirit of contempt against our Fikih and Sharee'a. But all this make us cling, with more determination, to our identity, make us stronger, and firmer, gaining the reward from GOD, The Lord of all Creatures, because we defended our religion. And we gained the acquaintance of new friends, with whom we can cooperate to help the Iraqis, and build Iraq the way we think will please our GOD, and our people…
We will keep in touch… we said our goodbyes with kisses, laughter, and sweet words…
I felt that Iraq was still O.K, in spite of the calamities…
As long as there were honest men… and honest women in Iraq, Iraq shall not be defeated…
****************************************
I saw an astonishing type, I want to talk about…
When I entered the hotel, and while I was talking to my former neighbor, one of the participants came forward, a woman wearing the traditional Iraqi Aba (long, black garment). Oh, how much I love this Aba, it reminds me of my mother, may GOD bless her soul…
She came, and I introduced myself to her. She said with a smile: I heard your name before…
I said: and who am I addressing?
She said: Dr. …….
Are you a Doctor in medicine? I asked.
No, she said. I am a Pharmacist…
Welcome, I said. Please be seated…
She said: no, I want to have lunch, then we can sit and talk…
I waited till the end of the session, then I met her outside the Hall, when everyone was having tea.
I asked her: What do you think of this forum? Do you think it is appropriate that an American organization should come along, interfere into our lives, and suggest to us how to think, and formulate our lives? Why don't we tell them that these are our private affairs, for us to change naturally when we wish, and without conflicting with our religion…
She said: not everything they said was wrong…
I asked: what do you mean?
She evaded, not wanting to tell her true viewpoint…
This is a type of Iraqi people who emerged after the war, a type I like to nudge, and provoke, to find out what is inside their minds…
I said: I mean; we have a heritage of 1400 years, which we can't easily omit…
She looked angrily to me: 1400 years of failure…
I looked at her, and fell to laughter, I said: why failure, my dear? The Arabs did not become a nation with power, effectiveness, and civilization until they embraced Islam, until they had the Faith….
She backed up, saying: oh, yes. In this, you are right. Then she slipped away from me…
I went to the women standing nearby, and asked: who was this woman?
They said: don't you know her? She was a member of the former National Assembly, a candidate in the list of Ahmed Al-Chalabi in this election, but she lost…
I said: do you mean this woman was in the former Iraqi Parliament? And she joined in formulating the Iraqi Constitution? This woman is an enemy to herself, an enemy to her people and culture, who put her there? Those in the Parliament are supposed to represent the spirit and intellect of their people, whom is she representing??
They laughed and said: these are the types of the new Iraq… Ha,ha,ha…
I felt astonished… why do you wear the Iraqi beautiful costume, and inside you despise Iraq, and what's in it?
This is just what made me angry… as for her opinions, she is free…
This is the time of imported freedom and democracy….
************************************
Then I saw another type…
A Women categorizing herself as one of the cultured women of Iraq, fashionable, sweet, and stylish. But someone threatened her, and she fled from Iraq…
She said they were the ancestralialists… and I found a campaign in the western newspapers that the cultured Iraqi women are targeted by the forces of the darkness, and the ancestralialists…
Then I opened the website of her women's organization … and I found they put their photos with the American Governor, Premer. They were very happy, one of them was almost going to lie on his chest…Ha,ha,ha. By GOD I am not making this up against them, the website is there in the Internet. I do not want to expose them, but they seem to be fools who didn't understand how to express the image of the new Iraqi women, so they thought that taking a memorial photo with Premer is an expression of happiness for liberating Iraq…
And that is why she received the threat from the ancestralialists…
She should thank GOD they didn't kill her. This is a sign of their being democratic, Ha,ha,ha.
And there are a number of Iraqi women like this one, who were killed for inconsiderateness, and the lack of assessment for the conditions, so they went victims of their foolishness…
They collaborated with the occupation forces in a clear and public manner… then, the western newspapers would write about them; oh, these were patriotic women who became victims of extremists…
The story isn't like this…these were reckless women who didn't comprehend how to behave during the dangerous and restless political and security conditions in Iraq after the war… and they paid the price with their lives…..
These are another type of Iraqi women….
******************************
I took with me some of the forum's pamphlets, about the sponsoring authority of this meeting…
I found it was the Woodrow Wilson Institute, with the RAND Institute…
I went back home, went on the Internet, and looked for the RAND Institute, and the answer was: one of the opinion and thought institutes that cooperate with the American intelligence and defense agencies, and they aid the military institute in handling the new challenges in the fields of terrorism and national security…
Meaning- on the ground of reality, the American army is occupying Iraq, tearing it apart, and destroying it, and institutes like RAND and others get in, to brain-wash the minds of Iraqi man and women, by passing through their policies by training members working in the Iraqi government, or non-governmental organizations…
Meaning- fastening the collar from every side….
This is the democracy-building strategy in the Middle East…
I saw the leaflet of the Woodrow Wilson Institute: they have a special program named: the Middle East program, it talks about Islam, Al- Sharee'a, and their relevance to the women-concerning laws, how to pass the Sedaw Agreement to become the referential of the Muslim women, instead of Al- Sharee'a and Al-Fikih, so that the Arabic and Islamic countries should put on the guise of democracy, and the modern age…
In the leaflet I found the names and pictures of the ladies who resided in the meeting today: Halla Asfandiyari, the Iranian, Fatima Kasem, the Lebanese, and Fareeda Banany, the Moroccan… I saw that all came from countries in the Arabic and Islamic worlds, they work in these institutes, letting themselves become tools into the hands of these institutes, to transfer thoughts from them, to the women of the Arabic-Islamic world…
I looked into the Internet to find more about Fareeda Banany. I found that she wrote a lot of analysis about the Verses of the Holy Quran, and the sayings of the Prophet, which respect the woman, her freedom, and dignity. Her speech should have been addressed to Men: this Islam is a great religion, it didn't unjustly treat the woman in any way, so, go back and hang on to it…
But her speech was the opposite: give up Islam, and hang on to the Sedaw Agreement for women's rights…
May GOD forgive her…
In the meeting, and the forum, I saw about 25 women; mostly from Iraq, one from Kuwait, one from Bahrain, and one from Yemen… they came to listen, and transfer the thoughts of Banany to the women of their homelands….
*******************************
Now I smile, and wonder: this American Administration is pathetic; they spend the American's money, or that of the Iraqi oil, to invade our countries, by waging military and political wars, then, they try to enter into our heads to dig up what's inside, then try to remove the "contents" of our minds, and exchange them with other thoughts suitable to them…
Ha,ha,ha…
Do they take us for fools?
Who is the one who deserves pity?
By GOD, I see Islam growing, triumphing, and prevailing, especially after the war on Iraq…
And these fools circle in endless labyrinths…
May GOD aid his believing subjects everywhere, and particularly in Iraq, giving them strength, and granting them victory….
And, may peace be upon you….
===========================
Translated by May/Baghdad.
# posted by Faiza Al-Araji @ 4:16 pm
Sunday, February 26, 2006
الأحد 26 شباط 2006
مساء الخير...
الأيام القليلة الماضية كانت أياما شديدة القسوة على العراقيين , بعد تفجير مرقد الائمة في سامراء, ثم الهجوم على المساجد في مدن مختلفة من العراق, لتبدو العملية كأنها علامة على بداية حرب أهلية في العراق..
وكل العراقيين الذين تكلمت معهم في بغداد أو عمان غاضبون ويقولون نحن ابرياء من هذه الافعال, والذي اثارها يريد اثارة حرب اهلية قسرا في العراق, لكنه سيخسر لا محالة, ليس ثمة استعداد لدى العراقيين لأي نوع من حرب اهلية أو طائفية...
أتابع الاخبار من العراق عبر محطات البث الفضائية العراقية, ولقاءات مع الناس هناك , ومع مختلف القيادات الدينية والسياسية والاجتماعية في العراق, وكلهم يستنكرون ما حدث
وعبر مسجات الموبايل بيني وبين صديقاتي في بغداد أتخيل كأنني اعيش بينهم ونسترجع محنة الحرب في ايامها الاولى في اذار 2003, ونحن في بيوتنا نراقب الاحداث, سقطت الدولة, ودخلت قوات الاحتلال, ودخل مرتزقة دمروا المتحف وسرقوا اثاره, واحرقت المكتبات الوطنية والوثائق التاريخية, ونهبت الوزارات واحرقت بعد ذلك( عدا وزارة النفط) ونهبت الجامعات واحرقت او دمرت مكتباتها, كأن ثمة هجمة بربرية تذكرنا بما فعله المغول باجدادنا حين دخلوا العراق قبل قرون مضت....
قالوا ايضا في كتب التاريخ ان نهر دجلة صار لونه أسود من حبر الكتب التي مزقت وغرقت فيه..
هاجمنا وقتها برابرة من المغول, لا يفهمون ما معنى حضارة ولا كتب ولا ثقافة ولا فنون, وعادة ثمة حقد من الجاهل ضد المتحضر, وعبر عنه الغزاة المغول بتدمير بغداد عاصمة الخلافة العباسية, ومركز اشعاع الحضارة والعلم والفنون وقتها....
وفي عام 2003 تعرضت بغداد لغزو من نوع اخر, المفروض ان الغزاة الجدد متحضرون وجاؤوا ليخلصونا من طاغية شاركوا هم بصناعته, ثم تحت حجج كثيرة, ساقوا الجيوش والدبابات والصواريخ والاسلحة غير التقليدية من قنابل عنقودية او يورانيوم منضب او فسفور ابيض, والقوها على العراق أرضا وشعبا تحت شعار : تحرير العراق
مات من مات, وجرح من جرح, وتدمر ما تدمر من بنية تحتية للبلاد ,وتسممت وتلوثت مياه وتربة وهواء العراق الى عشرات السنين حيث ستبقى أثار العناصر الثقيلة من اثار الحروب موجودة تلوث المياه والنباتات وتسبب الامراض مثل السرطانات وتلف الكلى والجهاز العصبي والجهاز العظمي وغيرها من امراض مرتبطة بوجود عناصر ضارة في البيئة تسببها مخلفات الحروب ...
*****************************
والدولة المتحضرة التي غزتنا , لم تقدر ان تمنع الخراب والدمار ان يتكرر في العراق, وكلنا تساءلنا هل هو من قلة تدبيرها ام هو فعل متعمد ؟
بالعكس, كنا نرى ان الادارة الامريكية استثمرت النهب والسلب الذي حدث في العراق وشجعته عبر نشره والتركيز عليه في وسائل اعلامهم , ليرسلوا للعالم رسالة : هذا هو الشعب العراقي , انهم حفنة من همج ووحوش, سنبقى هنا حتى نعلمهم الحضارة والنظام وحقوق الانسان...
وها هي قد مرت ثلاث سنوات تقريبا ونحن تحت الاحتلال, فماذا حصدنا؟
هاهو المشهد ذاته يتكرر..
العراقيون في بيوتهم, وثمة مرتزقة تعيث في العراق فسادا, تفجر وتحرق المساجد وتقتل بطريقة عشوائية , لتقول للعالم ان العراق على وشك حرب اهلية...
***********************************************
أعود الى مذكراتي في الايام الاولى بعد سقوط بغداد, وكتبت عن حيرتي وخوفي مما سيأتي, وكنت ادعو الله ان يوحد العراقيين ولا يفرقهم...
لكن العراق اليوم ليس ذلك الذي كان يوم دخل الاحتلال...
كنا نعيش كعائلة واحدة صابرة على الحلوة والمرة كما يقولون , عشنا الحروب وفقدنا الاحبة وشربنا من كأس الظلم , وصبرنا...
ثم جاء الحصار, عانينا ما عانينا من قسوة الحياة وشحة الموارد وصبرنا , كنا نتحسر على كيلو طحين ابيض, وكنا نخبز في بيوتنا, ليس ثمة عائلة في العراق لم تعاني من قسوة تلك الايام , وتوحدت قلوبنا لاننا عشنا تحت نفس المظلة, وواسينا بعضنا في الظروف القاسية, فأحسسنا اننا عائلة واحدة تجمعنا روابط كثيرة مشتركة , طغت علينا الروح العراقية الطيبة الكريمة المتسامحة, وظلت نفوسنا متفائلة بما سيأتي به الغد..
كنا نطمح ان يتغير النظام السياسي في العراق عن طريق عقول عراقية وطنية مخلصة من داخل العراق, تخطط وتدبر لتغيير النظام دونما خسائر فادحة, وكنا نطمح ان تأتي سلطة سياسية جديدة لتستلم زمام الامور في البلاد بهدوء , دون عنف او انتقام او تسديد حسابات الماضي...
كنا نطمح ان يتغير كل شيء بأيدي عراقية خالصة تجلب معها خطابا فكريا جديدا مستقلا وطنيا ناضجا , على مستوى السياسة الداخلية او الخارجية...
لكن ما الذي حدث؟
الذي حدث ان قوة عظمى مثل اميركا تدخلت في شؤوننا منذ تولى صدام حسين السلطة , وثمة تقارير للمخابرات المركزية الامريكية تقول انهم ساعدوه على تولي الحكم في العراق, ثم استمرت سياساته الخرقاء لتنفيذ طلباتهم واجندتهم الخاصة, دخل الحرب على ايران , فدمر واضعف اقتصاد العراق , وقتل مئات الالاف من العراقيين في تلك الحرب السخيفة, ثم ضرب الكيمياوي على القرى الكردية , ومن موله بالسلاح الكيمياوي؟
واستعمله ضد الجيش الايراني في المعارك بعلم الحكومة الامريكية, لكنه كان حليفها, وكان كل شيء يفعله يرضيها وتغطي عليه, ليس ثمة فضائح في وسائل الاعلام او قصص عما يفعله بالعراقيين, حتى انني قرأت اكثر من مرة هذه الجملة في اماكن مختلفة :أن المخابرات المركزية الامريكية كانت تبلغه عن كل محاولة انقلاب يقوم بها العراقيون ضده....
وبعد حرب الكويت 1990, كانت هنالك فرصة حقيقية لاسقاط صدام حسين بيد العراقيين, لكن الحكومة الامريكية اعطته الضوء الاخضر لضرب المدن العراقية المتمردة بالطيران , والمدفعية...
كنت اتساءل لماذا ؟
وكل العراقيين يتساءلون معي, لكنني اظن اننا فهمنا الجواب الان, بعد مرور هذه السنوات ,فقد تبين ان الحكومة الامريكية لا تريد ان يحدث تغيير في العراق بقرار من الشعب وحسب ارادة الشعب , لانه سياتي بحكومة وطنية حقيقية, تعطي الاولوية لمصلحة العراقيين, ولها شرعية قوية من الشعب, ولن يقدر احد ان يهددها ما دام الشعب ذاته راض عنها...
لذلك , جاءت الحرب على العراق لتسقط صدام, وتضع القيادات التي تريدها اميركا, وتضع الخطط حول مستقبل العراق , حسب الرؤية الامريكية, وليس الرؤية العراقية...
هذا هو التفسير الوحيد لقصة لماذا لم يساعدوا العراقيين في انتفاضتهم عام 1990
مرور الزمن, وتراكم الاحداث, يعطي التفسيرات المنطقية...
************************************
ومنذ ان جاء الحاكم الامريكي بريمر الى بغداد, بدأ بتطبيق البرنامج الذي تريد الادارة الامريكية ان يمضي في العراق..
البرنامج الطائفي والعرقي البغيض, حيث بدأت وسائل اعلامهم تتكلم عن العراق: المثلث السني, المنطقة الشيعية, المنطقة الكردية..
ادخلوا هذه المصطلحات لأول مرة في حياتنا , وصارت وسائل الاعلام كلها تردد وراءهم كالببغاوات هذه المصطلحات..
تم تعيين مجلس الحكم المؤقت على اساس طائفي وعرقي وحصص , مما اثار دهشة العراقيين وتساؤلاتهم ..
ثم جاء قانون ادارة الدولة الذي وضعه بريمر, كله مبني على أسس طائفية وعنصرية , وادخل كلمة الفدرالية كعنوان لتقسيم العراق الى ثلاثة اقسام..
كل هذا يحدث, والشعب العراقي بعيد عن القرار, هذه قرارت تخص مصيره ومستقبله يتم املاؤها من فوق, من هناك في واشنطن , وجيء بقادة عراقيين بؤساء يجلسون في المنطقة الخضراء’ يتحركون في شوارع بغداد تحت حماية جيش الاحتلال, لا يمثلون طموحات العراقي ولا رؤيته للاحداث...
هل ثمة بؤس اكثر من هذا؟؟
*****************************
ثم جاءت الانتخابات الاولى, وكانت الاجواء مشحونة بالتوتر , ومحاولة تهميش جزء من العراقيين تحت حجج سخيفة, وتمت الانتخابات الاولى وقاطعها الكثير من العراقيين وتساءلوا عن شرعيتها..
وتكونت حكومة بعد جهود ثلاثة شهور, وتقسمت الوزارات بطريقة طائفية, هذه وزارة شيعة, معناها من الوزير الى الموظفين كلها تقريبا شيعية,
وهذه وزارة اكراد من الوزير الى الموظفين...
طيب أين يذهب المهندسين أو الاطباء او المحامين من الطوائف الاخرى ؟
سقط مبدأ الكفاءة في التعيين, جاء مبدأ الطائفية اولا لتؤهلك للدخول لهذا المكان..
منذ متى نفكر كعراقيين بهذه الطريقة السخيفة ونقيم الاشياء من خلالها؟
لقد رجعنا الى عصور مظلمة, لم نسمع عن هذا لا في تاريخ ابائنا ولا اجدادنا ...
وبدأت مليشيات تظهر في الشوارع , هذه لحزب كذا وهذه لحزب كذا, بينما تم حل الجيش العراقي الوطني المحترف الذي تأسس 1921
وذهبت قياداته لتجلس في البيوت, البعض منها تم اغتياله, والبعض تعاون مع الاحتلال, والبعض وضع في سجن ابو غريب....
وتمت الموافقة على نشوء مليشيات حزبية طائفية صارت تعمل في وزارة الداخلية مثلا لتنفذ عمليات قذرة ضد العراقيين وهي ابعد ما تكون عن الوطنية والانتماء..
وصار العنف هو اللغة السائدة في الشارع, عصابات قتل وسلب واختطاف , ومليشيات حزبية تقتل وتغتال حسب مزاجها, والعراقي حائر ضائع تائه يتساءل : ما هو مصيرنا؟
والى أين تتجه البلاد؟
من الذي سمح بكل هذا التشوه ليحصل في العراق؟
اليست هذه سياسة قوات الاحتلال والادارة الامريكية منذ ان دخلوا العراق؟
تمزيق العراق الى طوائف واعراق , والتمتع والسعادة بنقل الاخبار : انهم يتقاتلون بينهم, البلاد على حافة حرب اهلية, كيف ستغادر قواتنا البلاد ؟ هذا لا يجوز , يجب ان تبقى قوات الاحتلال لمنع الحرب الاهلية من ان تنشب....
العالم الخارجي بعيد عنا, يصدق ما يسمع, خصوصا الشعب الامريكي..
ونحن داخل العراق نعيش قصة اخرى, واقع الحال يختلف تماما عما تنقله وكالات الاخبار العالمية...
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ثم جاءت مسرحية التصويت على الدستور الجديد, وقال الناس لا خير في دستور يفرق العراقيين ولا يجمعهم, وضع أسسه الحاكم الامريكي بريمر وليس العراقيين, من اعطاه الشرعية؟
ثم جاءت الانتخابات الثانية, قبل عدة شهور, وتفاءل بها العراقيون, وشارك بها كل الاحزاب تقريبا, وقلنا لتكن هذه بداية جديدة , لكن نتائج الانتخابات شابها التزوير, وساد البلاد حالة من الغضب والاحباط, ثمة من يستهزأ بنا ويريد اعادتنا الى نقطة الصفر دائما...
العملية السياسية تجري بطريقة غبية بطيئة متعثرة, والسفير الامريكي طرف في الحوار ويضع شروطه لتكوين الحكومة الجديدة, ولم تحل الازمة بعد..
ثم جاءت هذه التفجيرات في الجوامع من قبل مجهولين لتزيد من قتامة المشهد على الساحة العراقية..
طيب, العراقيون يجلسون في بيوتهم, يتألمون ويستنكرون ما يحدث , قادة الطوائف الدينية والاحزاب السياسية والتجمعات الاجتماعية العراقية , حتى حزب البعث والقاعدة والمقاومة استنكروا التفجيرات للمساجد وقتل الابرياء في العراق..
اذا كانت قاعدة الشعب ترفض فكرة الحرب الاهلية, وقادة النخب السياسية والدينية ترفض الحرب الاهلية..
طيب, من الذي يريد حرب اهلية في العراق؟
واضح ان العراقيين هم اخر من يريدها, وثمة من يدفع باتجاهها منذ بداية سقوط بغداد ولحد اليوم, لكنه لم ينجح...
لمصلحة من تقوم حرب اهلية في العراق؟
من هو المستفيد الاول منها؟
كلنا نتساءل...
لا شك انه الذي يريد ان يظل العراق ممزقا ضعيفا , وان تبقى به قوات احتلال اجنبية الى اجل غير مسمى , هو الذي يريد لهذه الحرب ان تقوم...
لكن العراقيين لا يريدونها,يقولون نحن اخوة , ولا يمكن ان نتقاتل , كل ما يحدث هو اشياء مفتعله يقوم بها مرتزقة مجهولون , وندعو الله ان يكشفهم, ويفشل خططهم..
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تكلمت مع كثير من اهلنا واصدقائنا في بغداد يوم امس واليوم, قالوا : لا تخافوا علينا, عملنا لجان مشتركة في الاحياء من سنة وشيعة, نظفنا المساجد, وأقمنا الصلاة مشتركة,
كل محنة تزيدنا صلابة, لا تخافوا علينا...
قلت : الحمد لله, هذا هو العراق, وهؤلاء هم العراقيون الذين اعرفهم طوال حياتي
قالوا : أخبري العالم كله حقيقة ما يحدث, ليس هنالك حرب اهلية في العراق, ولن تكون, هذه كلها اكاذيب, واحلام اعداء العراقيين
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كيف يخرج العراق من المأزق الذي وضعته اميركا فيه؟
هذا السؤال جوابه عند العراقيين, ويتفقون عليه, الحل هو وضع اسس حكومة وحدة وطنية بلا عرقية ولا طائفية, اعطاء العراقيين اجواء صحية للحوار بينهم دون تدخل الاحتلال ليساند فئة ويهمش فئة, ثم جدولة انسحاب قوات الاحتلال..
منذ الاف السنين نعيش مسلمين ومسيحيين, سنة وشيعة , بانسجام وسلام, لم يشهد تاريخنا هذا العنف والدمار وسفك الدماء المجاني كالذي رايناه خلال سنوات الاحتلال التي مرت علينا, حتى ايام صدام حسين, لم نشهد هذا الرعب على حياتنا وعوائلنا , ولم يتمزق المجتمع العراقي كما حدث له الان...
هذه المحنة تزيد العراقيين صلابة , وتوضح امامهم الرؤية, وتجعلهم اكثر قناعة باختيار طريق الوحدة الوطنية كخيار وحيد للخروج من المأزق الذي وضعتهم فيه سياسة الادارة الامريكية الحالية , والطريق السليم الوحيد لبناء عراق جديد....
العراقيون متفقون على خيار الوحدة الوطنية واعادة بناء العراق من جديد على اسس صحيحة عادلة, لكن من سيقنع الادارة الامريكية على الخروج من العراق ووقف تدخلاتها العسكرية والسياسية؟
هنا تكمن المشكلة........
مساء الخير...
الأيام القليلة الماضية كانت أياما شديدة القسوة على العراقيين , بعد تفجير مرقد الائمة في سامراء, ثم الهجوم على المساجد في مدن مختلفة من العراق, لتبدو العملية كأنها علامة على بداية حرب أهلية في العراق..
وكل العراقيين الذين تكلمت معهم في بغداد أو عمان غاضبون ويقولون نحن ابرياء من هذه الافعال, والذي اثارها يريد اثارة حرب اهلية قسرا في العراق, لكنه سيخسر لا محالة, ليس ثمة استعداد لدى العراقيين لأي نوع من حرب اهلية أو طائفية...
أتابع الاخبار من العراق عبر محطات البث الفضائية العراقية, ولقاءات مع الناس هناك , ومع مختلف القيادات الدينية والسياسية والاجتماعية في العراق, وكلهم يستنكرون ما حدث
وعبر مسجات الموبايل بيني وبين صديقاتي في بغداد أتخيل كأنني اعيش بينهم ونسترجع محنة الحرب في ايامها الاولى في اذار 2003, ونحن في بيوتنا نراقب الاحداث, سقطت الدولة, ودخلت قوات الاحتلال, ودخل مرتزقة دمروا المتحف وسرقوا اثاره, واحرقت المكتبات الوطنية والوثائق التاريخية, ونهبت الوزارات واحرقت بعد ذلك( عدا وزارة النفط) ونهبت الجامعات واحرقت او دمرت مكتباتها, كأن ثمة هجمة بربرية تذكرنا بما فعله المغول باجدادنا حين دخلوا العراق قبل قرون مضت....
قالوا ايضا في كتب التاريخ ان نهر دجلة صار لونه أسود من حبر الكتب التي مزقت وغرقت فيه..
هاجمنا وقتها برابرة من المغول, لا يفهمون ما معنى حضارة ولا كتب ولا ثقافة ولا فنون, وعادة ثمة حقد من الجاهل ضد المتحضر, وعبر عنه الغزاة المغول بتدمير بغداد عاصمة الخلافة العباسية, ومركز اشعاع الحضارة والعلم والفنون وقتها....
وفي عام 2003 تعرضت بغداد لغزو من نوع اخر, المفروض ان الغزاة الجدد متحضرون وجاؤوا ليخلصونا من طاغية شاركوا هم بصناعته, ثم تحت حجج كثيرة, ساقوا الجيوش والدبابات والصواريخ والاسلحة غير التقليدية من قنابل عنقودية او يورانيوم منضب او فسفور ابيض, والقوها على العراق أرضا وشعبا تحت شعار : تحرير العراق
مات من مات, وجرح من جرح, وتدمر ما تدمر من بنية تحتية للبلاد ,وتسممت وتلوثت مياه وتربة وهواء العراق الى عشرات السنين حيث ستبقى أثار العناصر الثقيلة من اثار الحروب موجودة تلوث المياه والنباتات وتسبب الامراض مثل السرطانات وتلف الكلى والجهاز العصبي والجهاز العظمي وغيرها من امراض مرتبطة بوجود عناصر ضارة في البيئة تسببها مخلفات الحروب ...
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والدولة المتحضرة التي غزتنا , لم تقدر ان تمنع الخراب والدمار ان يتكرر في العراق, وكلنا تساءلنا هل هو من قلة تدبيرها ام هو فعل متعمد ؟
بالعكس, كنا نرى ان الادارة الامريكية استثمرت النهب والسلب الذي حدث في العراق وشجعته عبر نشره والتركيز عليه في وسائل اعلامهم , ليرسلوا للعالم رسالة : هذا هو الشعب العراقي , انهم حفنة من همج ووحوش, سنبقى هنا حتى نعلمهم الحضارة والنظام وحقوق الانسان...
وها هي قد مرت ثلاث سنوات تقريبا ونحن تحت الاحتلال, فماذا حصدنا؟
هاهو المشهد ذاته يتكرر..
العراقيون في بيوتهم, وثمة مرتزقة تعيث في العراق فسادا, تفجر وتحرق المساجد وتقتل بطريقة عشوائية , لتقول للعالم ان العراق على وشك حرب اهلية...
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أعود الى مذكراتي في الايام الاولى بعد سقوط بغداد, وكتبت عن حيرتي وخوفي مما سيأتي, وكنت ادعو الله ان يوحد العراقيين ولا يفرقهم...
لكن العراق اليوم ليس ذلك الذي كان يوم دخل الاحتلال...
كنا نعيش كعائلة واحدة صابرة على الحلوة والمرة كما يقولون , عشنا الحروب وفقدنا الاحبة وشربنا من كأس الظلم , وصبرنا...
ثم جاء الحصار, عانينا ما عانينا من قسوة الحياة وشحة الموارد وصبرنا , كنا نتحسر على كيلو طحين ابيض, وكنا نخبز في بيوتنا, ليس ثمة عائلة في العراق لم تعاني من قسوة تلك الايام , وتوحدت قلوبنا لاننا عشنا تحت نفس المظلة, وواسينا بعضنا في الظروف القاسية, فأحسسنا اننا عائلة واحدة تجمعنا روابط كثيرة مشتركة , طغت علينا الروح العراقية الطيبة الكريمة المتسامحة, وظلت نفوسنا متفائلة بما سيأتي به الغد..
كنا نطمح ان يتغير النظام السياسي في العراق عن طريق عقول عراقية وطنية مخلصة من داخل العراق, تخطط وتدبر لتغيير النظام دونما خسائر فادحة, وكنا نطمح ان تأتي سلطة سياسية جديدة لتستلم زمام الامور في البلاد بهدوء , دون عنف او انتقام او تسديد حسابات الماضي...
كنا نطمح ان يتغير كل شيء بأيدي عراقية خالصة تجلب معها خطابا فكريا جديدا مستقلا وطنيا ناضجا , على مستوى السياسة الداخلية او الخارجية...
لكن ما الذي حدث؟
الذي حدث ان قوة عظمى مثل اميركا تدخلت في شؤوننا منذ تولى صدام حسين السلطة , وثمة تقارير للمخابرات المركزية الامريكية تقول انهم ساعدوه على تولي الحكم في العراق, ثم استمرت سياساته الخرقاء لتنفيذ طلباتهم واجندتهم الخاصة, دخل الحرب على ايران , فدمر واضعف اقتصاد العراق , وقتل مئات الالاف من العراقيين في تلك الحرب السخيفة, ثم ضرب الكيمياوي على القرى الكردية , ومن موله بالسلاح الكيمياوي؟
واستعمله ضد الجيش الايراني في المعارك بعلم الحكومة الامريكية, لكنه كان حليفها, وكان كل شيء يفعله يرضيها وتغطي عليه, ليس ثمة فضائح في وسائل الاعلام او قصص عما يفعله بالعراقيين, حتى انني قرأت اكثر من مرة هذه الجملة في اماكن مختلفة :أن المخابرات المركزية الامريكية كانت تبلغه عن كل محاولة انقلاب يقوم بها العراقيون ضده....
وبعد حرب الكويت 1990, كانت هنالك فرصة حقيقية لاسقاط صدام حسين بيد العراقيين, لكن الحكومة الامريكية اعطته الضوء الاخضر لضرب المدن العراقية المتمردة بالطيران , والمدفعية...
كنت اتساءل لماذا ؟
وكل العراقيين يتساءلون معي, لكنني اظن اننا فهمنا الجواب الان, بعد مرور هذه السنوات ,فقد تبين ان الحكومة الامريكية لا تريد ان يحدث تغيير في العراق بقرار من الشعب وحسب ارادة الشعب , لانه سياتي بحكومة وطنية حقيقية, تعطي الاولوية لمصلحة العراقيين, ولها شرعية قوية من الشعب, ولن يقدر احد ان يهددها ما دام الشعب ذاته راض عنها...
لذلك , جاءت الحرب على العراق لتسقط صدام, وتضع القيادات التي تريدها اميركا, وتضع الخطط حول مستقبل العراق , حسب الرؤية الامريكية, وليس الرؤية العراقية...
هذا هو التفسير الوحيد لقصة لماذا لم يساعدوا العراقيين في انتفاضتهم عام 1990
مرور الزمن, وتراكم الاحداث, يعطي التفسيرات المنطقية...
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ومنذ ان جاء الحاكم الامريكي بريمر الى بغداد, بدأ بتطبيق البرنامج الذي تريد الادارة الامريكية ان يمضي في العراق..
البرنامج الطائفي والعرقي البغيض, حيث بدأت وسائل اعلامهم تتكلم عن العراق: المثلث السني, المنطقة الشيعية, المنطقة الكردية..
ادخلوا هذه المصطلحات لأول مرة في حياتنا , وصارت وسائل الاعلام كلها تردد وراءهم كالببغاوات هذه المصطلحات..
تم تعيين مجلس الحكم المؤقت على اساس طائفي وعرقي وحصص , مما اثار دهشة العراقيين وتساؤلاتهم ..
ثم جاء قانون ادارة الدولة الذي وضعه بريمر, كله مبني على أسس طائفية وعنصرية , وادخل كلمة الفدرالية كعنوان لتقسيم العراق الى ثلاثة اقسام..
كل هذا يحدث, والشعب العراقي بعيد عن القرار, هذه قرارت تخص مصيره ومستقبله يتم املاؤها من فوق, من هناك في واشنطن , وجيء بقادة عراقيين بؤساء يجلسون في المنطقة الخضراء’ يتحركون في شوارع بغداد تحت حماية جيش الاحتلال, لا يمثلون طموحات العراقي ولا رؤيته للاحداث...
هل ثمة بؤس اكثر من هذا؟؟
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ثم جاءت الانتخابات الاولى, وكانت الاجواء مشحونة بالتوتر , ومحاولة تهميش جزء من العراقيين تحت حجج سخيفة, وتمت الانتخابات الاولى وقاطعها الكثير من العراقيين وتساءلوا عن شرعيتها..
وتكونت حكومة بعد جهود ثلاثة شهور, وتقسمت الوزارات بطريقة طائفية, هذه وزارة شيعة, معناها من الوزير الى الموظفين كلها تقريبا شيعية,
وهذه وزارة اكراد من الوزير الى الموظفين...
طيب أين يذهب المهندسين أو الاطباء او المحامين من الطوائف الاخرى ؟
سقط مبدأ الكفاءة في التعيين, جاء مبدأ الطائفية اولا لتؤهلك للدخول لهذا المكان..
منذ متى نفكر كعراقيين بهذه الطريقة السخيفة ونقيم الاشياء من خلالها؟
لقد رجعنا الى عصور مظلمة, لم نسمع عن هذا لا في تاريخ ابائنا ولا اجدادنا ...
وبدأت مليشيات تظهر في الشوارع , هذه لحزب كذا وهذه لحزب كذا, بينما تم حل الجيش العراقي الوطني المحترف الذي تأسس 1921
وذهبت قياداته لتجلس في البيوت, البعض منها تم اغتياله, والبعض تعاون مع الاحتلال, والبعض وضع في سجن ابو غريب....
وتمت الموافقة على نشوء مليشيات حزبية طائفية صارت تعمل في وزارة الداخلية مثلا لتنفذ عمليات قذرة ضد العراقيين وهي ابعد ما تكون عن الوطنية والانتماء..
وصار العنف هو اللغة السائدة في الشارع, عصابات قتل وسلب واختطاف , ومليشيات حزبية تقتل وتغتال حسب مزاجها, والعراقي حائر ضائع تائه يتساءل : ما هو مصيرنا؟
والى أين تتجه البلاد؟
من الذي سمح بكل هذا التشوه ليحصل في العراق؟
اليست هذه سياسة قوات الاحتلال والادارة الامريكية منذ ان دخلوا العراق؟
تمزيق العراق الى طوائف واعراق , والتمتع والسعادة بنقل الاخبار : انهم يتقاتلون بينهم, البلاد على حافة حرب اهلية, كيف ستغادر قواتنا البلاد ؟ هذا لا يجوز , يجب ان تبقى قوات الاحتلال لمنع الحرب الاهلية من ان تنشب....
العالم الخارجي بعيد عنا, يصدق ما يسمع, خصوصا الشعب الامريكي..
ونحن داخل العراق نعيش قصة اخرى, واقع الحال يختلف تماما عما تنقله وكالات الاخبار العالمية...
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ثم جاءت مسرحية التصويت على الدستور الجديد, وقال الناس لا خير في دستور يفرق العراقيين ولا يجمعهم, وضع أسسه الحاكم الامريكي بريمر وليس العراقيين, من اعطاه الشرعية؟
ثم جاءت الانتخابات الثانية, قبل عدة شهور, وتفاءل بها العراقيون, وشارك بها كل الاحزاب تقريبا, وقلنا لتكن هذه بداية جديدة , لكن نتائج الانتخابات شابها التزوير, وساد البلاد حالة من الغضب والاحباط, ثمة من يستهزأ بنا ويريد اعادتنا الى نقطة الصفر دائما...
العملية السياسية تجري بطريقة غبية بطيئة متعثرة, والسفير الامريكي طرف في الحوار ويضع شروطه لتكوين الحكومة الجديدة, ولم تحل الازمة بعد..
ثم جاءت هذه التفجيرات في الجوامع من قبل مجهولين لتزيد من قتامة المشهد على الساحة العراقية..
طيب, العراقيون يجلسون في بيوتهم, يتألمون ويستنكرون ما يحدث , قادة الطوائف الدينية والاحزاب السياسية والتجمعات الاجتماعية العراقية , حتى حزب البعث والقاعدة والمقاومة استنكروا التفجيرات للمساجد وقتل الابرياء في العراق..
اذا كانت قاعدة الشعب ترفض فكرة الحرب الاهلية, وقادة النخب السياسية والدينية ترفض الحرب الاهلية..
طيب, من الذي يريد حرب اهلية في العراق؟
واضح ان العراقيين هم اخر من يريدها, وثمة من يدفع باتجاهها منذ بداية سقوط بغداد ولحد اليوم, لكنه لم ينجح...
لمصلحة من تقوم حرب اهلية في العراق؟
من هو المستفيد الاول منها؟
كلنا نتساءل...
لا شك انه الذي يريد ان يظل العراق ممزقا ضعيفا , وان تبقى به قوات احتلال اجنبية الى اجل غير مسمى , هو الذي يريد لهذه الحرب ان تقوم...
لكن العراقيين لا يريدونها,يقولون نحن اخوة , ولا يمكن ان نتقاتل , كل ما يحدث هو اشياء مفتعله يقوم بها مرتزقة مجهولون , وندعو الله ان يكشفهم, ويفشل خططهم..
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تكلمت مع كثير من اهلنا واصدقائنا في بغداد يوم امس واليوم, قالوا : لا تخافوا علينا, عملنا لجان مشتركة في الاحياء من سنة وشيعة, نظفنا المساجد, وأقمنا الصلاة مشتركة,
كل محنة تزيدنا صلابة, لا تخافوا علينا...
قلت : الحمد لله, هذا هو العراق, وهؤلاء هم العراقيون الذين اعرفهم طوال حياتي
قالوا : أخبري العالم كله حقيقة ما يحدث, ليس هنالك حرب اهلية في العراق, ولن تكون, هذه كلها اكاذيب, واحلام اعداء العراقيين
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كيف يخرج العراق من المأزق الذي وضعته اميركا فيه؟
هذا السؤال جوابه عند العراقيين, ويتفقون عليه, الحل هو وضع اسس حكومة وحدة وطنية بلا عرقية ولا طائفية, اعطاء العراقيين اجواء صحية للحوار بينهم دون تدخل الاحتلال ليساند فئة ويهمش فئة, ثم جدولة انسحاب قوات الاحتلال..
منذ الاف السنين نعيش مسلمين ومسيحيين, سنة وشيعة , بانسجام وسلام, لم يشهد تاريخنا هذا العنف والدمار وسفك الدماء المجاني كالذي رايناه خلال سنوات الاحتلال التي مرت علينا, حتى ايام صدام حسين, لم نشهد هذا الرعب على حياتنا وعوائلنا , ولم يتمزق المجتمع العراقي كما حدث له الان...
هذه المحنة تزيد العراقيين صلابة , وتوضح امامهم الرؤية, وتجعلهم اكثر قناعة باختيار طريق الوحدة الوطنية كخيار وحيد للخروج من المأزق الذي وضعتهم فيه سياسة الادارة الامريكية الحالية , والطريق السليم الوحيد لبناء عراق جديد....
العراقيون متفقون على خيار الوحدة الوطنية واعادة بناء العراق من جديد على اسس صحيحة عادلة, لكن من سيقنع الادارة الامريكية على الخروج من العراق ووقف تدخلاتها العسكرية والسياسية؟
هنا تكمن المشكلة........
# posted by Faiza Al-Araji @ 9:34 pm
