The Scandal is Bigger!
What leaked to the media from the oil bribes list submitted to the Iraqi GC by the ministry of oil is just the surface of the tip of the iceberg. Hoshiar Zibari the foreign minister indicated during his visit to Bulgaria that the bribes list is true.
Indeed bribing was a policy that Saddam's regime used to depend on for long time since its control of power. In 1970s and 1980s when VIP individuals visit the country, the Iraqis used to whisper, how much they took!
In actual fact dependent sources said that the published list is just the tip of the iceberg. The real list contains hundreds of names of very VIPs individuals. Among them are Arab politicians, artists, actors and writers. There are sons of heads of states and top governmental officials.
One female actor received bribes at many occasions. In only one of these occasions she received 5 Millions US Dollars! This may be Raghdah a Syrian actor lives in Egypt who used to go with a group of MPs, actors, journalist and others so often regularly in a propaganda of breaking the sanction. At least once she met Saddam publicly!
There is another story leaked to the media about an Arab attractive young singer, she received more than 1.5 Millions Dollars for spending 3 nights with Udy Saddam's eldest son!
(One of the parties Saddam son used to do during the sanction!)
In 1983-1985 Saddam's regime bought 128 top class apartments in Al Jizah which is a top class area in Cairo and gave them as a bribery gifts to its supporters.
Those published in the list either kept silent or denied it or telling that they were doing trades! We really so surprised how can a journalist or MP or politician or actor or a son of an official turn in one night into an oil dealer!
We would like to know the rest of the list and about the results of the investigations. These are true documents and not conspiracy. Indeed those who tried to put doubts on it are directly or indirectly defending the ugly act of a tyrant regime.
Saddam bribed too many people by different ways for long time to keep them silent about the parties of executions like the one below!
(one of the regular excutions he used to do in the cities during the Iraq Iran war! - the world was silent)
The Scandal of Oil Bribes!
(Update List Below)
Documents found in the ministry of oil indicates that Iraqi oil worth hundred of millions of dollars have been given as bribes to Arabs and non Arabs individuals including politicians, MPs, Journalists, Parties, companies, and others in return for Saddam propaganda. The Iraqi ministry of oil said it will follow them through the appropriate lawful procedures and the International police.
Almada Iraqi newspaper and other Iraqi sites have published the names of 270 individuals from 50 countries including 16 Arab states. The deals were signed by SOMO which is an Iraqi oil company owned by the cousin of Saddam.
All the companies are Non-end users which mean they do not own refineries and acted as intermediary agents to sale their bribes!
I was unable to do a correct translation of the names but here is
the list in Arabic published by the Iraqi
Parliament site. The numbers beside each name represent millions of barrels of oil given.
Many sources think that the list is only the iceberg of bribes given over 35 years but the list above is given over the last few years from the oil for food or as smuggling of oil outside the UN programme. These individuals should be followed up not only by the Iraqis but by the UN to investigate the breach of the UN sanction at that stage! This breach is coin with two faces, one is the breach of sanction and the other is the breach of using the money for propagand or things other than the food for the starved Iraqi children!
List from MEMRI.
List includes:
1.Syria: 14 individuals total 89 millions barrel. Including the son of minister of defence and Hamiadah Naana.
2.Jordan: Ashanfari Group 5 millions
3.Cyprus: more than 33 millions including Mohammad Alhoni editor of AlArab newspaper who got 17 millions! Plus other 2 companies
4.Turkey: 11 individuals with 82.5 millions
5.Vietnam: 4 with 12.2 millions
6.Sudan: 3 with 12 millions
7.Yemen: 3 with 16.3 millions including AbdAlkarem AlAryani
8.Bangladesh: 43 millions for Molana Abd Almanan!!
9.India: 9.5 millions for Beham Sing and congress party!
10.Pakistan: 3 with 23.5 millions
11.Malaysia: 4 with 84.5 millions
12.Indonesia: 6 with 21 millions including daughter of Sokarno!
13.UAE: 8 with 55.2 millions including Essa Nihian, Sultan Nihian from the ruling family and M Saed Eutiaba
14.Morocco: 3 with 7.4 millions
15.Algeria: 2 for 12 millions
16.Tunisia: 3 for 14.4 millions
17.Italy: 8 for 61.5 millions including church priest and companies
18.Spain: 3 for 36.1 millions
19.Yugoslavia: 4 for 53.5 millions (Socialist party, Left party, Italian party and Kokostontasha party- if wright translation!)
20.Belarusian: 6 for 39.2 millions including communist and liberal parties and the head of the department of presidency
21.Romania: 2 for 6.5 millions including labour party
22.UK: 2 for 55.5 millions including George Galloway MP and Mujahdeen Khleek the Iranian group.
23.Canada: Arthur Mill Holland for 9.6 millions
24.USA: 2 for 17.5 millions including Shaker Khafaji and Samer Finsent
25.Chad: Foreign minister 3 millions
26.Thailand: the rice trader Gay Born 9.5 millions
27.Panama: one for 11.5 millions
28.Hungaria: 4.7 millions for Hungarian Welfare party
29.South Africa: 4 for 21 millions
30.Philippine: 3.5 millions for Philippine producers
31.Nether land: Cypolt! 3 millions
32.France: 11 for 169 millions including French Arab association
33.China: 5 for 84.1 millions
34.Jordan: 14 for 74 millions including Liath Shibilat, Fakhri Gaawar, Tojan Faisal, Fawaz Ziriakat, Salem Naas, Shaker Bin Zaid, M Saleh Horani, Ziad Yaghmor, Wameth hussien, Mashhor Hadethah, Ziad Ragheb, Salim Naas and ministry of Energy!
35.Palestinians: 6 for 37 millions including PLO and Abo Abas
36.Egypt: 11 for 82 millions including Khaled Jamal Abd Al Naser, Emad Eljalda and other companies
37.Lebanon: 14 for 34 millions including the son of president Lahood
38.Bahrain: 3 companies for 7 millions
39.KSA: 2 companies for 5 millions
40.Qatar: 5 for 24 millions including Mohammad Bin Ali Althani
41.Libya: Shokr Ghanem 1 million
42.Brazil: 2 for 14.5 millions including foad Sarhan
43.Ireland: 2 for 13 millions including Riyadh Altaher
44.Nigeria: 5 for 19.7 millions
45.Kenya: Mohammad Othman for 10.5 millions
46.Bulgaria: 2 for 14 millions including socialist party
47.Austria: 2 for 4 millions including hanz Kogglier
48.Swiss: 11 for 81 millions
49.Minemar union: 5 millions for minister of forest
50.Slovakia: 4 millions for communist party
51.Ukraine: 12 for 46 millions including communist parties
52.Russia: the largest. 1 milliard and 366 millions given to the state! And the others are 46 individuals, parties, statesmen, and companies etc, given 1343.5 millions!
The Ignition of the Volcano!
The situation in Iraq is very tense and the only thing which keeps it quiet is the promises about freedom, democracy and reconstructions. There is news by the Arabic site
Elaph (see below) about asking Bachachi (Sunni) to form a government!
If this is true it may be the ignition that you don't like to see. It is a big mistake to appoint or ask some one to form a government now. Any government formed by an appointed person will certainly fail! The consequences of failure could be huge for the Iraqis and the coalition and the only winner will certainly be the terrorists.
Bachachi only represent a few members of his own party or group and above all the majority of Iraqis will look to this as a continuation of the ethnically Sunni leading minority government.
The best solution if a government needed is to have an elected person from too many candidates by some sort of an election. The elected candidate will form a government as a PM. On the same time the GC could be expanded and its chairmanship may be select by voting by its own members to elect 3 chairmen each one will lead for 4 months. After 1 year only an election should be carried out under the UN supervision.
So needed is an election to give birth into interim government and GC before an ideal election for a government. Any person come by election will be accepted irrespective of his background and ethnic status.
Who is Ali Sistani?
Before writing about Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Husayni Sistani, some terms needs to be clarified to make it more familiar when reading this article.
1. Ayatollah: this is a title achieved after extensive and long studies especially in the doctrine of religion and its application on life. The studies many continue for life in the Hawzah without reaching to the above level. Only very few reach this title usually after the age of 50 or 60 years. Most of the candidates remained in a lesser level than Ayatollah. Reaching to that level means a lot of people among Shiites follow that person's interpretative judgment about too many issues in their life and pay their charities to his school. Ayatollahs are not on the same level of knowledge and there is always one among them who is the most knowledgeable. There are two types of Ayatollah. The lower type is the person who is able to draw up conclusions (Istenbat) compatible with the doctrine about the aspects of life. The highest level is the one who called (Mojtahed) or able to make his own jurisprudences compatible with the principle of the doctrine and publish it in a thesis called (Risala) which should be signed by a committee from the more knowledgeable Ayatollahs in Hawzah, usually his supervisors or teachers. This person then achieves the level of Ayatollah Al Uzma or the highest level. This is the level of Ali Sistani who is considered the most knowledgeable person among the few Ayatollahs in the world. He then got millions of followers all over the world from Australia to USA and everywhere in the Arab and Islamic countries.
2. Hawzah: the name itself means gather the things together! It is a kind of theological University founded more than 1000 years ago in beginning of the 10th Century AC in Najaf by Abo Jaffer Al Tosi who came from Baghdad with 300 of his students. Before this Tosi studied in Baghdad and achieved the highest professorial level at that time which was called the Pulpit of Theology (Manber Al Kalam) awarded by the Abbasid State's government in Baghdad. In actual fact the basis for the Hawzah had been formed many years before that around 865 AC by Mohammad Bin Zaid Al Alawi who built schools and accommodations for the students in Najaf and the teaching goes back to the era of Imam Ali who transferred the Islamic Capital to Kufa which is 10 miles from Najaf. Kufa had too many schools even before Imam Ali used it as his capital. Imam Ali was killed by the Kharji (Bin Moljem) while he was prostrating in prayer in Kufa mosque at dawn and buried in Najaf. His tomb is not far from the Hawzah. After Hawzah was established in Najaf branches or daughter Hawzahs had been established in other cities in and outside Iraq. Now there are Hawzahs in Baghdad, Eastern province of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iran, Pakistan, and many other areas.
There are 30 schools belong to Najaf Hawzah and about 3000 students from all over the world. The curriculums decided by the teachers for 3 levels each may last for 20 years depend on the student satisfaction and his supervisors advises but the minimum for each level is 5-8 years. Subjects like chemistry, physics, math and others are also included. It has big libraries with thousands of books and manuscripts.
In spite of the oppression that the Shiites in Iraq exposed to under all the Sunni government in Baghdad especially Saddam the Najaf Hawzah remained stable and economically self sufficient by its followers.
3. Sayyid: The general meaning of it is (Mr) but if used specifically it means some one who descended from Prophet Mohammad via his daughter Fatima and Ali his cousin and son in law. Those Sayyids who wear turbans are recognized by its black color the same of what used to be done by Mohammad and Abraham his grandfather.
Indeed the origin of Prophet Mohammad, Isaac, Jacobs and other Abraham's sons is from Iraq. Abraham their grand father was from Ur in the south of Iraq the cradle of the civilization!
Ali Sistani
Born 1930 in Mashhad, Iran into a family known for its religious background. He studied and learned Arabic literature, rhetoric and theology in Khurasan, Iran. In 1948 he traveled to Qom in Iran and studied in its Hawzah. At that time every student wish to expand and consolidate his knowledge has to study in the Najaf Hawzah. He came to Najaf in 1951. He was supervised by Ayatollahs Hakeem, Hilli and
Kheoi. In 1964 he started to teach level 3 students in the Hawzah. He gained the degree of Ijtihad and after extensive studies and research works certified by Khoi and Hilli. He is well known for his intelligence, and vast research activities. He published about 20 books and researches and many other hand written literatures. His way of teaching liked by a lot of students and he separate religion from politics. It has always been said by the people, who know him that his personality characterized by equity and respecting other's opinions, piety, polite, well educated, and he believes in training beside education.
During Saddam's regime Ali Sistani was no difference from the other Shiites who were severely oppressed by that regime but he remained doing his job in the teaching and support for the Shiite population all over the world. The regime put him under house arrest. He lives in a simple rented house not far from the Hawzah and
Imam Ali shrine. He meets his visitors in a simple
office in his home with no furniture but they have to sit on
simple mattresses on the floor.
Sistani got millions of followers not only in Iraq but in Iran as well and many other countries all over the worlds. He is considered the most prominent Ayatollah and Shiite religious leaders in the world.
Sistani's call for an election in Iraq based on clear vision and understanding of the situation irrespective of the technical requirements to do the election. Sistani is flexible and willing to adopt an alternative way if democracy is granted in the near future.
If Sistani issue a Fatwa about the situation the Fatwa will be carried out by all the Shiites in Iraq and many outside Iraq. This may lead to the failure of any non-elected government if Sistani issued a Fatwa against it. But if the government is elected it will be difficult to justify a fatwa unless some thing very serious happened. It is a very important that the US should understand this indeed. Therefore the election what ever its mechanism will give more power and legality to the new government and Sistani acceptance about any plan means more than 65% of Iraqis. This is a fact which has to be taken seriously!
The Rat Hole!
The US forces in Iraq decided to destroy the hole whereas Saddam has been captured in! No clear reason why they decided to do so but the news sources mentioned security and to prevent that it may be converted into a tourist attraction!
I think instead of destroying it completely either you keep it intact for the future or if it have to be destroyed then I suggest that it will be removed intact as much as possible and invented in a museum in Baghdad with exemplar shape of the area he was found in.
What did you think about it?
Here is the anatomy of Baghdad Battery and a link
2000 years old Electric Cell able to produce two volts found near Baghdad!
The Story of the Bus of Horror!
This is a real story from Iraq Saddam that I wished Alfred Hitchcock is a live today to convert it into a film! It is also an invitation to the film producers to study the large amounts of the real stories from the holocaustic horrors of the republic of death!
The time is March 1991. The place is Babylon (Al Hila). It was a sunny day in the morning. All services have been damaged or destroyed by war. The people are exhausted, tired, confused, and their future is gloomy. Their oppressors and murders that have been defeated in Kuwait have been allowed by the coalition to use the helicopters which facilitated their crime against the Shiite and Kurds.
They landed in every uprising city by air and pushed their humiliated tanks against these cities which were called (the black cities) later by Saddam. One of these cities is Hilla. After they pushed their tanks in, on which inscribed (No Shiites after today) they called by loudspeakers all men between 18-45 years to gather in the main city square in Hila, Mahawel and Assadah! There are big cars waiting for them. When the cars filled they asked the rest to go back. The cars then moved for few miles before it split into two groups each one went into a narrow dusty road to the left of the main road. Then the tippers throw their loads in readily prepared big holes and the mechanical shovels turned the soil on the live people!!
It was a post war and uprising situation. The people are staying either inside their homes or escaped to the bushes. The road between Hila and Mahawel was empty a part from the noises of the tanks and cars of the killers and their horror producing shovels and birds which may be Angels witnessing the crime with deep cry coming from the sky. At that moment there was a Bus carrying passengers with families may be trying to escape the killing fields toward Baghdad! The thugs stopped it and forced the driver to drive into the hole with its passengers on their seats! After few minutes the bus disappeared under the soil and dust with the scream and agony of its passengers silenced forever!
After the bus excavated the passenger where found on their seats as if they are still waiting to complete their unfinished journey! Instead they travelled to their last destiny.
It was Hussien Kamel and his thugs who carried Saddam's orders to kill a fixed percentage of the Shiite from each city after the uprising in 1991.
Thanks to GWB the junior who liberated the Iraqis from Saddam regime and thanks to the Americans who supported that. The coalition soldiers who were killed in Iraq are Iraqi martyrs. This doesn't mean that we accept occupation but we consider it as liberation and we hope there will be a system to give birth to full democracy, after which the coalition forces will go back to their homes and loved ones safe and with flowers and friendship forever. Iraq will need the American support even after that. We think what happened to Saddam regime is the will of God by the hands of the US and its allies. The new Iraq will be a member in this coalition.
Demonstrations!
Thousands have been demonstrated today in the Capital Baghdad and several other cities like Karbala, Najaf, Basrah, and other cities demanding to put Saddam soon into a trail regarding his countless crimes! The demonstrators demanded to consider him as a criminal of war as well and to hand him to an Iraqi court soon!
They condemned the decision to give him a POW privileged!
No Title!
Take another example, Ron (see comments under a day of mourning); the recent declaration of the Morshed (The Leader) of the (Muslims Brothers Party) (Ikhowan Al Muslimen) Mohammed Mahdi Akief in Al Arabi Newspaper (18/1/2004) he said that the attacks (suicidal and non suicidal) in Palestine and Iraq justified as duties and obligations!!!
Akief is the new leader for the above party after the previous leader expired recently. He is Egyptian and the strange thing is how could the Egyptian authorities allowed and tolerated such calls for terrorist attacks!! What is the difference between Bin Laden and Akief? I don't like to add more!
Just a Survey
1. Just after the suicidal coward attack in Baghdad which killed 26 Iraqis and more than a 100 injured the same thugs committed another crime by an explosion near the shrine of Al-Abbas in Kerbala. It is obvious then who are these garbage!
2. Sources revealed that some of the big members of the Baath including wanted killers and terrorist trying to benefit from the Haj season to escape from Iraq to Saudi Arabia and then to other countries. Among them is Ezzat Addori the wanted number one on the 55 play cards! Money could be smuggled in either direction from and to Iraq to supply the terrorist attacks.
3. The suicidal who attacked a police station in Baqoba noticed to speak with non-Iraqi Arabic accent! At least 35 were killed and injured!
4. The US forces killed 1 Syrian and 2 Yemenis yesterday in Baghdad after they opened fire on the US solders during a raid on the house they stayed in. Explosives and hand grenades have been found in the house.
5. There is no need to carry the pictures of Khomeini in any occasions in Iraq. Khomeini pictures remind the Iraqis about Saddam and the 8 years war. The Shiites in Iraq are different than the Iranian and they do not like to follow their ways at all. The Iraqi Shiites are Iraqis and not Iranian and no need to carry the Khomeini pictures at this time or at any time. Khomeini is for the Iranian and not for the Iraqis. We welcome the Iranians as neighbours and friends but not to interfere in our affairs or try to export their ideology to us.
6. Abd Al Aziz Al Hakeem should give his explanation why he signed the 137 civil rule by which the 40 years old civil law could have been abolished! The 137 decree has been rejected by Paul Bremer but Mr Hakeem should give his explanation about the issue. A change of the civil law should not be taken so easily and it should be studied and discussed by the specialists to modernize it if needed. At that stage Mr Hakeem and the others could give their views but not to impose it.
A day of mourning; GC & CPA
We call up on the CPA, the GC and the Iraqis in Baghdad who can join and the families of the victims of Baghdad barbaric attack to go tomorrow or a day of their choice during this week to where the attack happened and have a 3 minutes silence and read Al Fatiha (verses from the Holly Quran) and a verses from the Bible if there are Christian citizens among the victims. Also get flowers as much as you can to the site where the innocent souls been taken off by the hands of the killers. Let us show the killers that the life of our people is of great value for us who ever they are. Let us get our flowers there for the souls of the victims. Let us show our support to the families of the dead. Please do it!
We also demand from the religious leaders of the Shiite (Mr Sistani), the Sunni, the Christians, and the others to send letters of condemnations and letters of support to the families of the victims. Get out of your silence about these acts of evil for Allah seek.
Today's Suicidal Bomb in Baghdad
The suicidal wild animal that carried the
attack already went to the Hell but those who supplied him with the means and brain washed him should be captured and hanged at the scene of the explosion after a just trail. These animals understand no language other than force. If you reward them for their terrorist barbaric acts they will do it some where else in a bigger scale to get a bigger reward and they will kill you all.
The questions which should be answered is who are they? Who gave them the means and from where? Who did the same attacks in Najaf and Baghdad before?
The criminals need to be uncovered by the responsible authorities in Baghdad like the CPA, the GC and the Iraqi Police and not to be set under the carpet! Who killed Majed Al Khoei and Baker Al Hakeem and who attacked the UN head quarter and the other criminal acts?
We need to know the results of the investigations?
Let the criminals face their punishment before you all die by their hands!
A Preliminary Election
The plan to hand over the power to an Iraqi government in July 2004 created a lot of debates. All the Iraqis have the right to be involved directly in deciding the future of their country but they should not be influenced by the political intention of some of the regional and international powers who don't like to see prosperous, democratic and free Iraq. The regional powers that fear a real democratic system in Iraq will push forcefully some groups in and outside Iraq to try to prevent or at least cripple any democratic system as much as they can. There are signs of a change in the tactics of these powers to achieve their goals after they failed to do so by the terrorist attacks. The same people who exaggerated the attacks as if it is going to bring back Saddam's regime are now concentrate on the religious, ethnic and national issues to divide and encourage unrest in Iraq. They may take a comment by a little clergy or a mullah and make it a big story to serve their sick intention!
All Iraqis should be aware and vigilant about the new tactics. They should unite under one motive which is (IRAQ IS FOR IRAQIS). Iraqis are Iraqis and not Shiite or Sunnis or Kurds or Arabs or others at least during the present time. Iraqis for the first time in 35 years can talk freely. This may cause a rebound phenomenon after 35 years from oppression into complete freedom! The situation will then gradually calm down and the people will pass from the post delivery CRY status into maturation periods by which they will pass into a sitting then crawling then standing and walking positions. We think since 9 April 2003 after the birth of the new Iraq by the most serious and extensive caesarean section the maturation process is moving forward in spite of many hurdles. Democracy is not something that you can impose by force. It needs proper system and the people should be prepared to carry it out as well as to respect its outcome. It needs parties with clear agenda about the health, education, economy, social, and political and other issues. To make these clear you need a media to reach to the people and to identify those who are going to stand for the election. Maturation process on the other hand will be pushed forward by pushing the process of reconstruction forward.
The Iraqis should not look to the nominated candidates from their ethnic or national status like Kurd or Arab or Shiite or Sunni but they should look to their agenda about the important issues of the country. Iraqis needs to be aware that they should not listen to the sick intentions of the others.
During the history of recent Iraq there were 46 governments. Only 6 out of them were led by Shiite Primeministers! Some of the Arabs think that this is a history which should stay the same. It is like their views about leaders for life and when die pass the power to the sons! History is important but to learn from it not to stick inside it. The Iraqis should ignore the sick intention and look to the agenda and not the people.
Mr Amir Tahri has recently (16 Jan 2004) wrote an interesting article in Asharq Al-Awsat entitled as I translate it freely (Required To Hand Power to Iraqis Quickly: Sistani is right and Coalition is wrong, and there is a need for a political road map).
Amir Tahri rightly concluded that Mr Sistani is a man not after political position and he is not stiff man but if things explained and discussed with him he will change his mind. He had no political party and don't like to do so and he is not Khomeni but he was and still against Khomeni's views about involving religion in political.
Mr Paul Bremer commented today that he hold a great respect to Mr Sistani. Some of the Arab and non Arab media try to manipulate Mr Sistani issue and inject it with poison. I am sure Mr Paul Bremer aware about this and his comments today sending one message to different groups on the same time. Mr Sistani when asked by a group of Iraqis about his idea regarding the new government he said that (THE IDEAL THING IS TO DO AN ELECTION AND MANY EXPERITS SAY THAT IT COULD BE DONE IN THE COMING MONTHS WITH AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND CREDIBILITY). The media and some interpreted Mr Sistani's answer wrongly or intentionally. This is a wrong and serious situation indeed. Sistani is not a political leader but he is highly respected at least from the Shiite. He doesn't like to be Khomeni as those with sick intentions trying to show him in their media like Al Arabyia and Al Jazeera and others.
Mr Tahri in his article said that Mr Sistani only gave his idea by telling that the ideal way to put a government is by election and if some one can persuade him that the reality now needs a different way until things get ready he will change his mind! I add to that if you ask any one he will tell that the ideal way to put a government is by election, exactly what Mr Sistani said.
To conclude things election is better than selection but the first needs certain conditions which are not ready yet! Selection on the other hand will cast many doubts about the legality of the new government and it will be accused by the same ones who have the bad intentions as a poppet. Same thing happened with the GC. It is even not of the interest for Mr GWB in the next election to see a poppet government in Iraq.
The best thing therefore, is to have an interim election for an interim government to stay for a decided period of time say for 1 year by which the way should be set aside for new constitution and census and then election. The shape of the new government and the election will be determined by consultation with different parties and Mr Sistani should be consulted as one respected leader as well. This interim election can be used as a trial to avoid mistakes in the final one and to get the people to know how to vote! The only vote that the Iraqis knew was the 100% vote for Saddam.
Conclusion:
IT IS BETTER TO CARRY OUT AN INTERIM ELECTION NOW ACCORDING TO THE EASIEST WAY AVALIABLE TO ELECT AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT FOR A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME 1-2 YEARS. ONE OF THE TOP AGENDA OF THIS GOVERNMENT IS TO PREPARE A SYSTEM FOR A REAL ELECTION RPOMPIT BY THE DATE. THE Interim ELECTION SHOULD BE OBSERVED BY THE UN AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. THIS WILL MAKE IT LEGAL AND RESPECTED.
Arabs Steals Iraqi Money
News confirmed that millions of the new Iraqi money have been smuggled to Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt and may be many other Arab countries! In Lebanon it becomes a scandal because of Lebanese firms employed in Baghdad airport security may be involved as well as some officials. Investigations are underway! In Egypt millions have been discovered by the police and they decided to stop dealing with the new Iraqi money to try to stop the thefts from further smuggles. Jordan had its share as usual.
On the time Japan sending its sons and money to share in the reconstruction of Iraq and the US and its Western allies leading this process; the Arabs send their sons to kill the Iraqis and the coalition forces and steal the new money hoping to get rich when the US and its allies start the process of reconstruction. More than that the Arabs loudly shouting and yelling telling us that the US there to kill the Iraqis and to confiscate their wealth!
We advise the Iraqi GC and the new government to limit its offer and contract for the Arab companies in the process of rebuilding. You should make a deal with the good, trusty and honest and avoid the bad, ugly and hypocrites! This not a reaction but a fact.
PS: Yesterday was the last day of Saddam's money. It is replaced with the new Iraqi money.
The Civil Law?!
The Interim Government Council has issued a controversial rule (137) which was signed by Abd Al Aziz Al Hakeem on 29 Dec 2003! In one line the previous 40 years old civil law has been replaced by referring all the civil affair cases into the local clergy men or tribal chiefs and according to the faith of the person!
Mr Paul Bremer of course hasn't passed it which is good.
There were a lot of demonstrations went against this futile reactionary decision by the GC! How dear they decided to abolish 40 years old civil law which is not representing the previous regime but it more represents the unity of the Iraqi society by one civil law. It is a big mistake for the GC to decide now about the big issues which needs special groups and panels from specialist people to review it first. Then they may put structured suggestions to improve or change or modernise the inappropriate parts.
Signing to abolish a civil law by this way indicates one of two things, either ignorance by the GC about the whole issue or intentional. In both circumstances the new suggested one line civil law is not suitable for a fish in its pool! It will cause nothing but more division in the society.
We suggest that this matter should be left to the specialists to study the whole civil law and then come into a unified conclusion.
The Pictures of the Devil!
Saddam is worse than the devil because the later will only persuade people to do wrong deeds and retreat from them in the last moment before they indulge in the mischief!
In the previous post published the pictures of Saddam after captured and below is a drop of the ocean of the mass killing and crimes that the Master of the Devil commit against the Iraqi innocent women, children, men and environment! See this drop of the ocean of Saddam's crimes by the hands of his thugs aginst youth and children taken by doubts only! The scenes in the
film are distressful so please be careful if you don't like to see it!
New Pictures for Saddam
From Military.com and published by Sotaliraq.com
Important Announcement!
If you receive a message saying
(life is beautiful.pps) don't open it is a dangerous virus! See
this.
Sam
Why the History?
We may draw many conclusions important for our present & future from the history. Differences in these conclusions may even be more important. I am not a specialist in history & when I was in school I use to have a dislike to attend the lessons of the history subject! I hate wars and blood shades & the history of mankind full with these kinds of crimes. Right from the beginning when only two brothers exist on earth one of them killed his brother! The recent history is no difference but an extension to the evil & good!
We certainly will not be able to become angles but we should try our best to live in a healthy environment with peace & love!
Recent history taught us that hate and selfishness can only give birth to destruction and agony. The best example of this is the crime of the 11 Sep 2001 in New York. The other example is Saddam crimes against the mankind & nature.
There is great saying by Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib translated like this: "Do not be ridged so broken easily neither soft so squeezed readily but be elastic"! Elasticity can only come by good and right. Each one of us got two sides in himself evil and good. There are many factors may determine which side will flourish. If the good side grows it will reflect its light not only inside ourselves but also towards the others including every thing around us. If the evil side stimulated it will grow and give birth to evil buds until it encase us with darkness which will spread to involve the others.
Based on the light of this short introduction and the history of Iraq I may draw the following conclusions about Iraq:
1. For long time especially from the Othman Empire until now Iraq remained unstable. This instability benefited the minority and brought misery to the majority. Among the minority are the leaders who got the evil darkness inside themselves.
2. The people helped to create their bad leaders. Hypocritical people exist everywhere but there are many other factors determine the outcome of their deeds.
3. If the Iraqis like to have proper democracy they should change their view about the leaders. They should learn that leadership is a responsibility and a job and not a privilege neither a representation of God on earth! There should be no poem or applauses or slogans for the leaders at all!! No pictures or posters anywhere! News should cover the actions not the individuals. One feel sick of watching the Middle East leaders in their TVs for hours shaking hands & kissing or rubbing noses or listening to their hypocritical poem reading aliens or racing on horses and so on.
4. The previous leaders were variably above the law and the law in case of Saddam was Saddam! This should change and the law should be above every one.
5. From the history the leaders were non-elected, coup delivered, military dictators and semi-illiterate. From Arif on ward they got ethnic and racial antipathy.
6. The Iraqis Arab, Kurds, Turks, Assyrians, Shiites, Sunni, Christians, Jewish, Sabyian, Yazidis and others all should be same in front of the law and they should live in unity. A garden has to contain different kinds of flowers, trees, bushes and other plants to be attractive.
7. The type of state should be decided by the people of Iraq in a direct voting and not by the interim leaders. It is a big mistake to talk about Federal state or so now. It is OK and healthy to hear the view of each party but not healthy to decided about it. Leaders of the parties have the right to express their views but not to impose it on the people. Most Iraqis think that there should be a constitution first and an elected government then the type of state can be considered by two steps. First voting is to decide the type of state then if the people voted for the federal state another round by which the type of the federal state may be decided. Most Iraqis don't like a federal state based on ethnic or national status but what ever the results of election come should be respected even if it decide to convert Iraq into an American state!
8. Lastly democracy should not mean that you elect every one including the head teacher or the university president or a company chairman as it is going on now! There are certain jobs should be appointed by proper interviews according to their CVs and by open competitions only. It is good to have freedom and criticism but there should be roles. There is no point of appointing a university president by election and there is another one who is better than him to be in that position. Indeed the presidential election based on the American way is nothing but a public interview by the people to appoint their president.
Iraqis should learn from the American and British systems of democracy.
God bless Iraq and America!
Iraqi Leaders post Othman Empire
1. General Stanley Maud: 11 March 1917-18 Nov 1917 (Occupation mandate)
A domineering military man transferred to Iraq to enforce the besieged British forces in Kut (South East Baghdad). On the 19 March 1917 announced that they came as a liberator & not occupiers. 14 Nov 1917 attended a party in a Jewish school. Once he returned to his tent he got Cholera and died on the 18 Nov 1917. Buried in the British graveyard in Bab Al Moadham in Baghdad.
2. Arnold Talbot Wilson: 1918-1920 (Occupation mandate)
A young officer (34 years). Failed in Iraq because of his lack of understanding about the Iraqi society & because of his believes that the white man should lead others! He always said that the Iraqis should be governed directly by the British! This created huge unrest and revolt in 1920 resulted in his replacement by PC.
3. Percy Zachariah Cox: 1920-1922 (Occupation mandate)
Opposite to AW he was wise, quiet and understands the Iraqi personality and society. He paved the way for the first Arabic government in Iraq by Faisal I. He also suggested the creation of the Iraqi army (see my previous post 5 Jan 2004). When King Faisal I become ill he governs directly and used force to crush the national uprising.
4. Abd Al Rahman Al Nakeeb: 1920-1921 (Head Interim Government)
He was the head of the interim government which was appointed by PC from 27 Nov 1920 until 23 Aug 1921 when King Faisal I take over. Then he becomes PM for 3 times until 1922 when he was replaced by Abd Al Mohseen Al Sadoon.
5
. King Faisal I: 1921-1933. (Monarch)
Born in Taif (Hijaz) and his father is Al Hussien Ali Al Hashimi. His ancestry go to Al Hassan Al Mouthana the son of Al Hassan the son of Ali bin Abi Taleb the cousin of prophet Mohammed and the husband of his daughter Fatima. He fought the Turk with his father and they make an alliance with the British. He was the commander general of the Arab troops which fought with the British in Palestine and Syria against the Turk. He entered Syria 1918 and appointed King but expelled by the French after they captured Syria. He stayed then in the UK until 1921 when Winston Churchill appointed him for Iraq! He was a reformist. During his reign a constitution was created and Iraq's relations improved with other countries. He died from heart arrest in Bern 8 July 1933 and buried in Baghdad.
6. King Ghazi I: 1933-1939 (Monarch)
Born 1912 in Makkah. He came to Iraq 1924 when named as Crown Prince. He studied in Harrow College in the UK. Then he studied in the Military academy in Baghdad. He died by car accident while driving his car 4 April 1939. The army start many coups during his reign.
7. King Faisal II: 1939-1958 (Monarch)
Born in Baghdad 1935 and studied there. He was under the regency of his uncle Prince Abd Al Elah after his father death! H e want to the UK Harrow College and return back after 5 years in 1953 and received his full duties in 2 May 1953 until the coup of 1958.
8. Prince Abd Al Elah Ali: 1939-1958 (Monarch)
Born in Taif 1912. Regency on Faisal II because of his age. In 1941 he fled to Basrah after a major unrest in the country due to the British involvement in every decision of the government. The ministers then appointed Prince Sharaf as a regency on the King (10 April 1941-31 June 1941). The British government refused this. A big fight erupted between the Iraqi army and the British army resulted in large losses from both sides. At the end the British army brought Abd Al Elah back. He was killed in 14 July 1958 with Faisal II in their palace after the republican coup which put an end to the Monarch.
9. Mohammed Najib Ar-Rubai: 1958-1963 (Head of State Council-Republic)
He was a professional army officer with Qassem coup.
10. Abdul Kareem Qassem: 1958-1963 (Commander of the national forces)
Born 1914 in Baghdad and moved with his father to Kut. He came back to Baghdad 1927. His first job was a primary school teacher in Al Shamiah in Middle Euphrates area 1932. He then was accepted in the military academy and joined many courses and trainings in and outside Iraq. He led the coup with the (free officers) and put an end to the Monarch in 14 July 1958. He was the PM and the commander in chief of forces until the power was taken by another coup. He was executed in 9 Feb 1963 by the Baathist and Arab Nationalist.
11. Abdus Salaam Arif: 1963-1966 (First President) by (Coup)
Born 1921 in Baghdad and studied there including military academy. He was among what is called the (free officers) with Qaseem and become PM after the coup. He was then expelled from his positions by Qaseem and appointed as Ambassador in Germany. He tried to topple Qaseem and was sentenced to death but changed to prison then freed later on. He led a coup with the Baathist 8 Feb 1963 resulted in him being the first president of Iraq because Qaseem remained as a PM and haven't appointed himself as a president! In 18 Oct 1963 he turned against his partners the Baathist, expelled them from power and put some in prisons. He died by a mysterious helicopter crash in Basrah 13 April 1966. He was described as having racial discrimination and antipathy against the Shiite majority in Iraq!
12. Abdur Rahman Arif: 1966-1968 (2nd President) (Inheritance from brother!!)
He born 1912 and was like his brother army officer. 16 April 1966 appointed as the President!! He then was given higher military rank!! On 17 July 1968 he was arrested after the black coup of the Baathist again!
13. Ahmad Hassan Al-Bakr At-Tikriti: 17 July 1968 -16 July 1979 (Coup)
Born 1912 in Tikrit. Another army officer who joined the republican coup but sacked due to his support to Arif. In 1963 he was central in Arif's coup against Qassem & become PM after they killed Qassem! 6 months later he was dismissed by Arif with his Baaths members. In 17 July 1968 Bakr and Baath controlled power by a coup. Soon his first cousin Saddam cooperates closely with him and the programme of executions by Saddam started from 30 July 1968 after they turn on their fellows. The real power was gradually and progressively pulled from Bakr to Saddam. By 1979 things have ripened well for Saddam especially after Iran khomeni revolt against Shah and the disagreement between Bakr and Saddam about Syria. Saddam and Hafiz Assad were rivals about their intentions to led and many other things. The West also supported Saddam because of Iran so he forced Bakr to resign and put him under house arrest in ignominy. Bakr died under mysterious circumstances believed to be poisoned by Saddam in 4 Oct 1982.
14. Saddam Hussien At-Tikriti: July 1979-8 April 2003! (Multiple Bloody Coups)
Born 28 April 1937 in Ouja village near Tikrit. Ouja in Arabic means anomalous or not straight or not right! There are lots of roamers and doubts about his life but the certain thing that he was a killer from his early years. He killed his brother in law in 1958 because the later was communist! He was among those attempts to assassinate Qassem in 7 Oct 1959. He flees to Egypt via Syria and returned back in Feb 1963. Two weeks after 1968 Baath coup he took charge of the internal security and undertook major purge with his half brother Barzan of their fellows. Took over from Bakr 16 July 1979 and immediately called for a meeting of the high Baath members during which he was reading names from a list in front of him while smoking a cigar. As soon as he calls a name the person stand up and special security men drag him out for death! It was a real death party! The whole Baath system was horrified and from then on the Baath was nothing but Saddam! 22 sep 1979 he invaded Iran in a bloody war lasted for 8 years. He used the war as a cover to commit crimes of mass killing against Shiites and Kurds. 28 March 1988 attacked Halabja with WMD (chemical) by his cousin Ali chemical and killed at least 5000 Iraqi civilians in one day! 2nd Aug 1990 invaded Kuwait which led to Um Al Maarek (better called Um Al Mahalek)! This followed by one of the most sever embargos in the history lasted for 12 years! March 1991 he committed one of the bloodiest crimes in the history against mankind by crushing the revolt of Shiite and Kurds! He ordered his thugs led by the entombed Hussien Kamel and Ali chemical and others like Mohammad Hamza to kill a decided percentage from each Province which revolted against him calling them the Black Provinces. The Baathist then have to take certain percentage of people from these provinces. They called the people by macro phones to gather them in one of the public places or outside their cities and towns. Then they collect these people women, children, elderly, young, handicapped, any thing just to fulfil the percentage ordered by Mr President and took them to kill them and buried them in mass graves which were later discovered after his fall. During the years of sanction Iraq declined severely in every aspect but Saddam and his Sons and family lived a more prosperous life. His ambitions for control remained same. He used the suffering and the tragedy of the Iraqi people for his own propaganda. He remained defiant in spite of the lack of the sovereignty of the state due to the inspections by the UN. The WMD was a key issue for the conflict with the international community led by the US. Indeed the mass graves are the best proof for the WMD. After many UN resolutions the US, UK and Spain gave Saddam a golden opportunity to leave with his Sons on 17 March 2003 but he rejected it. France, Russia and Germany stand against the war (in a way with Saddam). War started on 20 March 2003 and Baghdad fall down on the 9 April 2003 (indeed liberated from the most tyrant regime on earth)! 22 July 2003 Saddam's Sons killed and went to the hell! 14 Dec 2003 Saddam was captured near Tikrit in Aldor in a the rat whole!
15. Jay Garner: 21 April 2003-12 May 2003 (Occupation)
Born 15 April 1938. He is a retired Lt General in the US Army. He was appointed as the Director of Reconstruction & Humanitarian Assistance for the post war Iraq shortly after Saddam fall. He was criticized for not doing enough to stop the lawlessness in Baghdad & replaced by L Paul Bremer. He runs the relief mission for Kurdish area after 1991 war. He is an expert in the missile system and was the Army Space and Strategic Defense Command under Resident Reagan. After retirement as Assistance Vice Chief of Staff in 1997 he became president of SYColeman which is a defense missile specialist contractors. During his appointment in Iraq he was on an unpaid leave from this company. J Garner also worked closely with the Israeli defense forces.
16. Lewis Paul Bremer III: 12 May 2003-? (Occupation)
Born 30 Sep 1941 in Hartford, Connecticut. Graduated in Yale University with BA 1963, then went for Master Business in Harvard University 1966 but he joined the Foreign service as officer in Kabul Afghanistan. He studied in the Institute of Politics, University of Paris for CEP certificate. He was appointed as Economic & commercial Officer in Blantyre, Malawi 1968-1971. In 1972-1976 he was an assistant to Henry Kissinger in the State Department. 1976-1979 he was Deputy Chief of Mission in Oslo. 1976-1981 Deputy Executive Secretary of State. 1981 Executive Secretary & Special Assistant to Alexander Haig. 1983 US ambassador to Netherlands. 1986 Ambassador at Large for Counterterrorism. 1989 managing director in Kissinger Associates consulting firm. Also Chairman & CEO of insurance services belong to Marsh and McLennan companies Inc. 1999 Chairman of National Commission on Terrorism. 2001 Co-Chair the Home Land Security Task Force the Heritage Foundation. He speaks English, French, Farsi, German, Norwegian & may be little Arabic with Iraqi axon! He is married to Frances Winfield and has a daughter and a son. He was appointed as the Civil Administrator of Iraq after J Garner.
He arrived to Basrah airport with Gen. Richard Myers and on his arrival announced that "The coalition did not come to colonize Iraq," and he said "We came to overthrow a despotic regime. That we have done. Now our job is to turn and help the Iraqi people regain control of their own destiny."
He survived ambush 19 Dec 2003 in Baghdad. Until now the major things happened in Iraq are; the approval of the Interim Governmental Council of Iraq 13 July 2003, the dissolution of the 300,000 Iraqi army, the capture of Saddam 13 Dec 2003 but the situation though better still unstable and the services are not yet back to work with very bad unemployment status and damaged infrastructure.
The Cradle of Civilization
Sumer, Akkad, Babylon & Assyria are the out come of the first civilization which moved from prehistory to history in the Mesopotamia present Iraq. An advanced civilization flourished in Sumer long before that of Egypt, Greece & Rome. It is deep-rooted civilization had fostered humanity from its affluent fountain for thousands of years. Now Iraq contains the world's richest known archaeological sites.
Mesopotamia was a land of lush vegetation, abundant wildlife, & copious water resources. By 6000 B.C., many people migrated from neighboring areas into its water rich land where the Tigers meet Euphrates in the South.
The civilized life emerged in Sumer was shaped by the unpredictable devastating floods of the two rivers & the deposit of soil to make a low level fertile Marshy land.
For the first time in history, the Sumerian people learned to grow surplus food. As surplus production increased and as collective management became more advanced, a process of urbanization evolved and Sumerian civilization took root in the Southern Iraq.
The Sumerians were highly innovative people who responded creatively to the challenges of nature. They innovated many great legacies to the humanity, such as writing, irrigation, the wheel, astronomy, & literature.
Hammurabi
Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC), was the 6th king of Amorites in Babylon. Babylon comes from Bab-ili which means the "Gate of God". Babylonian rule encompassed a huge area covering most of the Tigris-Euphrates river valley from Sumer and the Persian Gulf in the south to Assyria in the north. Hammurabi united the land again after the fall of the great state of the Summerians & extends the empire from the Arabian Gulf to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
Under Hammurabi's dynasty, (the First Dynasty of Babylon - 200 years), Babylonia entered into a period of extreme prosperity & relative peace. Throughout his long reign he personally supervised navigation, irrigation, agriculture, tax collection, & the erection of many temples & buildings. Although he was a successful military leader and administrator, Hammurabi is primarily remembered for his codification of the laws governing Babylonian life. Under Hammurabi the Assyrians & the Babylonians achieved complete harmonious fusion & peace.
Hammurabi was a great lawgiver. He introduced his
Code of Law in the second year of his reign. It is considered the earliest legal comprehensive code known in history. Hammurabi recorded the law code on a block of black diorite 2.4 m (8 ft) high. This was discovered by a team of French archaeologists at Susa, Iraq, during the winter of 1901 & is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Many of his concepts were adopted by the other nations & used as principles of law in modern time like:
1. The state is the authority responsible for enforcing the law
2. Social justice should be guaranteed
3. The punishment should fit the crime
4. Legal protection should be provided to lower classes
After Hammurabi
As mentioned before the prosperity, peace, well advanced life & system led the others to fight many wars in that region but the Mesopotamian continued to make more advancement in all aspect of their life & system. In summary the following major events happened:
1. Around 1590 BC a Kassite tribes succeeded to control Babylonia & set itself as a dynasty.
2. Elamites control power from Kassite around 1168 BC.
3. Assyrian become a regional power North to Babylon by around 1370 BC
4. Babylonian revolt & dynasty of Isin take over. Nebuchadnezzar-I expanded the land to the North & conquered Jerusalem & carried away thousands of Hebrews back to Babylon. He allowed them to practice their religion freely & make them to learn new professions & jobs where they dissolved in the society. One of the seven wonders the Hanging Gardens were built by his son Nebuchadnezzar-II around 700 BC. The Hanging Gardens were built on top of stone arches 23 meters above ground and watered from the Euphrates by a complicated mechanical system. The roots of the trees are embedded in an upper terrace rather than in the earth. It was Nebuchadnezzar II who restored Mesopotamia to its former Babylonian glory and made Babylon the most famous city of the ancient world.
5. Around 600 BC Assyria was in its glory & controlled Babylon
6. Iranian attacked Babylon & Cyrus the Great takeover in 539BC
7. Babylon then declined after controlled by Alexander the Great in 331BC, who died there in 323 BC. Mesopotamia became under the Greek Seleucid dynasty
8. In the second century BC until 7th century AD, it became part of the Persian Empire & Sassanids had their capital in Ctesiphon in Iraq. Wars between the Persians & the Byzantine weakened the Sassanids.
9. In the 7th century AD, the Arab Muslims captured it from Persian by three major battles; Dhat Al-Salasil (the battle of chains) for chaining the Persian POWs by chains; Al-Buwayb and Al-Qadisiyah after which Rustum the Persian emperor was killed. The second caliph Omar (634-644 AD) ordered the founding of two important cities Basrah and Kuffa which became later the Capital of the Isalm during Imam Ali (PUH) caliphate. Later his Son Imam Hussein (PUH) the grandson of Prophet Mohammed (PUH) was killed in Kerbala about 100 miles south west of Baghdad (680 AD) by the rulers of Kuffa Bin Ziad who represent the Umayyad dynasty of Yazied Bin Maaowiah in Damascus.
10. In 750 AD Abbasid dynasty by Abo Al Abbas established its state in Baghdad which became the capital of the Islamic world after the fall of the Umayyad dynasty. Baghdad became the centre of power in the world. It became the center for scientific and philosophical glory for decades to come. The first university in the world was built there and called Al-Mustansryiah which is still standing there in Baghdad beside the river Tigers. They translated many books in medicine, science, astrology, philosophy, physics, maths, religion like Greek Old Testament and many other books for Aristole, Hippocrates, Plato, Ptolemy, Euclid & Pythagoras. They made many great discoveries like in spherical astronomy and integral calculus. Al-Khawarizmi invented the Zero & used Algebraic equations. The book of Bin-Sina in medicine (Al-Kanoon) (The Law) considered the main reference book for medicine for many decades in ME and Europe. Medicine advanced rapidly a lot and subs-specialization started here. The Abbasid era was not without many atrocities by some of their rulers and by the outside interferences. Later on these internal affairs and the unjust of some Caliphs weakened the state. At the end the Caliph was only a Puppet for others.
11. Mongols invasion: In the early 13th century Genghis Khan (World Conqueror) led a huge force of Mongols swept from china to the conquered all the lands and states until reaching Iran. He then died and during the time of grandson Hulagu Khan (1217 – 1265 AD) he entered Baghdad with 200,000 soldiers on 10th Moharam 1258 and they killed hundred of thousands of people including the last Abbasid Caliph Al-Mustaa'sm Billah who was crushed under feet. Hulagu destroyed every thing including the artistic and science work built over centuries. He burned books and it said that the Tigris turned red from blood and blue fro the ink. After this destruction the history of Iraq came into chaos.
12. From 16th - 20th century Iraq history was affected by the on going conflict between Safawid in Iran and Ottomanis in Turkey. It was mainly ruled for 400 years by the Ottoman Empire who ignored Iraq requirements and tried aggressively to implement "Turkifications" on the Iraqi society as well as to use as a buffer zone against the Iranian. This 400 years was a continuation of the destruction created by the Mongols with little improvements. Added to that the floods, plagues, malaria and other diseases and wars.
13. British occupation: After the 1st world war the Ottoman Empire failed and Iraq became part of the British empire colonies by 1917. In 1920 the Iraqis revolted against British rule which led to a new plan for the rule of the country. Faisal Bin Hussian the brother the ruler of Jordan King Abdallah appointed by the British to be the ruler of Iraq in 1921. Six year later Iraq found to have huge reserves of oil which brought many improvement to its life. Iraq became an independent state in 3rd Oct 1932 & joined the League of Nations. In 1949 Iraq became a member of the UN & on the same year it became a founder member of the Arab League. The recent history of Iraq then influenced by Pro-Arab nationalists and many coups, war & instability.
14. From Kingdom to Republic: On 14 July 1958 the Hashimite monarchy was overthrown by a coup executed by 19 officers under the leadership of Abdul-Karim Qassem and they executed King Faisal II and many others among the royal family and government.
Four years later the Baath party and Arab nationals overthrown and assassinated Qassem by a coup on 8th Feb 1963 and by the leader of Abdul Salam Arif & Ahmad Al-Baker. Arif died on 13th April 1966 by helicopter accident in Basrah & his brother Abd Al Rahman succeeded him.
Five years later on 17th July 1968 the Baath party took over after a coup against Abdul Rahman Arif the brother of Abdul Salam. Ahmad Al-Baker became president but power was in the hands of Saddam Hussien from a few days later when he controlled from behind the scenes then he put Al-Baker in house arrest and replaced him on 16th July 1979.
During Saddam's presidency from 1979 until his fall on 9th April 2003 he led Iraq into 3 major wars with Iran (from 22nd Sep 1980 until 8th Aug 1988), invasion of Kuwait (2nd Aug 1990 until 3rd March 1991) and later the Coalition forces led by USA war started 20th March 2003 until the occupation of Baghdad in 9th April 2003.
In addition to that he accepted to lead a country weakened by sever sanctions & strict inspections and the North of the country was not under the control of the central government. During his time the Iraqi people were dying from wars, sanctions, executions, and diseases. He also caused nearly 5 million Iraqis to leave the country accepting an alternative life bringing more suffering & pain for most of them. He governed Iraq with fear, imprisonment, execution, mass killing, expulsion, & discrimination.
The New Iraq
After decades of hardship and suffering Iraqis everywhere must now unite to build a new free and democratic Iraq which contribute to the welfare of its own people and humanity at large ...as it formerly did in its history.
The Sumerian Great Legacies
1. Writing: The first letter in history was written in Sumer as a pictograms (simplified pictures on clay tablets), gradually they created the Cuneiform writing which contains phonetic & syllabic, elements providing a flexible way of communication. Through writing, the Sumerians were able to pass on knowlege & exprience to successive generations; this led to marked improvements in agricultural production & science advancment.
Pictogram
Cuneiform
2. Literatures: Recording of poetry, epics, events & history was started by the Sumerians. The famous Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh has survived in almost the complete form. Laden with complex abstractions & emotional expressions, the epic of
Gilgamesh reflects the intellectual sophistication of the Sumerians, & it has served as the prototype for all Near Eastern inundation stories.
3. Religion: The precariousness of existence in southern Mesopotamia led to a highly developed sense of religion. Cult centers like Eridu, 5000 B.C., served as important centers of pilgrimage & devotion. These cult centers emerged in most Sumerian cities, thus reinforcing the close relationship between communities & people with important political aspects. A powerful priesthood emerged to oversee ritual practices.
The priests ruled from the temples, (ziggurats) which were essentially artificial mountains of sun-baked brick, built with outside staircases that tapered toward a shrine at the top.
4. Civil Rules: Sumerian considered that all properties belong to God & land rentals, agricultural questions, trade, commercial relations, & war were determined by law. Unlike Egypt where Pharaoh used to own every thing including the people & properties as the living God, in Sumer the Royalty were no difference from the people & they are questionable by them. The Summerian used to believe in private property & any one including the Royalty may bargain for their own goods. The Sumerian society was a "Matriarchal" & women had a highly respected place in the community.
5. The Math system: The Sumerian care for the wellbeing of the community led to close observation of the scientific phenomena which led to innovation of the basic unit of calculation & numbers. They developed a math system based on the numeral (60) which is the basis of time in the modern world.
Math clay from Summer
6. Time scale: The concept of minutes & hour is Sumerian innovation. The first human calnder was the
Sumerian Calnder.
7. Agricultural system: The first land cultivated by a man was here in the South of Iraq. The Sumerians then developed a highly advanced agricultural system with refined irrigation & water-control systems which was spread to the near & far neighboring countries by the invented Sumerian writing.
8. City plans: In Sumer emerged for the first time city planning before building the cities. With advancement of this the Sumerian who lack stones built bricks & achieved marked advancement in the technologies of making bricks. They also the first to use these bricks for roads. Their big cities like Uruk, Eridu, Kish, Lagash, Agade, Akshak, Larsa, & Ur attracting many immigrant who are looking for more settled & prosperous life to go there. Ur was the birth place of Prophet Abraham (PUH) who is the Grand father of Prophet Mohammad (PUH).
9. The Wheel & Bronze: Both were innovated by the Sumerian 3700 B.C & led to advancement in war & technology. They discovered that when Tin melted with Copper it produce Bronze which is stronger & on the same time more durable. The first war was fought there & since then may wars happened a long it history.
10. Role of peace: Sargon 2334 BC, was the first king to send his troops as far as to Egypt & Ethiopia to unify the unsettled areas who used to fight for lands & water & to introduce law & prosperity by creating mass jobs for the people with large mobilization of laborer. Sargon created the first empire in the history. Wars then started to get more so often for the wealth of this region. With civilization law & roles get more advanced but the first written & well documented law was established by Hammurabi the King of Babylon to the North of Sumer.
11. Administrative structure: This was innovated by Hammurabi to the North of Sumer (Babylon) but he later ruled over Sumer as well. It was the first complete written structure for civil life in the human history called the Cod of Law.
Hammurabi
12. Banking activities: Banking originated in Mesopotamia in Babylon first temples then palaces provided a safe place for the storage of valuables. Initially deposits of grain were accepted & later other goods including cattle, agricultural implements, then precious metals.
Wet Scales from Sumer
Sumer became the most prosperous region & the others start to battle it for the wealth like the Akkadians who are Semitic & migrated up from the Arabian Peninsula. When the two peoples clashed, the Sumerians gradually lost control over the city-states they had so brilliantly created and fell under the hegemony of the Akkadian kingdom, which was based in Akkad (Sumerian Agade). This great capital of the largest empire humans had ever seen up until that point that was later to become Babylon, which was the commercial and cultural center of the Middle East for almost two thousand years.
In 2125 BC, the Sumerian city of Ur in southern Mesopotamia rose up in revolt, & the Akkadian empire fell before a renewal of Sumerian city-states.
A dramatic growth in science & mathematics were then set up, like the great mathematical inventions of the division of the circle into 360 degrees and were among the first to invent longitude and latitude in geographical navigation by the Assyrians. The Mesopotamians also developed a sophisticated medical science, which greatly influenced medical science everywhere. They invented the first medical law which regulated for the first time in man history the practice of medicine & the responsibility of the practitioners for their own mistakes toward the patients & society. Hammurabi's law was the first to put rules of who should and how should medicine practiced.
Saddam is a POW!!
What about these
1
2
3
4
And
this
Why a POW not a criminal of war plus other crimes? Is that mean it is easier to give him back as a POW to the Iraqi government? It seems strange isn't it? What are the implications and the possibilities?
Saddam the moment arrested!
From Sot Al Iraq
Reconstructing Iraq
There are a lot of signs indicates that the Iraqi reconstruction wheel start to spin. Iraq reconstruction will offer many opportunities to the companies, businesses and experienced individuals in every aspect from basics to high techs. Not only that but Iraq will open the Middle East and the North Africa for them if they do their jobs well in Iraq. This will be augmented by the Iraqis themselves. The Iraqis are very dynamic and hard working people. They are like their ancestors who invented the writing, the wheel, the banking services, the law, the astronomy; the city planning, the documentations, the arts, and many other things in the first civilization in Sumer more than 6000 years ago (see my first article in this blog please).
There are too many Iraqis well educated but unemployed whom will offer cheap hands to these companies other than the expensive imported hands! But this doesn't mean that the experts will not find jobs in the new Iraq. It is the reverse. Though Iraq has too many educated and hard working manpower but it was away from the recent advanced for longer than 20 years for the known reasons, so it needs all the expert manpower in all fields to train and work with the Iraqis. Working with the Iraqis is a joy because they got an open and dynamic mentality but they don't like those who cheat them! Iraqi society is more open than its neighbours especially the Gulf States. Its multi national, ethnic and religious culture makes it unique in the ME.
The companies start their marathon for competitions in Iraq and some planning to get Iraq as their base for the ME and Nr Africa. This is not a theory but it starts to happen right from now. For example VOEX who is a specialist company of telecommunication which started its services yesterday after signing a contract with Global net. They started to sale their mobiles and SIMS cards with GSM system and Erickson phones in Baghdad. They plan to cover all Iraq by the end of Feb. 2004 and from there to go abroad. They start to compete for lower prices of about 50 Cent for the minute and providing clear and fast services. From Iraq they plan to spread to ME and North Africa by using the Iraqi position, resources and dynamic manpower. So Iraq will not spread democracy only but markets, high techs and many other things.
The companies will find the Iraqi market very rewarding indeed because they will depend on the Iraqis for many of their jobs. This will be a rewarding aspect for the Iraqis because it will reduce the unemployment and improve the income. I heard a programme yesterday in radio SAWA about well educated Iraqis talking about their suffering due to unemployment. If the reconstruction start the unemployed people will get jobs and the economy improves and more companies will be needed and so on the wheel will get faster and then go to the neighbours. The wheel in Iraq will never stop. The most important thing is if the unemployment reduced there will be less people thinking about attacks and demonstrations and so on. This will increase the security and stability. It will then bring out to the success that the US and the other allies looking to show it over the rest of the world from Iraq. It will be a good tool in the hands of GWB in the next election and it will make Iraq as a very important strategic ally to the US in the region or may be the most strategic ally. GOOD LUCK GWB!
PS: I am looking to build a private hospital in Baghdad any partners?!, please come; let me know; but I need all the money; I don't have any money!! Is there any company interested to offer the money!!
Watching
1. A spokesman from the Pentagon has announced that 3 US soldiers from the 320th MP Battalion (based in Ashely, Pa., a suburb of Wilkies-Barre) have been sacked because of charges of abuses of the Iraqi POWs in Camp Bucca near Umm Qasr in the south of Iraq. The decision came by a Military court. Among the soldiers was the Sergeant Lisa Girman (35 years) (Pennsylvania state trooper) who admitted that she has beaten a POW and throw him down (15 May 2003). She kicked him on his genitelia, the abdomen and the head!! She also encouraged her bosses to imitate her way in dealing with the POWs. She faces charges of false statements and obstruction of the justice which both carry 5 years in prison!! The other two are Staff Sergeant Scott McKenzie (37 years) (a state prison guard & decorated soldier) and Timothy Canjar (21 years) who also face charge with false statements. There was also Sergeant Shawna Edmondson (24 years) who resigned before the court hearing and live with her parents in Clarks Summit 110 miles north of Philadelphia. She is former security guard in the University of Scranton. She told one of her colleagues that she beat the Iraqi POW to teach him a lesson how to treat women!! Scott McKenzie pulled an Iraqi POW by dragging him on the floor and encouraged other solders to hit him!! He also kicked another POW on his broken arm while in another incident he opened the legs of a POW man and asked other soldiers to hit him on his genitelia and abdomen and head! We hope that these are isolated incidents and it only represents the individuals who carried it out. Iraq and USA will have a strong strategic relationship which will not be affected by isolated incidents. The good and civilized thing is that the Pentagon dealing with these charges seriously.
2. New mass grave has been discovered, Sunday 4 Jan 2004 by the US forces near Baghdad which contain at least 800 bodies of the Shiites killed by Saddam regime 1991. Until now 260 mass graves containing about 300,000 bodies from Shiite after the 1991 uprising against Saddam regime. The Shiite represents 60% of the population of Iraq and was repressed severely by the fascist regime.
3. Bechtel have been granted by the USAID another contract of
1.8 billion dollars for the next 2 years for the electricity, municipal water system, sewage, Airports and Umm Qasr seaport.
4. 100 arrested in Iraq today for suspected attacks among them one from the 55 most wanted cards.
5. British MoD announced today that they offered compensations to the family of Bahaa Mosa (see my article of 4 Jan 2004 point 5). The MoD spokesman also said the investigation still continued and the compensation is not a confession about it. Compensations had been given to 3 families. Other 13 cases of Iraqis killed probably by the British troops out of 23 cases (7 rejected) are still under investigation.
Release of detainees
Paul Bremer just announced the release of 506 detainees in the next few days. 100 of them will be released today. He said they are not among those whose hands blood stained! We hope this is true! He put conditions on their release which is to have a guarantor and to denounce terrorism. If they do terrorist acts they will be captured or killed by the coalition or Iraqi forces. He stressed the reward of 20 millions dollars for the head of Eizat Dori and other rewards for the list of other criminals. A list of them will be released tomorrow.
It seems to be that there is a deal! We hope PB is right in his decision and truthful when he said the released are not with blood stained hands.
Well, this may be a correct decision or may not be! It is the next few days or weeks which will reveal the positive or the negative effects. If there is a deal; can PB tell us what it is?
Sennacherib king of Assyria left his capital Nineveh aiming to capture Babylon around 700 BC. He stormed the city with his chariots but fell short of capturing its king. The fleeing king Merodachbaladan sought shelter in the marshlands. Sennacherib quickly gave chase to him till he reached the edge of the marshes. He acquired canoes and went after the Babylonian king. A tablet documenting this episode found in the ruin of Nineveh.
PLEASE HELP TO RETURN THE ARCHEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF IRAQ BACK TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE!
Observatory Points
1. Saddam at last in
Al Radwaniyah; the most horrific detention centre created by himself for his victims though he get a five star services not like his victims! The
Al-Radwaniyah detention center is a former POW facility near Baghdad and reportedly the site of torture as well as mass executions. He is allowed 12 hours for sleep, cleaning and rest. The other 12 hours was set for interrogation by specialist American teams. He cleans his own cell which is provided with a small toilet and a bed. They allow him to read some Iraqi newspapers. His food contains a mixture of cheese, butter, honey, milk, bread and tea for the breakfast; hot meal with meat for lunch and his dinner included fruits and vegetables as well. He put the pictures of his sons, some of the killers in his regime and astonishingly also President George Bush picture in his cell! It is strange why he put GWP picture?! Saddam disclosures may reveal dangerous information about many Arabs and Non-Arabs and states. They know themselves well. The other prisoners have been moved to Abu Ghurayb prison from the detention camp in the airport may be as a preparation to reopen the airport and a step for the trials of these murderers.
2. Iran has removed the name of Khaled Islamboli from a street in Tehran and banned his stamp before the expected visit of Hosni Mubarak the President of Egypt! They also removed the big portrait of KI behind the bars which was hanged in the same street which is in the area of the Egyptian embassy. KI killed the previous President Anwor Saddat after his visit to Israel. KI who has been considered as a hero may become a terrorist soon! Cairo may respond to remove the name of Riza Shah Behalavi from its street there!! The hasty, volatile mentality of the ME states brought nothing to its people other than the destruction and regression. They respond in a reactive, hasty and un-prudent way to the events. After the damage becomes irreversible they just put things back to square one or even less. The other examples are Libya, Sudan, Syria, and so on.
3. The Iraqi Minister of culture Mofied Al Jazairi appealed for every one can help to return the
archaeological heritage of Iraq back. Thousands of pieces of this heritage which is going back to more than 5000 years ago have been looted during the war of (Um Al Hawasim)!
I, from my Blog here, call every one who can help to return this heritage which belongs not to Iraq alone but to the humanity and to do so by all means.
The Iraqi Army Day
The 6th of January is the day of the Iraqi Army!
The foundation of the Iraqi army by the British started in 1920 when Sir Percy Cox the British High Commissioner suggested to create and train an Iraqi army to help and support his troops in that area. Some of the Iraqi officers served in the Othman Empire Army have been used as nucleus in the army. The official formation was declared in the 6th Jan 1920 with the Unit of Mosa Alkhadem first and a new Ministry of defence born. Jaffar Al Askari was the first minister. Among the officers was Nori Alsaaid (see my previous blog about him).
King Faisal I who was deported by the French from Syria was the British appointed king in Iraq and the first Iraqi government formed in 25 Oct 1920. At the beginning the Iraqi army remained exclusive to the elite (VIP) until 1935 when the government introduced the compulsory service. It was an exclusive honour for the youth at that time to become an officer. It was the ambition of those who were looking for the glory and the rank. King Faisal I himself supervised the selection of the officers.
The Iraqi army was one of the largely involved regional armies in politics. Its first failed coup was in Feb 1936 by the leadership of Baker Sadqi. From then on the army became a strong tool used by the different parties to change the balance towards them! This led to many coups and blood shed as well as assassinations. The major effect of the army interference in politics was on the law and the institutions like the parliament and the unions. The coup means bypassing the law and the institutions so it weakens them.
Most of the officers who led the coups were assassinated or executed and haven't reached power until 14th July 1958 when Abd Al Karem Kaseem a Major General (Liwaa) led a coup resulted in the end of the Kingdom and the birth of the Republic. Kaseem was high ranking leader in the Maasker (army camp) Al Mansor in Al Muqdadiah, Diyala 160 km North East of Baghdad at the edge of Hemrren Mountains before the coup. The king and many of his followers were killed. The coup was then named the 14th of July revolution. Four years later another coup happened resulted in the killing of Kaseem and the Baathist came to power. The Baathist (Al Harrs Al Kawmi) (The National Guards) has committed a lot of crimes including killing, tortures, rapes and so on. Few months later another coup cleared out the Baathist. The last coup was in 17th July 1968 by the Baathist again with the help of the army. One have to say that many Iraqis believes that the only coup which made significant changes and improvements especially for the poor is Kaseem's one, that is why they call it revolution.
Until the black coup of 17th July 1968 soldiers and officers were though involved in the coups but remained loyal to the nation and not entered into the political parties. The Baath party with Saddam's neurotic, dictator, dubious, totalitarian and criminal personality changed this and introduce the Baath as the sole party in the army. He created what is called (Al Maktab Al Aaskari) or the military politburo. It was the most powerful office in the army for which attached another powerful office called (Dairat Al Tojeh Al Siasi). The latter was a big tool of propaganda and brain wash to glorify the leader. The aim of Saddam was to strangulate the army and crippled it from any attempt to topple him.
Like all the institutes and organizations in Iraq the army during Saddam regime has been subjected into complete changes. Indeed the army suffered more than anything else. Saddam and his thugs used to call it Saddam's army! In actual fact it was the foe number one that Saddam used to fear! Saddam destroyed the professionalism of the army personality. He humiliated the Iraqi officers and soldiers and pushed them into unnecessary wars. He submitted them into ongoing scheduled executions to make the seeds of fear grow always inside them. By the end of the day and after 3 decades he make even the high ranking officers to sing slogans and poem glorifying him like God!
I know many high ranking officers told me back in 1980s that they fear even the porter who makes them a tea because he may be an agent for one of the many security systems in the army. One can not imagine how an officer able to manage his troops while he himself fears them and he don't know whose among them spying on him. Writing a report accusing an officer means the end of his life after torture and humiliation!
High ranking officers among Saddam's family and tribes had been created from nothing with primary school educations or even less. They were ready to kill their fathers and mothers in return to the facilities they received from Saddam!
Saddam gave himself the highest military rank in the world in 1979 without any military studies at all and even without any training even as a solider. This was the rank of Moheeb Roken which means solemn or awful general staff. Misheal Afleeq announced his support and gratitude in the radio and he glorify Saddam on the same time. Afleeq have nothing to do with Iraq or with the army. He is a Syrian, sentenced to death by Hafeez AL Assad and escaped to Iraq and considered by Saddam as the founder of the Baath party!
Saddam forbid all political work for the army except the Baath party. Any one found to have political activities other than the Baath put to death. The job of the army diverted from protecting the country into protecting the leader. Same thing happened even inside the Baath party itself. The good Baathi was the one who glorify Saddam not the party. The ideology was nothing but Saddam and his speeches become the main subject for the Baath party ideology. The proper army generals whose loyalty was to Iraq suffered a lot between doing their jobs and implement Saddam's orders.
The ladder of the ranking military system was severely bypassed by Saddam and his relatives. He raised from the garbage many illiterate people into high ranks generals! The best example is Ali chemical, Hussien Kamel, Aizat Al dori and so on. He also upgrades many officers because of their loyalty or spying on their colleagues and so on.
Saddam carried out mass execution to the soldiers not loyal to his regime. This was taken even by suspicion only. In 1980s he used to order mass execution in each city which has to be attended by Baath party members, people, a doctor, and security forces. In 1990s he ordered cutting the ears of the deserters and tattooing their forehead with a cross mark. Tongue cutting and decapitation were other punishments. An officer I worked with in the North was lucky to escape death sentence because of a tongue slip when he was watching a TV and noticed some one putting a medal on his chest. He asked his colleagues; what is that thing in his chest; it looks like the picture of George Bush. He was just curious to know. Within few days his case reached into the Revolutionary Court! The only thing which saved him is his brother was a big member in the Baath who intercede for him with Saddam. The medal was the picture of Saddam which was a new thing introduced in 1980s. In 1991 after the Gulf war II Saddam felt a minor opposition from his cousin Dr General Raji Al Tikriti. He put him in a cage with several starved dogs which converted his body into bones in few minutes. He invited audience from the ministers and some army officer so to tell them this is your fate if you oppose. Raji Al Tikriti was the director of the medical affairs of the army in Al Rashed camp. He was an army physician
The Iraqi army suffered by Saddam a lot. He tried to make the army as one of his security agencies just to protect him from the Iraqis. He used ethnic cleansing. More than 90% of the high rank leaders were from Tikrit and the Sunni areas like Mosel. He used the army against the Iraqis in the South and the North. One of its brutal attacks was in the Marshes as well as in Kerbala where he had no respect to the holly shrines. The entombed Hussien Kamal attacked the Shrines in Kerbala and destroyed them. People there witnessed the officers from Tikrit and Ramadi entering the holly shrines and open fire on the sealing which is silver and gold and ornaments and mirrors just to hit the names of the Shiite Imams. These acts were done by racist unprofessional among the garbage he raised into the high ranks.
The Iraqi army without Saddam's thugs is professional and only loyal to the country and its stability.
The army has been dissolved in the 23 May 2003 by Paul Bremer the American Civil Administrator which resulted in more than 350,000 officers and soldiers without jobs!
A new army started to be formed again but still has no Ministry of Defence to lead it which is a wrong thing! There are news about ongoing talks between some Iraqi officers and the CPA to form a new MoD. This may be announced in the next few days or weeks after finalising its last stages. We heard that those officers are clear and clean from crimes but we hope so!
The air force is very important to the army and there is some news talking about its formation.
By all means the new army should not be involved in politics and its job should be only the defence and stability of Iraq. Its loyalty should be to the nation not the leaders. It should not break the law or be used aganist the nation. It should be formed from all the people irrespective of their religion or nationals or ethnic origin or sex. Its members should be educated how to respect the human rights and they should have respect not superiority to each others. They should know that the army is a job and not a privilege.
CONGRATULATION TO THE NEW IRAQI ARMY IN ITS DAY!
Bin Laden Latest Tape
Al Jazeera TV just broadcasted a tape said to be by UBL. He condemned the Arab leaders who helped US to topple Saddam. He also condemned these states because of their acceptance of the Iraqi GC. He criticized the governments who stopped the financial support to the Palestinian groups. He also criticised the reformist among the Mullahs.
His letter was mainly critical about the Arab rulers and a call to fight the infidels. He called the Muslims to form an Assembly as a replacement for the present governments. He said today is Baghdad and tomorrow is Riyadh and described the situation in Iraq as the present Rome army in there.
The strangest thing that he makes no threatening to the US as before!
Al Jazeera then asked Abd Al Bari Atwan in London who supported UBL speech calling him The Sheikh UBL. He agreed with UBL and adds a cream on the cake on the letter of UBL. His comment were synergistic with the UBL tape and additive to the Al Jazeera!
Today's Pentacle
1. Five Arabs arrested in connection with the explosion in Kerbala city! 2 Sudanese, 2 Syrians & 1 Yemeni! In another incident in Kerbala Iraqi people noticed a parked suspicious car so called the police who discovered large explosives in the car and arrested 2 other Arabs inside the car!
2. Fraud of 40 millions dollars has been discovered in the Ministry of Trade. High ranking staff in the Ministry may be involved. The Minister Ali Alawi initially said staff in the CPA also involved but he changed his comments after the CPA denied the reports. Alawi then said that personnel from the UN were involved because the fraud is related to an import of wooden doors under the supervision of the UN before they left after their headquarter explosion in Baghdad! The total cost of the building materials is 80 million dollars! This may be just the tip of the iceberg phenomenon! All signs show that the present government has failed so far. A new government with a clear plan is certainly needed. Iraq is passing through exceptional circumstances so an exceptional hard punishment should be implemented against corruptions.
3. Many previous Baath party members from 2nd to 4th degree started to come to the US forces to give up their weapons in return of a position in the new Iraq!! This may be encouraged by the capture of their God father! It is nothing but opportunistic attempts by opportunists?! They should have been given up their weapons long time ago. Now they should be submitted for investigated to see whether they committed crimes. They should have no role as leaders in any form at all. If they are cleared from crimes they still represent the picture of fears, atrocities, murders, prisons, tortures and iron grim. It is impossible to change their mentality even if they took off their olive coloured suites and personal guns.
4. The Salafi Mullas in Um Tobool Mosque threatened that they may declare a Fetwa (order) to say kill an American and go to Paradise!! Well paradise become like furnished apartments their keys in the hands of some people who give them like gifts to the killers!
5. British soldiers kicked to death a detained Iraqi man (according to the Sunday
British Independent - Eight young Iraqis arrested in Basra were kicked and assaulted by British soldiers, one of them so badly that he died in British custody, according to military and medical records seen by The Independent on Sunday.)! The body of Bahaa Mosa had been given back to his family Sep 2003 after 3 days of his arrest with a lot of bruises and broken nose! The British military authorities offered 8 thousands dollars to the family in return for their silence and not suing the MoD. How cheap is the Iraqi blood only 8000 dollars for a life?! The family refused this and decided to sue the MoD. It is good for them really! I call the families of the Iraqi POW soldiers whose
pictures been sexually and physically abused by a British solider to sue them as well. I don't know what Tony Blair will say about these during his sudden onset visit to the British troops in Basrah Today!
