Monday, May 24, 2004
A Simple Plan
For a Monday it shouldn’t be so traffic jam in Baghdad, but it is today, with a very hot weather and imagine how it is to drive long distances…….. Any way what I noticed for the few passed days that we have many many check points by IPs in all over Baghdad and they are started new procedures that we even forgot about for about a year now. They are stopping cars without license plates and stopping imported cars with license plates from UAE or Jordan if its being drove not during ministries working hours. I even saw an IP car modified for arresting criminals or any street disturbance which wasn’t seen before because what was left of the IPs and what we started with after April 2003 wasn’t ready to arrest anyone actually they were ready to be killed or beaten by the armed gangs in all over Baghdad who are starting to disappear or being arrested and send to Abo Ghraib jail……….I even was invited to a friend wedding last Friday with my family and we went out the party at 10.00 PM and they weren’t finished yet and the streets were secured all our way home………And there is a very important thing to tell here, all that is with out the coalition forces help anymore, I mean the IPs started to depend on their own resources and doing there job by them selves.
Few weeks ago I was thinking about a very important matter which is, are we going to be OK if the coalition forces left the country or we will face the kayos again……..Until a month ago I used to feel that we need the coalition forces to stay in streets, but now I can say and for sure that if the coalition forces left or stayed inside bases then we can depend on the IPs and the ICDCs and later on the Iraqi army to secure those who are working hard to rebuild the country. But we will need the coalition forces or what ever it’s turning to after the beginning of next July to help rebuilding new methods of working and procedures for our new establishments and ministries. That’s something is really needed after the corruption we had before April 2003 when the ext regime used to pay its employees less than two US Dollars a month and expect them to keep going to work spending about five US Dollars a month for transportation only. You can imagine how was it difficult to live those days.
Iraqi establishments and administration need a very long time of training and rehabilitation to work with the new world technologies and know-how and to create a new generation of Iraqis who doesn’t waste time in universities and colleges to learn about socialism and national education (lessons about Bath party and Arabic struggle against imperialism and Zionism) which was a compulsory lectures for all Iraqis universities before April 2003, and I still remember that my sister had to study the first year of medicine twice because she failed in national education lectures.
We do need to show our universities students all about the advanced nations and how can we be like them and put behind us our problems and head towards shortening time towards prosperity. That’s not an impossible dream I am dreaming, it’s a simple plan which may takes us to a new age where we may consider our selves as an advanced nation.
Few weeks ago I was thinking about a very important matter which is, are we going to be OK if the coalition forces left the country or we will face the kayos again……..Until a month ago I used to feel that we need the coalition forces to stay in streets, but now I can say and for sure that if the coalition forces left or stayed inside bases then we can depend on the IPs and the ICDCs and later on the Iraqi army to secure those who are working hard to rebuild the country. But we will need the coalition forces or what ever it’s turning to after the beginning of next July to help rebuilding new methods of working and procedures for our new establishments and ministries. That’s something is really needed after the corruption we had before April 2003 when the ext regime used to pay its employees less than two US Dollars a month and expect them to keep going to work spending about five US Dollars a month for transportation only. You can imagine how was it difficult to live those days.
Iraqi establishments and administration need a very long time of training and rehabilitation to work with the new world technologies and know-how and to create a new generation of Iraqis who doesn’t waste time in universities and colleges to learn about socialism and national education (lessons about Bath party and Arabic struggle against imperialism and Zionism) which was a compulsory lectures for all Iraqis universities before April 2003, and I still remember that my sister had to study the first year of medicine twice because she failed in national education lectures.
We do need to show our universities students all about the advanced nations and how can we be like them and put behind us our problems and head towards shortening time towards prosperity. That’s not an impossible dream I am dreaming, it’s a simple plan which may takes us to a new age where we may consider our selves as an advanced nation.
Monday, May 17, 2004
CHANCES
I don’t know what to do to keep posting articles at the same time weekly. But I do know I would like to keep posting, so pleas forgive me if I was late to you and be sure I will come back always to post a new article.
Actually I was late this time because I had to find employees for the company I work for and these days that’s not a simple mater to do. I was looking for people with a little English language knowledge and a simple book keeping. I know that’s not much qualifications to look for but it was hard to find the suitable people………I went to my friends and the people I know first, and they didn’t take it for many reasons some of them
• ”Its too far place from my house”
• “It’s a long morning line to enter the place”
• “Its not what I am looking for”
Believe me none of them said its low salary. I even had to put adds. In papers to find what I need. I am not saying here that we don’t have in Iraq enough qualified people, no, I am saying that what I need is what’s minimum needed these days and if I needed higher qualifications it would be bigger problem. And the job opportunities are so many that people started to choose the suitable jobs for them.
It was a tiring matter to do but to be honest I was happy to see Iraqi people have more than chance to get a job, and any one would complaint about unemployment then he is not telling the truth. It is the right time to establish future for any Iraqi and to build a good one too and by doing so he is building a bright future to Iraq and all Iraqis even for those who are not taking their part of the operation after all we are all in the same boat……..I am sorry that there still people who don’t see thing right and are waiting for things that wont happen and go more despaired so they may murder other Iraqis. It is happening and we must admit it, actually it happened today when some one assassinated Mr. IsEldin Saleem the head of the Iraqi Governing Council (God bless his soul). Thinking this may keep the rest of Iraqis home and leaving the terrorists to do what they want……..Well…..Its not going to be that way……..its three weeks now, and any one here in Baghdad can feel that the situation of the IPs and the ICDCs is more stronger. We can see IPs trying to enforce order in streets, we hear about many bombs being deactivated and many check points day and night. We can see pride in the eyes of the IPs and the ICDSs and we can see respect for them in the eyes of the Iraqi people…………But it’s not easy to fight terrorism, which doesn’t use any patterns or rules but fanaticism against all other people but its followers.
It’s important that we keep in mind that a strong high mountain made of small stones bonded together. And a calm see doesn’t make good sailors. And thing can be seen from now that who still want to explode him self in a car to kill others is nothing but a washed brain person who needs to be treated psychologically to be got back to the rest of human society. Or at least we must keep the people away from being brain washed to be terrorists by offering them enough by salaries and jobs.
Actually I was late this time because I had to find employees for the company I work for and these days that’s not a simple mater to do. I was looking for people with a little English language knowledge and a simple book keeping. I know that’s not much qualifications to look for but it was hard to find the suitable people………I went to my friends and the people I know first, and they didn’t take it for many reasons some of them
• ”Its too far place from my house”
• “It’s a long morning line to enter the place”
• “Its not what I am looking for”
Believe me none of them said its low salary. I even had to put adds. In papers to find what I need. I am not saying here that we don’t have in Iraq enough qualified people, no, I am saying that what I need is what’s minimum needed these days and if I needed higher qualifications it would be bigger problem. And the job opportunities are so many that people started to choose the suitable jobs for them.
It was a tiring matter to do but to be honest I was happy to see Iraqi people have more than chance to get a job, and any one would complaint about unemployment then he is not telling the truth. It is the right time to establish future for any Iraqi and to build a good one too and by doing so he is building a bright future to Iraq and all Iraqis even for those who are not taking their part of the operation after all we are all in the same boat……..I am sorry that there still people who don’t see thing right and are waiting for things that wont happen and go more despaired so they may murder other Iraqis. It is happening and we must admit it, actually it happened today when some one assassinated Mr. IsEldin Saleem the head of the Iraqi Governing Council (God bless his soul). Thinking this may keep the rest of Iraqis home and leaving the terrorists to do what they want……..Well…..Its not going to be that way……..its three weeks now, and any one here in Baghdad can feel that the situation of the IPs and the ICDCs is more stronger. We can see IPs trying to enforce order in streets, we hear about many bombs being deactivated and many check points day and night. We can see pride in the eyes of the IPs and the ICDSs and we can see respect for them in the eyes of the Iraqi people…………But it’s not easy to fight terrorism, which doesn’t use any patterns or rules but fanaticism against all other people but its followers.
It’s important that we keep in mind that a strong high mountain made of small stones bonded together. And a calm see doesn’t make good sailors. And thing can be seen from now that who still want to explode him self in a car to kill others is nothing but a washed brain person who needs to be treated psychologically to be got back to the rest of human society. Or at least we must keep the people away from being brain washed to be terrorists by offering them enough by salaries and jobs.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Blogger
When I heard about the first Iraqi blogers I had my own website already, and it was about marketing and I knew at that time I might not get any luck with marketing, but it was something we Iraqis not aloud to do before April 2003 so I was very happy to had my own website.
When I started this Blog by using www.blogger.com it pulled me away from my old one and I hade to put much effort in it and I am enjoying it a lot. I even had to get my tools from another websites, as you can see I hade to use the comments power by Haloscan and I had to track the visitors by Gostats because Blogger wasn’t supporting those services at that time. But few days ago Blogger put for us a new dashboard with new tools and much more supports to integrate its services.
So if you see any thing new about my page, then that’s because of Blogger and if any thing doesn’t work properly yet then its because its new for us and we are doing our best to use the service the optimum use.
For all that I had to say that I am grateful to Haloscan for supporting me with the comments service for all that time since I had started bloging, and I am grateful for Gostats for supporting me with the tracking service till now, and of course I am grateful for Blogger for supporting me with its service through which I am reaching each and every one who may visit this website. Of course I should mention here that all these services are free and I am not paying any thing for it.
After all the comments and e-mails I received I am very satisfied with what was achieved here and I find many people from all over the world are sympathies with Iraqi people and more understanding for us.
I hope that through this blog I may help rebuilding my country and pay back a small part of what I owe Iraq and Iraqis.
When I started this Blog by using www.blogger.com it pulled me away from my old one and I hade to put much effort in it and I am enjoying it a lot. I even had to get my tools from another websites, as you can see I hade to use the comments power by Haloscan and I had to track the visitors by Gostats because Blogger wasn’t supporting those services at that time. But few days ago Blogger put for us a new dashboard with new tools and much more supports to integrate its services.
So if you see any thing new about my page, then that’s because of Blogger and if any thing doesn’t work properly yet then its because its new for us and we are doing our best to use the service the optimum use.
For all that I had to say that I am grateful to Haloscan for supporting me with the comments service for all that time since I had started bloging, and I am grateful for Gostats for supporting me with the tracking service till now, and of course I am grateful for Blogger for supporting me with its service through which I am reaching each and every one who may visit this website. Of course I should mention here that all these services are free and I am not paying any thing for it.
After all the comments and e-mails I received I am very satisfied with what was achieved here and I find many people from all over the world are sympathies with Iraqi people and more understanding for us.
I hope that through this blog I may help rebuilding my country and pay back a small part of what I owe Iraq and Iraqis.
Monday, May 10, 2004
Settlements
When I didn’t find the time yesterday to post an article I realized that we are in some kind of peak point in business and work here in Baghdad, I didn’t even find enough time to open my personal mail, and when a friend of mine from Basra said that he would e-mail me about something important three days ago and I didn’t receive any thing yet because he is busy with a contract about rehabilitation of 100 schools there, and when I received information about two Iraqi companies and another group of companies wins the bid to clean the mess and rebuild Faluja , and when I receive information about an Iraqi company joining with Ukrainian company to invest more than hundred millions dollars in one of the most important steel factories compound in Iraq and supplying job opportunities for more than 4000 Iraqi’s besides training ………..Then I would be sure that the peak is not only here in Baghdad its every where in Iraq. What’s more important that I am not the only one to see this and for sure that’s not every thing. Much more is being done.
Last Friday I took my family for lunch in one of the social clubs here in Baghdad, Where usually families gather for lunch and children play, men may discuss business, some may use the internet café, and people stays for the day. And there were hundreds of them. Nobody was talking about Mahdy militia or Abo Ghraib.
Not because we don’t care, actually we care too much but its very obvious that thing are heading to be solved and those who are wise enough are concentrating on how to achieve their goal in life.
Here in Baghdad any one can see that the media is talking about Abo Ghraib more than the Iraqis themselves. Its not Iraqis they are crying on they are using this case against the Americans. Please try to answer these questions:
Is there any prison in the world with out humiliation?
Did any one talk about Iraqi human rights before April 2003?
Did any one ask what those people in Abo Ghraib did to be treated like that?
Can any Arab country open its prisons for any committee?
Would any one dare to criticize prisons system in any other Arab country?
Well……Tank you Arabs, we don’t need your voices now, we know how to solve our problems very well, and it’s being solved. We have our own government and its going to be more legitimate in next July and elected in 2005.
All I can think of now if I had the power is to start a huge campaign against those governments who tries to use us for there own settlements with others. At that time the world would see enough scandals that may forget about us and we would go ahead for prosperity more easily.
When I didn’t find the time yesterday to post an article I realized that we are in some kind of peak point in business and work here in Baghdad, I didn’t even find enough time to open my personal mail, and when a friend of mine from Basra said that he would e-mail me about something important three days ago and I didn’t receive any thing yet because he is busy with a contract about rehabilitation of 100 schools there, and when I received information about two Iraqi companies and another group of companies wins the bid to clean the mess and rebuild Faluja , and when I receive information about an Iraqi company joining with Ukrainian company to invest more than hundred millions dollars in one of the most important steel factories compound in Iraq and supplying job opportunities for more than 4000 Iraqi’s besides training ………..Then I would be sure that the peak is not only here in Baghdad its every where in Iraq. What’s more important that I am not the only one to see this and for sure that’s not every thing. Much more is being done.
Last Friday I took my family for lunch in one of the social clubs here in Baghdad, Where usually families gather for lunch and children play, men may discuss business, some may use the internet café, and people stays for the day. And there were hundreds of them. Nobody was talking about Mahdy militia or Abo Ghraib.
Not because we don’t care, actually we care too much but its very obvious that thing are heading to be solved and those who are wise enough are concentrating on how to achieve their goal in life.
Here in Baghdad any one can see that the media is talking about Abo Ghraib more than the Iraqis themselves. Its not Iraqis they are crying on they are using this case against the Americans. Please try to answer these questions:
Is there any prison in the world with out humiliation?
Did any one talk about Iraqi human rights before April 2003?
Did any one ask what those people in Abo Ghraib did to be treated like that?
Can any Arab country open its prisons for any committee?
Would any one dare to criticize prisons system in any other Arab country?
Well……Tank you Arabs, we don’t need your voices now, we know how to solve our problems very well, and it’s being solved. We have our own government and its going to be more legitimate in next July and elected in 2005.
All I can think of now if I had the power is to start a huge campaign against those governments who tries to use us for there own settlements with others. At that time the world would see enough scandals that may forget about us and we would go ahead for prosperity more easily.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Children
I can’t keep saying that we are living a normal life in every article I write, I guess that’s the problem of the media; I mean they need something bad to talk about. But for me I will keep to inform you about the rebuilding of Iraq through what information I can get from the contracts that I know about. And today I know that many rebuilding tenders were issued in the fields of sewerage systems, housing, and general services, and guess where? ……….in Faluja , with the conditions that the people of Faluja should be the main labor for these contracts. When I told some of my friends about this matter they said “now we are talking”, as usual, business and work opportunities is the best to solve terrorism and violence problems every where.
It’s important to continue rebuilding Iraqi infrastructure AND it’s more important to rebuild the Iraqi society and mentality (the Iraqi people). I am saying this because I had the problem myself. You see my daughter is 5 years old now and was less than 4 years when she started kindergarten before April 2003, we had to accept that she would call Saddam (BABA SADDAM) at that time, and we should keep our mouths shut about any political criticisms in her presence, because if she would by any chance say any thing of that in school or any where else it would be a huge problem for her, us, and all our Family.
We had to keep telling her after April 2003 that SADDAM appears to be a bad person and we are going to get another and better (BABA)……We had a real problem to convince her with that, she kept telling us that Miss……(whoever) and that’s her teacher “told us BABA SADDAM is a hero”.
That and What Nahrain website is saying today about the new Iraqi ministry of education is allowing private and foreign schools in Iraq which was prevented before… made me think about our need to put serious programs for education in Iraq including schools, education staff and strategy of building a pure society with out terrorism, racial, fanatic problems, an open mind society that we need……….We must admit with that such problems are available deep in our society and many of our educational staff are involved in such problems and a real fast solutions are needed.
The decision of the ministry of education is right but such schools must not be opened for money only. At least some must be opened for all the people financially capable or not, to insure planting the seeds of reason, logic and open mind mentality in all society levels.
I remember that I was in private school in Basra run by nuns till 1972, after that all private schools were nationalized just like the oil, and now I am sure it was to close our society against what the Bath government used to call “foreign invasion”.
That gave me an answer for a question that I kept ask my self “If I had the money, time and capability to help Iraqi people. What would I do?”. To answer my self or any other person asking, I would say “open a school with modern programs for Iraqi children”.
I can’t keep saying that we are living a normal life in every article I write, I guess that’s the problem of the media; I mean they need something bad to talk about. But for me I will keep to inform you about the rebuilding of Iraq through what information I can get from the contracts that I know about. And today I know that many rebuilding tenders were issued in the fields of sewerage systems, housing, and general services, and guess where? ……….in Faluja , with the conditions that the people of Faluja should be the main labor for these contracts. When I told some of my friends about this matter they said “now we are talking”, as usual, business and work opportunities is the best to solve terrorism and violence problems every where.
It’s important to continue rebuilding Iraqi infrastructure AND it’s more important to rebuild the Iraqi society and mentality (the Iraqi people). I am saying this because I had the problem myself. You see my daughter is 5 years old now and was less than 4 years when she started kindergarten before April 2003, we had to accept that she would call Saddam (BABA SADDAM) at that time, and we should keep our mouths shut about any political criticisms in her presence, because if she would by any chance say any thing of that in school or any where else it would be a huge problem for her, us, and all our Family.
We had to keep telling her after April 2003 that SADDAM appears to be a bad person and we are going to get another and better (BABA)……We had a real problem to convince her with that, she kept telling us that Miss……(whoever) and that’s her teacher “told us BABA SADDAM is a hero”.
That and What Nahrain website is saying today about the new Iraqi ministry of education is allowing private and foreign schools in Iraq which was prevented before… made me think about our need to put serious programs for education in Iraq including schools, education staff and strategy of building a pure society with out terrorism, racial, fanatic problems, an open mind society that we need……….We must admit with that such problems are available deep in our society and many of our educational staff are involved in such problems and a real fast solutions are needed.
The decision of the ministry of education is right but such schools must not be opened for money only. At least some must be opened for all the people financially capable or not, to insure planting the seeds of reason, logic and open mind mentality in all society levels.
I remember that I was in private school in Basra run by nuns till 1972, after that all private schools were nationalized just like the oil, and now I am sure it was to close our society against what the Bath government used to call “foreign invasion”.
That gave me an answer for a question that I kept ask my self “If I had the money, time and capability to help Iraqi people. What would I do?”. To answer my self or any other person asking, I would say “open a school with modern programs for Iraqi children”.
Sunday, May 02, 2004
More Opportunities
I had two business meetings inside the CPA (the green zone) in Baghdad yesterday, And because it was the first of May (the labor day) the streets were not crowded and we went in about 9 AM and we didn’t finish before 3 PM. Our meetings were with Bechtel Co. and KBR. Every thing went very good, and because it was with two parties we had to move inside the whole green zone and visit many places and compounds. What was important for me and I think its important to be told here that we fount many Iraqis working there, I know that’s not new but this time there were hundreds of them, many more than the last time I visited the place. There were contractors, engineers, clerks, accountants, ordinary workers, guards; all of them of Iraqi people I didn’t even had to speak English only during our meetings because there were foreigners attending them. I even asked my partners, is it me only who can see that?. That’s when they told me “ no. its obvious this time”. I even said that I can’t let anyone say there is no (job opportunities available) again, because I’m sure that who cant find a job today in Baghdad, he’s not going to find one any time anywhere in the world.
I was very happy and glad to see that and I am not talking about opportunities inside the CPA only, no there is more opportunities outside too, a friend of mine called from Basra to ask about a cretin people or cretin qualifications he needs in there and if they are available in Baghdad or not. We even started to face salaries problems because we have to pay more to keep our staff now.
All that would make my day, but the photos of the Iraqis being tortured in Abo Ghraib prison was a let down. I know there is no prison in the world with no such activities, and I know it was horrible in Abo Ghraib before April 2003, and I know there are bad sadists’ people in all nations, and I know there is justice and there are people who wouldn’t let such activities continue. Otherwise how could these pictures come to the media? Now we are waiting for the reaction of the coalition against those activities and I wish it will be right reaction, so it will prove to the simple people that the coalition did the right thing when they liberated Iraqis and didn’t come to keep humiliating them. And we all need to say to the next Iraqi government, elected or not that those activities are not accepted against people any more.
We don’t know what those Iraqis in the photos did to be in prison, but we need to know that we have justice and human rights in our new Iraq. The country which can find good men to take initiative to solve the problems we face in Falija and Najaf . Iraqis who step forward to take act in new Iraq, in the GC or in the force which is taking care of the security in Faluja these days, even if they were from the ext army men, so what? They can deal with the rebels and terrorists there better, and that’s what important now they are joining the good guys against terrorism.
And here I would like to mention two new websites telling many local stories, news and opinions about what’s going in here, unfortunately they are only in Arabic, otherwise every one could read them they are NAHRAIN and PUK. I am visiting those websites daily for more information and news and I recommend any one who can read Arabic to visit those websites. For example a list of names of ext Bathiests fighting in Faluja beside Afghani Arabs and some of them were killed there is published today.
I had two business meetings inside the CPA (the green zone) in Baghdad yesterday, And because it was the first of May (the labor day) the streets were not crowded and we went in about 9 AM and we didn’t finish before 3 PM. Our meetings were with Bechtel Co. and KBR. Every thing went very good, and because it was with two parties we had to move inside the whole green zone and visit many places and compounds. What was important for me and I think its important to be told here that we fount many Iraqis working there, I know that’s not new but this time there were hundreds of them, many more than the last time I visited the place. There were contractors, engineers, clerks, accountants, ordinary workers, guards; all of them of Iraqi people I didn’t even had to speak English only during our meetings because there were foreigners attending them. I even asked my partners, is it me only who can see that?. That’s when they told me “ no. its obvious this time”. I even said that I can’t let anyone say there is no (job opportunities available) again, because I’m sure that who cant find a job today in Baghdad, he’s not going to find one any time anywhere in the world.
I was very happy and glad to see that and I am not talking about opportunities inside the CPA only, no there is more opportunities outside too, a friend of mine called from Basra to ask about a cretin people or cretin qualifications he needs in there and if they are available in Baghdad or not. We even started to face salaries problems because we have to pay more to keep our staff now.
All that would make my day, but the photos of the Iraqis being tortured in Abo Ghraib prison was a let down. I know there is no prison in the world with no such activities, and I know it was horrible in Abo Ghraib before April 2003, and I know there are bad sadists’ people in all nations, and I know there is justice and there are people who wouldn’t let such activities continue. Otherwise how could these pictures come to the media? Now we are waiting for the reaction of the coalition against those activities and I wish it will be right reaction, so it will prove to the simple people that the coalition did the right thing when they liberated Iraqis and didn’t come to keep humiliating them. And we all need to say to the next Iraqi government, elected or not that those activities are not accepted against people any more.
We don’t know what those Iraqis in the photos did to be in prison, but we need to know that we have justice and human rights in our new Iraq. The country which can find good men to take initiative to solve the problems we face in Falija and Najaf . Iraqis who step forward to take act in new Iraq, in the GC or in the force which is taking care of the security in Faluja these days, even if they were from the ext army men, so what? They can deal with the rebels and terrorists there better, and that’s what important now they are joining the good guys against terrorism.
And here I would like to mention two new websites telling many local stories, news and opinions about what’s going in here, unfortunately they are only in Arabic, otherwise every one could read them they are NAHRAIN and PUK. I am visiting those websites daily for more information and news and I recommend any one who can read Arabic to visit those websites. For example a list of names of ext Bathiests fighting in Faluja beside Afghani Arabs and some of them were killed there is published today.
