Snooping around Iraqi blogs

I've been looking around for some more perspectives about what this week is bringing us. In particular some interesting new sites have popped up.

This one is by a Libyan woman, apparently the first Libyan blog.

Where is Raed by Salaam Pax, still the standard-bearer of Iraqi blogging, feels that the days of speaking freely may have ended.

Remember the days when every time you hear an Iraqi talk on TV you had to remember that they are talking with a Mukhabarat minder looking at them noting every word? We are back to that place.

You have to be careful about what you say about al-Sadir. Their hands reach every where and you don't want to be on their shit list. Every body, even the GC is very careful how they formulate their sentences and how they describe Sadir's Militias. They are thugs, thugs thugs. There you have it.

I was listening to a representative of al-sadir on TV saying that the officers at police stations come to offer their help and swear allegiance. Habibi, if they don't they will get killed and their police station "liberated". Have we forgotten the threat al-Sadir issued that Iraqi security forces should not attack their revolutionary brothers, or they will have to suffer the consequences.

Dear US administration,
Welcome to the next level. Please don't act surprised and what sort of timing is that it: planning to go on a huge attack on the west of Iraq and provoking a group you know very well (I pray to god you knew) that they are trouble makers.

Salaam links to a new blog "Wires: Desperately Rebuilding Iraq," about a brave (English?) woman wiring a Baghdad TV studio....

In particular this is a drive through Fallujah and Ramadi.

Sallah tells us that Fallujah is the only place in Iraq where (even during Saddam’s regime) there was never a ruling Governor. It’s a real rebel town. Based on the traditional tribal system (which still exists). They are very proud and dignified people who WILL NOT accept within their multi – tribal society, working out their own co – existence, that there should be a person promoted to such a position that does not respect this equality and the diversity. The first Governor lasted a day before he was shot dead, the second, two. Rebel town.

On the way into Baghdad, he told us that both Fallujah and Ramadi were the most dangerous places for Westerners, as the US forces had come down hard on them, showing no respect for their traditions, beliefs, culture, dignity, intelligence… or the fact that they were actually, really, human beings.

On March 22 she arrived in Baghdad after the long drive from Jordan. There's a lot of pictures, including a funny pose with the AK:

And finally….. BAGHDAD!

Chaos. Imagine blindfolding every single taxi driver in London, and then surgically connecting their left hands to their horns. This does not begin to describe the insanity on the roads as we went past burnt out Mosques and Palaces.

Eventually we ended up in Sallah’s personal Oasis in the centre of Baghdad. Palm trees, Lemons, Figs, the air rich with the scent of Orange blossom.

And then do you know what Fiona Katie did next???

Fired an AK47!

Yes, the very first thing I did in Baghdad, just moments after I got out of the vehicle, I borrowed an AK47 from an Iraqi and fired it (into the air).

The site is operated by Fiona's brother, a well-designed operation.

Healing Iraq is a pretty good blog with a decidedly anti-Sistani, anti-clerical feel, but he furious with Sadr's little project.

I have to admit that until now I have never longed for the days of Saddam, but now I'm not so sure. If we need a person like Saddam to keep those rabid dogs at bay then be it. Put Saddam back in power and after he fills a couple hundred more mass graves with those criminals they can start wailing and crying again for liberation. What a laugh we will have then. Then they can shove their filthy Hawza and marji'iya up somewhere else. I am so dissapointed in Iraqis and I hate myself for thinking this way. We are not worth your trouble, take back your billions of dollars and give us Saddam again. We truly 'deserve' leaders like Saddam.

He also has guest blogs for irregular contributions.

Iraq at a glance is written by an anonymous dentist. He has a decidedly negative view of the recent anti-war protesters:

It’s very cozy and comfortable to drink the tea in the morning, getting out of your first-class houses, driving your fancy cars, speaking loudly against your governments, criticizing your prime ministers and presidents, saying “ I want this thing”, “ I don’t agree on this decision”, “ I hate Blair and Bush”…..etc.
Look you coddled pampered people… why don’t you want us to do what you’re doing now ? why don’t you want us to live like you ? Are you idiots? Selfish? Or what ?
You ‘protestors’ I’m sure you didn’t use your mind when you got out of your houses.. just let me tell you something: when you want to refuse something or say that’s wrong, first of all you should study the whole case and discuss it thoroughly before saying it’s wrong, and when you say it’s wrong, GIVE A PROPOSAL to solve the case, now when you said “ No war….” What is the right thing to do to get rid of Saddam and build democratic countries in the region?
Tell me …

Otherwise, when you don’t know ANYTHING about Iraq and Iraqis do you know what to do? JUST SHUT UP and stay at home
Now let’s speak about Iraqis, when you ask an ordinary Iraqi : “ Did you want the war to get rid of Saddam and get your freedom?”
If he was honest man I’m sure he’d reply “ yes”..
But, now many Iraqis are getting disturbed due to the explosions and bombs which make them angry, in spite of the fact that they are always angry! , so they don’t know where is their interest or benefit, and they don’t know whether they prefer the Americans to stay or leave or what? I’m sure they don’t know what they want…OK.. Iraqis want a government, but the US said that Iraq will turn over sovereignty at the end of June, so what makes some of them angry?
As I said they are disturbed and confused…
Back to you ‘ protestors’, last year my salary was 1.5$, last year my parents were about to go mad cause we were almost broke, last year I had to obey the mean and disgusting orders of Saddam’s officers cause I had to join the conscription, last year I couldn’t watch what’s happening now on the TV cause I used to watch SH laughing at us, last year I couldn’t write what I’m writing now, last year thousands were being executed, last year hundreds of doctors, engineers and educated people were being arrested and tortured cause they dared to try to travel ! last year……
Now, what do you think? Just give me a way to get all the above without a war ….

Altogether he makes a compelling point, though of course I disagree that the war was ever the right thing to do. Also he posts photos from a trip to visit a poor family in Baghdad living among the ruins.

i also found a site called "Almuajaha: The Iraqi Witness," but it hasn't been updated in a while, except for its public submission newswire.

Baghdad Burning, which I've mentioned before and is on my list at right, is a really excellent site by a young Baghdad woman. This post about Sadr and a year since the invasion:

Let me make it very clear right now that I am *not* a supporter of Al-Sadr. I do not like clerics who want to turn Iraq into the next Iran or Saudi Arabia or Kuwait… but it makes me really, really angry to see these demonstrations greeted with bullets and tanks by the troops. Why allow demonstrations if you're going to shoot at the people?
.....
These last couple of weeks have been somewhat depressing for most people. You know how sometimes you look back at the past year and think to yourself, “What was I doing last year, on this same day?” Well we’ve been playing that game constantly lately. What was I doing last year, this very moment? I was listening for the sirens, listening for the planes and listening to the bombs fall. Now we just listen for the explosions- it’s not the same thing.

I haven’t been sleeping very well either. I’ve been having disturbing dreams lately... Dreams of being stuck under rubble or feeling the earth shudder beneath me as the windows rattle ominously. I know it has to do with the fact that every day we relive a little bit of the war- on television, on the radio, on the internet. I’m seeing some of the images for the very first time because we didn’t have electricity last year during the war and it really is painful. It’s hard to believe that we lived through so much...

Posted by HongPong at April 6, 2004 04:41 PM
Listed under Iraq .