Notes from Iraq

What do you think of when you see Old Glory? I see promise. Hope. The promise of a better life. Hope for a better world. I see more people enjoying more Freedom than at any other point in history. I also see where we come up short but I don't blame the flag anymore than I blame Jesus for those guys that come to my door in tightly pressed white shirts:) But not everyone sees what I see. Below is an excerpt from a Iraqi news source Azzman.com. HERE is the link to this particular story.

The U.S. flag is associated in Iraqi minds with the surgical strikes in crowded cities such as Falluja, Tal Affar, Ramadi, Qaim and Baaquba.

The U.S. flag is associated with humiliating practices like ordering university female students in Mosul to take off their clothes inside the campus.

The U.S. flag is linked to the sexual scandals committed at Abu Ghraib prison which has now become more notorious than the days of the former President Saddam Hussein.

The U.S. flag is related to those marines who raped and then murdered the Iraqi virgin in the city of Mahmodiya.

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Azzman.com is a valuable resource for stories such as the following. We know what's going on in Lebanon. We know what's going on in Baghdad. But what about 'the rest of Iraq'.

Let's head South.

Security worsens in south; top cleric warns of popular uprising. Whoops.

Security conditions are worsening in several cities in southern Iraq amid reports of clashes between Shiite militias and the British troops in the region.

In at least three big cities – Basra, Amara and Diwaniya – the militias are almost in full control and have clashed with foreign troop or bombed their bases.

That doesn't sound so good. How about the North. I understand it's pretty mellow, controlled by the Kurds etc.

U.S., Turkish contacts unnerve Kurds What's this all about?

Turkish officials say Kurdish rebels known as PKK have killed at least 15 Turkish troops in the past few days through cross-border attacks from inside Iraq and have escalated their operations.

So far the U.S. is reluctant to give Ankara the green-light to conduct cross-border attacks to flush out the rebels.

However, Ankara has made it clear to Washington that its patience is running thin and has began bombing northern Iraq despite U.S. warnings.

Oh.

So, the situation is deteriorating in the South, we know Baghdad is screwed and now it looks like Turkey might invade Northern Iraq. Lovely. Tea anyone?
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I just came across this video of a UN Ambulance (stolen?) being allegedly used to move Palestian fighters.



Stay Awake and as always...

Stay Naked.

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