war:scan

internationales weblog zum irak-konflikt, dem "krieg gegen terrorismus", etc.: fakten, meinungen, hintergr�nde
international blog on the conflict in iraq and "war on terrorism" and the like: facts, opinions, backgrounds

2004/08/27

road of a nation: "Also I got many letters from American soldiers ,they are reading Iraqi blogs ,asking about the way they should act and what advice can I give them sothey can follow it,and this is a simple of one of these letters :Sarmad, Let me introduce myself: My name is Andrew Nutter, 24 yrs old, born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Im a soldier with the US Army and will be going to Iraq soon. I was reading some journal entries on the internet (yours?), which I found very interesting, and stumbled across your website. Unfortunately, I do not know much about Iraq or its people. "

Raed in the Middle: "The role of Sistani in the current clashes between Iraqis and the occupying forces is very suspicious and annoying, at least from my point of view.

Sistani is one of, if not the most, popular Shia leaders in the world. They call him 'moqallad' which means that Shia take him as an example of how to think and behave."

2004/08/26

shut up you fat whiner!: "Now watch me get all serious as I put together a 450 words pitch for a 15 minutes film based on what I have from Najaf and Sadr City. I can't remember the last time I was that serious, by allah if you are going to make fun of me I will start crying."

Live From Dallas: "A newly purchased Boeing 737, which belongs to Iraqi Airways made a test flight from Amman to Baghdad last Monday. After the United Nations sanctions in 1990, all Iraqi airplanes were grounded. Six of them are at Amman International Airport. You can't miss them if you fly through that airport. "

Iraq at a glance: "Sheikh Ali Smeasim, one of Muqtada?s aides has been arrested today with many followers; they were hiding stolen money and treasuries!
Yes?let the truth appears, enough for respecting those thieves?
What will their great leader say now? One of his aides is a thief."

From Ann Arbor to Beirut: The ice cream man and the messiah: "So here I am in Al-Quds/Jerusalem. And you know what that means. More occupation. I love the smell of occupation in the morning. I mock your occupation. Everyone, sing it with me ? 'We don't need no occupation, we don't need no concrete wall...'"

Boots on the Ground: "Sistani is back in Najaf, and Sadr looks like it's about to be curtains for his sorry ass. This guy is trying to play a power game, where he is trying to have a piece of the pie. This bastard has to be stopped. There should be no negotiations."

Today in Iraq: "Three Marines went to a house in Hollywood to tell the father and stepmother of Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo that their 20-year-old son had died Tuesday in Najaf, family members said. The father, Carlos Arredondo, 44, then walked into the garage, picked up a propane tank, a lighting device and a can of gasoline he used to douse the van, police Capt. Tony Rode said. He smashed the van?s window, got inside and set the vehicle ablaze, despite attempts by the Marines to stop him, Rode said. When the couple saw the Marines walking toward the front door, 'My husband immediately knew that his firstborn son had been killed ? and my husband did not take the news well,' Melida Arredondo told reporters before police escorted her to the hospital."

THE WAR IN CONTEXT:: Iraq, the War on Terrorism, and the Middle East Conflict - in Critical Perspective: "Najaf battle is struggle for leadership of Shia world
By James Drummond and Aqil Hussein, Financial Times, August 25, 2004

In the Amir neighbourhood of Najaf, Shakir Qassim, 25, is not a happy man. The holy city of Najaf has seen sustained fighting for nearly three weeks and yet the pre-eminent leader of Iraq's majority Shia community has sought refuge thousands of miles from his people. It was only on Wednesday that he returned to Iraq from London."

BAGHDAD DWELLER - Iraq future; the choices: "Iraq future; the choices
Filed under: Iraq Info ? ladybird @ 06:31:51 pm "

Iraq calling: "I just heard that Al-Sistani has arrived back in Iraq unexpectedly. According to some reports his convoy has left Basrah and is already making its way to Najaf. He has called for a march on Najaf to save the Mosque. This will be interesting."

Back to Iraq 3.0: Bad day in Najaf: " I don?t know what the news is from the rest of Iraq or even what?s going on with the governor of Najaf. I do know what?s happening with the police department, however. They?re raiding the Sea of Najaf hotel and rounding the 100 or so journalists at gunpoint and subjecting them to mass arrest."

IRAQ THE MODEL: "At Saddam days there were 'laws' made at some periods (late 90s) that prohibit wearing clothes or having hair cuts in a way that simulates westren customs, you know like having a hair cut similar to that most of the marines have, or wearing shorts, or T-shirts that have a flag of a western country (especially US and UK), or any obvious English word on them. One of those days I almost got suspended from high school for a week for wearing a T-shirt with the British flag on it. I had to promise never to wear it or anything like it again. They even made a remark about my school-bag because it had the NIKE trademark!"

Live From Dallas: "By now, most of you know the Iraqi soccer team lost its chance to win the gold medal. Bronze is good. It's a nice color."

2004/08/25

Institute for War and Peace Reporting: "Sadr City Split Over Revolt %0D%0AOpinions divided about justness of insurgency as relatives mourn their losses.%0D%0ABy Aqil Jabbar in Baghdad %28ICR No. 80%2C 24-Aug-04%29%0D%0AFour former Iraqi security officers from the Sunni neighbourhood of Adhamiya last week stood supervising the laying of mines alongside a street in Sadr City%2C site of a two-week-old Shia uprising led by followers of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr."

2004/08/24

MY WAR: "I%27m constrained up in some fucking guard tower in Mosul%2C Iraq %28itching for stimulants to help me cope with the boredom%29 staring off at the night lights radiating from this ancient Islamic city. Working the guard tower shift sucks. "

Live From Dallas: "The number of Iraqi blogs has reached 72. We%27re not too far from blog number 100. Keep Counting."

Iraq at a glance: "What do you want Muqtada%3F %0D%0AI want to ask%3A what does that man want now%3F Have the Iranians left him%3F Is he bewildered now after he%92s done all of that and nothing achieved%3F He doesn%92t know what to do now especially after the %91keys crisis%92%21 "

THE WAR IN CONTEXT%3A%3A Iraq%2C the War on Terrorism%2C and the Middle East Conflict - in Critical Perspective: "As another inevitable result of the %22smoke them out%22 diplomacy of the Bush administration and Iraqi Premier Riyadh Malawi%2C untold damage is being done in the Muslim world%3A US Apache helicopters and AC-130 gunships bombing the vast holy grounds of the Wadi al-Salam cemetery%2C while the main shopping street leading to the Imam Ali Shrine - as well as most of Najaf%27s old city - lies in ruins. "

Today in Iraq: "Nearly 100 prominent Muslims yesterday called on followers around the world to support resistance to American forces in Iraq and the government installed in June. "

Iraqi Bloggers Central%3A Urban Warfare 101: "The Multinational Forces have slowly been working their way%2C building by building%2C toward the Imam Ali mosque to the point now where the cordon is around 250 yards from the structure. The American military has been training for urban warfare for years%2C especially the last few years. I predict that the Mehdi army will run out of ammunition before too long and then there will some kind of surrender."

iraqi wannabe%3A justin alexander%92s blog: "The Republica newspaper reports that Sheikh Hassan al Atharii%2C Muqtada Sadr%27s spokesman%2C said he had no information about Enzo%2C which fits with my conjecture that he was taken by bandits rather than a resistance group. The Republica article also says the Italian Secret Service has heard rumours from some tribal leaders that Enzo is alive."

2004/08/23

BAGHDAD DWELLER: "Muqty is hiding in a cellar in a religious school %93Al-Akhond%94 in Najaf. %0D%0AAll the bad guys hide under the ground.

Update%0D%0AThe governor of Najaf said he is in Sulymaia north of Iraq."

American Soldier%3A Blog Smog: "I read earlier this week that Olympians could not write blogs%2C nor could they take personal pictures while participating. I thought that was ridiculous. Americans who go to another country and participate in some games cannot express their opinion. Do we lose all rights when we step foot in another country%3F So I ask myself. Am I fighting for the rights for others to tell me I cannot have certain rights%3F It sort of contradicts itself%21 Now I%27ve seen a few military bloggers go down because their Commanders had pulled the plug on them or had censored them so much that it wasn%27t worth reading anymore."

shut up you fat whiner%21%3A does my flak jacket make me look sexy%3F: "Believe me there is nothing that can totally knock you off your balance than someone commenting on what you are wearing while you are thinking if it is worse to die from a sniper%92s bullet in your head or the Mahdis%2C thinking that you are an American%2C firing a rocket propelled grenade in your direction."

Iraq at a glance: "According to AlIraqiya channel%3A %91Unknown armed men in AlNajaf kidnapped %0D%0AGrand Ayatollah Mahdi AlKhurasani%0D%0AGrand Ayatollah Ridah AlMar%92ashi%0D%0AGrand Ayatollah Mahdi AlHakeem%0D%0AAfter they%92ve been assaulted and beaten%85%92%0D%0AIf this is true%2C then the situation in AlNajaf is getting so dangerous day by day%2C who dares to do that to those so respectable men in AlNajaf%3F "

THE MESOPOTAMIAN: "Who are the desecrators of the holy shrine and who are the defenders%3F Who are the aggressors and who are the saviors%3F Who will hear the real voice of the people of Najaf%3F - The poor crucified people of Najaf."

Today in Iraq: Getting a grip on the obvious. --- If there has been one message written in all that the insurgents have done%2C whether Sunnis or Shiites%2C these Iraqis say%2C it is a rejection of the very idea that Iraq%27s future can be chosen under an American military umbrella - more broadly%2C of the idea that America and its notions should have any place in reshaping Iraq at all.

2004/08/22

Nabil%27s Blog: "The Iraqi just made and qualifies to the semi finals%2C when they beat Australia 1-0%2C I can%27t tell you what happened in Baghdad when the scored the goal%2C when they just score it the commentator just yell and shut GOAL GOAL%21%2C and he end his yelling by crying%2C he cried when the match ended%2C because Iraq haven%27t qualify to this round over his whole history%2C and when we scored the flying bullets covered the sky%2C it was about 8%3A30 PM in Baghdad time when we scored our goal "