Stories about Iraq from May, 2007
Iraq: Diyala Update
“Diyala has arguably become the most dangerous place for both Iraqis and Americans. The recent crimes of al-Qaeda and affiliated groups in recent months in this province have cost tragic losses among Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and American soldiers,” writes Omar in Iraq The Model.
Egypt: From Here and There
Egypt-based blogger Issandr El Amrani selects a few essential readings here, where he links to articles of interest to his readers including one about how some Iraqi refugees are turning to the sex trade in Syria and the uproar an agreement to send 120,000 Egyptian housemaids to Saudi Arabia has...
Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome
If you read nothing else in Global Voices today read this post. I mean it. Everything is here from going to schools in a war zone, review of the latest political scene in Iraq, must-see video blogs, stories of extreme bravery and extreme pathos, a $1000 KFC meal, and if you read to the end, how gays cruise in Amman.
Iraq: Going to School Amid Destruction
Iraqi blogger Sunshine updates us about her life in a war-torn country and her daily trek to school. “As usual I left home early at 6:50 am , to reach school before the exam starts , the way was blocked , but this time FAAAAAAR away from my school ,...
Iraq: US and Iran Meet Over Iraq
“Iranian and American officials (their ambassadors to Baghdad as far as I know) will meet to talk tomorrow in Baghdad. The dialogue, however, started about a week ago…. I'm honestly not expecting much good from such meetings, not in the foreseeable future because the tone of their dialogue on the...
Iraq: New Blogs on the Street
Konfused Kid from Iraq introduces the latest Iraqi blogs here. They include a blog discusses everything from rock music to Iraqi social glimpses, recent posts include attending a Pink Floyd concert, and an Arabic-language post about the tribulations of a small child; another written in French by a Christian Assyrian...
Turkey: Plans to Attack Kurds
Turkish blogger Murat Altinbasak links to a news article which discusses Tuesday's deadly rush hour bombing at an Ankara shopping district in which at least six people died and more than 100 were injured. His conclusions are: “Turkey plans for attack on Kurds.”
Syria: 14 Killed in Bus Accident
“14 people have died after an Iraqi bus crashed on the Aleppo to Raqqa highway. 20 others are injured. The bus had just crossed the border from Iraq, and was travelling on the wrong side of the road. The Aleppo to Raqqa highway is one of the country's accident hotspots,”...
Iraq: US Destruction Machine
Iraqi blogger Majed Jarrar links to two videos which show the US troops “destroying Iraq.”
Qatar: Why Somalia isn't Iraq
Qatar-based blogger Abdurahman Warsame explains why Somalia isn't like Iraq. “There has been bomb attacks in Mogadishu since the city fell to the Transitional Government. A number of civilians were killed in various attacks, the prime minister Ali Ghedi and Mayor of Mogadishu, former warlord Mohamed Dheere, have both survived...
Palestine: Support Resisting Iraqis
Palestinian blogger The Cylinder encourages his readers to sign the Iraqi Oil Law petition. “Please help Iraqis who dare to resist!” writes the blogger.
Jordan: Arab-Arab Relations
“Iraqi versus Iraqi. Palestinian versus Palestinian. Lebanese versus Palestinian militants. To say nothing of… “Arab unity seems to be a pipe dream more and more these days. On the political level it’s been dead and buried for quite some time but perhaps the social level is what I find more...
Iraq: US Troop Movement
Iraqi blogger LadyBird shares the latest rumours on the mobilisation of US troops in Iraq here. “Information came right now from Iraq that US occupation forces are moving all their heavy machineries and tanks into Al-Kut Airbase in south Iraq. No more details and not confirmed yet but this come...
Korea: A Soldier's Death
On the 19th, a twenty-seven year old Korean soldier in Iraq was discovered dead. He was shot at a barber shop in Zaytun, where Korean soldiers stationed. It was the first death of a Korean soldier in Iraq since Korea arrived in 2004. While the media and army guess the...
Kuwait: Iraq Invasion Home Video
Lebanese blogger Mark posts links to two home videos made by a Kuwaiti mother, which bring back a chilling reminder to the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Iraq: Security Situation Update
Omar at Iraq The Model updates us on the security situation in Iraq. “There hasn’t been any major security incidents in Baghdad since the attacks on three bridges in both its northern and southern suburbs on Friday May 11, more than a week ago. This doesn’t mean Baghdad is essentially...
Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome
This week blogs have covered a steadily deteriorating situation in Iraq. Things are not so much going from bad to worse, but from worse to appalingly worse. Also read about a visit to the Iraqi ID office and one blogger gets to answer readers' questions in this extensive Iraqi blog review by Salam Adil.
Iraq: Al Jazeera Bending to US Pressure
Iraqi blogger Lady Bird claims that Qatari-based Al Jazeera is being forced to bend to pressure from the US. “Reported today the board members of Aljazeera were removed [including Chief director Wadah Khanfar] and a totally new board was established appointed by the Emir of Qatar directly.The rumors are that...
Iraq: Heavy Fighting in Mosul
Iraqi blogger LadyBird reports heavy fighting in Mosul between ‘occupying’ and ‘resistance’ forces.
Kurdistance: The Honor Killing of Dua
This may seem like old news....but it isn't. Even though the tragic honor killing of a young girl in Northern Iraq/Southern Kurdistan took place in early April, sometimes the meaning of these sad stories take a while to surface. There are conflicting reports about how 17-year-old Dua died, some say that she was lynched, some stoned to death, others say both. What we do know was that Dua was a young girl in love, who left her Yezidi faith to live her life with a man that she loved. She was brave and idealistic; and she died horribly because of it. A mob of Yezidi men dragged her into the street, tore her clothes to shame her, and then the mob killed her...the final blow being a large rock taken to her head. And someone filmed this horror, which is floating around the internet somewhere if you truly wish to see it. What is important, is that this tragedy not only is sad in the individual sense of this girl's death, it is also sad in what it signifies for a culture and society eager to change, but unable to, as the Kurdish bloggers point out.
