Thursday, January 29, 2009

Iraq Gearing Up to Vote and a News Round Up From Hameed Abid

Tens of thousands vote early in Iraq

Yay!!!

Sunni Arabs embracing local Iraq elections

Double yay!! Thank you, George Bush!!

And speaking of Iraq, here are some gems from our friend Hameed Abid over at Iraq the Model:

"Dear All

Have just returned from Baghdad.

More about this trip later.

Glad you are all well.

Keep up the good work.

Thank you all for your contribution to support Iraq, inspite of some Idiotic comments by some posters, who shall remain nameless.

Kind regards
Hameed abid |01.27.09 - 12:10 pm |

------------

Welcome back Hameed,

Looking forward to hearing about how
things are going in Iraq from your
perspective.

I have begun to worry about Iraq more lately. Praying that Iraq can stand up. The USA media spin within the Obama administration is that Iraq is still a mess.

Got this feeling from todays press briefing? (1/27/09) Anyone else catch that?

They are trying to redefine success.
Or are looking for a redefinition for a pull out.
Either way, I pray that Iraq is ready for transition.

C. Jordan |01.27.09 - 5:18 pm | عروساً وعريساً يجمعهم مشروع المصاهرة الوطنية العراقية

2009-01-16 01:32:35 م

شرق برس : مجتمع

اجتمع 750 عروساً وعريساً نصفهم من الشيعة والآخر من السنة في قاعة واحدة ببغداد ليعلنوا عن مبادرة المصاهرة الوطنية.
ودعا لهذه المبادرة نائب رئيس الجمهورية طارق الهاشمي وتكفل بجزء كبير من تكاليف زواج هؤلاء العرسان.
وقال الهاشمي ان على العراقيين إسقاط كل المصطلحات البائسة التي وجدت في البلاد وعلى الجميع أن يتحدث باسم العراق والعراقيين


This item is about getting married to a sunni by a shiite and vice versa.

750 couples from both sects. got wed and Al hashimi told them to forget all these outdated phrases. This is a sunny and that a shiite.

Good luck to these couples who care about Iraq.

Hey guys and girls, be very proud you are Iraqis. May God bless you all.

Kind regards
Hameed abid |01.28.09 - 12:50 pm | Dear O and M

When i was in baghdad few days ago, one of my nephews rang me up late at night before i left the hotel and told me that with all posters of the Candidates plastered all over the walls, an old lady who could not read and write was crying her eyes out. When she was asked why?

She told them she was sad and unhappy about all these dead martyrs? refering of course to the Pictures of the Election candidates?

Kind regards
Hameed abid |01.28.09 - 12:54 pm |

Dear O and M

The american Ambassador mr. ryan Crocker deserves all the praise he could get. Sir you manged to stir Iraq in the right course over a very difficult and complicated period.

The success that was achieved by your excellent efforts coupled with that of David Petraeus was remarkable.

We ( the silent majority of Iraqis ) salute you and your supportive family wish you well in your next assignment.

Should you wish to come back and work in Iraq after your retirement on a private capacity we will welcome there too.

Kindest and best regards
Hameed abid | 01.28.09 - 1:03 pm |

C. Jordan | 01.28.09 - 10:16 am |

Thanks for the trust.

Yes! the Iraqis are doing well. they have started comparing their income before the liberation and after.

I was in Baghdad last month as a guest among 100 others on the Iraqi Parliamentinvitation, to attract the Iraqi talents and expatriates Experts to help Iraq's rebuilding.

I was there again last week. the place is different. Calm , collected and not so tense. Many of the check points were removed and the traffic was flowing smoothly in almost all street Women and gils are not all wearing the hijab and are manily walking freely without having to have male escorts.

They drive their cars and they go to clubs. I was taken to have lunch with Beer at the Al alwiah club at Firdos square, opposite where the toppled statue of Saddam was.

The Iraqis are manning these check points and they were very polite and have good words for the Iraqi and other drivers. Very helpful indeed.

I had an appointment At Al Rasheed Hotel in IZ- International Zone,
There were Iraqis at the check points, Ugandans and Peruvians. However, the only American present was a Seargent

I thanked him for helping training the Iraqis and was chatting with him and asked how long he 'd been in Baghdad. I gave him my buisness card and he gave me his private email address.

He said he is due to get back to his wife Darcie and his 15 months old Daughter Ava.

He cannot wait to be with them.

He is looking forwards to going home and I wished him a safe passage and a safe stay until then.

I made him feel he and his colleagues are most welcome in Baghdad, loved, admired and respected and told him how the ordinary Iraqis are now feeling anf coming out openly about praising and thanking the Amercians for their liberty, freedom and democracy, security and the rule of Law and human rights.

'The strangers are the friends yet to meet.'A Russsian proverb.

We indeed have become friends and we are corresponding by email, although the email service is still slow in Baghdad, he tells me.

I gave him my home telephone number in Baghdad too.

When I get back to Baghdad again hopefully this month, he would still be there and I will take him and his colleagues a home made Dolma dinner.


Kind regards
Hameed abid | 01.29.09 - 3:28 am | #

Godspeed Iraq!!! And you too, Hameed!

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