Dean's World

Welcome to the Carnival of the Liberated, a sampler of some of the best posts from the Iraqi blogosphere. This week three stories were most on the minds of the Iraqi bloggers: the U. S. election returns, the death of Sheikh Zayed, and the approaching battle of Fallujah.

Just as here Iraqi bloggers had two distinct reactions to the re-election of GWB last week. Sam of Hammobabi, Ibn Alrafidain, Kardox, Kurdo, Nabil, and Ibrahim Khalil of Iraq Today are relieved, maybe even overjoyed. Firas Georges of Iraq and Iraqis is effusive:

I have come back from Basra yesterday, filled with happiness about the American election result which I stayed awake all night to follow for the first time of my life. I am still busy to finish my accumulated work here in Baghdad and wanted to congratulate the Americans with the re-election of President George W. Bush for another four years.

I expect the elections to take a course similar to that happened in 2000 because the support to both candidates is close, and no doubt Mr. Bush's victory would have a positive effect on Iraq and Palestine, as he had made solemn commitments about this.
Ahmed Talib Al Ta'ai-Baghdad-Iraq.

I wish Arab regimes would have half of what the Americans have of freedom of expression and participation in deciding their future.
Fartis Adil-Basra-Iraq.

There will be a great competition between the two candidates but I expect Bush to win. As for what will happen for Iraq, I believe who started the war is the only one who will finish it. Bush has toppled Saddam the tyrant and I'm sure that some Arab rulers are afraid that their fate will be like Saddam's.
Rasoul Jamil-Iraq.

You deserve no better- I couldn't wish worse on you if I tried. He represents you perfectly... and red really is your color. It's the color of the blood of thousands of Iraqis and by the time this four-year catastrophe in the White House is over, tousands of Americans, likely.

As an Iraqi, although I have to respect the choice of the American people expressed through a democratic process, I don't have to be happy about it!

To me it means an approval of "pre-emptive wars", of taking the "war to the enemy camp" (which means me, my family and my country), of more chaos in Iraq, of Abu Ghraib, of Halliburton; of the bombings and killings, of incompetence, of continued neo-con influence, of unilateralism, of disregard to world opinion, of trying to dominate the world instead of leading it, of more religious antagonism, of more animosity towards Europe and of the ascendancy of fear over hope.

The death of Sheikh Zayed was the second story on the minds of Iraqi bloggers. This is a story which hasn't received nearly enough attention in the Western press. neurotic iraqi wife gives a nice tribute, some background, and links. Alaa of The Mesopotamian combines Zayed's death and the re-election of President Bush in a single post:

Friends, tears came twice to these old eyes yesterday; once in sadness, and once in happiness. The first was because of a sad event. Sheikh Zayid Bin Sultan Al Nahayan the ruler and founder of the United Arab Emirates passed away. Now this man is one of the very few Arab leaders who really had the affection and appreciation of the Iraqi people. He led his barren land which has no rivers, no mountains and hardly any assets apart from some oil, and not much of it, to be one of the most prosperous and advanced countries in the middle east. His wisdom, mildness and kindness helped to create a real gem on the shore of the Arabian Gulf. God rest the soul of this friend of the Iraqi people and great benefactor to his people. Inna Lillah Wa Inna Ileihi Rajioun.

The second time they were tears of emotion and happiness. As I saw the American people turn out in record numbers, to say their word. And it seems to be the word of defiance and courage. Despite all the propaganda and the feverish campaign, the American people have proved something very important, although the final conclusion still seems to be not official, but every indication is that this is only a matter of little time. This is a most significant and far reaching event. It was most gratifying to see the discomfiture and hardly disguised rancor of Al Jazeera commentators as the results started to take a definite direction. I believe that this outcome and the record turn out have largely for their motivation the considerations that we have in common and which I mentioned in my previous posts.

And, of course, the battle of Fallujah. Zeyad of Healing Iraq has returned to give us some valuable background:

The demands of the Fallujah negotiants from the government weeks ago were obscene and they clearly reflect the overt sectarianism and regionalism of the armed groups in the area. The demands were not released to the Iraqi public at the time for unkown reasons but they have leaked out days ago. Here are just a few of them:

-A clear timetable for the withdrawal of foreign occupation forces (fair enough).
-Immediate withdrawal of US and Iraqi security forces from the Anbar governorate and the handover of security responsibilities to former army officers from Anbar.
-The appointment of ministers from the Anbar governorate to the ministries of Interior, Defense, Oil and Finance.
-The removal of certain officials (most of them from Shi'ite Islamic parties such as Ibrahim Al-Ja'fari) from governmental positions.
-The complete return of Ba'athists, army officers, Republican Guards, Mukhabarat, intelligence and security personnel to their former positions.
-The removal of Shi'ite Edhan (call for prayers) from official television and radio programs.
-Incomes of Shi'ite sacred shrines should be returned under the control of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.

These last two demands have been allegedly added by Sheikh Harith Al-Dhari (head of the Association of Muslim Scholars) and are said to have been a major reason behind the failure of negotiations with the government.

Kurdo of Kurdo's World gives an opinion on Fallujah from the Kurdish territory. Sam of Hammorabi is eager to have the situation there resolved. Abu Khaleel of Iraqi Letter to America has a dissenting view. And don't miss Alaa of The Mesopotamian's great post Hurricane Jitters:

It does not please any Iraqi to see any city or town in our country suffering the kind of fate that seems to await unfortunate places like Falujah and Ramadi; but whose fault is it really? Were not the people in the town given every chance to reform their ways and stop sabotaging their own country, only to have the place hijacked by extremists who turned the place into a safe haven for killers, kidnappers, be-headers and suicide bombers exported to Baghdad and elsewhere? Extremists turned the place into a Taliban like hell where ordinary people were subjected to the most ignominious and cruel treatment, and I refer you to the few reports that came out from inside the town, and also to the letter from Dave (link on the side bar) where he reports incredibly, that some of the residents are asking the American forces to bomb their own houses which have been occupied by terrorists.

Finally, a note of hope from A Family in Baghdad:

By mid next December, by the will of GOD, I shall have a full year since I started writing on this website... it feels like five years to me...so full of events... What did I gain from this site?? A lot of people ask... Personally, I gained a lot... this site helped me to know people closely...I mean westerners. Most the website visitors are Americans, then Europeans, Asians, then Arabs... and most people I got close to, and talked to, are Americans. Most people who talk to me are polite, friendly people, who respect others, and do not brag or be arrogant. There is a silly, malicious minority, and most times, I do not answer them. I get an average of one poisonous letter every two months. I don't know...maybe by time people would come to know this site, so that people who visit it are only those who harmonize with the talk of its patron...perhaps that is the reason my visitors are so quiet.

[...]

With days to come...I hope conditions get better, so that everyone should know I am here... I love Iraq and the Iraqis...I want peace and stability to us all...to all the people on earth. I believe in the notion of extending our hands to the world around us...so they would extend theirs to help us build a better future... a better future for all of us... without wars...without hate...without violence.