MENSHOORAT (leaflets): No doubt about it, this is the foremost topic of the day in Baghdad and with those Baghdadis on the Internet.
"Zane" is under lockdown. They were told they can't go out. But he says that from what he can discern, while cooped up in his hotel, life seems to be going on in Baghdad pretty much as normal.
According to a Knight Ridder reporter in Baghdad (link provided by Zane), some people are spooked but many are disgusted, irked, and contemptuous of the whole attempted shutdown. K-R reports that the gold traders are still open in the Kadhimiya district souk and they say they're "not worried."
Just checked for some of the Iraqis' reactions on Zeyad's comment board.
Hadi says he spoke on the phone with a cousin in Baghdad who was just on her way out the door to go to her college classes. She said she was not going to let them intimidate her. Hadi is very proud of her and seems to feel more confident that they can handle whatever these dead-enders try to throw their way.
As far as I can tell at this point in time, there were no major incidents through their nightfall over there. But later on, we may get more information. Anyway, so far so good.
Saturday, November 1
SETBACKS AND SCAPEGOATS
**The Arabs suffered a setback in 1948 when the Jewish state was created and they have been trying to understand that ever since. One form of understanding is "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion": a few manipulative and high powered people control the destiny of millions, if not billions, through money and Machiavellian design.
Belief in such a model reflects the understanding many Arabs have of politics: Arab politics.**
-------------------------
~ Comment: Prior to 1948, the Arabs suffered at least three notable setbacks. In 1840, the British headed a coalition of European states that kicked the Egyptians out of Israel. Then, there were management problems with the Suez Canal. And, finally, the Ottoman Empire ended. Each of these events had some negative impact on Egypt and the Arab world.
But these events were not connected to Zionism or to Jews. Trying to understand why historical events happen does not mean you should look around for a scapegoat to blame.
-------------------------
:: Opening quotation is an excerpt from:
Doubts cast on 'The Protocols...'
an op-ed essay at the Gulf News by John Bell,
former UN and Canadian diplomat.
Friday, October 31
A PEEK AHEAD: "Zane" who works for an NGO in Baghdad is going to have to go under lockdown for the weekend [bummer!] because some Bad Guys have been circulating lotsa ominous leaflets.
Although I don't usually browse at Slate, I thought we might take a peek over there to find out what will appear in some of our chattering publications so that maybe Zane can spend some of his time in lockdown catching up on his periodical reading.
-NY Times Mag 11/2 - story about postwar Iraq.
-The New Yorker 11/3 - profile of SNL's Tina Fey.
-Weekly Standard 11/3 - A.Taheri/Shirin Ebadi.
-New Republic 11/3 - Zadie Smith on Franz Kafka.
:: At Slate ::
SEMI-RETRACTION:
"Informed Comment received an email from Professor Noah Feldman saying that he had not, as al-Zaman alleged, written a report for the CPA on the likely form of the Iraqi constitution. It appears that al-Zaman was summarizing an article in the Daily Telegraph, and mistook a few oral comments for a position paper."
Well, whew! Did anyone panic? No? Good :-)
OFF THE RAILS: Rosie Magazine trial.
Rosie O'Donnell -- Gruner and Jahr Publishing.
What went wrong?
:: James T. Madore reports at Newsday
Link courtesy of Romenesko/Poynter.
UJA CORDON: US soldiers have moved into Uja, a small village about 16 kilometers southeast of Tikrit where Saddam was born, and established a cordon around it.
Lt. Col. Steve Russell said he did not know whether Saddam was directing parts of the attacks, but the village is the family home of many former Baathist regime members. "There are ties leading to this village, to the funding and planning of attacks against U.S. soldiers," Russell said.
:: From an article at Al Bawaba.
YOU'RE ON THE BUS. . . Anthony Shadid describes a trip he took down south to hear Muqtada Al-Sadr preach. He relates some of his impressions here about his experience. He speaks colloquial Arabic.
*...The driver -- like others here, notoriously unruly -- lurched forward and set off the wrong way down a two-lane street...*
:: An Iraqi Call: Get on the Bus ::
Weekly Pilgramage Mixes Politics, Piety
by Anthony Shadid for the WashPost.
LOOKING FORWARD TO FUTTOOR: Riverbend has a wonderful entry posted for today giving an introductory tour of Ramadhan. Here you will find some information about customs and foods.
I think it's a keeper-- recommended!
Mmm... my mouth is watering already... and, by the way, I happen to love dates :-)
:: RIVERBEND'S BLOG ::
Thursday, October 30
SUEZ CANAL MISSING AGAIN? Al-Manar Sat TV Network has started airing their daffy revisionist history series again this year. They showed the first episode on Monday.
:: From an article at The Daily Star.
IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY: Professor Juan Cole is reporting today that Al-Zaman, the leading newspaper in Iraq, has published a summary of a Noah Feldman report which appears to adversely impact the early self-sovereignty of the new Iraq. (Not expecting to remove those training wheels very soon.)
Feldman does not expect Reconstructed Iraq as it currently exists to become a Western-friendly state.
~ Comment: Folks, this is not the last word on anything. It's just one report. By one individual. A personal snapshot in time.
Morocco is a Moslem State. It is friendly to Western countries. It has relations with Israel. It welcomes a substantial tourist industry. The foregoing facts appear to contradict some of Feldman's current pet theories, so, all is not lost.
:: PERMALINK to above entry (iffy)
:: Prof Cole's Blog ::
VOLATILE PRINTING INCIDENT: An explosion shook Baghdad's Old Quarter late Thursday, killing at least two people and triggering a large fire near the intersection of Rashid Street and Al-Motanabi Street.
Firefighters and two fire engines sought to control the blaze that engulfed the building next to a printing shop in an area known for its rows of bookshops and antique stores. Debris and broken glass littered the sidewalks.
~ Comment: I wonder what they were printing... publishing can be still be dangerous to your health in Iraq.
:: Off the AP Wire Feed via YahooNews, not attrib.
:: Update From AFP YahooNews:
"There are only printing presses here. It could be for personal reasons," he added.
One of the three-story buildings, which housed printing presses, was completely engulfed by flames, while the other was partially ablaze.
------------------------------
BOLO FOR AL-DOURI: Meanwhile, in Washington a US defense official said a former Iraqi general, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, is believed to be coordinating attacks in Iraq by foreign fighters and Saddam loyalists.
The reports fingering al-Douri as the coordinator of the attacks probably came from the recent capture, in the northern city of Mosul, of one of his former secretaries...
:: AFP via Yahoo News
------------------------------
Sistani Aide Attacked: There also was an apparent assassination attempt Wednesday night against an aide to Iraq's most influential Shiite Muslim cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Hussein al-Sistani.
The cleric, Abdel Mehdi al Karbali, suffered head wounds in the explosion of a hand grenade thrown at him and his bodyguards.
:: From AP via YahooNews.
~ All these stories can be accessed ~
:: from Yahoo!News ::
WHAT THEY SAID:
Apocalypse Now is not yet
being played out in Baghdad.
But maybe tomorrow?
-- Patrick Sabatier
-- Libération, France, October 28
:: From Press Review on Iraq at The Guardian.
SHAWKAT OBIT: This is a link to the obituary of Ahmad Shawkat whose death was noted previously on this blog.
Ahmad Shawkat spent his entire adult life dreaming of living in an Iraq where he could be free to write and speak his thoughts... a coward murdered him.His obituary was written up by Michael Goldfarb who was acquainted with him.
Wednesday, October 29
IFTAAR AT THE WHITE HOUSE: President Bush hosted Muslim leaders at the White House for an Iftaar dinner-- the evening meal that breaks the dawn-to-dusk fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
As he welcomed his 80 guests, the president spoke of the importance of religious freedom for all. He reflected on the drive for peace and tolerance in Afghanistan and Iraq. And he stressed once again that America is waging war on terrorism and not on Islam.
:: From an article by Paula Wolfson
-- for VOA News.
------------------------------
More on last night's Iftaar dinner . . .
*Although the guest list included 92 persons, several Muslim organizations who differ vastly with the White House on political and religious issues complained they were left off the list.*
:: From an article by Julia Duin
-- for the Washington Times.
------------------------------
For Iftaar In Baghdad . . .
the streets were unusually quiet last night, according to Mohamad Bazzi in his dispatch to Newsday.
Bazzi gives a rather atmospheric description of the scene and talks to some folks in the street picking up last minute shopping supplies.
No surprisingly, Bazzi relates that residents there are longing for some normalcy and relief from the recent violence.
Tuesday, October 28
DURST X-EXAMIN: Although Durst claims he does not remember using saws and an axe to cut up the body, he told jurors Tuesday that he thought he did a pretty good job of cleaning up the mess...
Prosecutors contend that the dismemberment, coverup and Durst's flight to avoid prosecution are evidence that Black's death was neither an accident nor self-defense...
At the time of Black's death, Durst was living in Galveston posing as a mute woman...
:: Excerpted from coverage by John Springer
-- for Court TV via YahooNews.
~~ From the Jihad in Iraq ~~
It seems like Yahia5464
is planning to bore us to death.
:: LINK HERE :: to above jihadi material.
:: Link via Instapundit PERMALINK.
Frankly, I haven't got the patience
to slog through all this stuff.
Meanwhile, Glenn wants to remind folks
that one of his backup sites is :: HERE ::
IRAQI NEWS WEEKLY ED KILLED: Ahmed Shawkat, editor of an independent weekly current events publication called "Without Direction," was shot and killed Tuesday in Mosul. His daughter said he had been threatened because of his writings.
:: From an AP article (fresh)
-- via Yahoo News ME Section.
GRAPPLING WITH THE BRAIN DRAIN ISSUE: *If the roots of backwardness, as mentioned in the Arab Human Development Report, are not tackled meticulously and systematically, and if we do not cease blaming external factors for this sad reality, the worst is yet to come.*
:: From an op-ed by Hassan A. Barari
-- at The Jordan Times.
Monday, October 27
THE FABULOUS MISS "A" - Vida Samadzai, Miss Afghanistan, has come under vituperative and acrimonious criticism from numerous Afghanis for being the product of a nefarious conspiracy to help get President Bush re-elected to a second term.
Also, many unidentified Afghanis are trying to disown Samadzai as un-Afghani and want her citizenship revoked because she attends college in California.
:: from Miss Afghanistan Under Fire ::
-- by Mutiallah Tayeb in Kabul.
A MAGIC MOMENT? *While the suicide bombings in Iraq on Monday coincided with the start of Ramadan there, it remained unclear if the timing was intentional.*
:: From Experts Debate Ramadan Factor
-- by Donna Abu-Nasr for AP via YahooNews.
WHEN THE MOON IS NEW: *Differences in observance of Ramadan are commonplace in the Muslim world as the start is dependent on the lunar calendar and the sighting of the new moon, which can vary from country to country.
In Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Sudan and Yemen, Sunday marked the beginning of the fast.
In the six Gulf monarchies - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman - as well as Lebanon, Syria and Shi'ite Iran, Ramadan will begin on Monday.*
:: AFP via News24SA ::
--------------------
~ Comment ~ Some Iraqis who are used to a strong central command-and-control apparatus are uncomfortable about the absence of a central religious affairs authority who would impose the start of Ramadan in unison.
Sunday, October 26
HOLIDAY GUERRILLA ATTACK: A barrage of six to eight celebratory Ramadan rockets hit the Rashid Hotel on the west side of the building at about 6 am Baghdad time (11 pm EDT Saturday). Sec. Wolfowitz was composed and unharmed as he left the building accompanied by his security detail.
:: Reuters via ABC TV News.
