Friday, February 15, 2008

Divide and Conquer

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There are very few good journalists working in Iraq that are A) Not embedded B) Not regurgitating mass information
Ghaith Abdul Ahad is one of these good journalists. Check out his work on the guardian.co.uk

LISTEN TO GHAITH ABDUL AHAD'S AUDIO INTERVIEW FROM THE GUARDIAN


To get a better idea of what Ghaith is talking about in terms of the neighborhood divisions, check out this map of Baghdad that the NYtimes has put together:


ASSESSING THE ‘SURGE’: A SURVEY OF BAGHDAD NEIGHBORHOODS

Nada Shabout

2007 was the year that I realized that there is a great academic that is doing Modern and Contemporary Arab/Iraqi art justice. Nada Shabout is a professor of Art History at the University of Northern Texas, and has recently penned a must-have book about Arab Art entitled "Modern Arab Art: Formation of Arab Aesthetics"

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CLICK HERE TO BUY IT FROM AMAZON


She wrote a great article about recent art in Iraq, public art specifically, and the new artist groups popping up. Read it below.

THE 'FREE' ART OF OCCUPATION: IMAGES FOR A 'NEW' IRAQ

Robert Fisk is A Helluva man

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Our dear Mr. Fisk has written a very poignant article about the looting of archeological sites in Iraq... Please read it and be informed on one of the greatest losses of history, in history.

Do we even have a right to return?

Home

You know, since the War started in 2003, with its all-around stupid name "Operation Iraqi Freedom", I never thought that the war would hit home as it did in the past five years. Hamdulilah, throughout the Iran-Iraq war and the sanctions, my family seemed spared of the tragedies all around. Instead of going into personal details, I'll tell you exactly what I mean by 'hitting home'. How about finding out that your home, in your homeland, is now 'home' to people you do not know or trust? 
Many Many Iraqi's are finding that, after being encouraged to move back to Iraq after their own stints as refugees are returning to find people, sometimes entire families, living in their home. The worst part is that the baladeeya (local community councils) have been giving people the right (and most of the time, the addresses) of these 'vacant' homes to settle in, without informing the proper owners. 
This opens the door to so many other problems that are both cause and effect of this squatter problem. Shia's being forced out of Sunni-majority areas, Sunni's being forced out of Shia-majority areas, local militias ganging up on households for whatever reason they seem not to fit the bill. What about the paperwork? Is the paperwork of the estate ownership being sold as well? What proof will the original homeowners have to reclaim their land in the near or distant future? 
Man...... what a mess....... what a mess........

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Iraq, the Cradle of Civilization

Watch this video with a cup of turkish coffee and contemplate how the war means so much more than what we think it does.
Be prepared... its long (about an hour), but worth every minute of your time. Its better than watching Entertainment Tonight back to back.


Sunday, February 10, 2008

Wanna see my Art?

Most of you already know that I am a painter and a graphic designer/artist and an amateur photographer and a... ok, thats enough titles for now. I'll be putting up more art by fellow A-rabs and peers that are up and coming and should be seen. For now, here's me:

Baghdead


Prostitution, Iraqi style

When you have a minute, click these links and read about the plight of Iraqi prostitutes in Iraq and Syria. I'll be posting more about it soon....


PROSTITUTION IN IRAQ


THE NEW SLAVERY....


TEENAGE PROSTITUTES

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Syria on my mind

Don't get it twisted... I'm still contemplating Mesopotamia... Syria being geographically part of this Ancient landscape. In todays mess of the Middle East, a new Baghdad has sprouted in Damascus. 
I found some interesting studies about the mass exodus of Iraqi Refugees in Syria. Check it out, you'll learn about 1.5 million new things. 



STUDY ON IRAQI REFUGEES BY HUMANRIGHTSFIRST.ORG


AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ON THE IRAQI REFUGEE CRISIS

Sallaam!

Welcome to part one of part one. Welcome to Mesopotamian Contemplations, where I can finally put down all of my love, pain and anger that stems from and towards the mess that is now Iraq. Everything from politics, history, the refugee crisis, art and culture... keep tuned.