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Saturday, June 18, 2005

The new and improved Al Jazeera 

"The Arab-language news channel, al-Jazeera, has been given a face-lift," reports BBC's Sebastian Usher. "In covering the past few years of conflict in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and Afghanistan, it has shown extremely violent and bloody images - which al-Jazeera editors say has been necessary in order to show what is really happening. But now, its senior managers and editors say they want the channel to reflect a broader range of subjects."

Well, that's a relief - the change is long overdue. So what's the new and improved Al Jazeera going to look like?
There is a new newsroom replacing the cramped old one that has been in use since al-Jazeera was set up in Qatar 10 years ago.

The newsroom now appears in shot behind the newsreaders during bulletins - showing journalists dressed both in Western and traditional Arab styles.
Ummm. So what about beheadings and live broadcasts of terrorists attacks?
Al-Jazeera's station ident has been changed.

Now, it shows a golden globe plunging into blue waves and then rising back to the surface in the form of al-Jazeera's logo.

The same globe is shown as the ident before news bulletins. The motif of blue waves is also used in programme trails.

New graphics have been introduced across the output, using softer blues and greens than the previous dominant colour, red. The effect is to give a calmer, more uniform feel to the station.
So next time you watch a beheading on Al Jazeera, its logo in the lower right hand corner of the screen will be softer and calmer. Still, blues and greens are better; red logos tend to blend too much with blood.

At the risk of repeating myself, so what about beheadings and live broadcasts of terrorists attacks?
Al-Jazeera executives say they want it to reflect a wider range of stories, including more in-depth coverage.

They say the station will now be concentrating more on human interest stories.

"Our new future direction will be to reach the human, as a human, with a human's hopes, pains and aspirations, targeting the forgotten areas that no one has tried to reach before," said chief editor Ahmed al-Shaykh.

A new programme, "This Morning", is on from 0500 to 0700 GMT, giving space to stories outside the main news agenda such as reports on the education system in Niger and the attitude of Egyptian artists to politics.
"To reach the human, as a human, with a human's hopes, pains and aspirations" - I think the American networks should adopt this motto. So are all the changes at Al Jazeera merely cosmetic, or will we see the difference? Only time will tell. But the pressures are there:
The revolution in Arab TV that [Al Jazeera] set off has produced an increasing number of rivals, such as the Dubai-based al-Arabiya and the US-backed al-Hurra. Critics have accused it of losing some of its edge.

Its financial backing comes from the Qatari government and it has yet to make a profit, but there is increasing talk of privatisation at some point in the future.
You have be concerned when an industry pioneer and giant is really a loss-making government-owned dinosaur. All I can say, thank God for competition. Al Jazeera might or might not be partly bought out by Israeli businessman Haim Saban (although it would be quite ironic if it was), but in the increasingly diverse and competitive media environment it will matter less and less.

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The next domino? 

Put this one in "watch this space" file:
The US base in Uzbekistan has gradually started to move out after bilateral relations have deteriorated over the Andijan unrest, during which 173 people died according to official estimates. Human rights organizations put the number of dead as about 1,000.

Planes, personnel, and equipment from the Hanabad airbase have been shifted to Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan following Uzbek President Islam Karimov administration's "restrictive" attitude as retaliation against Washington's call for an independent international commission to investigate the unrest. The US base might be completely closed within the next months, it is claimed, following negotiations between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Kyrgyz officials about the crisis. Some observers argue that the US administration might "facilitate" a possible velvet revolution by further increasing the pressure on Tashkent.
Wouldn't be a bad outcome overall. See here for an interesting perspective on diverging American and Russian policies towards Uzbekistan.

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Baby, don't forget my number 

A little piece of news from Afghanistan has caught my eye recently: apparently a few days ago, during a security operation in the Ghazni province, the Afghan authorities have captured five Taliban fighters, one of whom was in possession of some sensitive documents, including - I love this - the satellite phone number of Mullah Omar.

Now that the authorities are in possession of that number, Mullah Omar can be expected to be hounded mercilessly by prank phonecalls and unsolicited marketing and survey calls. Placing the number strategically on toilet walls around the world is bound to further increase the nuisance value for the Taliban leader. And you know how difficult it is to get a new number when you're hiding in a cave somewhere along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

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Revenge of scary quotation marks 

Islamofascists think this is bad news - so, of course, it's not:
The Palestinian magazine al-Manar from Jerusalem reported in its issue No. 726 that according to informed sources, on Wednesday, 8 June 2005, Ahmad Chalabi, the puppet so-called "deputy prime minister" of Iraq; and Muwaffaq ar-Rabi'i, the puppet so-called "Iraqi national security adviser" arrived in "Israel" where they held meetings and discussions with top Zionist officials, including the so-called "prime minister of 'Israel'" Ariel Sharon, and Giora Eiland, the so-called "chairman of the national security council" of the Zionist entity. Also attending the talks with the Iraqi puppet officials was Zionist "foreign minister" Silvan Shalom.
I know that news wire service love to abundantly use quotation marks, but Free Arab Voice surely takes the cake, including for the use of not single but a double scary quotes in "prime minister of 'Israel'" (proceeded by a qualifier "so called", no less). Reuters and Agence France-Presse, eat your hearts out.

Jihad Unspun and al-Manar, by the way, are the only "news" "sources" so far reporting Chalabi's Israeli trip.

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Awesome foursome to the rescue 

A group of esteemed elder statesmen, including former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammed, former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark, former Algerian president Ahmed Ben Bella and former French foreign minister Roland Dumas, has recently gotten together to create the Emergency Committee for Iraq.

The aim of the Emergency Committee for Iraq is nothing as pedestrian as, for example, assisting with the reconstruction effort throughout the country, or perhaps coordinating humanitarian assistance for the Iraqi people.

No, the Committee's main objective is to ensure a fair trial for Saddam and Baath Party officials.

Yep.

In the words of Mahathir Mohammed: "We are interested to see that justice is done, even in the case of Saddam Hussein, because a principle is about to be set here... If it is accepted that the people who launch a war, (and) capture heads of governments can then put this head of government on trial, then other heads of governments will face this danger."

(Mohammed seems to have missed some of the crucial events of the recent past, such as the January election, which means that Saddam (the dictator) is being tried not by the Americans but by the court constituted by the government (democratically elected) of Iraq.)

Yes, God forbid that other heads of government would face this danger. But if you're not convinced, Mahammed offers this chilling warning: "Supposing they decide to invade Syria then (President Bashar Assad) would be caught and accused of mass killings and things like that. Again there will be a trial and he is going to be found guilty even before anything is done."

My God, if Saddam and Assad aren't safe, which other innocent heads of state might be at risk? What about Kim or Castro?

Clearly, now that Amnesty International is busy protecting terror suspects, there is an obvious gap, and a need to step in and protect other scum of the world, a sort of Save the Dictators, or Stop the (Unelected) Heads (of Governments) from Rolling effort. And who better to lead this group than our foursome:

Mahathir Mohammed, for 22 years Prime Minister of Malaysia; better known for his very public outbursts against the global Jewish conspiracy, and for having managed to put away in prison his main political rival Anwar Ibrahim on charges of sodomy.

Ramsey Clark, LBJ's Attorney-General; better known since then for being a part of every disgusting anti-American campaign and supporting every anti-American dictator including Slobodan Milosevic, and attending a human rights conference. In Baghdad. In 1998. Under Saddam.

Ahmed Ben Bella, the first President of independent Algeria between 1963 and 1965 (having banned other political parties); better known for having spent the following twenty-five years under house arrest, ten in exile, and the last fifteen in political irrelevancy.

Roland Dumas, Socialist former foreign minister and later president of France's constitutional court; better known for having been convicted in 2002 for his role in France's biggest post-war corruption scandal.

Clearly, the Save Saddam campaign is in safe hands.

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Iranian spring, part 4 

The polls closed in Iran amidst reports of high voter turnout. Just like the Soviet grain statistics, the official figures will tell us little - the ruling mullahs have an interest in inflating the figures to demonstrate that the regime and the political system enjoy broad legitimacy. The foreign media will be of little help here; as Regime Change Iran reminds us,
the international media in Iran for the election is estimated between 70 and 200 foreign journalists. Opposition leaders claim that each journalist is required to have a government minder present with them. They also report that these journalists do not have the freedom to visit anywhere they choose. So the international media is reporting from government designated polling places.

In previous elections, there have been news reports that the government deliberately made the number of polling places in the neighborhood so small that it creates larger crowds, creating a photo opportunity for the journalists.

In other cases the regime has also been reported to have bus loads of people with fake ids traveling from location to location to increase the size of the turnouts at these photo-op polling places.
For all their rugged cynicism, inborn skepticism and distrust of authority, deep down journalists are so used to freedom, openness and transparency of their own Western societies that Potemkin villages and Potemkin elections can all too often fool them (hence we get pearlers such as this 2002 effort from ABC's David Wright: "Seven years ago, when the last referendum took place, Saddam Hussein won 99.96 percent of the vote. Of course, it is impossible to say whether that's a true measure of the Iraqi people's feelings.").

Initial reports suggest a 24 June run-off election, as neither of the top two candidates, Rafsanjani or Mostafa Moin, has managed to reach 50% of the vote.

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Friday, June 17, 2005

Double trouble 

This man is likely to be Poland's next Prime Minister:



And this man is likely to be Poland'’s next President:



Or is it the other way around? And what the hell?

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you - Poland might become the first country in history to be led by identical twins.

Even better, Lech (yes, there's that name again) and Jaroslaw Kaczynski are both conservatives, anti-corruption anti-government waste crusaders, and staunch supporters of the US alliance (as well as Poland's involvement in Iraq).

The Kaczynski brothers, who already rarely appear together in public to avoid creating confusion, have the potential to sow utter chaos among the ranks of foreign correspondents and commentators - not to mention photojournalists.

Lech and Jaroslaw became famous early in their lives, staring in a classic Polish children's movie "About Those Two That Stole The Moon" - I remember watching its re-runs when I was a child in the 1970s. Needless to say, I had no idea I was watching two prominent future political figures (experience, I'm sure, shared by many early fans of Reagan films).

Opposition figures once grown up, Lech and Jaroslaw really came to prominence in the 1990s, up and down but rarely out of the kaleidoscope that is Polish post-communist politics. Now, Lech, formerly a professor of law, is the Lord Mayor of Warsaw and has already started his campaign for Presidency, open when Aleksander Kwasniewski finishes his term later this year. The latest polling has Lech leading the field with 26 per cent of support - funnily enough, Poles seem to be so sick and tired of left-wingers at the top that the second and the third leading contenders are also of the center-right.

And Jaroslaw, "only" a doctor of law (it must run in the family), is the leader of Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc (Law and Justice) party, currently a fraction more popular of the two major opposition center-right parties (the other, Citizens Platform, is the more classically liberal, pro-market one of the two) who are looking likely to trash the corrupt and inept (though also pro-American) post communist social democrats. This makes Jaroslaw the first in line to be the next Prime Minister (here's an interview in English with Jaroslaw to give you a bit more idea where he's coming from).

Poland -– twice the right, twice the fun.

(hat tip to BBC for inspiring this post and to Mad Minerva for bringing it to my attention.)

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Iranian spring, part 3 

President Bush lets the people of Iran know what he thinks of the elections (hat tip: Regime Change Iran):
In recent months, the cause of freedom has made enormous gains in the broader Middle East. Millions of people in Afghanistan and Iraq defied terrorists to cast their ballots in free elections. Palestinians voted for a new president who rejects violence and is working for democratic reform, and the people of Lebanon reclaimed their sovereignty and are now voting for new leadership. Across the Middle East, hopeful change is taking place. People are claiming their liberty. And as a tide of freedom sweeps this region, it will also come eventually to Iran.

The Iranian people are heirs to a great civilization - and they deserve a government that honors their ideals and unleashes their talent and creativity. Today, Iran is ruled by men who suppress liberty at home and spread terror across the world. Power is in the hands of an unelected few who have retained power through an electoral process that ignores the basic requirements of democracy.
And:
America believes in the independence and territorial integrity of Iran. America believes in the right of the Iranian people to make their own decisions and determine their own future. America believes that freedom is the birthright and deep desire of every human soul. And to the Iranian people, I say: As you stand for your own liberty, the people of America stand with you.
As indeed do all people of good will around the world.

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India or China? 

Mark Steyn believes that India, not China, is the Asian giant to watch. Indian blogger Amit Varma, who came to prominence blogging in the aftermath of the tsunami, is not as optimistic about India's prospects. He has written a piece titled "The myth of India's liberalization" for "The Asian Wall Street Journal" (which, alas, requires subscription), but it is also available for free on his blog India Uncut (hat tip: Instapundit):
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is due to visit Washington in a few weeks, and editorialists and commentators have already started writing about the emerging economic power of India. New Delhi's decision to start liberalizing its economy in 1991 is touted as a seminal event in India's history, the moment when it threw off the shackles of Fabian socialism and embraced free markets. It is the stuff of myth - and to a large extent, it is exactly that.
As he concludes:
In between the socialist left and the religious right is the Congress, a party which occupies the center of the political space almost by default. Its position on issues is always malleable, and although it is currently the party of government, it leads a coalition that depends on the left for survival. The pace of reforms has not increased since it came to power last year, and is not likely to do so anytime soon. While the world focuses on the metaphorical bright lights of Bangalore, most of the country - indeed, much of Bangalore itself, which has been plagued by power and infrastructure problems recently - remains in darkness.
One gets the impression that China is not much different - that while ironically the communist government is significantly more pro-market than the Indian one, the phenomenal boom of cities like Beijing or Shanghai or the whole provinces like Guangdong distracts from the reality that most of the country and most of the population have been barely touched by the winds of change.

Still, even those "metaphorical bright lights" are a good progress in countries that have until recently been so mired in poverty and backwardness. Maybe, too, it is too much to expect that the world's two most populous countries can completely catch up to the West in just one or two decades.

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"All the Evidence Proves that Al-Zarqawi is an American Agent" 

Now everything's suddenly clear - as the editorial of an Egyptian newspaper Al-Akhbar's explains: "All the Evidence Proves that Al-Zarqawi is an American Agent":
All the evidence proves that Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi is working for America, because his victims are Iraqis and not [members of] the coalition forces under the command of the American occupation forces in Iraq. Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi's official title is 'leader of Al-Qa'ida's faction in Iraq.' Osama bin Laden is the commander of the Al-Qa'ida organization, and this proves that [Al-Zarqawi's commander,] bin Laden, has [also] been an American agent ever since he operated against the USSR forces in Afghanistan in favor of the Americans!...

In addition, why is Al-Zarqawi massacring innocent Iraqi citizens and [members of] the Iraqi National Guard, the Iraqi army and the Iraqi Interior Ministry? Al-Zarqawi undeniably aims to harm the Iraqi people and members of the Iraqi forces, who undergo training to protect [their] homeland in the future. This massacre of the Iraqi forces and the Iraqi people is meant to strengthen the American occupation of the region [that is known to be] the main route to Central Asia, formerly under USSR control, [and that is] rich in oil wells, and surrounds Iran and the Caspian Sea...
But while Al Qaeda was never too squeamish about murdering their fellow Muslims, this tactic only really came to the fore after September 11 - and on an industrial scale only very recently in Iraq - when killing Western infidels suddenly became lot more difficult. So when Osama ordered planes into World Trade Center, was he still acting as an American agent? Probably - after all, it's quite easy to combine it with any number of other conspiracy theories; that, for example, Osama did it to blacken the name of Islam at the behest of his Zio-con controllers, and/or the said Zio-cons needed an excuse - the Reichstag fire - to launch their program of imperialism abroad and dictatorship at home.

That's the beauty of conspiracy theories - everything fits in.

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“God bless America. You don't know how pleased I am to see you" 

You are an Australian hostage when the first things you ask your family about upon your release are:

a) beer
b) football results
c) your wife
d) all of the above

Yes, it's d). Actually, Douglas Wood's first words overall were: "God bless America. You don't know how pleased I am to see you."

Mystery still surrounds the circumstances of his rescue. Version 1:
After six emotionally draining weeks, the breakthrough for the emergency response team in Baghdad came early on Wednesday when an Iraqi informant walked in off the street with the vital clues that led Iraqi troops to a suburban house where Douglas Wood was being held.

An exhausted Nick Warner, who had been leading the Australian team around the clock, immediately contacted the US and Iraqi military to pass on the information.

As luck would have it, Iraqi army units, aided by US troops, were already in the area conducting systematic cordon and search operations as part of a continuing operation codenamed Lightning.

Within minutes, soldiers from the Iraqi army's 1st Brigade, assisted by the US military, had pinpointed a house in the Sunni-dominated Ghazaliya district.

Warner confirmed yesterday there had been "some specific intelligence and tips that provided a hint at what might be found at that location".

After surrounding the house and engaging in a brief exchange of fire with the Australian's captors, Iraqi troops entered and discovered Wood under a blanket with his hands bound.
Version 2:
The Iraqi commander who led the raid that found Australian Douglas Wood and an Iraqi hostage in a Baghdad house has described the discovery as a "happy coincidence."

His story appears at odds with accounts of Mr Wood's release by Australian officials, who said the hostage engineer was freed following a specific tip-off that he might be there.

Brigadier General Abdul Jaleel Khalif, commander of the Iraqi army's first brigade, said he had a tip-off about criminals and militants hiding out in the district, but didn't know anything specific about hostages.
Whichever version is correct (and in the fog of counter-insurgency operations they are not mutually exclusive), it's a good day for the Wood family and of course Douglas himself, who
was bound, gagged, beaten, blindfolded and fed a diet of bread and propaganda during the 47 days he was held in Iraq.
No word yet, as to whether his captors have mishandled Wood's copy of the Bible.

More from Tigerhawk.

And speaking of hostages, here are some intriguing posts from the Bad Hair Blog and Transatlantic Intelligencer about the recently released French hostages. If the plot thickens even more it will become a solid.

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Blog interview: Ya Libnan - "The elections have driven the country back into a sectarian mindset" 

Lebanon, for many years overshadowed by other conflicts and controversies in the Middle East, has been much in the news over the past few months following the assassination of opposition leader Rafik Hariri, massive opposition protests, and the subsequent withdrawal of Syrian troops after three decades of occupation. Now, the future of Lebanon is being decided by its voters.

If you want to follow the events in Lebanon, a good place to start is Ya Libnan. Lebanese politics being rather Byzantine at the best of times, I decided to ask the website's editors to explain the current political situation as well as the prospects of the Cedar Revolution. Ya Libnan's editors asked to remain anonymous, in order to maintain a platform that promotes freedom of speech for independent Lebanese.

We, in the West, are used to one-day elections with the results known soon after. In Lebanon, the election has been staggered over four phases. Three of them have already taken place - can you tell us the results so far?

America is nine hundred times bigger in area and 75 times larger in population than Lebanon, yet you guys manage to have elections in one day. Lebanon needs four times longer. Voters are required to vote in their forefather's place of birth, so many citizens have to vote for politicians representing districts that they don't live in. If every voter traveled to their district for elections held on a single day, the country could shut down. The staged elections are prolonged and archaic; reform is urgently needed to overhaul the electoral law (See "Guide to reforming Lebanon's Elections").

So far elections have been held in Beirut, South Lebanon, Mount Lebanon, and Bekaa. One round remains, in North Lebanon on Sunday, June 19. 128 seats in the Parliament are up for election.

Beirut was swept by Saad Hariri, son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Hariri is a newcomer to the political scene, but despite his youth and lack of experience, he is widely expected to be the next Prime Minister. Hariri won all 19 seats contested in Beirut.

South Lebanon was dominated by an alliance between Hizbollah and Amal Movement, capturing all 23 seats.

Mount Lebanon proved to be the most competitive round of the elections so far. In his debut after returning from exile, Michel Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement took home 15 of the 35 seats for Mount Lebanon. Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Anti-Syria Opposition, won the 20 remaining seats.

Aoun dominated in the Zahle district of the Bekaa region, winning 7 of the 8 contested seats, bringing his total to 21. The significance here is that Aoun has emerged from the elections as the undisputed Christian leader.

Once the final, fourth phase of the election is over, how do you see the overall political landscape in Lebanon? Where to now for the pro-democracy, anti-Syrian forces which gained such international prominence over the past few months?

Lebanon's new parliament will consist of leadership positions for Hizbollah, Hariri, Aoun, and Jumblatt. Essentially, Christians are supporting Aoun, Shiites Hizbollah, Sunnites Hariri, and Druze Jumblatt. This is a far cry from the scenes from Martyr's Square, where one of the prominent images was a Cross and a Crescent side by side. The elections have driven the country back into a sectarian mindset.

How well the various groups play together remains to be seen. Best case, they put their differences aside, and work towards reforming a sovereign and independent Lebanon. Worst case, we go back to sectarian politics, politicians continue to engage in corruption, and everything Lebanon united for on March 14th is thrown out the window.

The legendary Christian leader, General Aoun, who has recently returned from exile in France, has become the latest wild card in Lebanese politics. The man who had bitterly fought the Syrian occupiers for years has now aligned himself with pro-Syrian politicians - what are the implications for the local political scene?

Lebanon's anti-Syrian Opposition movement and Aoun failed to reach consensus on a unified political bloc. As a result, Aoun allied himself with staunch allies of Syria, the same politicians he frequently criticized while in exile. Many Lebanese believe that Aoun is just another Syrian puppet, helping Syria regain political credibility in Lebanon. His supporters feel that Aoun was forced into aligning with former foes in order to compete against the Opposition. On the other hand the Opposition claims that Aoun did not negotiate in good faith.

The move to align with corrupt, pro-Syrian politicians was surprising, particularly since Aoun claims to be a man of principle out to put an end to corruption. Aoun has stated that he no longer has any issues with Syria, since they have withdrawn from Lebanon. It's a little pre-mature to be patting them on the back, considering only weeks ago an anti-Syrian journalist, Samir Kassir, was assassinated in Beirut.

Aoun's desire to become the next president adds a conflict of interest factor, which has resulted in many conspiracy theories. One of these theories is that Aoun struck a deal with Syria, calling for Lahoud to serve his 3 year full term as extended by the parliament under Syrian pressure. In reward for supporting Lahoud, Syria will back Aoun as the next president. So far Aoun's behavior towards Syria and its Lebanese allies, his support for Lahoud and his announcement yesterday for his desire to be the next president keeps this conspiracy theory alive (See "Did Aoun strike a deal with Syria?").

The electoral alliance between Hariri and Hizbollah would have come as somewhat of a surprise to many people who remembered the big Hizbollah-sponsored counter-rally a few months ago. Just who exactly is still left on the pro-Syrian, pro-government side of politics and in what position will they be when the election is over?

Excellent question.

Round 4 of the elections is crucial in determining the parliamentary bloc sizes. The larger the blocs of Hariri, Jumblatt and other anti-Syrian movements are (Opposition) the better are the chances of having a government that is strong and independent.

If, on the other hand General Aoun repeats his successes, we are not sure in what direction he will be heading. His alliance with the pro-Syrians is a major cause of concern. However, Aoun promised "reform and change" in his campaign, so we remain hopeful that he too will pursue an independent course.

The pro-Syrian President of Lebanon, Emile Lahoud, has been defiant in completing his un-constitutional third term. The controversial constitutional amendment which Syria imposed upon Lebanon back in November 2004, lead to Rafik Hariri's resignation as Prime Minister, alignment with the anti-Syrian Opposition, and ultimately to his assassination.

Following the murder of Samir Kassir, Lahoud was defiant when asked if he would resign if the new parliament voted him out. He stated that even if al 128 members voted him out, "I am not going to leave no matter what. They have to count on that."

Will Hizbollah accept a democratically elected parliament that has anti-Syrian, pro-independence majority?

Hizbollah will have to work with the majority. In an effort to promote unity, and guarantee success in the polls, Hizbollah allied with the anti-Syrian Opposition. Despite their alliance, members of the Opposition, including Jumblatt and Hariri, have repeatedly committed to disarmament negotiations.

There is no question that Hizbollah earned the admiration and the loyalty of the majority of the Lebanese for liberating the south. However it is critical that Hizbollah remain pro-Lebanon. Dual allegiance will no longer be tolerated by the majority. Hariri said in an interview, "Hizbollah needs to think Lebanese. If it wants to get involved in the political life, it has to give up some things."

In recent past, countries like Syria (directly) and Iran (via Hizbollah) were exerting considerable influence on Lebanese politics. What is the situation right now?

Syria's withdrawal of troops from Lebanon was a major milestone. Reports of continued intelligence presence in Lebanon have been popping up, and then Samir Kassir was assassinated weeks ago. The fact of the matter is, whether or not there are Syrian forces or intelligence in Lebanon, the pro-Syrian representation in politics remains strong. (See "The Syrians have gone. But have they?").

Since the end of the civil war in 1990, Lebanon has lived under an uneasy peace, which at least has allowed some reconstruction to take place and saw the return to some normalcy. Beirut was, of course, once known as Paris of the Middle East, and Lebanon as the most progressive country in the region. How do you see your country's prospects in the near future?

The key to a successful Lebanon is national unity. In the past 15 years, progress was made when political and religious differences were put aside. I'm optimistic that Lebanon will continue to move in the right direction. Lebanese people are bright and resilient, but sectarianism was engrained in every one of us through the civil war, by "the Old Guard politicians". Moving away from the divisions created by the civil war requires leadership that can guide the country towards a bigger and better future.

In recent weeks, several of the politicians were quoted using language reminiscent of the civil war, such as referring to predominantly Christian "East Beirut" and predominantly Muslim "West Beirut". Such behavior only drags Lebanon backwards, and exemplifies the dire need for a fresh set of politicians, not those involved in the civil war.

To an outside observer, Lebanon seems forever split between Christians and Muslims, Sunnis and Shias, pro- and anti-Western forces, with a myriad of smaller sects and groups thrown into the mix. Does Lebanon have a long-term future as one state?

Lebanon has been a melting pot of religious sects for hundreds of years, kind of like America. Many elder Lebanese reminisce about their youth, when all the religions co-existed in peace, including citizens of the Jewish faith. The division interjected by the civil war is complex, but I have no reason to believe Lebanon cannot return to a stable state where many religions co-exist. Any hope of achieving such unity requires a leader who represents more than just their own religion. Rafik Hariri, while he certainly had his critics, gained the respect and support across the religious spectrum. If Aoun follows up on his "reform and change program", he may be able to gain the support of the Lebanese. The question is, will Aoun be able to implement such a reform program, if his allies are people like Michel Murr, considered to be one of the most corrupt politicians in Lebanon. It remains to be seen whether these alliances were short term for the election only, or long term (See "Will the new government complete the political revolution?").

March 14 called for a united Lebanon. The Lebanese people are tired of old politics and will march again in millions if needed. The Cedar Revolution may have been hijacked, but is not dead.

Assuming that Hariri's allies will be able to form the next government, what is Lebanon's foreign policy likely to be vis-a-vis countries like the United States, Israel, Syria, or Iran? Any major realignments on the cards, or will there be no perceptible difference?

Whichever group wins will be friendly to the west and to the rest of the world. Prior to the civil war, Lebanon has always pursued a friendly foreign policy. The Opposition has repeatedly expressed the importance of a revived foreign policy. In a recent AFP interview, Aoun committed to developing an "independent foreign policy", which may be an indication that his pro-Syrian alliances primarily served the purpose of winning elections.

The first item in foreign policy will be future relationship with Syria. A friendly relationship as equals between Lebanon and Syria is mutually important. Establishing embassies in both Damascus and Beirut will be the first item on the Agenda. Lebanon wants to make sure Syria respects its sovereignty and independence.

As with regards to Israel, the 10452 Square Kilometer (Area of Lebanon) was adopted as a slogan by all the factions. This means that Lebanon would insist on withdrawal of Israel from occupied Shebaa farms. These farms are of little use strategically to Israel, and serve as a destabilizing factor for both Lebanon and Israel, making it prudent that Israel withdraw from these farms as a goodwill gesture towards the new government. This action by Israel will help the new government in its efforts to disarm Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has emerged as a strong political entity and cannot be ignored. They will play a major role in the shaping of the new government and its policies. We have to accept this as a fact of life.

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Thursday, June 16, 2005

The fashion revenge of the Sith 

A group of Vatican firemen has given the new Pope a helmet engraved with the name Ratzinger to try on...


(OSSERVATORE ROMANO/REUTERS)

...thus, making Pope Benedict look like an aging extra from the latest "Star Wars" movie.

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Iranian spring, part 2: "Hash - for the good of Iran" 

Fact: half of Iran's 70 million people are under the age of 25. Not only they don't have any memory of life under Shah, they weren't even born when Khomeini took over, and so know nothing but the dreary life under a government that has turned their country into an international pariah, crushed dissent, and ruined the oil-rich economy. Iran under mullahs is the sort of society that many teenagers and leftists imagine America to be - except for real. Seeing their present stifled and their future opportunities being wasted away by old men in robes, young Iranians are growing increasingly alienated. Great Satan is no longer a bogyman, more an inspiration.

Young electorates tend to cynical and disillusioned the world over, but nowhere more so than in Iran - and yet, this is the very electorate that the presidential candidates have to appeal to:
If car bumper stickers are any indication of electoral success, it is no surprise that Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is the front runner in tomorrow's Iranian presidential polls.

As part of a marketing campaign designed to shed his hardline image, the 70-year-old cleric and former revolutionary has been encouraging young Tehranis to plaster his name anywhere they can. Stickers saying "Hashemi - for the good of Iran" now adorn cars, bags and even the odd teenage girl's forehead, poking out from beneath the compulsory headscarves that his manifesto pledges to scrap.
That could be, as Regime Change Iran reports, some students are being paid $200 to carry around Rafsanjani's propaganda. Still, if you think that attempts by middle-aged American politicians to woo young voters generally range from sad to ridiculous, consider these efforts by the mullah-approved candidates trying to be hip and happening:
Hardliner Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, for example, once head of the police service, has scrapped his old military uniform in favour of dark glasses, trendy stubble and natty casual suits.

Mr Rafsanjani, who has already served as president from 1989 to 1997, has daringly declared that friendships between unmarried young men and women are a "good thing", and even admitted to "doing things as a young man that I would not confess to" - a comment that has prompted many youthful sniggers.
Meanwhile, Mustapha and his Rafsanjani sticker seem to be more representative of the mood of the youth demographic:
"I have rubbed out the last three letters of his name so that it says "Hash - for the good of Iran," says Mustapha, 21, grinning slyly. "Most people round here wouldn't understand that it's a joke about drugs, but if anybody complains I will just say it was accidental."

Mustapha - not his real name, will not be making his mark in any other way when the polls open tomorrow. Like many other young Iranians, he plans to boycott the vote in protest at the strict vetoing of candidates by the country's conservative guardian council, the 12-strong clerical body that still wields the real power in the land. Those on the shortlist, he says, are all either "retread" hardliners, or people who have promised reform in the past but failed. "Voting this time is not going to make a difference, as Hashemi is going to get in anyway," he says. "All we will do is give the conservatives confidence that people have faith in their election system."
More popular abroad than at home, as Anthony Loyd of "The Times" of London writes,
a Machiavellian figure with little concept of human rights, civil liberties or democracy is the default darling among Western diplomats to win the Iranian presidential election on Friday. They see Hojatoleslam Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, 70, a former President and the front-runner this time, as the only chance to halt Iran's nuclear programme.
It's been a clever tactic by Rafsanjani, who said a few days ago that he had "always been hostile to the construction of nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction". Whether or not he means it (this is the same man who once proclaimed that "If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave any thing in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world."), Iranian nukes (or potential nukes) are proving a good bargaining chip in exchange for international legitimacy and the recognition of his victory in elections boycotted by the opposition. The European Union, which doesn't give a stuff about things like real democracy in the Muslim world, but cares marginally about nuclear proliferation, will in particular fall for it.

By the way, MEMRI has a good and comprehensive guide to the elections.

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My heart bleeds, part 469 

On Monday, Saddam's legal team was floating the idea of trying Saddam in "neutral" Sweden. Today, even more bizarrely, it's my home country.
Defence lawyers for Saddam Hussein say the deposed Iraqi dictator wants his case to be tried in Sweden or Poland instead of Iraq where he faces the death penalty, Poland's Fakt tabloid daily reported on Wednesday.

The report points out Hussein, 68, would escape the death penalty if tried in Poland or Sweden, both members of the European Union which has banned capital punishment...

Di Stefano has already taken action to stage the trial in Sweden, Fakt reported. "It is a calm and neutral country," he told Fakt. "But we may not succeed," he admitted, noting the United States would likely not be inclined towards Sweden, which did not back the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Poland, however, is among the closest European allies of the US, di Stefano observed. "Poland was drawn by the promises of the United States and sent its forces to Iraq in good faith," he told Fakt...

The Fakt report also notes Poland already has a top security court room complete with bullet-proof windows in the southern city of Katowice designed for the trial of mafia gangs which could accommodate the trial of the Iraqi dictator.
This is too strange, and nothing will come of it, but I thought I would still share it with you all. Neither the United States nor Iraq will, for a whole range of political and security reasons, agree to trying Saddam in any third country, even if that third country is a member of the Coalition of the Willing, like Poland is.

Saddam's legal eagles must be getting pretty desperate to save their man's skin. The talk of avoiding the death penalty is a smokescreen, given that Iraq's new president has already said he will not sign Saddam's death warrant, should he be convicted. It's more of a case of "anywhere but America and Iraq", based on a not unreasonable expectation that Saddam can receive an easier trail and more lenient treatment if he's out of the hands of people he murdered and oppressed for 25 years and instead placed in a "more enlightened" legal environment.

The choice of Poland, however, is curious. Communist Poland had very close relations with Saddam's Iraq in the 1970s and 80s. Today, while the war is not particularly popular among the general population, it's not because there is any public sympathy for Saddam, and the political elites, both of the left and the right, remain strong committed to the American alliance. For these reasons, to suggest Poland as a possible venue is a clever tactic. But still, close, but no cigar.

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Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Return of the bayonet cliche 

I cringe every time I read this line. First, it was Alexander Solzhenitsyn a week or so ago; now it Carter's National Security Advisor and my compatriot Zbigniew Brzezinski in an interview with Turkish paper "Zaman":
Q: What are your feelings of Mr. Bush's unilateral decision to democratize the Middle East?

A: Democracy cannot be imposed by bayonets. As the experience of Central Europe and the Far East shows, democracy can only surface if it is nurtured in a setting of political dignity and national self-determination. If democracy is imposed from outside without genuinely historic roots, it is likely to become radical and populist and very susceptible to demagogic appeals.
Yes, it's true - democracy doesn't have genuinely historic roots in the Middle East, but the question is, can we really afford to wait a few hundred years for the organic evolution to take the region to that point where democracy is considered as Middle Eastern as Middle Eastern pie (so to speak)? You have to start somewhere and sometime.

"National self-determination" seems to be a code word for the absence of American troops on the ground. This is hardly a pre-requisite - German and Japanese democracies were nurtured under US occupation infinitely harsher and invasive than today's presence in Iraq. And I'm not sure which Central Europe Brzezinski is talking about, because in the one I lived in, democracy was certainly not nurtured in a setting of political dignity - quite the opposite - it was nurtured underground despite the lack of political dignity.

More importantly, as I wrote on the previous occasion:
Democracy can't be imposed - that is, if the people don't want democracy, no one - not even the mighty America - can force them to embrace it. But America doesn't have to impose democracy - the people of Iraq and Afghanistan want it and are choosing it for themselves. Now that America has removed the biggest roadblocks, the people of Iraq and Afghanistan are building that democracy by themselves, with some small assistance from foreign friends.

You might recall that in October last year millions of Afghans, and then in January this year millions of Iraqis, went to the polls, most of them for the first time in their lives. They did not do so under America's gunpoint - American GIs were not forcing people to vote - quite the opposite: people went to the poling stations under the gunpoint of terrorists who did not want them to vote. Millions chose to cast their votes risking death from the enemies of democracy.
Forget the bayonets; it's the people.

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Hostage free 

Some good news from Iraq. The Australian-American hostage Douglas Wood is free - without a bribe. From Prime Minister John Howard's statement to the Parliament about two hours ago:
I am delighted to inform the House that the Australian hostage in Iraq Mr Douglas Wood is safe from his captors. Mr Wood was recovered a short while ago in Baghdad in a military operation that I'm told was conducted by Iraqi forces, in cooperation in a general way with force elements of the United States.

He's now under the protection of the Australian Emergency Response Team in Baghdad. I understand that he is well. He's undergoing medical checks at the present time. I know that all Australians will be jubilant at this news.
Well, thank you Iraqi forces.

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The other quagmire 

Rationing power supplies for industrial use [will begin] as part of efforts to avoid electricity shortages this summer.

Thousands of firms are likely to suspend production or shift output to off-peak hours...

Public areas... will also have to set air-conditioning dials to above 26C (78.8F).

Many cities across [the country] face similar problems as power supplies struggle to keep up with the booming economy.

The result is severe power shortages and widespread blackouts...

Things are particularly bad in the summer, when extra electricity is needed to power millions of air-conditioning units in the face of soaring temperatures.

It is thought that the energy problem may cut as much as 2% off nationwide economic growth each year.
Iraq? No, China - even with a reasonably good infrastructure, generally dependable supply, and no constant sabotage.

Speaking of China, Mark Steyn doesn't think the future quite belongs to the Middle Kingdom. As the title of his latest piece says, "Who can stop the rise and rise of China? The communists, of course." There is no doubt that certain parts of China are experiencing phenomenal growth and that many cities are there already with the world's best, but numerous challanges remain: among them, how to make the infrastructure and institutions keep up with the development, or how to spread prosperity to 800 million peasants largely unaffected by the rise of the new and improved Marketist-Leninist China.

I've noticed recently a revival of "the new Asian century" literature and reporting; the only difference is that today's China is all the rage, whereas in the early 1980s it was Japan and its corporatist model that were supposed to be the way of the future, as Chalmers Johnson, Clyde Prestowitz and many others made a mint trying to convince America to adopt industrial policy or else face being permanently eclipsed by the rising sun.

Whether it's Japan or China, the intellectual undercurrent remains the same. As Steyn writes, "When European analysts coo about a 'Chinese century', all they mean is 'Oh, God, please, anything other than a second American century'. But wishing won't make it so. " Steyn is right, and this phenomenon is not restricted to European analysts; both Johnson and Prestowitz also happen to be fierce critics of America's current imperial, militarist and unilateral foreign policy.

As for China, it of course bears watching for a whole range of reasons, but with eyes wide open, not clouded by wishful thinking.

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Rough Guide to Jihad 

Presumably coming soon to travel agencies around the Middle East:
Jihadweb online magazine recently published a two-step guide entitled: "This is the Road to Iraq," which provides instructions for prospective jihadists intent on entering Iraq. The first half of the guide concentrates on mental and physical preparation for jihad, while the second half furnishes suggestions for successfully entering Iraq and cultivating contacts with an insurgent group...

Once the potential mujahid is ready to enter Iraq, the author suggests entering into Iraq "...via the Syrian lands." He notes that while "There is a saying that the Syrian regime turns their face [away] from the mujahideen who take secret roads" Syrian authorities are nonetheless "...complicating things at the entry and exit front, so make your entry to Syria via Turkey, or for a good reason. Your parents should know the reason [by which you are professing to enter Syria]... and it is good if you have your passport with an entry via to Turkey, so you can pretend that you're in transit to Turkey." One a further note, he suggests that potential insurgents "wear jeans and eat donuts and use a walkman which has a tape of any singer" in order to appear westernized, and thus less of a threat.
Why stop there?

1) wear a "Stars and Stripes" or "I Heart Israel" t-shirt
2) display prominent crucifix around your neck, or better still, as an earing
3) make sure the volume is tuned up on your walkman so that people around you can hear the gangsta rap backbeat you're bopping to
4) leaf ostentatiously through the latest edition of "Playboy"
5) whistle at passing females and make loud suggestions along the lines of "take off your burqa"

This will not only show everyone how Westernized you are, but will also result in your martyrdom at the hands of the Syrian locals, thus saving everyone all the trouble, not to mention all the lives in Iraq.

If all of the above still does not work to allay the suspicions of your fellow travelers and security personnel, there is only one other thing you can do to convince everyone of your Westernization: stop people on the street at random and apologize to them for provoking the September 11 attacks.

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Happy birthday, Michelle 

But a baby! Only one year in the blogosphere, though it seems like she's been there for ages. Make Michelle Malkin a must-read stop every day on your net travels.

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Tuesday, June 14, 2005

My heart bleeds, part 469 

(or the continuing saga of Saddam's imprisonment and trial)

This is so much more important than the whole Michael Jackson thing - here we have a bizarre celebrity accused of molesting the whole region for twenty five years. So far, no proceedings yet, only some short interrogation footage (no dog leashes, stress positions or Christina Aguilera, though). But has everyone been watching the same video?

Reuters:
Stroking his beard, Saddam Hussein appeared relaxed and confident as a judge questioned him about the killings of dozens of Shi'ite villagers, a case Iraq's government may believe could lead to a swift trial.

In a film released overnight by the Iraqi Special Tribunal that will try him on charges of crimes against humanity, the former Iraqi president was not audible but he seemed defiant, staring intensely at the judge.
The New York Times:
The Iraqi court trying Saddam Hussein and his top aides released a videotape on Monday showing a subdued, contemplative and seemingly compliant Mr. Hussein being questioned Sunday about mass executions ordered after he had survived an assassination attempt in 1982.

The two-minute recording, without sound, appeared to show a strikingly different Mr. Hussein than the defiant figure whose only court appearance, last July, featured lengthy self-justifications and mockery for the judge, Raid Juhi, 35.
A brief excerpt from the 2 minute video is available with the NYT story. All I can say about the new defiant-non defiant Saddam, is that his longish curls make him look an aged Levantine dandy from some sleazy nightclub in Beirut.



A Queer Eye for the Ex-dictator guy?

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Do they care it's Christmas time? 

Africa has been much in the news recently, and for good reasons, as the world - once again led by the two Anglospheric cousins, the United States and the United Kingdom - is preparing to make the next stop on the global march of democracy and free market. This is good news - the hundreds of millions of its residents, mired in oppression, corruption, violence and stagnation, deserve much better.

Not all the media mentions, however, are positive. Vladimir Putin, for example, has yesterday defended the human rights record of Russia against comparison with that of Africa:
"We all know that African countries used to have a tradition of eating their own adversaries. We don't have such a tradition or process or culture and I believe the comparison between Africa and Russia is not quite just."
Putin should tread very carefully here, not only because his seemingly beloved Soviet Union also, until quite recently, used to have a tradition of eating its own adversaries (there's hardly a more appropriate word than auto-cannibalism to describe the hecatomb of the millions devoured by the gulags and the secret police - Lenin was wrong; communism is not socialism plus electricity, it's electricity plus mountains of corpses), but also because in a literal sense, Stalin's terror famines that killed some eight million people in Ukraine and Kazakhstan in the early 1930s, have also seen frequent outbreaks of cannibalism.

But back to the present, and to a magical transformation - at least as far as the media is concerned - "Hawk turns peacenik on poverty":
When Paul Wolfowitz was named as the new president of the World Bank, staff at its headquarters fired off 1300 emails to a confidential internet site.

More than 1100 of the comments were about the appointment of the former Pentagon boss, seen by many as the architect of a disastrous war in Iraq.

Yet less than a fortnight after he took up the reins as the 10th president of the world's largest international aid institution, the criticism that greeted Wolfowitz's appointment is rapidly abating.

The initial scepticism that greeted the arrival of a notorious neoconservative hawk at the head of a global development agency has given way to increasing optimism in London and elsewhere that Wolfowitz might surprise the world with his commitment to the fight on poverty.
Because, of course, everyone expected that Wolfie, upon assuming his new position, would bomb every debtor nation, turn their men into oil, and sell women and children as slaves to Halliburton.

Which is fair enough, if you believe the self-serving leftie tripe dichotomy that the right hates the poor and the left loves them. In reality, both sides of politics want to reduce poverty; they differ on means of doing it - wealth transfer versus free market solutions). As far as the developing world is concerned, it's a difference between giving fish and teaching how to fish, or aid and institutional reform. Transparency, democracy, economic reform, free trade - why not give 'em a go. Hopefully Wolfowitz will be able to overcome the institutional inertia and biases, and actually score some real victories against politics-induced under-development. Although:
From the moment his appointment was announced, Wolfowitz began quietly calling specialists on African aid.

He made two long telephone calls to Bono, the rock star who has campaigned for debt relief.

"They were very enthusiastic, detailed and lengthy conversations," a Wolfowitz aide said. "They clicked."
As much as I like U2's music, I certainly hope that Bono was not the only specialist on African aid that Wolfowitz has called on for ideas. Speaking of Bono and his mate Bob Geldof, two Australian academics, Wayne Errington and Peter van Onselen, are not impressed with the latest Live 8 initiative:
As much as we all enjoy lectures on African poverty from musically gifted white multi-millionaires, we should at least consider, just for a moment, the possibility that rock musicians have a limited understanding of the global economy.
As Errington and van Onselen note, the international financial institutions have been doing some out-of-the-headlines work in Africa for quite some time now: "The Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative has for the past decade been quietly achieving what the pop stars say needs to be done. Debt service costs have been halved in many of the more than 20 African states that have qualified for this initiative, on condition of budget transparency on the part of the governments concerned. Debt cancellation has only been possible on the back of such forward steps."

If you want to read more about this topic, I recommend some of the recent work from the American Enterprise Institute scholars:

"Regime Change at the World Bank," by Allan H. Meltzer

"The Debt of the Poorest Nations," by Adam Lerrick

"NGO Threat to African Growth and World Bank Agenda" by Roger Bate

"Wolfowitz's Challenge," by Roger Bate and Richard Tren

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Lost in translation 

Closed captioning of CNN goes where no lefty hater of this blog has yet gone before (via email from a "Best of the Web" reader):
I was watching CNN today (forced to, waiting at the Detroit airport and couldn't switch channels). They had a show about the blogosphere--seemed like maybe it was a weekly or daily show (I don't have cable, so I don't know). Anyhow, they were talking about what the blogosphere was talking about this week, and said that the WTC memorial was a hot topic, and that (paraphrasing), "...it was on the Power Line, and Arthur Chrenkoff..." Well, they had closed captioning on and the latter reference was transcribed "Arthur Crank Cough"!! Somebody's a little out of touch, wouldn't you say?
The show in question might be "Inside the Blogs"; closed captioning might be provided by Satan.

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Monday, June 13, 2005

Mr Penn goes to Tehran 

Yesterday, I brought you the news that the actor and anti-war activist Sean Penn has decided to do some more journalism, and is writing from Iran in the run-up to the presidential election for "The San Francisco Chronicle". Today, I'm happy to report on the latest developments in the Penn saga:
Several hundred women at a sit-in outside the entrance to Tehran University demanded rights revoked after the 1979 Islamic revolution. As chants and taunts arose, police and plainclothesmen surrounded the demonstrators, pushing away those trying to join the group. Officials also cut off cell phone service in the area, and challenged reporters nearby.
Penn, who must have been close enough to the protest (more about it, including photos, at Publius), has had his camera briefly confiscated by the authorities.

Jokes about entertainers-turned-activists aside, I will be genuinely interested to read what Penn has to say about the situation in Iran. This time, unlike during Penn's previous trip to Iraq, there is no - or at least should not be - an anti-Bush axe to grind; despite Penn's interest in Iran being piqued by the rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, outside the realm of international moonbatery there is no imminent, or even not so imminent, threat of American military attack on Iran. There are only the mullahs with nukes versus the people, who by all accounts are sick and tired of the ongoing Islamic Revolution and want to replace theo with demo.

Now, journalists, of course, are supposed to be impartial recorders and reporters of fact. Penn, despite his latest official stint, is not one. This is not a condemnation; I wouldn't be either in these circumstances, should somebody send me with a notepad and a camera to Tehran. Penn has always had his political agendas, but I do hope that this time he will side with the people against their government (David Horowitz is not so hopeful on this point). This will be the ultimate test for Penn, and the last opportunity to prove that he's motivated by humanitarianism, however misguided, rather than anti-Americanism of the kind officially approved by Iran's rulers.

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Aguileragate 

Never mind flushing Korans down the toilet - this is the true scandal of Guantanamo (compiled by "Time" from the leaked logs of interrogations of Mohammed al Qahtani, the suspected "20th hijacker"):
After the new measures are approved, the mood in al-Qahtani's interrogation booth changes dramatically. The interrogation sessions lengthen. The quizzing now starts at midnight, and when Detainee 063 dozes off, interrogators rouse him by dripping water on his head or playing Christina Aguilera music. According to the log, his handlers at one point perform a puppet show "satirizing the detainee'’s involvement with al-Qaeda." He is taken to a new interrogation booth, which is decorated with pictures of 9/11 victims, American flags and red lights. He has to stand for the playing of the U.S. national anthem. His head and beard are shaved. He is returned to his original interrogation booth. A picture of a 9/11 victim is taped to his trousers. Al-Qahtani repeats that he will "not talk until he is interrogated the proper way." At 7 a.m. on Dec. 4, after a 12-hour, all-night session, he is put to bed for a four-hour nap.
A musical gulag if there ever was one.

Meanwhile, as Michelle Malkin reports, still no media outrage or riots throughout America at reports of Muslim protesters, both in the US and overseas, variously burning and urinating on American flags. Setting the Stars and Stripes on fire is a constitutionally protected form of free speech, as indeed would be buring a copy of the Bible. Curiously, I suspect the legal position is pretty much the same in many Muslim countries; at least as far as the US flag and the Bible are concerned. Reminds me of that old, Cold War-era joke about an American and a Soviet comparing notes on freedoms in their respective societies. Says the American: The US is a great country; I'm perfectly free to stand outside the White House and shout that the President of the United States is an idiot. Replies the amazed Soviet: The Soviet Union is exactly the same! I'm also perfectly free to stand outside the Kremlin and shout that the President of the United States in an idiot.

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My heart bleeds, part 468 

Here we go again. Two days ago, it was the complaints that Saddam's rights as a human being and president of Iraq are being violated; today, this:
Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein should be tried in another country, preferably Sweden, rather than Iraq, one of his defense lawyers said on Sunday.

"We invite the Iraqi government and the prosecutors to hold this trial, if there is to be a trial, not in Iraq where it's not safe to hold the trial, but to hold it either in the Hague or in Sweden or in Austria or even in Switzerland," British-based lawyer Giovanni di Stefano said.

"I would favor Sweden more than any other country -- where we are likely, more than not, a) to obtain a fair trial, and b) in the unlikely event that our client is tried and convicted, he can go straight to a detention center in Sweden," he told the Swedish public television station SVT.
Saddam committed all his crimes in Iraq, against the people of Iraq, and against his neighbors in Kuwait and Iran. He deserves nothing more and nothing less than to be tried by his own, and serve his sentence inside the country that he himself turned for a quarter of a century into a prison. The only decent argument in favor of offering Saddam a holiday in a Scandinavian penitentiary is not one that his defense team would have in mind, namely that it would make it more difficult for any Baathist terrorists to try to spring their leader out of jail. Swiftly carried out death penalty would solve any such problems, but since the (real) Iraqi President has ruled out this option we are left with the problem of making Saddam the heaviest guarded prisoner in the world and the expectation of countless hijackings and kidnappings organized in a bid to trade him out of jail.

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What would Saladin think 

The Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain says he will not dilute criticism of the establishment because he has received a knighthood.

Sir Iqbal Sacranie told Sky's Sunday with Adam Boulton the honour would not make it more difficult for him to speak out over issues such as the Iraq war.

He said the knighthood, awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honours, recognised "the work of the community at large".
We have certainly gone a long way since the Crusades. Still, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think this phenomenon is too widespread. Many Europeans have attained high recognition throughout the Muslim world in the past, but only after conversion to Islam, and I don't imagine many Muslims have been ennobled or awarded high honors throughout the West. All I can say is, thank God that knighthood no longer entails feudal obligations.

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Monday follow-ups and links 

Have a good post? Why not share it with Chrenkoff readers?

The controversy over the left's attempts to hijack the World Trade Center memorial continues. For the latest, check out the Take Back the Memorial blog, as well the website of 9/11 Families for America, where Tim Sumner is keeping a close eye on the developments.

A few days ago Howard Dean described the Republicans as the party of homogeneous white Christians. Considerettes and All Things Conservative fisk the DNC Chairman.

Chester looks at Zimbabwe through the prism of the Kitty Genovese incident.

Transatlantic Intelligencer asks what is a senior UN official doing cozying up to a bizarre anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist.

GeoPolitical Review blogs about the origins of German opposition to death penalty - you'll be surprised.

Quillnews in blogging on Osama's Lesson Number 18 (and parts two and three).

No Speedbumps thinks that our policy towards Cuba is all wrong.

Big Cat Chronicles discovers that leftist agendas have even managed to invade teaching maths.

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Good news from Iraq, part 29 

Note: Also available at "The Opinion Journal" and Winds of Change. Many thanks to James Taranto and Joe Katzman, and all of you for your continuing support. Please also note that because of the change in publishing schedule brought about by last week's Memorial Day weekend, this issue contains good news and positive developments from the past three week, and not two, as is usually the case.

"You can't fix in six months what it took 35 years to destroy." These words, spoken by Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Iraq's first democratically elected Prime Minister in half a century, should be inscribed in three-foot tall characters as a preface to all the reporting from Iraq. Sadly, the underlying reality all too often seems to escape many reporters caught in the excitement of "now".

In an opinion piece in "Christian Science Monitor", A. Heather Coyne concurs with the gradualist view:
Having spent the past two years in Iraq, first as an Army officer and now as the head of the Iraq office of the Washington-based US Institute of Peace, I am struck by the determination and steadiness of Iraqis as they struggle to build a stable, democratic country, and by the continuing, firm commitment of Iraqis to participate in - and manage - that process.

In spite of a constant threat from the various insurgencies over the past year, Iraqi government agencies, political parties, and civil society organizations have gradually expanded their capabilities and activities. They will tell you how much more they could have done had they not been constrained by security threats or - almost as important - the lack of reliable infrastructure, but what they have accomplished already is admirable, as is their unflagging determination in the face of these threats and constraints.

There is a phrase I hear in almost every conversation with Iraqis that captures the mood of this process: hutwa bi hutwa, or "step by step."
Below, some of those often overlooked or under-reported steps that people of Iraq and their foreign friends have been taking over the past five weeks.

SOCIETY: Samir al-Saboon, the Sunni head of Iraq's National Security Agency, has recently shared the results of latest opinion research in Iraq, taken in May:
Recent polling data shows that fully two-thirds of Iraqis believe their country is headed in the right direction, Saboon said. While a poll in January showed only 11 percent of Sunni Muslims in Iraq shared that view, that percentage has since grown to 40, he said...

Recent polling data shows that fully two-thirds of Iraqis believe their country is headed in the right direction, Saboon said. While a poll in January showed only 11 percent of Sunni Muslims in Iraq shared that view, that percentage has since grown to 40, he said.
Politically, the biggest task on the calendar is preparing Iraq's new democratic constitution by August this year. The committee to draft the document will be composed of 69 members: 55 members of the assembly, 13 Sunni representatives, and a member of a small Mandean sect. "Around half the Sunni representatives will be members of political parties and the others representatives from Sunnis regions, mainly in the centre and the west of the country." The 13 will be chosen by the Sunni community, not the Assembly or the committee. The committee's head is Shi'ite cleric Hummam Hammoudi, and his deputies a Kurdish legislator, Fouad Massoum, and a Sunni Arab lawmaker, Adnan al-Janabi.

Among the foreign offers of help, Indian government has volunteered its expertise to help draft the constitution.

Speaking of constitution drafting, there is already some good news:
Shiite legislators have decided not to push for a greater role for Islam in the new Iraqi constitution out of concern that the contentious issue will inflame religious sentiments and deepen sectarian tensions.

Instead, the United Iraqi Alliance, the Shiite coalition that won the most seats in January’s elections, will advocate retaining the moderate language of Iraq’s temporary constitution that was drawn up under the auspices of the American occupation authority.

Humam Hamoudi, the Shiite cleric who heads the 55-member constitutional committee that will draft the new document, said that any attempt to debate the issue of Islamic law could ignite a firestorm of competing sectarian demands and that the brief references to Islam in three paragraphs of the temporary constitution should be left untouched.

"These paragraphs represent the middle ground between the secularists and those who want Islamic government, and I think the wisest course of action is to keep them as they are," he said in an interview at his Baghdad home. "Opening up the subject for discussion would provoke religious sentiments in the street."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jaffari has restated to the Assembly his government's vision - most importantly, "the political programme of the interim government set up following elections has the objective of building a federal, pluralist Iraq while respecting human rights and public freedoms."

In northern Iraq, after some initial delays, the local Kurdish assembly opens for business:
Parliament in the Kurdish autonomous region of Iraq has held its first session in the northern city of Irbil.

After recitations from the Koran, all 111 deputies took oaths of office under Kurdish national flags.

Iraq's President, Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, attended the session, as well as the newly-elected President of the autonomous region, Massoud Barzani.

The two men who lead rival parties have effectively ruled the Kurdish region since the end of the Gulf War in 1991.
Down south, the minority Sunnis are finally organizing themselves politically, thus ending their boycott of Iraq's democratic politics:
The newly created Sunni alliance, which has not adopted a name, will open its first office in Baghdad, with branches later in other cities.

"The decisions taken by this body will be shared by all Sunnis parties and movements, Islamists, independents, merchants, military officers, heads of tribes and workers," said Adnan al-Duleimi, the head of the Sunni Endowment.

The charitable organization was one of three main Sunni groups to back the formation of the new organization. The others were the influential Association of Muslim Scholars and the Iraqi Islamic Party.

"We decided to establish this Sunni political and religious organization to speak on behalf the Arab Sunnis. We all have to work for the sake of Iraq to get this country out of this hard situation," said Sheik Lawrence Abid Ibrahim al-Hardan, 47, who is from restive Anbar province west of Baghdad.

Sunnis said they hope the organization will give them more of a say in Shi'ite-dominated Iraq and help bring the minority together ahead of new elections in December.
For extensive coverage see this report from "Al-Mendhar". In a related development, Sheikh Dr. Ali Al Fares Al Dailami, secretary of the Sunni-based Iraqi and Arab Clans’ Council has announced that his body will be entering into alliance with the former PM Iyad Allawi to “create a national alliance that includes various national forces in preparation for going into the coming elections process.”

USAID continues to support the parliamentary process through education (link in PDF): "A USAID partner providing support to the Iraqi National Assembly (INA) conducted the fourth in a series of general orientation sessions for INA members. The session was attended by 17 members of the "Iraqi List” (former Prime Minister Allawi’s list), the United Iraqi Alliance (including al-Dawa party, the National Independent Bloc and Al Fadheela Islamic Party) and independent members of the National Assembly. The program focused on the role of individual members of a legislature in a democratic society and tools to become effective representatives of the people. Topics of special interest included basic parliamentary functions and duties, rights and responsibilities of members of INA, powers and privileges, interpersonal skills development, and the importance of information-gathering and tools for public outreach. The seminar also included a presentation on the role of caucuses."

Turkey is likely to hold more courses for Iraqi politicians, given by the governing party, the opposition, the Supreme Court of Elections, and the Political Sciences Faculty and Middle East Public Administration. Meanwhile, between May 17 and 25, "the Government of Japan has been conducting election management training for 14 personnel who belong to the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq headquarters in Baghdad or its branch offices in the Governorates of Al-Muthanna, An-Najaf, Washit and Dahuk."

There is also more assistance from the European Union to help improve Iraqi governance and administration:
The six men seated around the white classroom table -- including the pudgy Foreign Ministry attache, the former army captain, the man with the sad, brown eyes who introduced himself vaguely as a "director general" -- were the unlikely vanguard of Iraq's bold new experiment in democracy.

"What's most important are the principles," said Jean-Pierre Massias, the head of this University of Auvergne training program for senior Iraqi officials. "The rule of law. Checks and balances. Compromise. How local governments can be a tool to prevent conflicts. How to administer a country."

After bitterly dividing over the war, Europe is uniting to help reconstruct Iraq, and these civics lessons in central France are part of that effort. Plans are in the works to coach about 750 Iraqi judges and prison guards on Western law and to hold an international conference in Brussels. European programs to train Iraqi security forces are mostly taking place outside the turmoil-torn country. The same stipulation is tied to a French offer to drill 1,500 Iraqi troops and police.
Various UN programs and initiatives are also helping Iraqi administrators build capacity
- Specialists from the Ministries of Education (MoE) and Health (MoH) participated in a week-long training workshop on school sanitation and hygiene education.

- 16 female staff members from the MoE and Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) undertook a 20-day study tour in Egypt, looking at all aspects of Early Childhood Development programmes.

- MoE participants developed a pilot project to cater for the learning needs of 50,000 children during a 3-day workshop on the Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP). This was a first opportunity for ministry staff from Baghdad and Northern Iraq to meet with each other and share experiences.

- 20 MOLSA social workers from 3 northern Governorates took part in a 2-week course representing the fourth phase in the Social Workers Training Course.

- 14 Iraqi journalists completed a four week intense journalism course from the American University of Cairo, increasing to 67 the total number of journalists who have participated in this course.

- 22 staff from the Ministry of Electricity participated in a training course in Japan and Korea. The engineers and technicians were trained in maintenance and assessment techniques for thermal generating power units; the backbone of Iraq’s power system.

- 4 staff from the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works completed an inter-country training on emergency water & sanitation disinfection.

- The Mine Risk Education Operational Plan for the Centre and South of Iraq resulted from a 3-day workshop held in Amman. The MRE Operational plan to be overseen by the National Mine Action Authority (NMAA) represented an important contribution to educating Iraqis to live safely in contaminated areas.

- 17 participants from 8 Governorates learned to develop rainfall and run off models for watershed catchments at a week long workshop held in Cairo with visiting American professors.

- Iraqi government administrators and policy makers from the water sector and the Ministry of Environment attended a workshop sharing the Jordanian water governance experience with participants from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Central Asia.

- 20 senior staff from the Ministry of Water Resources benefited from a project cycle workshop to enhance their water-related project management techniques.

- 23 representatives from the region including 2 Iraqi staff from the Ministry of Planning completed a workshop in Amman to enhance their skills and expertise in resource capacity management within the Contract Research and Development field.
Iraqi government can also draw on the expertise of its many expats. Here's a typical story:
More than 23 years ago, Basam Ridha Alhussaini escaped Iraq, fleeing the regime that had killed his two brothers for refusing to join the ruling Baath Party.

Today, Alhussaini returns to his homeland to begin working as an adviser to new Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari.

The San Dimas resident will play a role in the future of the wounded country, in its democracy, its rebuilding and its new beginning.

Alhussaini, 42, politically active in Iraqi-American relations, plans to remain in Iraq for at least six months, until a constitution is approved and a permanent national assembly is elected.

"Iraq is making a big turn historically, and I want to be a part of this," Alhussaini said. "I'm leaving my family and going to a hostile environment, but to me it's worth being part of that."
USAID, meanwhile, is assisting with the development of better and more modern administration (link in PDF):
USAID’s Iraq Economic Governance II (IEG II) program is working closely with Iraqi government counterparts to reform taxes and install a new, computerized budget system across the country. A transparent and functioning tax and budget system is essential to ensuring equitable collection and use of tax revenues. The Financial Management Information System (FMIS) has been installed at 44 government sites across Iraq, with staff fully trained in the new equipment’s use. The system is an online, automated accounting and budget system with a constantly updated database that is used by all branches of the Iraqi government. By July, FMIS will be up and running at 57 sites. IEG II recently completed all software training in Amman for technicians from nearly all the FMIS Phase I sites. Hardware was also recently installed in the Ministry of Planning and data center build-out work was completed for the Ministry of Finance.
Meanwhile, another first for Iraqi society and political system:
A former Iraqi minister will appear in court on Wednesday in the first government corruption case to be brought since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Layla Abdul Latif, labour minister in Iyad Allawi's interim government, faces a preliminary hearing into allegations that she misused public money. She denies any wrongdoing.

The case is one of five to emerge so far from investigations conducted by Iraq's anti-corruption authorities as they try to tackle what international watchdogs have described as rampant corruption in post-war Iraq.
Reuters is wrong - under Saddam, government corruption was not prosecuted, it was a way of life.

In cultural heritage news, half of the artifacts stolen from Iraqi museums following the liberation have been now recovered.

Iraqi athletes continue to prove that they can achieve excellence without the added incentive of Uday Hussein's torture chambers. Most recently, Iraqi weightlifters have scored 22 medals at the Arab Weightlifting Championships in Amman, Jordan.

Lastly, this story of one man's passion:
When he belches around Baghdad's old quarter on his spotless Harley Davidson, Kadhem Sharif, a powerlifting champion sporting wrap-around sunglasses, makes for an unlikely sight. And the 53-year-old is fully aware that his passion for one of the most recognizable symbols of the American way of life is not to everybody's liking in post-war Iraq.

But his garage is a carbon copy of any Harley aficionado's den in the United States, complete with posters of naked "babes on bikes." And his collection of 40-plus motorbikes provides a condensed history of 100 years of national turmoil.
But Sharif is not just your average Baghdadi:
Despite the intimidating size of his chest and forearms, the former Iraqi bench-press champion, known to his friends as "Mr. Muscle," now risks an icy reception in insurgent strongholds as his face has become one of the symbols of the overthrow of Saddam's regime.

On April 9, 2003, Kadhem was one of the first to rush to Baghdad's Fardus Square and pictures of the burly Shiite hacking away at the marble plinth of Saddam's giant statue were beamed live around the world in one of the most enduring images of the regime's ouster.

"People in the neighborhood know me. I get on with everybody. U.S. soldiers used to block the road so they could spend some time in my garage," Sharif says.

"They sometimes bring me copies of motorcycling magazines and even bought me leather boots. I'm still in touch with one of them who is saving up all his money to buy my Harley chopper."
ECONOMY: An unlikely economic success story - Iraqi dinar:
The upsurge in violence has worsened conditions for almost everyone and everything in Iraq, but the new currency. The Iraqi dinar is the winner as it has so far weathered the impact of mounting violence and car bombs that would have sent any other country’s currency tumbling.

Since its launch in October, 2003, the new dinar has preserved its value vis-à-vis the U.S. dollar and other major countries. It is probably the only symbol of stability in a car torn by wars, civil strife and violence.

However, Iraqi economists are not surprised to see the currency fending off the political turmoil and the descent into violence, a major characteristic of the past two years.

Thanks, they say, are mainly due to the Central Bank, which is one of the few government branches of the post-war era untainted by corruption. “The (central) bank has pursued sound monetary policies,” says Thuraya Khazraji, Baghdad University’s professors of economics. Other factors leading to the currency’s stability, in her opinion, include “the slight improvement in oil exports and the writing off of 90% of Iraq’s foreign debts.”
Here's another look at Iraq's "rock-steady currency":
Sadoon Hamoud Kathir, professor of economics and administration at the University of Baghdad, attributes this remarkable level of stability to sound government policies – specifically the transformation of the Central Bank of Iraq, CBI, into an independent body, which took place at the same time the new banknotes were issued.

“The most important move the cabinet made was to separate the authority responsible for monetary emission from the government and to make it independent,” said Kathir.

Under Saddam Hussein, the CBI was simply an arm of the executive authority, churning out more banknotes or extending unlimited credit to the government whenever the latter needed money.
Despite numerous obstacles, the banking system is starting to rebuild after decades of Saddamism:
International banks are proceeding with caution in Iraq, building tie-ups with Iraqi partners and slowly expanding operations constrained by security and communications.

Financiers whose banks were awarded postwar licences say the lack of security has prevented a full-scale entry into Iraq but takeovers of local banks have helped handle risk and keep a low profile in country where suspicion of foreigners runs high.

"The game in Iraq now is positioning," said Karim Souaid, head of corporate finance at HSBC, which has been negotiating to acquire the Dar al-Salam bank.

"You won't see Chase Manhattan opening tomorrow on Baghdad square. The business so far has not been lucrative and there is no retail banking or project finance but this could begin in more stable regions," Souaid told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting in Jordan.

Iraq's banks was nationalised in the 1960s, and most of the 27 million population still keep their cash abroad, especially in the country's main hub Jordan, or under the mattress, although former president Saddam Hussein let private local banks open in the late 1990s.

Efforts are underway to overhaul the system, helped by lifting of the crushing 1990-2003 sanctions, permits for foreign banks and capital requirements for local banks that encouraged them to seek outside investors.

All 17 private banks remain small and deposits of individual banks do not exceed tens of millions of dollars.

But unlike the cash basis of the pre-sanctions era, funds can now be transferred in and out and Iraqi traders have access to letters of credit and letters of guarantee, mainly through the few local banks that have ventures with foreign investors.
Here's another good report:
Shoppers in Baghdad no longer need to carry plastic bags full of cash, as they did after years of international sanctions reduced the value of a 10,000-dinar note with Saddam Hussein's likeness to less than $5.

A year-and-a-half ago, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) began issuing higher-value currency notes. And it is now trying to help stimulate business around the country by reintroducing coins.

But finance officials eager to move Iraq away from a heavily cash-based society have set their sights on a more ambitious goal: developing banking networks that will allow a shift to an electronic, largely credit-based economy.

Doing away with cash as the main form of payment would reduce the threat of highway robbery, which hinders fund transfers within the country, some bankers say. And in turn, a reliable network for electronic transactions would undercut an insurgency eager to deal in cash and spur reconstruction, finance officials say.

"Your money can't really be stolen when you carry it as a credit card," says CBI governor Sinan al-Shabibi.

Credit cards, like electronic fund transfers, are still a largely theoretical concept here. But with the CBI's help, many of Iraq's banks are buying computers for the first time, while staff members are being trained in Dubai and Jordan in global banking practices.
Iraqi banking system is also receiving assistance from international institutions:
The International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, will provide a $12 million loan to support the SME lending operations of National Bank of Iraq, also known as Al-Ahli Bank of Iraq. The financing represents IFC’s first investment under the Iraq Small Business Finance Facility, which seeks to assist micro, small, and medium enterprises in Iraq through local financial institutions.

Funded by IFC and donor agencies representing the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, and Spain, the $105 million Iraq Small Business Finance Facility provides technical assistance funding to develop Iraqi banks’ capacity for lending to smaller businesses. It also extends term loans to certain Iraqi partner banks for on-lending to small local enterprises.
And in the latest banking developments:
The Trade Bank of Iraq... issued the country's first credit and debit cards, from Visa International Inc., at a ceremony in Baghdad.

Visa cards were given to cabinet ministers, government officials and financial professionals, the bank said. Bank Chairman Hussein al-Uzri presented the first card to Adel Abdul Mehdi, one of two vice presidents and a former finance minister.

The bank said it would issue 30,000 Visa cards in Iraq by the end of the year. The company also plans to install the country's first network of automated teller machines, which would enable cardholders to withdraw Iraqi dinars or U.S. dollars from their accounts.
More about the new credit card here. And in banking-related training (link in PDF), "thirty representatives from six private Iraqi banks received 17 days of credit analysis training at a Jordanian bank. The training was coordinated and funded by USAID’s Private Sector Development II (PSD II) program."

The stockmarket is also making progress:
It's not Wall Street, but it does have its moments. If the concept of buying low and selling high ever excited people, it excites them in Baghdad.

In less than one year, the newly formed Iraqi Stock Exchange has tripled its trading volume, with growth rates unheard of nearly anywhere else.

"The market since it's opening last year is doing very, very well," said Talab Tabuy, a trader. "Excellent, actually."

Tabuy is betting on companies like Baghdad Soda, Hader Marble and Thesar Agriculture. But the real excitement is over Iraq's banking sector, especially Basra Bank.

"When we choose to start our business here, demand was very high so we began just with 15 companies ... now we have about 88," said Taha Abdul Salam, CEO of the exchange.

In just the first seven months, nearly 14 billion shares have been traded, and the number is growing amid hopes foreign investment could drive the market even higher.

The trading frenzy has prompted key upgrades. A new facility is currently under construction about a block from the current location, and magic markers will be replaced by an electronic ticker and a much larger trading floor.
Here's another recent report:
Though barely over 30, Ahmad Walid al-Said has already become the biggest of the hotshots on the noisy floor of the Iraqi Stock Exchange.

As head broker at al-Fawz Co., one of the country's most respected brokerages, and chairman of the Iraqi Association of Securities, he eats, drinks and sleeps the stock market, even when he's not roaming the floor and putting through orders.

"After I finish all this, we go to lunch," he says after the close of the session. "During lunch, we talk about what we're going (to) do the next session. We can't talk about anything but the stock market all day long."

This is one place in Iraq where go-getters are abundant and no one is waiting for a handout. Unlike much of the rest of Iraq, the men -- and a considerable number of women -- who ply their trade here live by a bootstraps philosophy, eagerly profiting from an equities market where daily trading volume has grown twelvefold since Saddam Hussein's fall.
The Baghdad Stock Exchange also reports on the growing number of people investing and trading in Iraqi currency:
The growing number of people investing in Iraq is staggering, but even more surprising is that the majority of these investors are greenhorns, or rookie investors, with little or no experience in foreign or even domestic markets.

The buying and selling of Iraqi dinar is no small market. At least 60 internet sites have been selling dinar by the millions for about a year. A million dinar can cost anywhere from $800 to $1600 USD. EBay.com has hundreds of active dinar auctions listed each day.

Many investors have chosen to open Iraqi bank accounts, rather than hold physical dinar. Yet others have opened brokerage accounts in Iraq, waiting for the ISX, or Iraq Stock Exchange, to allow foreigners to trade shares.

After considering buying Iraq’s currency, many of these inexperienced investors have researched deeply into economic, monetary, and investment issues. Most of them can explain a peg versus a basket peg versus a float, as well as the roles of the IMF, WTO, World Bank, Iraq Central Bank, the Interbank or ForEx market, and foreign taxes. Many of them have made wire transfers into Iraq and communicate with bank and stock exchange representatives. They have researched the companies on the ISX, even having contests to see who can pick the stocks that will rise in value the most.
After decades of statism and isolation, economic education and support are very important aspects of reviving Iraqi economy. British Department for International Development is helping to revive the economic activity in the south of the country:
In the late 1970s, Basra was a thriving economic gateway to the rest of the Middle East. But the city, along with much of the rest of southern Iraq, was badly damaged during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88). Economic progress was further hindered by centrally controlled political and economic structures and discrimination against the south by Saddam Hussein's regime.

One of the keys to reducing the current high levels of poverty in the southern governorates and promoting local business initiatives is to remove institutional barriers to private sector growth. Some of the particular problems facing entrepreneurs are:

- Inadequate legislative and tax support to promote economic development.

- A lack of business awareness and management skills after years of isolation from the international business community.

- A lack of business information and services to support and advise new initiatives.

Part of DFID's £20.5m [$37.3 million] "Governorates Capacity Building Programme" focuses on tackling these barriers to economic growth. Private sector advisers are working with governorate administrations, business organisations and individual entrepreneurs to promote the economic environment, and the business skills, that are needed to transform the regional economy. Potential entrepreneurs identify good business principles during a DFID-funded workshop in Basra.
The UK program is funding some important local projects:
The Basra Business Centre has been set up to provide information and training materials for new and growing businesses in southern Iraq. The Centre also aims to improve the flow of communication between the business community and government, in order to stimulate pro-enterprise lobbying of government and promote much needed regulatory reforms. So far, over 150 business information factsheets have been produced, focusing on topics such as marketing, financial management, legal issues, and information technology. The Basra Business Journal, a monthly bi-lingual Arabic/English magazine focusing on local business activities, will be launched in June.

Enterprise workshops "Introduction to Enterprise" workshops have so far been delivered to 2,000 young adults in Basra and Maysan Governorates. Drawn mostly from Basra University and local schools, the participants are given the opportunity to test their ideas and skills, and build up their networks of business contacts. Follow-up workshops focusing on team-building, problem solving and trade promotion are now running, with 100 young people trained so far and many more signed up for the coming months.
The program is also trying to help women entrepreneurs:
This initiative offers tailored support for women seeking to establish small businesses. It has so far delivered enterprise skills sessions to more than 285 women in Basra, Az Zubayr and Umm Qasr. Women in Enterprise (WIE) has also developed partnerships with the Iraqi Business Women's Association, the Basra College of Engineering, the Basra Widows Committee and the Az Zubayr Technical Institute. With these organisations, WIE will run weekly workshops and business mentoring sessions. WIE is also developing a package of support to help women move on from developing a business idea to establishing a fully registered and trading business activity.
And USAID's Private Sector Development project is also helping to transfer the latest knowledge and expertise (link in PDF): "PSD is working to help Iraqi business leaders become more familiar with the accounting and audit practices of the world’s leading corporations. Major public firms from the United States, Germany and the Netherlands were solicited by the project to share public information about their auditing standards, financial disclosure practices, and annual reports in order to illustrate how multi-national firms operate in today’s world. The first shipment of these reports was recently delivered by the project to a number of universities, professional societies, and Chambers of Commerce in central Iraq, where they will be used as model s of dinancial reporting for Iraqi firms."

Just as drop in the ocean, considering what a problem unemployment continues to be in Iraq, but the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs says is has found work for 115,000 Iraqis over the past six months, mainly in new enterprises.

The Iraqi authorities are conducting talks with Turkish investors about the rehabilitation of steel and cement factories. Speaking of Turkey, the major border crossing between the two countries will be renovated to facilitate the traffic.

And speaking of Iraq's border crossings: "It has been revealed in Jordan that the Jordanian cabinet had approved the establishing of a free zone to invest with a capital reaches to $ 85millions. The spokeswoman of the Jordanian government, the Minister of Culture Mrs. Assma Khadher pointed out during her weekly press release that this project supposed to provide 20,000 work opportunities, indicating that investment in this region includes service, industry, transport and other domains related with effectuating the trade movement between Iraq and Jordan, confirming that JD 64 millions had been allocated to upgrade services at the current customs boarder port and establishing another developed customs boarder port to take into consideration the big and expand daily needs between the two countries a matter that contributes in flowing movement whereas the old port had witnessed daily suffocations."

Iraq's communication infrastructure keeps expanding: "Wataniya Telecom will soon finish rolling out a mobile phone service in central Iraq as its expands in the country despite a violent insurgency, the Kuwaiti company's chief executive said... Harri Koponen, the new Finnish chief executive of Wataniya, said Baghdad and the main population centers in the central region of Iraq would be covered by its consortium's network, adding to a system already built in northern Iraq. Wataniya won a license in 2003 to develop a network in the north of Iraq, and it has gradually extended its coverage into the central region." More here.

Meanwhile, Iraqna, the Iraqi mobile phone subsidiary of Egypt's Orascom Telecom, has just passed a 1 million subscribers mark.

In oil news, the talks are to begin soon with Saudi Arabia about reopening a 1.7 million barrels par day pipeline. "The IPSA-1 pipeline, completed in 1989, was shut in the following year after the start of the Gulf War and has remained closed since. The pipeline goes to the Yanbu terminal near the Red Sea port of Jiddah."

And the Russians are coming - with the Americans: "Russian oil giant LUKOIL is planning to begin joint exploration of the West Qurna-2 oil deposit in Iraq with U.S. company ConocoPhillips... This deposit has estimated recoverable resources (according to Cambridge Energy Research Associates) at 11.3 billion barrels and is in third place in Iraq."

Iraqi authorities will also be seeking assistance of Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Brazil's state-controlled oil company, on ways to increase output.

In transport news, "Iran and Iraq are to be linked by railroad.... A short-term plan envisions a 60 km-long railroad between the cities of Khorramshahr in Iran and the southern Iraqi port of Basra. Another long-term project calls for a railroad to be constructed from Western Iranian city 'Kermanshah' to Iraqi province of 'Diala,'it added. Previously Iraqi transportation minister had said that Iran, Turkey, Iraq and Syria will be linked by railroad. Once operational the railroad will reduce the cost of travelling for the citizens of these countries and boost economic and trade relations among them."

And Basra airport reopens: "Basra International Airport in southern Iraq opened yesterday for commercial air flights... The airport had been shut since the start of the US-led military action that brought down the Saddam Hussain government in 2003... Four flights per week were scheduled between Basra and Baghdad, he said. Flights would also resume between Basra and Amman, Jordan, via Baghdad. Talks were being held between Iraq’s transport ministry and Gulf Air to begin flights between Basra and Gulf states." The first Basra-Baghdad flight has now taken place:
Some 42 passengers made the 50-minute trip from the Iraqi capital to the southern city, including airways officials and the transport minister. Iraqi Airways intends to operate four flights a week on the route.

Airline officials are encouraging the public to use the flight, which avoids a six-to-seven hour drive through dangerous parts of the country.

Iraqi Airways flight 015 is the first scheduled passenger service to come into operation between Iraqi cities since the end of the war. A return flight on the Boeing 727 will cost passengers $150 (£83).
Lastly, so much for theocracy: "Ministry of Interior in Iraq abolished Saddam's alcohol, night clubs and casinos restriction law which was introduced in the 90's. The law has been abolished because it interferes with and limits Iraqis personal freedom. Businesses, however, are required to obtain a licence from Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Health."

RECONSTRUCTION: On June 22, over 80 countries and international organizations will gather in Brussels to discuss with the Iraqi government its priorities, including reconstruction priorities. The United States and the European Union are co-hosting the event.

Bill Taylor, the outgoing U.S. official overseeing the reconstruction effort in Iraq, has recently given an update on the progress of rebuilding:
Projects were moving ahead despite soaring security costs, which U.S. auditors say can chew up half of the funding. Taylor... gave a more modest estimate and said security costs amounted to an average 10-15 percent of the overall price...

Taylor strongly rejects suggestions the rebuilding program has not had an impact and points to completed projects as proof. He said the United States was paying out about $200 million a week to contractors and $5.3 billion had been disbursed in total of the $18.4 billion. A further $12.9 billion had been "obligated," or put under contract...

Taylor said in the past 10 months, 57 U.S.-funded electricity projects, ranging from big to small, had been completed and 103 more were in progress.
Read this report from Fallujah:
Although the area is still relatively hostile, as is all of the predominantly Sunni Anbar province, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force is extending power lines and laying water and sewage pipes at a steady pace. Rubble and explosive ordinance - some left over from the fighting and some freshly laid by the insurgents - is being removed. Schoolhouses and hospitals are being fixed and erected. As a bonus, military-age males are receiving good wages to build things instead of blowing up people.

As I traveled through the slowly repopulating city - about half of the original 250,000 are believed to have returned - I saw awesome scenes of destruction. But I also saw thriving markets, stores selling candy and ice cream, and scores of children delighted to see Americans. I did more waving than the beauty queen in the 4th of July parade and the kids squealed with delight when I took their picture - or pretended to.
Speaking about Fallujah, the Iraqi government has allocated $100 million in the first batch of reconstruction expenditure. "An amount of $46 millions has been allocated for building a hospital in the city hold 200 beds and to equip it with the latest constitutional devices in addition to constructing two residential compounds that hold 504 flats, including schools, preschools and a constitutional centre).... Amounts of money have been allocated to build 21 new schools inside Fallujah and lands have been chosen and some of them have started the implementation, and they are expected to be done within eight months by housing and reconstruction ministry’ companies, in addition to reconstruct damaged schools."

And the Telecommunications Ministry is installing a new telephone exchange in Falluja.

Kirkuk, meanwhile, has received another $25 million for various reconstruction projects, of which 71 there are currently underway in the city.

The authorities are inviting foreign companies to tender on a whole range of new projects designed to better link Najaf to the outside world and thus spur more tourism in this religious center. The projects include new airport, railway link, railway station and a modern bus terminal.

In water infrastructure news, a large water program in Baghdad is aiming to improve the situation of the capital's residents:
A new project to increase much-needed water supplies is underway in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, by diversifying the existing supply system and reducing wasteful water usage.

"Baghdad has always suffered from water shortages during the summer season of around 50 percent," Baghdad Mayor Ala'a al-Temeemi told IRIN in the capital.

"Our plan is to activate different water resources, like building more water treatment plants, maintenance works for the old systems and operating or expanding old water canals in the army district east of Baghdad. We will also stop people from wasting water on washing cars or watering plants," al-Temeemi explained.

The project, which was implemented by the government at the start of May, is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Red Cross (IRC) and other NGOs in Japan and Germany. An anticipated 11.8 million Iraqis will benefit from USAID's US $600 million in water and sanitation projects countrywide.

"Before we applied this plan, we had two million cubic [cu] metres a day and we are working to reach three million cubic metres," the operating manager at Baghdad's directorate for water, Abdul-Kareem Aba'as, told IRIN. He added that the World Bank and other countries such as the UK, Australia and Japan had allocated $82 million to finance water projects in Baghdad over the next two years.

"There is a shortage in our neighbourhood every day. We do not have water for three to four hours a day. But it is better now than before when it would continue for two to three days," said May Hussein, who lives in the Bayaah district of Baghdad.
Iraqi Ministry of Municipalities and Labor has recently announced the completion of work on 10 water projects in Al Rasheed district south of Baghdad, including new tanks and pipelines providing water to several villages.

USAID, meanwhile, is progressing with its project to provide water to rural communities throughout Iraq (link in PDF):
USAID supplies potable water to rural Iraqis by digging wells in mid-sized communities. So far, the program has constructed wells at 81 sites; 69 of those sites are now active and 12 have been abandoned due to dry wells or other issues. Operating under the Iraq Infrastructure Reconstruction Program, this initiative will drill approximately 110 wells in remote locations throughout Iraq. Operations and Maintenance training will be provided to ensure the sustainability of the wells and treatment systems. The project will benefit about 550,000 rural Iraqis at 110 sites.
In other ongoing projects: "The rehabilitation of a major sewage treatment plant in Karbala will make the facilities fully functional and improve public health for the city’s 549,000 residents. Recently, workers poured the foundation slab for the primary effluent pump station, and excavated for sedimentation tanks... Work continues on the revitalization of Baghdad’s water network. Laborers recently laid new pipelines and connected more homes to the city’s water network... With approximately 46 km of pipeline installed and 3,540 homes connected to the system to date, the project is expected to be complete by the end of December 2005." And 60,000 residents in the rural areas of Diyala governorate will very shortly benefit from the rehabilitated water and sewage treatment plant (link in PDF).

Meanwhile, the Iraqi authorities in Basra are working on a range of water infrastructure projects: "Water Department staff in Al-Basra province continues carrying out new water projects in the province to increase the quantity of potable water pumped daily to citizens of the province in a $40.000.000 cost. Engineer Abed Sitar Akef, director of water department, said 'personals of the department undertook changing 10 projects installed in city center, the ability of one of them reach to a quarter million gallon daily, with 1 million gallon projects to become the quantity of supplied water from these projects 10 million gallons daily. In this way we will cover the increasing need for water, besides, maintain the previous projects to insure pumping another quantities equal to the desired quantities'."

In electricity news, soon, Turkey will be tripling its electricity exports to Iraq. "Kartet, a privately-owned company Turkish power company, said in March that it had signed a deal with Iraq’s electricity ministry to increase its export capacity to 1,000 MW from what was then 150-200 MW." The exports are estimated to rise to 350MW by the end of May. Overall, the increased imports from Turkey and Iran will provide electricity for additional 100,000 homes and businesses throughout Iraq. Iran's transmission and distribution company TAVANIR, which currently exports 100MW of electricity a year to Iraq is planning to increase the volume to 170MW by autumn, and to 400MW in two years' time.

And here are more details about the new power station that the Japanese government has committed itself to construct in Samawah city. It will add another 60 MW to the national power grid and more than double the electricity supply in the Al-Muthanna province.

USAID is currently working to better prepare Baghdad for the summer months (link in PDF):
USAID partners implementing the rehabilitation of Baghdad’s power distribution substations are focusing their efforts on completing work at eight high priority summer response city substations in order to increase reliable power by the end of June 2005. The two Iraqi subcontractors are making good progress and have completed the installation of one of the mobile substations...

USAID has provided equipment for 37 sites total, of which Bechtel and its subcontractors are working at 25 sites and Ministry of Electricity (MoE) at 12. Some of these new facilities will replace existing substations while others are expansions of the distribution network. Four mobile substations are being provided to support substation loads while the stations are being rehabilitated.
USAID is also reporting that "the refurbishment of two units at a large thermal power station in south Baghdad is nearly complete. This project will add 320 MW of capacity to Iraq’s national power grid when finished."

Significant and steady progress is being made in rebuilding Iraq's once-great education system. Read this indicative report about one school in Baghdad and the changes that have occurred over the last ten years:
Ten years ago, the Al-Thakafa al-Arabia elementary school had broken windows, a shortage of textbooks, and kids whose extracurricular activity was begging on the streets. Pro-Saddam Hussein slogans adorned the walls.

Today it's still a squalid place with filthy toilets and crumbling walls, but at least the teachers have chalk and erasers supplied by the government, and the kids have pencils, notebooks and satchels.

As Iraq battles its insurgency and lurches toward democracy, many judge its future by the strength of its security forces and new government. But another powerful measure is the optimism of the children at schools such as Al-Thakafa in one of Baghdad's poorest areas.

When The Associated Press visited 10 years ago, Iraqis were being impoverished by sanctions and Saddam Hussein was holding a presidential election in which he was the only candidate. In a country where free speech didn't exist, Saddam had opened the doors to foreign journalists to show off the vote, but under stringent supervision.

Returning to the same school more than two years after the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam, the AP saw striking change.
As this report notes, "destitute Iraqi teachers reclaim their dignity":
Kassim used to teach geography in the morning and spend afternoons repairing shoes in the streets of the central Iraqi town of Azizyah. Those days are over.

Iraq's 300,000 teachers have seen vast changes since the regime of
Saddam Hussein fell in April 2003, and Kassim can now feed his four children without having to cobble a living together.

From an average monthly salary of 10,000 dinars (around two-three dollars at the time) plus food subsidies, they can now earn 300,000-400,000 (200-270 dollars).

The result, says 40-year-old English teacher Jawad Mizhr, is that they can now do their job.

Such is the difference that retired teachers want their old jobs back, if only for a year or two so they can qualify for vastly improved pensions.
The system is slowly being rebuilt with foreign assistance:
Groups like the United Nations children's fund UNICEF and USAID are renewing infrastructure and training teachers to get the level of Iraqi education beyond where it was 25 years ago.

"Iraq's educational system used to be among the best in the region," the UN Development Program (UNDP) said in its 2004 survey of living conditions in Iraq.

But though deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein initially sought to eradicate illiteracy, the combined effects of wars and economic sanctions since 1980 took their toll on teachers and students alike.

In rural areas and among girls in particular, illiteracy is now widespread, but a 5.8-million-dollar USAID program is aimed at turning things around at 84 "model" primary and secondary schools across the country.

In-service training of 100,000 teachers and administrators will "promote child-centered teaching techniques, and introduce state-of-the-art instructional methods in science, math, English and social studies," a statement by the group said.
Various UN agencies are contributing towards rebuilding Iraqi education system: "In April, the comprehensive physical rehabilitation of 24 schools was completed and a further 46 were under construction. 20 schools benefited from fully rehabilitated water and sanitation facilities with an additional 156 schools being worked upon. 18,000 recreation kits were delivered and distributed to schools across the country and the Childcare Institution in Baghdad received essential educational materials for visually challenged children."

In recent USAID initiatives to support Iraqi schools and universities (link in PDF):
- A technical university in Baghdad constructed a Geographic and Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing Laboratory on campus...

- Ten faculty and graduate students from universities in Baghdad and Mosul attended the first International Conference on Islamic Archaeology...

- The Ministry of Education delivered 433,524 school supply kits to 1,870 Iraqi schools. More than 80,000 additional kits have arrived in governorate warehouses and will be distributed to schools in the coming weeks...

- Four Iraqi universities are using resource centers to build the ability of their public health and medical school faculty and staff to measure malnutrition...

- Ninety-four workshops were held throughout Iraq to organize the replacement of rural schools made of mud and reeds with concrete facilities...

- DePaul University has undertaken three law library renovations. This is part of the $3.8 million legal education reform component of USAID’s HEAD program...

- Iraqi law students participated in a post-conflict justice seminar in Dokan. Through assistance from the International Human Rights Law Institute (IHRLI) at DePaul University, the two-day seminar included more than 100 participants from Iraqi law schools and nearly a dozen national and international experts in the field of post-conflict justice.
USAID also continues to support Iraqi higher education by facilitating cooperation between Iraqi and American universities (link in PDF):
More results are in from agricultural research conducted by Iraqi scholars with the support of USAID’s Higher Education and Development (HEAD) program. A research grant program enabled Iraqi scholars to enhance their expertise in agricultural studies. This research addresses high priority needs for the Iraqi agriculture industry. The 18 grants awarded ranged from $5,000 to $30,000 (totaling $205,500) and funded equipment, supplies and support services not otherwise available to Iraqi scientists...

HEAD partner the University of Hawaii recently delivered a shipment of seventeen boxes of current agriculture and forestry publications to strengthen the research resources at two agricultural colleges in Mosul and Dohuk. These publications discuss subjects including soil, agronomy, nutrition, plant protection, agricultural economics and statistics.
Al FAO Engineering Company, meanwhile, under the contract from the Ministry of Education is working on the construction of 62 schools that are distributed in the provinces of Al Basra, Al Najaf, Karbala, al Anbar, Salah Eddin, Thi Qar, Al Diwania and Kirkuk at a cost of 35 billion dinars ($23 million).

USAID programs continue to help revive and modernize Iraqi agricultural sector. In recent initiatives (link in PDF): "Thirteen officials from the Soil Department in the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) completed a training course on researching and studying soil with the support of USAID’s Agriculture Reconstruction and Development for Iraq program... Apple tree seedlings planted in March are growing well; the 15,000 seedlings were provided as part of the Apple Orchard Improvement Project supported by the MOA and USAID... The renovation of five additional veterinary clinics will begin soon through grants from MOA/USAID. These clinics, which serve a total of 345 villages, are often the only source of veterinarian assistance to area farmers."

And "the United Nations has announced a $10 million program to protect farm animals in Iraq from potentially devastating epidemics. The Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Agency said... it will train veterinarians in disease control and build a number of clinics. The FAO says neglect and war have severely damaged veterinary services in Iraq. There are nearly 20 million cattle, sheep, and goats in the country.

In the end, all stories are personal stories. Read about Karen Lee, A regulatory analyst in the Office of Management and Budget, who worked in the Iraq Project and Contracting Office, first in charge of the water infrastructure reconstruction, then overseeing all six sectors: oil, electricity, public works and water, security and justice, transportation and communications, and buildings, education, and health. Says Lee: "Getting a thousand people drinkable water — it sounds like nothing, but to those thousand people it’s very important... This was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had."

HUMANITARIAN AID: USAID is working to combine practical help with community development: "The Community Action Program works in rural and urban communities to promote democracy and prevent and mitigate conflict. Working directly through partner NGOs and in consultation with local government representatives, USAID is creating representative, participatory community groups to identify critical priorities and implement programs to address these needs". Among the most recent initiatives (link in PDF):
- Seven trash collection projects were recently completed in Baghdad neighborhoods. Following the work, USAID’s Community Action Program (CAP) took several steps to help keep the neighborhoods clean in the future...

- Winter temperatures rarely rise above zero in the mountainous areas of As Sulaymaniyah governorate, and very few schools are heated in winter, leading some children to skip school rather than sit in the cold and drafty schoolrooms. CAP will help one community in the area to buy 300 kerosene oil stove heaters for one of the towns and the surrounding village schools. The heaters will warm schoolrooms and help draw back students...

- After the first Gulf War, Ansar al Islam—a Kurdish terrorist organization took control of a large area in As Sulaymaniyah on the border with Iran. Women and girls were then restricted in their movement and activities and, for more than a decade, girls rarely continued school after the sixth grade. Now, a small town in the governorate, working with CAP, is helping girls and women regain control of their future with the establishment of a women’s center. The Center will be used for classes in sewing, computers, and rug making.
United Nations World Food Program, meanwhile, reports that "a total of 19,196 mt of commodities (including High Energy Biscuits, wheat flour, vegetable oil and pea/wheat blend) have thus far been dispatched into Iraq under WFP’s current emergency operation. The present security situation continues to affect the overland transport of food into Iraq through repeated and unexpected border and road closures. Food for Education - Approximately 3,040 mt of High Energy Biscuits have been distributed under school feeding activities. The final round of the School Feeding design competition was held on 22 May at the Ministry of Education."

The Ministry of Health has announced the allocation of 30 billion dinars ($20 million) from foreign donations to go towards rehabilitation programs for handicapped Iraqis. And Mennonite Central Committee is currently working on two projects: "MCC is helping to fund improvements to a children's cancer treatment center in southern Iraq and the development of a children's cultural center in Baghdad in partnership with several other aid organizations. The cancer treatment center is housed at Ibn-Ghazwan Pediatric and Gynecological Hospital in Basra and is receiving medical equipment, staff training and sanitation facilities. The Iraqi Children's Cultural Center is housed in Baghdad's al-Fanoos al-Sihree Theater, and its staff is receiving training in organizational management, child psychology and performing arts. MCC is contributing to both projects as a member of All Our Children, a partnership of international aid organizations in Iraq."

Sportspeople keep helping each other across continents. The latest story comes from Japan: "The Japan Judo Federation and the Kodokan Judo Institute have donated tatami mats and judo uniforms to the Iraq Judo Federation to help promote the martial art there. The Ground Self-Defense Force, which is conducting reconstruction operations in Samawah, Iraq, delivered the equipment, comprising 168 tatami mats and 140 judo uniforms, which Iraqis began to use immediately." Meanwhile, Iraq’s National Basketball Federation has received a sponsorship from Aramex International, the leading total transportation solutions provider in the Middle East and the Asian Subcontinent.

Not just governments and Non-Government Organizations, but also individuals and communities are trying to assist in any ways they can. Majid Fadhil Sabor, a 10-year old from Al Kut is now coming back to Iraq after a few months stay in Ohio to fit him with prosthetic legs. Read the whole fascinating story.

North Carolina Rotarians are helping Marines help Iraqi people:
A mountain of boxes rises from the flat and dusty landscape of western Iraq but it will be quickly razed by the Marines of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The boxes, more than 60 of them, are compliments of the Rotarians of the Wilmington (Downtown) Rotary Club in Wilmington, N.C. The boxes, filled with everything from essentials like soap to luxuries like the latest in digital entertainment. It is also interspersed with jerked meat and snacks of every variety. The many goodies will quickly disappear across the dusty expanse of the Al Anbar province.

The task of seeing that the mountain is distributed to those in want - and need - falls to Staff Sgt. Rodney K. Forte, the close battle coordinator here. Who better than the man who controls aircraft in the heat of battle to figure out how to get a mountain of fun distributed throughout hundreds of miles of Iraqi desert - during a war.

Late last year Wilbur D. Jones Jr., director of the Wilmington Rotary Club invited Gen. Robert Milstead Jr., commanding general of 2nd MAW, Forte and a few other Marines to be their guests at a club function. That visit is just one of many elements upon which the Rotary Club’s "Mission Iraq Marine," which currently targets the forward deployed Marine air wing, is built.
This serviceman is helping with the reconstruction and getting his family and friends to help too:
Butch Folsom is assigned to the Programs and Contracting Office Facilities and Transportation Sector, managing the health and education programs in southern Iraq. The unit has already built 600 schools, 50 clinics and two hospitals. According to Folsom, the PCO's goal is to build/rebuild 800 schools in Iraq, most of which will be renovations of existing schools.

In rural areas, Folsom found schools that were literally made out of mud and straw, buildings that would more accurately be called huts - with no running water or power.

Although money has been appropriated to rebuild 40 of the "mud schools," the funds do not cover any school supplies or furniture to be used in the schools. The teachers and students in these mud schools for the most part do not have any school supplies. There are no pencils, rulers, pens, nothing.

So while Butch Folsom's job is to build schools, he has taken on as his personal mission to build kids.

Folsom created a group called Mud Schools to help enlist support for the education of Iraqi children and to collect supplies that the children need in the schools. His wife and daughter are heading up the effort here in Warner Robins. Daughter Krista designed a Web site, mudschools.org to help get the word out.
Residents of a Montana town are helping one of their own spread some cheer in Iraq:
Amid his dangerous duties as an infantry machine gunner with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, Caleb Wilson finds time to spread a little cheer to the children of Iraq.

It started when the 23-year-old native of the small northeast Missouri town Philadelphia shared with children some of the treats he received in care packages from home. In a letter to his family, he asked for crayons, pencils and coloring books he could pass out to the children.

The response was quick and overwhelming. Relatives, friends and members of his church, Bethel Baptist of Smileyville, sent a box filled with giveaways. Wilson shared it with other soldiers, who passed out the small gifts to children they encountered on the streets.
So are residents of New York state:
Patrolling the streets of downtown Baghdad, Army 1st Lt. Kevin Norton has learned a couple of facts about Iraqi families.

Parents, he says, are fiercely protective of their children.

And the children are a great source of information on what is happening in each neighborhood.

So to help protect lives and rebuild the country, Norton, a 27-year-old White Plains native, has been leading a charge back home to donate notebooks, footballs and diapers to Iraqi children in need.

Students at his alma mater, Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, have responded to the call with boxes worth of materials to ship overseas.

Their work has helped soldiers gain the trust of local Iraqis. Just a few days ago, a group of Sunni men detained a Syrian suicide bomber and called the Army to pick him up, Norton wrote in an e-mail from Iraq last week.

"In short, our ability to provide for the children is saving our lives," he said.
And kids from California are also doing their bit:
Pupils at Wells Middle School buy a lot of school supplies. But they're not for an upcoming English or art project — they're for children in Iraq.

For the second year in a row, the school has spent a month collecting school supplies to send to U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq, who will in turn pass them along to Iraqi children.

"I think it helps our children very much to become part of something bigger than they are," said Marilyn Carter, chairwoman for Adopt-a-Unit Tri-Valley.
Residents of one community in Idaho are also helping: "Not long ago a Soda Springs pastor serving as a guardsmen in Iraq started a mission, to help kids in Iraq get much needed school supplies. Today, an entire community rallies behind his dream to help others oversees... One box sealed; thousands more to go. A massive assembly of students gathered at Monsanto, all for one purpose: to package up these every day school supplies."

So are communities in Mississipi:
While Mississippi soldiers patrol Iraq's war-torn terrain, Jackson County residents have launched a goodwill mission to make the soldiers' job a little easier.

Jackson County employees, District Attorney Tony Lawrence's Office and Singing River Soccer Club in Pascagoula joined efforts to collect 200 soccer balls for Iraqi children.

The drive started when Staff Sgt. Terry Armstrong, a member of the Mississippi National Guard's 155th Combat Team, described his experiences to his boss in Jackson County.

Armstrong, who works in the appraisal maintenance division of the Tax Assessor's Office, told his director Kevin Hindmarch about the many children who approached his unit asking for "futbol" like the ones Marines had passed out before the 155th arrived, Hindmarch said.

Instead of the usual care package of personal items and goodies, Armstrong asked Hindmarch and his family to send a few soccer balls for the Iraqi children.
A Rhode Island business, working in Iraq, is also trying to contribute in other ways: "A Middletown company is trying help the children of Iraq. Northeast Engineers and Consultants Incorporated has set up the Iraqi Children's Aid Relief Effort. So far, the firm has shipped soccer uniforms, and is planning a major fund-raiser."

And with the traffic going the opposite way, one Iraqi family is settling in North Dakota:
The family of an Iraqi man shot after helping North Dakota National Guard soldiers find roadside bombs is settling near Fargo, with help from a relative and the soldiers themselves.

"The emotions are just starting to set in," said Sgt. 1st Class Shayne Beckert, who has been working to relocate the man's widow and seven children to the United States. "It's the beginning of a new life."

The woman and her children, who are not being identified because of potential danger to their relatives in Iraq, arrived in Fargo on two flights late Friday night and early Saturday.

One of the children is 1 month old, and a 2-year-old girl suffered severe injuries to her right eye April 30, when she was hit by bomb shrapnel as her mother was waiting in line to get a passport for her newborn.
As another report explains,
[Sgt. 1st Class Shayne] Beckert and a fellow guardsman, Capt. Grant Wilz, worked for months to bring the family to the United States, appealing for help on radio and television and contacting Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-North Dakota, who helped arrange the trip.

Pomeroy, who met the family earlier this month during a trip to Iraq, described them as "bright and strong and wonderful," and said their resourcefulness would help them adjust to life in the United States.

Pomeroy said the mother described the journey as "her birthday ... the beginning of a new life."

"This isn't the end of the story. This is the beginning of the story," Pomeroy said. "They don't know English. They have never seen winter."
THE COALITION TROOPS: A milestone for US Army engineers in Iraq:
Engineers in Iraq marked their 1000th reconstruction project with the completion of work at a school in the northern-most province of Dahuk.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Division, responsible for oversight of reconstruction in Iraq, renovated the Betas School on the outskirts of the town of Zahko. The school serves 60 students with seven classroom teachers...

Engineers have 840 planned school projects throughout Iraq. To date, 580 school projects are finished and 171 are underway.

Spending on reconstruction projects in Iraq has reached over $5.5B. There are a total of 3,200 total GRD planned projects countrywide, of which 2,389 have begun.
Speaking of engineering projects, US Army is currently engaged in a major infrastructure project in the capital:
In the 9 Nissan District of Eastern Baghdad, two major sewer and water projects are gaining momentum as crews break ground in Kamaliya and Oubaidi.

After completing a thorough site survey, work has begun on a project that will ultimately create a sewer network serving 8,870 homes in Kamaliya, Iraq.

The area has never had underground sewage lines and relies on slit trenches, which leads to sewage pooling in the streets.

"People in Kamaliya are seeing heavy work being done, trenches being dug for the pipes, and it gives them confidence about the city’s future," said Maj. Alexander Fullerton, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Infrastructure Cell officer-in-charge. "The project will really improve public health and help cut down on disease-carrying mosquitoes."

The project will cost about $27 million and will employ 600 local workers at peak construction times.
Troops form Tallil Air Base in Iraq are working on the reconstruction of local areas:
“In short, if you need a construction project done, we do it all,” said Maj. Thomas Niichel, 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron’s Detachment 2 deputy commander here. He is deployed from the Colorado Air National Guard’s 240th Civil Engineer Flight at Buckley Air Force Base...

Part engineer and humanitarian enthusiast, the seamless crew had worked off base on more than 50 missions in the past three months. They have installed water supply pumps and electricity, paved roads and helped Iraqis maintain their water canals.

And they helped deliver tents to Iraqis and coordinate medical attention for injured Iraqi children.

Airman Washington said a memorable job for him was installing electricity in an Army-sponsored doctor’s office in a small Iraqi town.

Before their visit, the doctor was examining and providing health care to local children without lighting and with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees. The Soldiers stationed there did not have a washer, and their bathroom facilities were outhouses.

After the job was finished, the Army doctor thanked them, Airman Washington said. “It felt good, because I knew I made a difference to him.”
A New York state local reports on his work in Iraq:
Schoolchildren in the east Baghdad slum of Sadr City would bring boxes to school - not to use for a diorama or to carry supplies, U.S. Army Lt. Henry M. Jaen explained, but so they would not have to rest their feet in sewage while sitting in class.

Jaen, a Catskill resident, returned in March from a six-month tour in Sadr City and an adjacent group of communities known as 9 Nisan, among the Iraqi capital's poorest and most violent areas.

As the officer in charge, attached to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers unit, the 42-year-old reservist helped manage more than $300 million in infrastructure projects in Iraq, including pumping standing sewage out of in-use classrooms.

Jaen, an engineering supervisor at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection's Kingston office, also oversaw sewer system installation, street paving, health clinic construction and the implementation of trash-collection services, all the while contending with car bombings and other insurgent attacks.
The troops recently made a significant contribution to the electricity grid around Baghdad:
Iraqi laborers and General Electric employees recently completed eight months of work on a power plant project which will bring additional electricity to Baghdad.

This project at the Qudas Power Plant outside of Baghdad was supported by Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division and the Army Corps of Engineers.

"We added 90 megawatts of electricity to the Baghdad power grid. That's huge," said Capt. Steve Heinz commander of 3rd Bde., 1st Armor Div.’s Brigade Engineering Supervisory Team.

The project provided jobs for about 50 Iraqi workers and will help bolster the Iraqi economy.
The engineers have also been working on another significant power project outside Baghdad:
Reliable electric service is high on any Baghdad resident’s wish list and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working hard to accomplish that task.

The electric grid in Baghdad was built in the 1950s and 60s, and is in desperate need of modernization and repair, according Henry Shelton, an ACOE engineer who has been working in Iraq since February 2004.

His team’s latest accomplishment was to bring a large electrical substation on-line in East Baghdad, which he said is a big step in the right direction...

The Al Ameen substation is a 400-kilovolt gas-insulated system—a fully-enclosed system that is more durable and reliable than older, open-air substations...

The project cost approximately $100 million to complete, and employed 600 people at its peak...

Substations the size of Al Ameen do not produce electricity or deliver it directly to people’s homes. They distribute power to smaller substations, which are located all over Baghdad, said Shelton.

As such, he said residents will not initially see any difference in the power grid, but that the substation will be a solid foundation that the rest of the grid can be built upon.
Some of the reconstruction projects might seem small, but they are of great importance to local communities. This is one example:
Coalition forces, along with Iraqi leaders, completed a road project here that spans more than four kilometers and cost about $565,000.

"The paving of the Hamourabi village road is great for the community," said Capt. Christian Neels, civil-military operations officer for the Army's 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. "The completion of the road will offer a quicker means of allowing farmers and the local population to get to the market and in the long run, contribute to the economic progress of the area."

Neels added that unemployment in the surrounding towns and the Hey Al Askari area is high. With few jobs available in the community, the roadway will allow the population to get into Baghdad, where employment opportunities are greater, he explained.
This is not the first useful project in the area; previously, "a 3,000-meter waterline that runs alongside the Hamourabi Road was built and works in conjunction with two water towers in the area."

The military authorities also facilitate some important business advice:
Jim Beardsley the former Chief Executive Officer of Master Lock visited 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division as a consultant to help identify ways to kick start Iraq's developing economy.

Beardsley, now an independent business consultant and member of Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance, traveled to several sites in Iraq.

"This is something I volunteered for because I'm very interested in the economic development of Iraq," said Beardsley. "I feel they're [the Iraqi people] at a point where I can help."

These visits allow Iraqi business owners and entrepreneurs to discuss the development of their businesses in a free economy with subject matter experts and worldwide leaders in industry.
As the report notes, " VEGA is the world's largest consortium of economic growth volunteer organizations providing technical expertise in private sector development. Collectively, VEGA has more than 350 years of experience in mobilizing American volunteers to support economic growth in developing countries (including post-conflict and transition), and in designing and implementing successful technical assistance projects across the spectrum of economic growth activities worldwide."

Units also continue to assist reviving Iraqi education system. The troops are rebuilding old schools throughout the provinces:
Headmasters at three mud schools took charge of their new brick and concrete replacement schools as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Southern District signed the schools over to the education minister in the Babil Province after local laborers completed the three projects May 15.

All three mud school replacement schools boast 12 classrooms instead of the usual six, according to Valerie Schaffner, Buildings, Health and Education project manager for the mud school replacement projects. The usual six-classroom design was geared to smaller rural areas, servicing about 100 students, and the schools in Babil - Yaum Al Huria; Al Masoodi and Al Ma’rij - serve 275, 370 and 590 students respectively.

“The cost was about $160,000 per school,” said Schaffner. “That includes storage space, student and teachers’ bathrooms, electricity for fans, a partially paved playground area and a security fence around the school.”
Health system is another area of concern. In a typical action to fill some of the gaps:
Iraqi and U.S. Army medical officers examined more than 500 residents who came to a Salman Pak clinic, providing medical advice, treatment, and prescription medication in a medical civil action project May 12.

“The main purpose of a MEDCAP is to provide simple medicines and treatment for simple wounds and conditions, while assessing the overall health of the people,” said Maj. Rick Smudin, 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion, team leader. “It’s a good opportunity to build trust and support for our Soldiers and the Iraqi forces in the neighborhood.”

The clinic was run by Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, Iraqi Intervention Forces and C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry at a forward observation building about a mile outside the main city of Salman Pak. Several of the rooms were cleaned and furnished in order to accommodate the mission and, although space was limited, all residents who came to the clinic were able to receive medical care.
In a more lasting contribution, "Colonel Mike Thornton, commander of the American forces in Al Najaf province said that his forces have completed the works of renovating the children hospital in Al Najaf. Development included building X-ray and nutrition habilitation rooms, in addition to overhauling the halls."

Sometimes rapiring damage is just as important:
Since the middle of March, Team 4, Detachment 4, 5th Civil Affairs Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD), has played a vital role in Haditha. The city is known as one of the hottest spots in western Iraq.

During Operation New Market, which began on the night of May 23, the main objective of the CAG team, led by Maj. Matthew D. Chisholm, Team 4 leader, was to assess recent damages done to Haditha Hospital. The hospital was damaged earlier in the month when insurgents occupied the building. The team also wanted to talk to the staff to see how the hospital was functioning and ask locals their opinions about personal care.

"It is very unfortunate that the hospital was involved in the situation," said Chisholm, a San Diego native. "After an attack such as this one, the CAG team has to stop and look at the overall situation. We immediately begin to get things running, like communications and laboratory capabilities. The next closest hospital is Hit, so people need this hospital to get care."

Damage to the one-story hospital occurred when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device was driven into an outside wall during a firefight with Marines from 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. Only the service wing, kitchen, laundry, storage room and private patient ward sustained severe fire damage and no civilian casualties occurred.
The Civil Affairs Group is now working on renovation and restocking of the hospital.

The troops also act as facilitators:
The two young boys had terrible medical problems.

They urgently needed heart surgery, which requires skilled surgeons with modern technology in a sterile hospital setting. But such things are not available in Baghdad, where they live.

So their sorrowful families watched in despair and frustration as both boys -- Fadi, 3, and Sajab, 9 -- began turning blue because of inadequate blood circulation in their small bodies. They were dying and there seemingly was nothing to do.

Until Col. Chet Wernicki stepped in.

He arranged to have them bused last month to Amman in neighboring Jordan, where doctors donated their services, a hospital charged minimal fees and several wealthy Iraqi businessmen handled the bills.
As Col Wernicki says, "They are recovering at home now and my people couldn't be happier. Not much publicity comes from these cases, which is understandable because there's so much violence and tragedy in Iraq, but this is what we do."

Read also the story of Illinois' Sgt. Melanie Lettimore, who's been working hard to organize a hearing aid for a 3-year old Iraqi boy.

And here's a story of Marine Corporal Justin R. Molgaard, whose daily job it is to disburse payments to Iraqis working on reconstruction projects, as well as Iraqis whose property has suffered damage in fighting.

It's not just the American troops - other Coalition partners are also playing their part in providing security and helping with reconstruction of Iraq. Here's a contribution from Kazakhstan: "Kazakhstan Peacekeeping battalion’s EOD unit conducts humanitarian mission in Iraq within the MND CS in Al Kut by giving assistance to Iraqi people to reconstruct their land after the war. It passed 2 years since Kazakhstan started helping to Iraq. During this period more than 3 million mines and other Un-explosive Ordinances (UXO) were destroyed. All this UXOs are very dangerous for the local people and for Coalition members."

Here's from Estonia:
One small European country is playing a major role in keeping supply convoys safe while moving through Iraq.

Each day, hundreds of trucks travel the streets of Iraq carrying cargo bound for military installations and forward operating posts.

One of the ways the Army is minimizing the risk involved in delivering supplies to Soldiers in Iraq is through a joint operation that includes Soldiers from 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y., and a platoon of Estonian infantrymen.

The two units work together keeping each other safe while patrolling Gazalia Village, a 15-kilometer section of road in the heart of Western Baghdad that is known to be a hot spot for improvised explosive devices.
From Ukraine:
A combat training and assessment detachment from the 7th Ukrainian Detached Mechanized Brigade (DMB) in Iraq conducted a combat efficiency analysis of Iraqi military units, deployed in the area of responsibility of the Ukrainian Army. About 1,000-soldier-strong Ukrainian contingent is located in the province of Wazit, in southwest Iraq.

At the beginning of his assignment to Iraq in October 2004, Colonel Serhii Chuchula, chief of the detachment said, “the 800-man unit of the Iraqi National Guard (ING) was badly equipped and poorly trained.”

Under the Ukrainian soldiers’ or peacekeepers’ initiatives a decision about the formation of additional ING units was taken. Due to the efforts of Ukrainian instructors, the Iraqi Armed Forces’ 27th Infantry brigade battalions were fully manned and trained (Iraqi National Guard troops were renamed to the Armed Forces of Iraq on February 8, 2005).
And the Bosnians are also coming in, in an experiment of as much importance for the future of their own country as for that of Iraq:
Serbs, Croats and Muslims who completed training this month for the first army unit bringing together Bosnia's warring factions of 10 years ago leave for Iraq on Wednesday to join U.S.-led coalition forces.

The 36 volunteers -- including one woman -- are their country's future joint army in embryo, trained to destroy unexploded ordnance and ammunition in a mission expected to last two turns of six months.

Sifet Podzic, head of the Bosnian armed forces general staff, said that after a 10-day acclimatisation in Kuwait, the platoon will be deployed in Iraq's Sector West near the city of Falluja, under the U.S. 8th Marine Engineering Battalion.
The deployment will, in many ways, be a test of things to come for Bosnia: "The ethnically-mixed unit is exceptional for Bosnia where up to 200,000 people were killed in its 1992-95 war. Bosnian and Western officials see it as a litmus test of the country's ability to forge a single army, without which it will never be allowed to join NATO."

And the Australian troops continue to be well received by the locals:
Australian troops stationed in southern Iraq were welcomed with open arms when they visited a market in the village of As Samawah.

Australia has 450 troops deployed in al-Muthanna Province to assist a contingent of engineers from the Japanese self defence force and provide training for local security forces.

The commanding officer of the al-Muthanna Task Group, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Noble, said last night a dozen personnel had been mobbed by friendly locals on their first visit to the village.

"There was genuine warmth from the people, (who) reacted to Australian soldiers and they have welcomed us in the best way," Lieutenant Colonel Noble told The Australian.
Traditional Australian Army slouch hat with emu plumes, worn instead of helmets, has also proved to be a huge hit with the locals. "Concerns about local reactions to the deployment were raised at the time because, unlike the Japanese soldiers, the Australians would be armed, which could provoke local sensitivities to the occupation. Those fears have so far proved unfounded, with soldiers warmly welcomed across the region, and the risk of attack from insurgents now considered minimal."

Lastly, this good news report for the American soldiers: "Speed, technology and advancements in armor have made the battlefield in Iraq one of the most survivable in the history of warfare."

SECURITY: An interesting survey paints the picture of Iraqi women's threat perceptions around the country:
An Iraqi official survey showed that 40% of Iraqi women considered the criminals represent an actual danger for their lives, while 12% of them considered that the coalition forces represent their main threat. 46% of the surveyees did not point out any direct threat for them...

As for the provinces, 85% of women in provinces of Al Selaimania, Arbil, the Kurdish Dahuk (north) and Al Mothana (south), pointed out that they were not exposed to any direct threat against them, while 91% of women in Maisan province (south) considered that criminals are the only source of threat for women in Iraq, compared to 73% in Zi Qar (south) and 65% in the capital of Baghdad. More than 40% of women in Waset and Karbala (center) confirmed that criminals represent a danger against them. More than half of the women of Al Anbar province (west) and Salah Eddin (north) considered that the coalition forces are the greatest danger against them.
There are increasing signs that some of the insurgents might we willing to come in from the cold:
Former electricity minister Ayham al-Samarie told The Associated Press the Islamic Army in Iraq and the Army of Mujahedeen or holy warriors were ready to open talks with the Shiite-led government aimed at eventually joining the political process.

The claim appears consistent with comments from a senior Shiite legislator, Hummam Hammoudi, who told the AP last week the government had opened indirect channels of communication with some insurgent groups.

The contacts were "becoming more promising and they give us reason to continue," Hammoudi said without providing details.

Al-Samarie, an Illinois Institute of Technology graduate who holds dual U.S. and Iraqi citizenship, said the two groups represent more than 50 percent of the "resistance."
While some insurgents are reconsidering their position, the last three weeks have witnessed the largest operation so far conducted by the Iraqi security forces - Operation Lightning - involving, according to government sources, some 40,000 Iraqi security forces combing through Baghdad, in search of insurgents and terrorists.

This was one of the earliest successes: "Iraqi and U.S. soldiers arrested a former general in Saddam Hussein's intelligence service who was also a member of his Fedayeen secret police during a raid in western Baghdad, the scene of some of Sunday's heaviest fighting. 'He now leads the military wings of several terror cells operating in the west Baghdad neighborhood of Ghazaliyah,' the military said in its announcement about the former general." Also on the first day of operation, 500 suspects were arrested and several weapons caches uncovered.

Overall, during the Operation Lightning so far, 887 arrests have been made, 608 mobile and 194 permanent checkpoints set up around Baghdad, and 38 arms caches recovered. "The operation [was] the biggest Iraqi-led offensive since Saddam's ouster two years ago. Before it began, authorities controlled only eight of Baghdad's 23 entrances. Now all are under government control." For more on what the Operation looked like to one resident of Baghdad see here, as well as check other successes of the sweep.

As part of the Operation Lightning, a sweep by Iraqi and American forces in Latifiyah, 30 kilometers south of Baghdad, has netted another 108 suspects. A similar operation around Taji, north of Baghdad, has also resulted in arrests and weapons confiscations.

And the Interior Minister has announced another two massive security operations will be underway after the end of the Operation Lightning.

Meanwhile, moving away from Baghdad, First Lt. Tad Tsuneyoshi, a rifle platoon leader with the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) reports on the changes occurring in the former hot-spot of Ramadi:
Since the elections, kids have been going to school on a regular basis. Their laughter fills the air while they play, as we pull guard duty on our towers. People are able to go to work. People's attitudes change when they are able to work and support their families instead of cowering in their homes.

Most of the bullet holes have been covered up and the city has a different look and feel. It feels awkward, however, as we all grew up in combat here in the city. It is a good awkward. Now the people talk to us about how their area is free of terrorists and criminals. And for the first time, I believe them.

One of the strangest occurrences happened on a night mission about a month ago when we rolled out of our gates on the way to a raid target. Our lead vehicle became stuck in a volleyball net. There were people out playing soccer and volleyball in the streets.

People were gathered and talking story around their houses. A couple of months ago, people gathering during darkness were considered to be possible enemy.

We went out a couple days later to remind the people that there was an Iraqi-imposed curfew still in place. However, at house after house, we were told they were out because they felt safe. They were out doing normal things because we had taken the bad guys off of the street. And we were thanked for our efforts.
And in Mosul:
Gain the trust of the people, and you’ve won more than half the battle. At least that’s what soldiers in Mosul say. In an evolving quest to defeat insurgents in Iraq, soldiers must find a balance between hard fighting and soft handshakes.

“We’re out building a rapport with the population and that is turning into intelligence that we use to track down the enemy,” said Capt. Jeff Vanantwerp, commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade (Stryker Brigade Combat Team).

Over a lunch of piping hot pita bread, roasted chicken, potatoes, eggplant and lamb-topped pizza, Vanantwerp, 29, sat with a restaurant owner to learn of new developments.

“All the men in your neighborhood need to make an agreement that if you ever see foreigners committing a crime, you have to go out and scare them off,” he said through a translator. “And you need to call us.”

The tall, lanky, blond-haired captain has largely gained the residents’ trust, and they sometimes quip that “on the streets, he’s a Mosuli,” the restaurateur said, laughing...

“This neighborhood is what we’d like to see the rest of Mosul become,” 2nd Lt. Dave Beaudoin, 23, said of the al-Mansoor area of about 6,000 residents, whose polling place had the highest voter turnout for the Jan. 30 elections. The few bombings and small-arms fire encountered when they first arrived in October have all but stopped, he said.
Outside Kirkuk, meanwhile, Iraqi Army soldiers with 1st Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division have taken over control of Forward Operating Base Dibbis from US troops. And the Nemer (Tiger) Unit of the Iraqi 2nd Brigade was officially given control of the Rasafa area of Baghdad.

New elite counter-terror unit is being set up: "On the prime minister's instructions, high-ranking and specialist officers have been selected to lead a unit formed by the ministries of defence and internal affairs to tackle and eliminate terrorism. The unit has started making setting plans to stop the infiltration of insurgents from abroad, protect key national facilities, and look into the reasons why breaches of security occur. The unit has gathered intelligence about insurgents who have fled from hotbeds of tension to other towns. Thanks to leads provided by members of the public, it was able to arrest insurgents in al-Madain alleged to be the strike force of Abu Musab al-Zarkawi. The unit is asking people to call in on its hotline to report anything unusual."

Read this story about Iraq's elite - and most popular - security force:
Abul Waleed rifled through a pile of papers, considering the latest accusations against the elite brigade of Iraqi police commandos he leads from a dusty fortress.

The complaints against the Wolf Brigade were the usual: excessive force, renegade patrols, kidnapping, murder. The charges came from Iraq's most powerful Sunni Muslim leaders, and Waleed clearly relished reading them. It's precisely this take-no-prisoners reputation that has made his unit the most feared and revered of all of Iraq's nascent security forces.

"The Muslim Scholars Association? They're infidels," Waleed said, tossing his detractors' complaints into the wastebasket. "The Islamic Party? Humph. More like the Fascist Party."

No matter how many complaints about heavy-handedness pile up on Waleed's desk, there's no changing the fact that the Wolf Brigade rules public opinion in a country desperate for Iraqi heroes. With its televised humiliation of terror suspects and its dapper uniforms, the brigade restores some of the national pride stripped away by war and foreign occupation.

Yesterday, eight members of the elite unit were killed in a pre-dawn ambush on their 20-vehicle convoy in downtown Beiji, 155 miles north of Baghdad, police 1st Lt. Nadar Adil said.

While the nation's fledgling police and armed forces are derided as corrupt or incompetent, the Wolf Brigade is the exception. Its logo is a snarling wolf, and its TV show, "Terrorists in the Grip of Justice," is the most watched program in the country. Harassed parents silence noisy children with threats to call the Wolves. Housewives swoon over their "broad shoulders" and "toughness."

"Every time I see them in the street, I feel safe," said Ahmed Kanan, 25, who works at a menswear shop in Baghdad. "I feel that we have a country with a government."
Security forces are having no problem attracting recruits:
More than 23,000 young Iraqis in the southern province of Dhiqar have responded to a call to set up a new battalion to protect the province.

The provincial authorities have been swamped with applications, Governor Aziz Kadhem told the newspaper.

He said the authorities had asked for maximum 1,000 volunteers but “we have received more than 23,000 applications so far.”

The new force will be based in Nasiriya, the province’s capital and home to more than 550,000 people.

Nasiriya, on the Euphrates River, is relatively quiet but, according to Kadhem, the new force is needed to bring stability across the province.
Training and equiping of Iraqi security forces continues. An Iraqi military academy with a long and proud tradition revives:
The Iraqi Military Academy Al Rustamiyah re-established its training and educational programs last January with a class of 135 cadets...

The Iraqi leadership modeled IMAR after England’s famous Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where its training and curriculum produce some of the world’s finest officers. The British and the Iraqi military have very old ties here – the British oversaw the construction of IMAR’s first buildings in 1924. When the first Gulf War began in 1991, the British and Iraqis were forced to break their long-standing professional relationship.

The academy is located six miles southeast of Baghdad. With a $100 million budget and detailed planning, IMAR will develop into a great training environment, according to Academy officials. The academy’s over-arching priorities include the completion of all building projects with the assistance of over 1,000 Iraqi workers and contractors; the training of the Iraqi staff to take over all logistics functions; the deployment of selected cadets and instructors to British military schools for eight to 12 week courses; and the commitment to training excellence within the instruction.

The rigorous training happens over a concentrated one-year period with three phases. Once the cadets complete the first four-month phase, they are given increased privileges such as moving into four to six-man room barracks.
Speaking of British ties, a group of 40 Iraqi Army officers has arrived at the British Army's Infantry Battle School at Brecon in Powys, Wales. "The 40 junior officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) have been chosen for the training by their commanding officers because of their potential to make good teachers at their own military academy. The army said the group would be taught leadership skills, instructional techniques and undergo team building exercises." Britain is also sending 400 additional troops to help train Iraqi security forces.

US personnel are begining to train Iraqi bomb-disposal experts:
54 elite Iraqi soldiers... have begun explosives ordnance disposal school, the first group to enter the school since the free elections in January. The soldiers will learn how to deal with ever-increasing attacks on civilians, government officials and coalition forces by insurgents using improvised explosive devices.

Once they complete the three-month training, the soldiers will begin taking over explosives disposal responsibilities for coalition EOD troops who are supporting the war on terrorism.

The EOD training is just one more step in what has been a long road for the soldiers who are making history in Iraq. Assigned to the 1st Iraqi Army Brigade, a National Guard unit, they began basic training in November and then took over sector responsibilities near the Tigris River and then here.
In addition to army, police forces are also growing. "The Iraqi Police Service graduated 167 police officers from advanced training and specialty courses at the Adnan Training Facility, May 19... The courses consist of Basic Criminal Investigations with 58 graduates, Interview and Interrogations with 21 graduates, Critical Incident Management with 25 graduates, Violent Crime Investigation with 29 graduates, Mid-level Management with 19 graduates and Basic Computer Skills with 15 graduates." Overall, in May 4,516 police officers graduated from basic police training courses in Al Kut, Sulaymaniyah, Al Hillah, Jordan and Baghdad. On June 2, Iraqi police graduated another 121 police officers from advanced and specialty courses at the Adnan Training Facility.

US Military Police are also providing some additional training to Iraqi police:
Military law enforcement has instituted a police officer survival course to hone the skills of Iraqi police and further establish an emergency response force in Baghdad.

Many of the police officers who are going through the course will become part of the Emergency Response Force. These teams will be specially trained in reacting to special situations in Baghdad.

“We are training the response team to be able to respond and control emergency situations,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Starsky Smith, non-commissioned officer-in-charge of training, 401st Military Police Company, Fort Hood, Texas.

The beginning phase is a five-day course and is taught by a military police squad from the 401st MP Co., 720th MP Battalion, 42nd MP Brigade. The course involves first aid, searching vehicles, removing suspects from vehicles, handcuffing techniques and improvised explosive device and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device awareness.
You can also spend a day with a police trainer, Contingent Commander Michael J. Heidingsfield. Czech authorities, too, have offered to train several dozen future Iraqi police trainers, in addition to the work already being done by 10 Czech trainers working in Amman, Jordan.

Meanwhile, the first part of a 27 million pounds ($49 million) weapons transfer from the British government to Iraqi army has taken place. "The equipment gifted to the Iraqi security forces includes guns; ammunition; protective/public order and urban operations equipment; global positioning systems; binoculars; communications systems; underslung grenade launchers; and search equipment, including baggage X-ray machines, metal detectors and protective armoured Land Rovers."

Construction of security infrastructure continues:
Officials from the Gulf Region South (GRS), the Iraqi Border Patrol (IBP), Multi-National Forces Southeast (MND-SE), the Project Contracting Office (PCO) and the contractor celebrated the first border fort opening in southern Iraq May 10 at Al Zaid, on the Iran-Iraq border.

The border fort, turned over to the IBP last week, had been 80 percent renovated and was completed in the middle of March. Renovations included new sanitary facilities, living quarters for the border guards, several guard towers and a renovated roof. There are 23 border forts in the Basrah Province, with an additional six scheduled to be completed and turned over this week. The southern district currently has 59 border posts slated for renovation.
Same goes for police stations:
Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Basra Palace Resident Office, in conjunction with representatives of the Iraqi Police Department, the Iraqi National Guard and members of the Danish Police Department, celebrated the Al-Hartha Police Station opening on April 23 with a traditional Iraqi ceremony and beginning of renovations at the Qarmat Ali Police Station April 24 with donations to the police force in honor of the effort. A third police station opened April 25 in the Missan Province...

The two openings complete 31 finishes of GRS’ successful police station renovation program, now with 167 project awards and 191 assessments completed.
200 Seabees, Naval engineers, are also heavily involved in various security construction projects throughout Iraq:
Seabees assisted in the construction of 19 major Iraqi military facilities and more than 60 smaller bases in support of Iraqi Security Forces engaged in defending their homeland from terrorists, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Hicks, Engineering Director, Coalition Military Assistance Training Team...

Most Seabees work as project managers on major construction projects such as the $64 million contract at the Baghdad Police College. The College is a major compound undergoing many projects while still functioning as a training facility, said U.S. Navy Lt. Tamanh Duong, a Seabee project manager. Low water pressure on the entire campus forced officials to pursue contract bids to tap into a new water line from off-site, according to a multinational forces report.
In the north, the city of Suleimaniyah is staying safe due to vigilance of its residents:
Sulaimaniyah security officials credit vigilant residents for ensuring this northern city stays free of the violence that plagues the rest of Iraq.

Up to 70 people call the authorities each day to report suspicious incidents. Though some tips don’t check out – such as the car with blood on its tires that turned out to be from the chicken slaughtered in honour of the new vehicle – others have saved lives .

In August 2004, a suicide bomber in a black BMW was planning to hit the popular Sulaimaniyah Palace hotel where many foreigners stay, IWPR was told by a security official who wished to remain anonymous. It was information from hotel guards, residents and security forces that foiled the attack, the source said.

“The citizens contact [us] when they observe any abnormal, suspicious acts and we respond to their call very quickly,” said Brigadier-General Khoshawist Jamal, who manages the communications centre for the Sulaimaniyah administration's security department. “The citizens are like an alert eye for us in protecting Sulaimaniyah.”

Shop owner Raheem Sabir is typical of those determined to keep the city, the seat of the administration run by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the two main Kurdish parties, free of bombings and bloodshed.

“If I have the slightest suspicion about any strange or abnormal car or person, I will inform security officials immediately,” said Sabir.
In stories of increased public cooperation with security authorities:

"On May 17 in eastern Baghdad, Iraqi citizens tipped off local police to a terrorist bomb threat for the second time in two days. The civilians noticed a suspicious vehicle parked near a neighborhood mosque and then alerted an Iraqi army unit. Iraqi soldiers arrived and cleared the area. The bomb exploded, causing no injuries or damage";

The same day, in the Salman Pak neighborhood of Bahdad, "Iraqi citizens flagged down an Iraqi Army patrol in central Baghdad and handed over four hand grenades and 14 mortar charges they said they found while working in the area";

And again, on the same day in the same neighborhood, another tip from a local led to the seizure of a weapons cache consisting of 1,500 pounds of ammunition and explosives, and including "more than 250 mortar rounds, seven rockets, one rocket warhead, 40 anti-tank mines and 47 rocket-propelled grenade rounds [as well as] three missiles, detonation cord and numerous primers, detonators, grenades and bomb-making materials." "This is the largest cache I have seen here," says said Staff Sgt. Brandon Gold, C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, senior scout;

On May 22, "an Iraqi citizen told Iraqi Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division about two people suspected of planning and carrying out a car-bomb attack near a military base in central Baghdad. An Iraqi patrol went to the site, cordoned off the area and detained two suspects... Another Iraqi citizen’s tip helped Task Force Baghdad Soldiers find 14 mortar rounds in east Baghdad";

On May 27, a patrol by Task Force Baghdad soldiers "reportedly received a tip from an Iraqi, who directed the soldiers to a plastic bag on top of a barrier. The bag contained a 130 mm round. Officials said the informant told the soldiers the name of the individual who placed the round and where that individual lives";

Also on May 27, "soldiers from 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry Regiment, 155th Brigade Combat Team, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), captured a man who was waiting to detonate an improvised explosive device near the Al-Shahaba Mosque in Jarf As Sakhr, Iraq. An informant notified U.S. Soldiers of a man acting in a suspicious manner. When the Soldiers arrived on scene, they observed him squatting on the side of the road. He fled on foot and was wounded when Soldiers fired at him";

Acting on a tip-off, Iraqi police uncovered a large weapons cache on a farm in the al-Dora district outside Baghdad on March 28;

"A suspected weapons smuggler led Task Force Liberty Soldiers to a pair of cache sites near Tuz on May 28. Soldiers from the 278th Regimental Combat recovered 75 60mm mortar rounds, two 81mm mortar rounds, two mortar tubes, one rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 17 RPG rounds and five anti-tank mines at the two sites";

On May 28, in the east Baghdad a tip from a local who saw a terrorist place a roadside bomb alerted a Task Force Baghdad patrol, which defused the explosive;

"An Iraqi citizen's tip led Task Force Baghdad soldiers to a weapons cache in the Kanun district of east Baghdad on May 31. When the soldiers followed up on the Iraqi's tip, they found nine anti-personnel mines that appeared to be in their original packaging... In western Baghdad, another Iraqi citizen approached a patrol of Task Force Baghdad soldiers to tell them about a roadside bomb. The local national led the soldiers to a red wire running across a road";

On June 1, an Iraqi child alerted American soldiers about something sticking out of the ground, which turned out to be a mortar round; later on that day, an Iraqi civilian "walked into a police station and told the officers he'd seen men in a white Mazda hiding what looked like bombs near the side of a road in northwest Baghdad. The police investigated and found two artillery rounds at the location identified by the tipster"; on June 2, local residents informed Iraqi police about insurgents placing a roadside bomb on the road to New Baghdad;

On June 5, tips from Iraqi citizens led to rescue of a kidnap victim, recovery of two sacks of ammunition dumped by the insurgents in a field, and a recovery of an arms cache.

In other recent security successes:

"Pressure from Iraqi Army and Task Force Liberty units operating near Bayji has led to the surrender of wanted Iraqi terrorist Nabil Badriyah Al Nasiri, according to Capt. Hussein Ali Suleman, commander of Company C, 201st Iraqi Army Battalion. Badriyah, who is from Bayji, surrendered to the 201st Iraqi Army Battalion in Tikrit May 2. He is suspected of being a terrorist cell leader responsible for recent vehicle borne improvised explosive device attacks against Iraqi police, and other terrorist activities designed to undermine stability in and around Bayji, Tikrit and Samarra";

"Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 6th Division, Iraqi Army found nearly 100 sticks of the plastic explosive C-4, false identification cards and vests and belts that would have been used for suicide attacks during a night raid in north central Baghdad May 8. Four terror suspects were detained in the raid near the town of Al Waziriah, including a man suspected of designing and manufacturing improvised explosive devices";

The arrest by Iraqi police on May 16 in Kirkuk of suspects implicated in an earlier shootout;

On May 17, "Task Force Baghdad Soldiers captured 13 suspected terrorists in three early morning raids carried out in west and central Baghdad. One of the suspects was specifically targeted for possible involvement in a terror cell in central Baghdad"; the same a weapons cache has been located in the Salman Pak neighborhood;

"Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces performed cordon and search operations in Heychal Salama resulting in the detainment of 150 suspected anti-Iraq forces May 17"; 110 of these suspects were held for further questioning;

The capture in Baquba on May 17 by Iraqi security forces of Ismail Budair Ibrahim al-Obeidi, a terrorist close to the Al-Zarqawi network;

On 18 May, "Iraqi security forces have captured alleged car bombing expert Ali Saleem Yousif in Mosul. He is reported to be close to the leader of the Abu Talha terrorist network, connected to Abu Musaab al-Zarqawi. Yousif is said to have provided the car bombs used in suicide attacks on Mosul";

Joint Iraqi-American raids in Mosul on May 18 netted 10 suspects;

Two terrorists killed (including one while attempting to place a bomb) and 18 suspects detained during various raids in Baghdad on May 19; five more were killed and 10 more captured the following day;

A week-long sweep in mid-May by the Polish and the Iraqi troops in south-central Iraq resulting in 190 suspected insurgents being detained and weapons and ammunition seized (more here);

"Task Force Baghdad units nabbed 15 terror suspects during six early-morning raids conducted throughout Baghdad on May 22. One of the raids, in central Baghdad, netted two suspected terrorists and $6 million dollars in US currency";

In a massive joint American-Iraqi sweep of Abu Ghraib district in Western Baghdad, 285 suspects were detained on the first day (May 22) of Operation Squeeze Play;

The arrest by a detachments of the 1st police division in Al Basra province of an organized gang specializing in murder and looting cars in the border region of Safwan;

"Security forces arrested an insurgent leader, Mohammed Daham Abid Hamadi, in a raid carried out in Baghdad on May 23. A government statement said Hamadi was an Islamic extremist who runs a group called the Lewa al-Numan - the Numan Regiment- in the town of Ramadi. The group is said to be responsible for attacks on civilians and the security forces, and Hamadi himself accused of killings and of a series of kidnappings of officials and businessmen, with the aim of collecting ransom money to fund his own group and also to provide other insurgent organisations with funds and weapons";

The arrest on May 24 in Baquba of Al Zarqawi's secretary, Ali Agha Omar;

The new offensive commenced on May 10 in western Iraq by 1,000 American troops; "The American troops killed at least 10 suspected militants in Haditha, a Euphrates River city of 90,000 people one of whom told the Marines that insurgents had recently killed her husband. Speaking inside her home through a military interpreter, the woman moved her finger across her throat as she begged that her name not be used, indicating she could be killed for talking to U.S. forces. She later helped cook a breakfast of eggs and bread for the handful of Iraqi soldiers helping guard the street". As the operation progressed, the troops killed 14 insurgents and captured 30 others, found four machine guns in a local school, located numerous arms caches, precision-bombed a terrorist safe house and released an Iraqi man kidnapped and tortured by foreign fighters. More on the operation here.

The discovery by the Iraqi security forces of the biggest car bomb factory yet, with enough materials to construct 70 car bombs;

On May 27, on six occasions Task Force Baghdad soldiers located and defused roadside bombs;

"Task Force Baghdad Soldiers captured 15 terror suspects in three early-morning raids conducted throughout the capital May 28";

Eight suspects arrested and a terrorist hideout destroyed when a weapons cache exploded during a shootout with American troops near Husaybah on May 31;

"The Iraqi police, supported by army officers, raided the al-Kubeisi Sunni mosque in Baghdad on Wednesday [1 June]... Inside the mosque, the security forces are reported to have found large quantities of arms and money, belonging to militants killed by the police two days earlier. The blitz was carried out after a group of militants opened fire on a police station from the mosque. The insurgents are said to have used the mosque's minaret as a post for their snipers to fire on the officers from the police station in front of the place of worship";

300 Hawn mortar shells, regularly used by insurgents, found in Karbala on 1 June by the Iraqi police;

17 alleged terrorists arrested by the police in raids in al-Radwaniya, al-Latifiya and al-Muhawi, outside Baghdad on 2 June;

The arrest in Mosul on June 4 of suspected Al Zarqawi deputy Mullah Mahdi and five other suspected terrorists, Mahdi's brother, three other Iraqis and a Syrian; on the following day, the police arrested the key aide and financier to the chief of Al Zarqawi's cell in Mosul, Mutlaq Mahmoud Mutlaq Abdullah, also known as Abu Raad;

The discovery of the largest underground network of insurgent bunkers in an old rock quarry north of the town of Karma, Anbar province; the complex was uncovered during search for weapons caches, 50 of which have been discovered over the three days of operations;

On June 2, "Iraqi soldiers and coalition forces captured 29 terror suspects, including three targeted for their involvement in terror cells, during a series of recent raids throughout Baghdad. Weapons, passports and bomb-making materials were also seized. The largest of the raids took place in the Karb De Gla district in southern Baghdad, and netted 18 suspects, including two of the three targeted terrorists, as well as Iraqi military uniforms and bomb-making materials";

59 suspects arrested by the Iraqi and American forces during Operations Woodstock/Uhaser Sunday conducted on June 5 in the northern Babil province, south of Baghdad;

The same day in the capital, American troops of Task Force Baghdad have arrested three insurgents after a shootout with police, recovered guns from a car, and disarmed six roadside bombs before they could detonate;

20 suspects arrested in a joint American-Iraqi operation in Tal Afar on 6 June; "U-S and Iraqi military commanders met with nearly 80 local tribal elders in the area yesterday. They agreed to work together to end violence and rebuild the city's police and local government services"; you can read more about the operation here.

Marine Lt. Colonel Bern Krueger has been flying helicopters along the Euphrates for the past few months. Recently he wrote back to the people of his home town:
I don’t see what you see on the news... As I travel hundreds of miles each night, I don’t see the violence that you see in the media. Sure, it exists, and is very real to those near it. But it is sporadic, unorganized, and often isolated. It is not everywhere. There are not great pillars of smoke peppering the landscape. There are no riots or mass panic sweeping through the towns. There are no fiery infernos burning houses and schools to the ground, no barrages of mortar fire raining destruction upon the communities, and no raging mobs displaying hate or screaming anti-American propaganda. Sure, it is out there. But it is in small pockets, concentrated in small areas. Overall the country is quiet, silently and eagerly trying to repair an infrastructure damaged by war and neglect and trying to return to some sort of normalcy not seen in decades.
And so, step by step it goes.

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