[Dean's World] Dave Schuler: The Carnival of the Liberated

Tue May 2 09:29:13 EDT 2006

Posted by Dave Schuler:
The Carnival of the Liberated
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1146576538.shtml

   Welcome to the Carnival of the Liberated, a sampler of some of the
   best posts of the week from Iraqi and Afghani bloggers. This week
   we've got challenges for the new government, haggling at the Indian
   Market, roses, hearts and minds, and much, much more.

   [1]Afghan Lord has more on the problems that the Coalition is having
   with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

   [2]Afghan Warrior suggests a peace and reconciliation program for
   Iraq:

     The Afghan government started a peace and reconciliation program
     last year and offered amnesty for those Taliban and warlords who
     wanted to lay down their weapons and join the government. This
     program was very successful and for the last one year more than one
     thousand anti-government forces joined this program. So if the new
     Iraqi government starts the same program, I am sure many insurgents
     will lay down their weapons and join this program, and it will be
     for the benefit of the Iraqi people. The people of Iraq elected
     their government and parliament and I hope now that they work hard
     for their unity and forget Sunni or Shiite - they are all muslims
     from one country and they are one nation and there shouldnt be any
     difference between them, and if they keep their unity soon they
     will defeat the rebels and make a great country.

   [3]24 Steps to Liberty is pretty skeptical of the prospects for the
   forming Iraqi government. Challenges that he sees ahead include Iraqi
   unity, federalism, and the status of deBa'athification. Mohammed of
   [4]Iraq the Model has a different idea of the top priority for the new
   government. His idea: disbanding the militias.

   Shaggy of [5]Baghdad Bacon & Eggs is not a native speaker of Arabic. I
   wonder what his first language was? English?

   [6]Riverbend reminisces about the good old days of April 2003, muses
   about the increase in Iranian influence in Iraq, and reflects on the
   150,000 Americans in Iraq now as today's Iranian hostages.

   Sunshine of [7]Days of My Life publishes her interview with [8]Mr.
   Ghost.

   [9]Ibn Al-Rafidain has some advice for Americans:

     âShow the Iraqis another face of America. The face of the average
     American citizen. Try to establish contact with the average Iraqi
     citizen. Donât tell me itâs the Iraqis duty, since the Iraqis are
     mentally and economically exhausted for which they are unable to
     take the initiativeâ.

   Through the Internet he's met and corresponded with some Americans and
   he likes what he's learned. He follows up with some sound suggestions.

   I don't link to ex-pat Iraqi blogs much in the Carnival but this
   observation from [10]Madly In Love With Iraq, who posts from the UK,
   caught my attention:

     When I was in Baghdad last year, my two nieces were so excited one
     night asking me to give them extra chocolates; they packed all
     their toys as they were going for a picnic. The picnic was sitting
     in the school garden for the whole day! What type of people are
     they going to grow up into?

     Their school in my time was named after the founder of the Baath
     Party (Michael Aflak) and now it is called Al Al-Bait (the family
     of prophet Mohamed)!

     Doesnât this say it all?

     It looks like everybody wants to capture the Iraqis hearts and
     minds not only the Americans!

   neurotic iraqi wife has been posting up a storm lately. You might want
   to take a look at her [11]most recent post about Parsons in Iraq and
   haggling at the Indian Market. I love the interplay between NIW and
   Hubby.

   Miriam of [12]Pearls of Iraq is pretty upset with the most recent
   tapes from Zawahri and Osama Bin Laden. She says they "harm Islam for
   Political Purpose". Also, don't miss her [13]pictures of beautiful
   Kurdish roses.

   [14]Iraqi Roulette has a handy form for reporting the news from Iraq.
   Depressing but too true.

   [15]Treasure of Baghdad reports on the minibus explosion in the
   wholesale market of Baghdad on Sunday.

   Dave Schuler posts regularly to his own weblog, [16]The Glittering
   Eye. The Carnival was originally conceived by Ryan Boots.

References

   1. http://afghanlord.blogspot.com/2006/04/us-coalition-forces-weakness-against_29.html
   2. http://afghanwarrior.blogspot.com/2006/04/reconciliation-in-iraq.html
   3. http://twentyfourstepstoliberty.blogspot.com/2006/05/enjoy-it-while-you-could-iraqi.html
   4. http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/2006/04/disbanding-militias.html
   5. http://baghdadbacon.blogspot.com/2006/04/taguchi.html
   6. http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_riverbendblog_archive.html#114651778124834749
   7. http://livesstrong.blogspot.com/2006/05/t-view-with-me.html
   8. http://intviews.blogspot.com/
   9. http://ibnalrafidain.blogspot.com/2006/04/ineffective-communication-iii.html
  10. http://inlovewithiraq.blogspot.com/2006/04/pumpkin.html
  11. http://neurotic-iraqi-wife.blogspot.com/2006/04/100-hand-made-perfect-quality-wife.html
  12. http://pearlsofiraq.blogspot.com/2006/04/zawahri-and-osama-harm-islam-for.html
  13. http://pearlsofiraq.blogspot.com/2006/04/iraqi-pearls-kurdish-roses.html
  14. http://theiraqiroulette.blogspot.com/2006/04/bureaucracy-bureaucracy.html
  15. http://baghdadtreasure.blogspot.com/2006/04/no-one-will-go-in-before-being.html
  16. http://www.theglitteringeye.com/