January 2nd, 2007
A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog entry entitled “Iraq and Web 2.0,” and suggested that we might be better informed if we pursued grass-roots Web 2.0-style sources of inforrmation, rather than top-down, controlled channels of information from mainstream news media and official government statements.
The events of the past few days have demonstrated that, for better or worse, the Iraq situation is a Web 2.0 phenomenon: graphic details of Saddam’s execution are all over the Internet, and a search for “Saddam execution” on YouTube generated 2,557 hits. The January 2nd New York Times informs us that the Iraqi government has ordered an investigation into the situation (see “Iraq Orders Investigation Into Hussein Execution“), but this is like locking the barn door long after the horse has escaped. Even if the government finds a convenient scapegoat, and hangs him, too, for good measure, it’s already far too late to erase or modify the impressions that have been formed around the world.
I thought it would be an appropriate moment to see what the Iraqi blogs are saying about the situation; someone named “Aunt Najma” in Mosul, for example, posted an entry titled “Eid Mubarak” that I’ll let you read for yourself. Aside from the politics and the circus atmosphere of the execution itself, I was intrigued to see Ms. Najma’s comment that as of noon on the day of the execution, a number of visitors to her mother’s house were unaware of the event — because they had no electricity, and thus no convenient access to television or radio news.
A second Iraqi, Khalid Jarrar, has a blog called “Tell Me A Secret”; he wrote a December 30th entry titled, simply, “Saddam’s execution…” It’s very long, and very detailed; I don’t feel competent to critique or second-guess his arguments and observations, so I’ll simply suggest that you read it yourself. For what it’s worth, Mr. Jarrar’s “about me” description says (literally, no spelling or grammatical changes on my part), “I am pro God, I am pro life, I am pro truth, and when the American government choses to be against all that then damn it: i AM anti American-government.”
Lana Dhiyaa Hmev, whose blog is titled, “a mind of a 13 year old Iraqi girl,” wrote a January 1st blog posting entitled “A new start.” In it, she says, “Much has happened since the last time I wrote something in here. Saddam is gone, more than 200 people got killed, Indonesia is under water. I’m just too tired to write anything. This has been going on for 37 years now. Since those Ba’th shit heads took over Iraq till now.”
Finally, Iraqi Mojo, who says he was born in Baghdad, but grew up in the U.S. and is apparently based here now, wrote a January 1st blog article entitled “Bravery in Saddam’s Iraq.” He responds to the comments he has heard about Saddam’s “bravery” during his final moments before the execution with “an example of what Saddam considered to be the mark of bravery in his Iraq:
“A woman known as Um Haydar was beheaded reportedly without charge or trial at the end of December 2000. She was 25 years’ old and married with three children. Her husband was sought by the security authorities reportedly because of his involvement in Islamist armed activities against the state. He managed to flee the country. Men belonging to Feda’iyye Saddam came to the house in al-Karrada district and found his wife, children and his mother. Um Haydar was taken to the street and two men held her by the arms and a third pulled her head from behind and beheaded her in front of the residents. The beheading was also witnessed by members of the Ba’ath Party in the area. The security men took the body and the head in a plastic bag, and took away the children and the mother-in-law. The body of Um Haydar was later buried in al-Najaf. The fate of the children and the mother-in-law remains unknown.”
I should also note that, after eliminating several Iraqi blogs because they seemed too blatantly political, or because they were written in Arabic (not there’s anything wrong with that, but I can barely communicate in English, let alone any other language), I had three others on my list for regular tracking. None of them (including the four above) have RSS feeds, so I have to manually visit the bookmarks I’ve typed into my Web browser — which I don’t often remember to on a regular basis. But the other three blogs had no new material, so I don’t know what they thought of Saddam’s execution.
These four blog postings have not changed my opinion about the significant events associated with Saddam’s execution; and they haven’t provided any significant new information. But they’ve given me a small sense of the mood and the opinions of at least a few local people (I’m not sure that Iraqi Mojo should be considered “local,” but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt). And for whatever small value it may represent, these blogs have made me feel a little closer to the people of Iraq.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:31 am
Annalists are already predicting a huge sweep of leftists coming into both houses of congress along with the white house this fall. These leftists openly consider christians the enemies of the state even above the terrorists. These people itch to pass gay marriage and write hate legislation aimed directly against christian patriots. They plan massive overhaul of the judicial system to impose legislation against 1st and 2nd amendment rights.
McCain will make the Iraq war the central issue of this campaign because Obama promises to withdraw our troops regardless if the terrorists declare victory. Christians may have one last chance to grandstand against another Vietnam and the establishment of an anti christian socialistic state in America. But there is now a new hope!
A new biblical discovery has just hit the market bringing a miraculous prophecy about Iraq. There are a large number of related biblical scriptures which have passed silently under the radar until now.
Iraq is to be freed by a great eagle wings in the latter days! This is welcome news coming straight from the Bible just before the election.
If the war in Iraq represents Gods will as predicted in Bible prophecy, this may be our chance to unify christians patriots before this critical election takes place. Obama claims to be a good christian. Could he now be exposed publically for apposing America or “the great eagle” freeing Iraq in Bible prophecy?
A Salem christian group published an important press release concerning this true Biblical discovery! This stunning declaration comes from one of the most reputable christian publishers in America… http://www.eternaltruth.net
One critic asked the author how he could possibly announce he had discovered 9/11 and Iraq in Bible prophecy?
“Aren’t you exploiting thousands of American deaths in both this current war and 9/11 just sell a book?”
Author..” “That is my greatest consolation! As we speak many people including veterans are purchasing this book witnessing the very references which prove this books biblical promises. People are now witnessing biblical prophecies unfold before their eyes concerning 9/11 and Iraq freed by a modern eagle. Amazon.com just announced on their web sight that they have sold out this book and must order more!”
“There are no unsatisfied customers who complain of not receiving any thing less than was promised from the author.” “There are steady reports of people finding far more than what they ever expected possible. It would be unforgivable for any author to promise people something to exploit a national tragedy for book sales.” Many lives are lost and many families with children grieve having lost their parents. This author is not letting those people down who purchase this book in good faith. We are delivering a true message taken from biblical prophets directed for our time. “I have four children of my own, if my book were to become exposed as a manipulation of biblical text such would forever mark my children’s name as well as my own.”
I have been so blessed to have discovered a message placed into the Bible
which can unite millions of believers together before this election.
I need your help because the media ignores everything about this discovery.
Author of this book,
Paul Gregersen
Listen likewise to an educated critics expert opinion regarding this miraclulous book.
“Reading this particular book has made me aware of how christians have come to accept biblical spin and less than honest interpretations when reading books on Bible prophecy.” When I started reading “Bible prophecies of 9 – 11″ the whole idea of 9 – 11 and Iraq being in Bible prophecy admittedly was quite appealing to me.
But it seemed very far fetched and I fully expected to discover another fiction story cleverly masked behind a another “new” biblical declaration. I fully expected to see the familiar hand picking of quotes deliberately coming from the authors’ selection of unrelated texts to manipulate the meaning of Bible text. I’ve learned that it is a common trick to cleverly combine unrelated verses from separated biblical context in order to stretch readers’ perception beyond the original focus toward the authors’ conclusions, creating the appearance that authors conclusions are also supported by the Bible.
My first surprise while reading this book was to see this author approach things quite differently by laying a biblical foundation from Adam and Eve with the tree of life story, establishing common threads for his entire biblical claim. As the first chapters began to build solidly on biblical themes I quickly realized this particular author was either seriously attempting to link legitimate patterns of bible prophecy, or he was using an even more clever deception to mislead me. This author surprisingly understood the procedure to outline proper types and shadows and stay within one context while linking proper biblical themes. Since the author was not spinning I suspected that he would postpone taking of his liberties until he would be forced into a corner having to demonstrate 9 – 11 towers falling and eagle’s wings into modern Iraq.
To my surprise the transition was smooth and never broke context or prophetic flow. Not only was 9 – 11 coming straight from the Bible but almost every highly specific detail, including the number of planes that hit each target, was referenced in the Bible with numerous exact details specifically related to 9 – 11. This book does not just stop there, but continued to unwind the scenario of America going to Iraq spelling out the exact manner of Saddam’s capture and execution. This was a highly unusual book! This book was based on what was written in the Bible and relied solely upon that premise. How do I react to this other than try to convince someone to read it and find out? I feel concerned that christians are so used to being tricked by each cry of wolf that when the real thing appears there will be a little comprehension that something amazing has occurred. I have wracked my mind as to how this could have possibly been fixed and there is no possible way other than Gods prophets deliberately sent us this intentional message about Iraq and 9 – 11. Ross David http://www.eternaltruth.net
I make myself accountable for this dicovery and I will provide every single answer anyone wants to see. Paul