Why Ibn-Alrafidain?
It is of two aspects. First, why I'm making this blog. Second, why choosing this name (Ibn-Alrafidain). As for the first, I need to think loudly and share my thoughts with other people. I hope that I'll receive replies which make me interact with other people from all over the world. Interacting with others helps to broaden one's mind. I'd like other people outside Iraq to realize our sufferance, and those inside Iraq to think collectively, how to help our country to pass the bottleneck. Listening to other's points of view is the main factor in improving our conditions. I can say that most of the Iraqis are not ready to listen to criticism or advice, even when they are in real trouble. Moreover, they find it very difficult (or impossible) to admit their fault.
Secondly, I chose this name which means literally (The son of the two tributaries) since it refers to the land which is known, in the present time, as Iraq and Mesopotamia in the past. The two tributaries (rivers) are the Tigris and Euphrates. I feel deeply that I'm the son of this wonderful land.
I hope that I'll be able to maintain this blog and that you find it interesting.
Secondly, I chose this name which means literally (The son of the two tributaries) since it refers to the land which is known, in the present time, as Iraq and Mesopotamia in the past. The two tributaries (rivers) are the Tigris and Euphrates. I feel deeply that I'm the son of this wonderful land.
I hope that I'll be able to maintain this blog and that you find it interesting.
posted by Ibn_Alrafidain at 4:35 PM
5 Comments:
Your comments about finding it difficult to admit fault and very interesting and enlightening. I have been watching and reading and listening a great deal trying to understand because my son is in Iraq right now trying to help Iraq on a road to freedom, self respect and prosperity.
I have recently asked people from a few different countries what they learned about their own history in school. Did they study their own tactical, social, political and military mistakes? The answer was almost always 'No. We do not perceive that we did anything wrong. Others wronged us.'
This was a significant epiphany for me. You see, part of the elementary school education in the U.S. includes learning how we stole land from the indigenous people and betrayed their trust over and over again. Only in the past century have we begun truly making amends. We learned of our own crimes in condoning and perpetrating slavery. When studying wars, we learn of our errors and carelessness at Pearl Harbor.
In short, we are our own worst critics. Our own media is only slightly less vitriolic than our opponents abroad. This freedom is a double edged sword.
It is certainly possible to take that freedom and ability to criticize our own government too far and to abuse it as much of the media is now, as John Kerry did when he returned from Vietnam in 1971 and villified our military forces. But in a free nation, even fools are equal in the eyes of the law. It is the responsibility of the people to evaluate carefully what they read and seek out the truth amid the rhetoric and deceit.
I recently read a 3-volume, very detailed history of our own civil war. It lasted four years and from the 2nd year on, the media on both sides spent more time maligning their own military and governments than their opponents. The generals were in many instances stalmated by their own publics and hogtied by public opinion. The same thing that happened in Vietnam.
This is one of the greatest difficulties of a democracy, the government actually does listen to its public. The people need to listen and search or they can be led astray by their own media. That is one of the reasons bloggers are so important. Upon your shoulders rests the responsibility for portraying your own truths when the media does not. The Civil War I just studied was probably prolonged by 1 to 2 years by the carping criticism of the media and the public's believing it.
The Vietnam war was also prolonged by the same mechanism. And so will the war in Iraq if truth fails to overwhelm the lies. Remember, the media makes money by causing alarm and fear. When we are doing what is right and when there are successes, the media will not relay it to the broad public.
We are counting on you.
Warmest regards,
Gail
Good luck with your blog. I will be dropping in to see what you have.
You are right that it takes an open mind to recognize what opprtunities are available. Its not really about fault, its about reconizing what is right for everyone involed. Best of luck to you and to the Iraqi people in their struggle for freedom.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BLOG.. i really enjoy blogs from the Iraqi people and feel i get a better view of what is happening. I want you to know that so many of the american people support you and pray for the best. Hopefully with the re election of president Bush, your country will soon be free, happy, and healthy.
ron
Thank you for your blog. Please continue posting to it. As someone else commented, Iraqi blogs are the only way for Americans to really know what's happening in Iraq and how the Iraqis feel about it. I wish your nation the very best of peace, prosperity, and opportunity. After three decades of living under Saddam's bootheels, all of you deserve this chance, and I hope for your success each day. Peace & blessings.
-Jeep
I enjoyed your posts. They are thoughtful and moving. I am one of many in the world praying for freedom to succeed in Iraq. Your ordeal with the children was heart-rending. I just sent $100 to an organization in Iraq working for freedom and democracy, and to help the great Iraqi people win this victory for humankind. If freedom succeeds there, we Americans and the rest of the world know that in the end it will be because Iraqis achieved it, especially Iraqis like you. Then the Americans soldiers will be able to go home, which everyone wants, so long as Iraq is not abandoned before it achieves its great victory for freedom and democracy and rule of law (not of dictators). The world needs thoughtful people like you doing what you are doing, writing about Iraq from your honest perspective. We are reading you, counting on you, praying for you to succeed. I look forward to your next post. All the best from NY - Ed
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