Nuri Al-Maliki

This is Nuri Al-Maliki he is the current prime minister of Iraq the one on the left. For the most part, a deceit guy. His party is called the Islamic Dawa Party. Which earlier in the month had some candidates killed in Basrah. Read about it here
Nuri is not running for reelection he is trying to keep his job by getting some of his party members elected. Iraq has a Parliamentary system and Nuri can be voted out by a vote of no confidence. His party is secular, which means it believes in the separation of church and state. If the guy beside him Muqtada Sadr can get enough seats in Parliament Nuri days are numbered.

The election violence has been getting worse each day. Three Sunni canidates were killed this week. Read about it here

The Sunnis will at least try to get elected this time around in 2005 they boycotted the elections. There will be bad blood if they do not get elected. (and then some) Some have speculated about an alliance between Kurds, Sunni and Dawa Party. To take on the Shiites majority. The election last time in 2005 started wars between all the ethnic groups. The elections process always seem to redress the conflicts here in Iraq. I think the fears are the same as they were in 2005. The election result will tell the tale of when it will be possible for the US to withdraw. I have not seen any changes here at Victory and I think everyone is waiting for the outcome of this election. I am out Y'all.

Barack Obama 16 months or SOFA

Well change has come to Washington. President Barack Obama is still saying 16 months and we will be out of Iraq. The SOFA agreement says 2011. Which will win out, we will have to wait and see. The soldiers are hoping they don't have to come back to Iraq again. Most have been here for two tours and extra long ones at that. I think that's why they were glued to the TV during the inauguration speech.
The contractors all talk about how nothing is changing. It seems we should be planning for when the troops leave the cities in less than 6 months.. No word on that subject. Maybe they are waiting until after the January 31st Iraqi elections. One of my coworkers who has spent some time here and Afghanistan, said we came in a hurry and will be leaving in a hurry too. It should be interesting to see what happens next.
I am out.

The bottom of my shoe to you

In this part of the world showing someone the bottom of your shoes is an insult. You have to be careful how you sit in public. If you cross your legs you should not show you shoe sole to anyone. So when the Iraqi journalist threw the shoe at Bush is was sort of a big insult in a middle eastern way. It has also made the shoe thrower a hero and celebrity in the Muslim world.

The people of Iraq are going to be voting on the new security agreement at the end of January. So hopefully that will go through. There is already talk of troops staying in the cities past the agreed on date of June 30th. They say its to advise and train the Iraqi police. I don't think the people above are going to like that very much and could possibly vote down the security agreement now known as SOFA in January. There are political changes on the horizon for Iraq and the next few months will tell if the new government can handle it.

Human-trafficking at Camp Victory

These are worker from different places in Asia. They came because they paid someone who promised them work and they have no return ticket. They are called TCNs and that stands for Third Country nationals. These are the people that man the Chow hall and clean the bathrooms. The army doesn't man the chow hall here. There is regular army working in the chow hall but they mostly manage it. This picture is of some TCNs who came to work and found that there was no work available. They were staying by the Baghdad airport in a army warehouse. You see these guys on base and they are mostly very nice to everyone. They don't wear IDs they don't eat in the mess hall. I wonder if they even have passports. They come because they can't make money in their country so they come to the Middle East to do the work that no one wants to do. Click-on this link go to the News Story. The company that hired them is called KBR and they are a spin off company of Halliburton which is Dick Cheney's Company. There are many deals made under the table in Iraq. They call them drug deals here, although they don't have anything to do with drugs.

Muqtada Sadr

This is Muqtada Sadr he is a anti-American cleric in Iraq. He is suspected in last weeks Rocket attacks in the Green zone and Camp Liberty. He violently opposes the US Iraq security agreement. He has his own militia and was the reason for the violence last spring. He is in Iran for religious instruction to become a senior cleric. He is in Iran because he is backed by Iran. The rockets launched were Iranian made. This link will take you to the LA Times article.

Beware of Sexual Assult

This warning is in all the bathrooms and shower trailers. I hear people talk about it at the office. I over heard a rumor that some contractor was caring a big knife because he heard some guy got raped. I think there is little to worry about here. I could be wrong, but I feel safe and I work nights.

I think the sign is funny because it says to carry a flashlight. I don't think that is going to stop anything. The buddy system seems a little suspect to. Hey roommate, can you go to the bathroom with me? Hey roommate can you go to the shower with me? I think they would just say no. I am doing OK, I hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving.

Camp Slayer

This was one of Saddam's Palaces that was hit by a JDAM missile. The video below is narrated by a soldier surveying the place. I have seen this palace and it totaled.




Palaces at Camp Slayer on the man made lake. This is a boat house and the Perfume Palace is in the background.






Palace on the Iraqi Survey Group's compound, (now called Camp Slayer) next to BIAP, in Baghdad. Almost completed when it caught a JDAM in its belly. Yet another amazing example of just how much Oil for Food program cash Saddam siphoned off for his own pleasure. Keep in mind that there are about 50 of these palaces throughout Iraq, all built with these funds..