Thank You (An Iraqi poet celebrates the dictator's fall.)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 5/8/03 | Awad Nasir

[winner3000]

Let me confess something: I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Saddam Hussein's statue toppled in Baghdad.

I am a poet and know that eyes can, and do, deceive.

For three decades, part of them spent in prison, part in hiding and part in exile, I had often dreamed of an end to the nightmare of the Baathist-fascist regime. But I had never dreamed that the end, that is to say Iraq's liberation, would come the way it did.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks ! Great article !

[MeekOneGOP]

A short, refreshing read, imho . . .

Thank You (An Iraqi poet celebrates the dictator's fall.)

Excerpt:

The U.S. and its allies took grave risks and showed exceptional courage in standing up against powers such as France and Russia, and their unwitting allies in the "peace movement," who tried their desperate best to prolong Saddam's rule. We now know that many of those "peaceniks" were actually in the pay of Saddam. Documents seized from the fallen regime are being studied by Iraqis and will expose the professional "peaceniks" everywhere.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[Stultis]

There's no standard system of transliteration between Arabic and English

Betcha the FBI, FAA, et al, wish there was!

[Bat_Chemist]

But if the toppling of a tyrant is punishment, then I pray that Allah will bring similar punishments on other Arab nations that endure despotic rule.

Needs to be said again BUMP...this guy GETS IT....

We now know that many of those "peaceniks" were actually in the pay of Saddam. Documents seized from the fallen regime are being studied by Iraqis and will expose the professional "peaceniks" everywhere.

...and gives it too! I love it!!!

[eureka!]

"Mr. Nasir is an Iraqi poet, until recently exiled in London."

It would read "still" if the Rats and Kofi and the Frogs et. al had their way. Welcome home, Mr. Nasir.

John, thanks so much for the ping. A very worthy one. Not that most of yours aren't. ;^)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads ups!

[dixiechick2000]

Thank you for using your ping list. I meant to ping you and request just that, but the old mind wasn't working as it should. I was very tired when I saw this thread.

Again, thanks! ;o)

[dixiechick2000]

You're very welcome!

[WaterDragon]

Thanks for the ping, MnM.

Awad reminds us that Muslims are as hungry for freedom as any normal human being, no matter their religion. God bless our wonderful troops!

[Grampa Dave]

Great post.

He must be hated by the NY Slimes and other left wing fishwraps. What are the chances his poem will be in the NY Slimes?

When will his poem be read on the nightly news on ABCNNBCBS?

When will the hate filled so called conservative third parties run his poem as a proud example of freedom from tyranny be highlighted and printed?

[blackie]

Powerful statement!

[knighthawk]

The U.S. and its allies should not listen to those who wished to maintain Saddam in power and who, now that he's gone, are trying to find a clone to put on a throne in Baghdad. Those who are urging the coalition to leave Iraq as soon as possible wish none of us any good. A precipitate departure could trigger intervention by Iraq's predatory neighbors and foment civil war.

Middle East list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[Movemout]

What a great article. I never met a self professed poet with such common sense. The phone call from his sister must have been particularly moving to him. FReedom once tasted is an addictive drug. What we have done is give these folks a chance to be free. They must grasp the opportunity and walk across the bridge to a democratically based self government. This we cannot do for them. Mr Nasir, decamp from London and go help your people, NOW! Embrace your sister and your countrymen.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

"Are these people ignorant, or are they blinded by hatred of the United States?"

These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive.

[archy]

Stultis, that would almost surely be the same person. There's no standard system of transliteration between Arabic and English, so Arabic names can be spelled variously in our language.

We may not be relying on written translations and transliteration much longer, per following:

[I wonder if they got one yet that can handle Texan?]

And while VoxTec speaker-independent, large vocabulary phrase recognition will work on any high end PDA, in a high noise environment or outside in the wind the Phraselator's noise-canceling microphone and separate background noise level microphone are needed to get recognition up to the level needed when the phrase library includes terms like 'Stop or I'll shoot".

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. Yeah, it's a good article and a lot of FReepers ought to see this one, imho . . .

[MeekOneGOP]

You bet. And "Amen !" . . .

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the use of your extensive pingy thingy!

[browardchad]

BUMP!

[RottiBiz]

Wonderful article! Thanks for posting.