TresSugar

Say What? Why He Threw the Shoe

TresSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0700

I am not a hero. But I have a point of view. I have a stance. It humiliated me to see my country humiliated; and to see my Baghdad burned, my people killed. Thousands of tragic pictures remained in my head, pushing me towards the path of confrontation.

- Iraqi Muntadhar al-Zaidi reminded the world that he's a journalist yesterday by using powerful words to explain why he decided to throw his shoes at George W. Bush. The emotional statement he released is filled with sad images of war, but it gives some insight into his actions. Zaidi received a hero's welcome when he was released from prison this week.

Iraqi Shoe Thrower Ducks Countless Marriage Proposals

TresSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:00:00 -0700

When Muntadhar al-Zaidi, the man who threw his shoes at George. W. Bush, is released from prison next Monday, he will receive a hero's welcome. The Iraqi journalist has already fielded countless marriage proposals while hanging out in his jail cell. An Iraqi in Morocco offered to send his daughter and women in Saudi Arabia are asking for Zaidi's hand in marriage. One family even said, "We are willing to present him with a bride loaded with gold."

Zaidi's ballsy shoe toss is attracting women - and a lot of swag! His former boss built him a four-bedroom house. In addition, he'll have a new car waiting for him along with thousands of dollars, donated to help pay off his legal bills.

Do you think the Iraqi shoe thrower deserves all the love?

Iraqi Women Escape With Modern Underground Railroad

TresSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:00:42 -0700

Yesterday I came across an article about an untold consequence of the war in Iraq - the instability is causing harm to unprotected women. The Huffington Post piece explains that until the US invasion, rape was relatively rare in Iraq. Now women are the targets of violence, including rape, perpetrated by members of armed Islamist groups, Iraqi government forces, foreign soldiers, and private military security contractors.

Tragically, there are no laws governing rape in Iraq. Far from seeing justice, a raped woman may even be killed by her family in an "honor killing." One of the only hopes for these vulnerable Iraqi women is to escape the country, and there are two groups - the Organization For Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) and MADRE - who are helping these women do so. The article reports:

Like Harriet Tubman, a former African American slave who escaped the plantation and later helped create the network of underground routes that helped transport other slaves to freedom, OWFI and MADRE have co-founded two important projects that are helping Iraqi women flee violence.

The groups have set up shelters that offer a safe haven for women while also providing workshops, education, and leadership training. The goal is to help women become active participants in the political system so they can then support other women. Let's hope they succeed.

Three Adventurous Americans Missing in Iran

TresSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:30:40 -0700

Next time you go traipsing around Iraq's Kurdistan, make sure you bring a map and stay far away from the Iranian border. Today, American diplomats with the help of Swiss officials are trying to locate three missing Americans who went hiking in Iraq's Kurdish region and accidentally crossed an unmarked border with Iran.

Iranian TV says the three have been accused of illegally entering Iran. The Swiss, who represent the US interests in Iran since there are no formal relations, met with officials in Tehran today, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave reporters her two cents back in the US:

"We call on the Iranian government to help us determine the whereabouts of the three missing Americans and return them as quickly as possible."

The three missing hikers, who have lived in Western Europe and the Middle East, are being described by friends as "fiercely intellectual" individuals with "wanderlust for travel." I hope they get out of their latest adventure alive.

Source: Flicker User kurdistan كوردستان

Front Page: Iraqis Celebrate as US Troops Leave Cities

TresSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:54 -0700

Today Iraqis celebrated in the streets as American troops pulled out of Iraq's towns and cities. June 30, the long-anticipated deadline, has been declared a national holiday. - New York Times
Teams are searching the Indian Ocean for survivors of the crash of a Yemenia Airways jet. So far, one child survivor has been found. - CNN
Federal investigators are investigating 10 of Bernie Madoff's closest associates and expect to charge more people. - AP
At least 14 people were killed in Italy today, as a train carrying petroleum gas derailed and exploded near their homes. - Reuters
A 2002 version of Michael Jackson's will leaves everything to his children, mother, and charity. - Wall Street Journal

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Front Page: Stephen Colbert Takes Orders From Obama in Iraq

TresSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:00:48 -0700

Broadcasting from Iraq last night, Stephen Colbert became the first non-news TV show to be taped and transmitted to the US from a combat zone. In addition to John McCain, Barack Obama made an appearance via satellite to order a military haircut for Stephen. - Colbert Nation
The US Treasury has decided to let 10 banks return a total of $68 billion in bailout funds. - CNN
The first Guantanamo Bay inmate has been transferred to the US for trial. - LA Times
American Idol runner up Adam Lambert has signed a record deal. - People
The New York state senate has fallen into Republican control, after two Democrats opposed to gay marriage switched sides. - Bloomberg

Obama: US Cannot Impose Values on the World

TresSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0700

"The danger, I think, is when the United States, or any country, thinks that we can simply impose these values on another country with a different history and a different culture."

President Obama responded to the criticism he's received for his upcoming high-profile speech in Egypt, a country with few political freedoms. Obama told the BBC that although there are obvious human rights issues in the Middle East, it is not the US's job to lecture countries; instead, the US should lead by example and help countries embrace universal principles as part of their own national identities. Obama also said that Iran has a right to nuclear power, so long as it proves that it proves its peaceful intentions.

How do you like this new brand of "freedom spreading"?

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Front Page: Suicide Attacks Kill at Least 75 People in Iraq

TresSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Two suicide-bomb attacks in Iraq killed at least 75 people today and injured 113. They targeted a quiet residential neighborhood and Iranian tourists. - New York Times
Amidst this wave of violence, the suspected leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq was arrested. - AP
President Obama is pushing for more legal protections for Americans who use credit cards. - San Jose Mercury News
Voter turnout in South Africa has been huge. ANC, the ruling party, looks headed for an easy victory. - LA Times
Wildfires in Myrtle Beach, SC, have destroyed homes near the popular beach area. - AP
A Senate intelligence report shows that Condoleezza Rice and Dick Cheney approved waterboarding as early as 2002. - CNN
Fox News anchor Shepard Smith got so passionate yesterday condemning torture that one of his expletives had to be bleeped. - Huffington Post

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Oh Snap! Hotel Saddam Lets You Live Like a Tyrant

TresSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Want to live like a ~~king~~ tyrant . . . with bad taste? Saddam Hussein's former palace has just opened as a hotel and tourist site in Iraq. The palace is adjacent to the ancient city of Babylon and is open to the public for about 85 cents. Something tells me you won't get a good night's sleep there. . .

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President Obama Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq

CitizenSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:31:29 -0700

President Obama has made an unannounced stop in Baghdad. The secrecy, not to mention a car bomb that exploded in Baghdad only hours before Obama arrived, indicates that Iraq still has a long way to go.

Before the president arrived, the military shut down Baghdad International Airport and cleared roads into the city. While in Baghdad, Obama will talk with US troops and Iraq leaders.

According to the White House spokesman, after spending time in neighboring Turkey, Obama concluded that the Americans troops in Iraq were equally deserving of his attention and appreciation.

To see some video of the President in Iraq, read more.

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