Muslim or Christian, All Iraqis Should Welcome America's 'Priceless Gift'

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A U.S. soldier in patrol in Baghdad:

Some Iraqis are very glad he's there.

Kitabat, Iraq

Muslim or Christian, All

Iraqis Should Welcome

America's 'Priceless Gift'

"Iraq's political, economic, scientific and industrial future all depend on the strategic relationship with the United States of America, which liberated Iraq, and whose presence on its land is a divine and priceless gift which no intelligent man keen on securing Iraqi interests can afford to lose."

By Khadir Taahar

Translated By James Jacobson

February 9, 2008

Iraq - Kitabat - Original Article (Arabic)

Iraqi Christians: Ironically, the American invasion and resulting sectarian violence has led to a mass exodus of Iraq's Christians. Lately, however, some have begun to return.

I write this article to thank my Iraqi Christian friends ... who have provided so much humanitarian assistance to me, a son of their Muslim homeland. I send a message to the sons of the Iraqi people at home and abroad ... reminding them that the souls and hearts of the Christians are with the sons of their country, whether they remained in or emigrated from the land of Iraq.

In complete isolation from Arabs and Muslims, I lived in the Diaspora because of my writings and opinions, which differed from those of almost everyone ... When I felt the need for help I could without hesitation take recourse to my Iraqi Christian brethren. I have always found in them the utmost magnanimity and brotherhood.

I write to my friend Anan BeDaweed ... who has kindly remained in touch with me and has incurred great difficulty defending my right to freedom of expression, despite his strong opposition to my writings which are critical of the Kurdish parties ... Anan is a secular Kurd, which works to my advantage since he objects to those who wish to silence my views.

And to my friend Mazen Ayub, who has written to apologize for neglecting me ... I answer him to say: My dear Mazen, don't apologize, you have never neglected me. It is I who have suffered some bad luck and lived under difficult circumstances ... wherever Mazen went, he continued to stay in touch with me and so I felt that his spirit was with me ... and when we spoke, we discovered how many issues and ideas we agree on ... WORLDMEETS.US

As for my friend Adil Baqal ... in his generosity and morality he carries the spirit of a clan chief from deep in southern Iraq ... Adil, despite his personal religious faith, has critical views about the true purpose of religion ... he cannot accept the religious preoccupation with ideology ... The dominance of the clergy and the way they manipulate the feelings and minds of the people ... He believes that religion is a private issue between the Creator and his creatures, and that no intermediary is needed ... Adil Baqal is only the most recent person to reproach me for my writings which are so critical of the Kurdish parties.

My two friends Anan and Adil just ignore Iraqi politics, for it has become a bone-breaking fight, a fierce, bone-crushing battle for survival ... and they understand that the kind of criticism that I issue - of the practices of the Kurdish parties - is my legal right. These articles were all part of a hard-fought battle in the mass-media, and an attempt to expose the activities, excesses and crimes of the Kurdish parties against Iraq. WORLDMEETS.US

But Mazen, Adil, Anan and I have a common conviction, which is that Iraq's political, economic, scientific and industrial future all depend on the strategic relationship with the United States of America, which liberated Iraq, and whose presence on its land is a divine and priceless gift which no intelligent man keen on securing Iraqi interests can afford to lose.

I repeat ... I write this article to remind the sons of our people at home and abroad that the hearts of Iraqi Christians are with their people ... Based on the principle of brotherhood of all people, they don't hesitate to help their fellow Iraqi Muslim brothers and those of other religions.

kodhayer@netzero.com

Letter to the editor

about Khadir Taahar,

author of this article

Translated By James Jacobson and Nicolas Dagher

December 21, 2007

Iraq - Kitabat - Original Article (Arabic)

I so admire the writings of Khadir Taahar! This writer raves with such frankness and clarity, and never shies away from shocking the reader with his contrarian beliefs - whether he (the reader) be left-wing, right-wing or independent. For him, all that matters is that the reader be an Iraqi. Why? Because regardless of their religious denominations or particular beliefs, Iraqis are uncomfortable with the international brand known as the “United States of America.”

To say: “They are uncomfortable” in a polite and civilized way is not to say: “They hate or are resentful,” since I don’t wish to annoy Khadir Taahar - who is more American than the Americans and even more than Bush, Cheney, Rice or Gates. He is more part of the American intelligence apparatus than the men of CIA and more Jewish than the Jews (remember his Kitabat article from April 15th 2007, in which he called for establishing friendly relations with Israel so that it could take part in rebuilding Iraq!)

I like the work of this writer because he isn’t ashamed or embarrassed to express his ideas and political views clearly and honestly and he isn’t afraid of critics of his writings. Nor does he feel the need to respect the feelings of other Iraqis, who take umbrage at his favorite leaders, the Americans, who have inflicted death, destruction and ruin upon them in the service of Israel and her future security, and at their hands of Washington’s creation, the terrorists, who came from abroad at the behest of their [Iraqi] allies and advisers from the former regime.

SEE ALSO:

Kitabat, Iraq
Like it or Not, Muslim
Iraqis are Less Patriotic
than Christian Ones ...
http://worldmeets.us/kitabat000016.shtml