Dahr Jamail

BEIRUT – Lebanon is caught in political gridlock in the face of sustained opposition to the U.S.-backed government. The government is refusing to give in to opposition demands for more representation. The government says it is there to stay; so do the protestors. Their opposition is very visible. Scores of tents, many with solar-powered television … Continue reading “This Protest Won’t Go Away”

BAGHDAD – Iraqis blame the U.S. occupation for the failure of two parallel security plans drawn up by U.S. forces and Iraqi troops that failed dramatically with the bombings last week that killed more than 300 people in Baghdad. Under the security plans, additional troops were brought to Baghdad and most city streets were closed. … Continue reading “Iraqis Blame US Occupation for Bloody Week”

BINT JBEIL, Lebanon – Eight months after Israeli attacks left devastation across many villages in southern Lebanon, reconstruction comes with mounting anger toward both Israel and the central Lebanese government. The war that raged between Israel and Hezbollah July 12 to Aug. 14 last year destroyed many villages in the south and left others badly … Continue reading “In Lebanon, Tempers Rise Over Reconstruction”

BASRA – Oil-rich Basra in the south of Iraq is getting caught up in an increasingly more fierce battle between warring Shi’ite groups. Basra, the second largest city in Iraq with a population of 2.6 million, is the capital city of the southern Basra province, and Iraq’s main port. The largest explored oil reserves in … Continue reading “Basra Splits Between Warring Shi’ites”

DAMASCUS – The massive influx of Iraqi refugees into Syria has brought rising prices and overcrowding, but most Syrians seem to have accepted more than a million of the refugees happily enough. "I’m looking at it this way," 35-year-old Amri Alaby told IPS. "There are more people who can now consume, money circulation has increased, … Continue reading “In Damascus, a Lot of Uninvited Guests”

DAMASCUS – Syria’s decision to accept Iraqi refugees streaming into the country has brought the government of President Bashar Assad more power within Syria and the region, but at significant cost. The ministry of interior in Syria estimates the total number of Iraqi refugees to be around 1.5 million. The Syrian government has maintained an … Continue reading “Iraqi Refugees Complicate Syria’s Position”

DAMASCUS – Refugees from Baquba, Iraq, who have now found shelter in Damascus describe their hometown as a “dead city” where armed men roam the streets and al-Qaeda reigns. Baquba, capital of Iraq’s Diyala province, is located 50 km northeast of Baghdad on the Diyala River. In 2002 the estimated population was 280,000. The city … Continue reading “Small Iraqi Province in
Big Trouble”

DAMASCUS – Refugees from Iraq scattered around Damascus describe hellish conditions in the country they managed to leave behind. "I used to work with the Americans near Kut (in the south)," Sa’ad Hussein, a 34-year-old electrical engineer told IPS. "I worked for Kellogg, Brown & Root in construction of an Iraqi base there, until I … Continue reading “Refugees Speak of Escape from Hell”

BASRA – The eruption of demonstrations in the south of Iraq this week could rob the occupation forces of what was considered a critical bastion of support. The southern areas of Iraq have long been said to be secure, and people there peaceful towards the occupation forces. Iraqis living in the south were also believed … Continue reading “Now the South Erupts”

DAMASCUS – Salim Hamad, 33, glances at the sprawling buildings of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus and sees business. He has set up a small tea shop at the camp. "I left everything behind," he told IPS. "I have no idea what became of my house." Salim, a railways worker in Baghdad, sold his … Continue reading “Iraqi Refugees Languish in Neighboring Countries”