Dahr Jamail

Leaving the hotel is always an adventure. Last night, Abu Talat whisked me, with a full beard and a keffiyeh draped around my shoulders,out into the chaotic streets of occupied Baghdad. As we traveled around the capital, we took side roads, winding, varying routes toward our destination, never daring to take the direct, most obvious … Continue reading “Wrath, Anger, and Sadness”

Today Abu Talat meets me, and he is in a somber mood. He’s down because last night after the curfew began at 9:30 p.m., US military helicopters were circling his neighborhood until 3 a.m. "How can we live like this," he asks while holding up his hands, "We are trapped in our own country." He … Continue reading “Prayers for Vengeance”

BAGHDAD – A military victory for U.S. forces in Fallujah seems set to lead to a huge political loss for the U.S.-backed interim Iraqi government. Strong anti-government reactions have set in already as reports come in from Fallujah of bombed hospitals, high civilian casualties, and denial of access to medical care. The political fallout could … Continue reading “Pyrrhic Victory in Fallujah”

The blasts of mortars exploding in the so-called "Green Zone" are thumping out my window as I type tonight. The blades of military helicopters chop the air as they circle above the area looking for, well, looking for something. "I know what they are doing to us – they are putting is in a big … Continue reading “The Fire of Resistance Is Spreading”

BAGHDAD – The anger building up in Baghdad over the imminent attack on Fallujah is a warning that U.S. forces could start more than they can handle. The sharp increase in attacks on U.S. and allied forces has been only the most violent form of rising hostility. But it is not an extremist few that … Continue reading “Resistance Over Fallujah Builds in Baghdad”

“The Marines that have been killed over the last five months have been killed by a faceless enemy. The enemy there has a face, and it’s called Satan, and it lives in Fallujah.” These are the words of U.S. Marine Colonel Gary Brandl as he speaks of the imminent attack on Fallujah. Who says this … Continue reading “Carnage and Martial Law”

The flight from Jordan feels all too normal … until we arrive over Baghdad International Airport. The nose of the plane dips, the left wing drops, and the downward spiral begins – dropping us 4,000 feet per minute into the inferno that is occupied Iraq. Rather than an in-flight magazine, a lonely card is available … Continue reading “Spiraling Into Occupied Iraq”

With the news that members of a U.S. Army Reserve platoon have been arrested in Iraq for refusing a "suicide mission," dissent among veterans of the U.S.-led campaign in that country continues to grow. The recent incident mirrors other stories of troops being sent on missions without proper equipment, and again raises the specter of … Continue reading “Veterans’ Voices Rise in Protest”

The appointed Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi faces vehement opposition to his move to deploy troops from other Muslim countries. Allawai’s push follows a rash of suicide attacks that have rocked an increasingly unstable Iraq. He called on Arab military assistance in Iraq after he met with the U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in … Continue reading “Arab Troops Would Be Unwelcome”

Kidnapping has become a weapon that is bringing increasing pressure on countries supporting the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. Any foreigner associated with the United States is a target. On Monday Mohamed Mamdouh Qutb, the third highest ranking Egyptian diplomat in Iraq who had been abducted outside a mosque last Friday was released “because of the … Continue reading “Kidnapping: Insurgents’ New Weapon of Choice”