This post was inspired by a discussion I have been having with a reader AC blue eagle . I decided I needed to post something about Global Warming and its effects, so here is the best I can think of- a run down of 2005 from the perspective of a New Scientist expert on the environment.

Natural disaster was a running theme in 2005 - a year marked by more North Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes since records began, and a string of massive earthquakes. Scientists also warned that the planet is edging closer to irreversible global warming, as ice melts across the planet. [/olivebranch]

2005: The year in environment

* 12:30 29 December 2005
* NewScientist.com news service
* John Pickrell

found at http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8516

The environmental year began with devastation in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which struck on 26 December 2004. The tsunami claimed 300,000 lives, crippled economies, and wiped out coastal communities from Sri Lanka to Somalia. But it also caused considerable environmental damage, carrying salt water far inland and smashing coral reefs across south-east Asia.

Seismologists warned that the earthquake would be the first of many, and confirmation came first in March when a huge related quake struck Sumatra. Then in October, another gargantuan quake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale levelled swathes of Pakistan and Kashmir. The death toll is 80,000 so far, but winter may take the lives of many more people lacking adequate shelter.
Stormy summer

In 2005 climate change was blamed for an increase in tropical weather system severity. Hurricanes such as Dennis, Emily, Rita, Wilma and Stan wrought devastation and repeatedly hit the headlines.

The most damaging was Katrina which tore across the US Gulf Coast, dragging a 6-metre-high storm surge, and created a disaster zone covering 90,000 square miles. 80% of New Orleans disappeared underwater, and the US faced a humanitarian disaster on a scale not seen since the great depression.

The year saw not only an increase in frequency of tropical storms, but also changes in their behaviour, fuelling claims that global warming is to blame. Catarina, which struck Brazil in March, was the first hurricane ever recorded to form over the South Atlantic. Tropical storms from the Americas also found their way to Spain and Africa - another first.
Global thaw

Also in 2005, ice continued to thaw across the planet. In April, researchers announced that 87% of Antarctic glaciers have retreated in the last 50 years. The edges of these ice sheets are now slipping into the ocean at an unprecedented rate. The massive west Antarctic ice sheet is also starting to collapse.

Similarly, in the northern hemisphere, Siberian permafrost covering a million square kilometres is melting into peat bogs, while the extent of Arctic sea ice was lower than it has been in a century.

Disturbingly, in November, a new survey warned that Europe could be flipped into a miniature ice age, if warm ocean currents are knocked off course by rising temperatures. Some experts now predict that within 10 years global warming will become irreversible.
Climate action

Despite warning signs, many governments have been slow to take decisive action. In July, six non-signatories to Kyoto, including the US and Australia, announced plans to develop "clean energy" technologies rather than emissions caps. In May, G8 leaders agreed that warming is an urgent problem, but did little more.

An international climate conference held in Montreal, Canada, in December was hailed as a qualified success by some. At the meeting, signatories to Kyoto agreed to set tougher targets, and the world's biggest polluter, the US, agreed to continue talks about its own contribution.

While national governments drag their feet, many city and state governments around the world are now setting their own targets for cutting emissions.
Ecological footprint

During 2005 humans continued to degrade the Earth's environment. The Amazon rainforest continued to be cleared at a rate of 24,000 km2 per year - equivalent to losing an area the size of New York City's Central Park each hour. In October, satellite date presented an even bleaker picture.

Big sporting events were found to leave massive "ecological footprints". Nearly all wild rivers - those unfettered by dams or irrigation systems - are gone. Ever increasing CO2 in the atmosphere is slowly acidifying the oceans, with potentially catastrophic effects on marine life. The seasonal hole in the Arctic ozone layer may have been bigger than ever this year. Also, despite efforts to prevent it, illegal fishing was found to be thriving this year, as was poaching of our closest living relative, the bonobo.

In November, 100 tonnes of chemicals, including benzene, flowed into China's Songhua River after an explosion at a chemical plant. The toxic slick affected the water supply of a number of large Chinese cities, before heading to Russia in December. Another explosion in December at a UK fuel depot, ignited Europe's largest ever peacetime blaze, which burnt for several days and sent a 3-km-high plume of toxic gas in the atmosphere.

It was not all bad news though. In June, the International Whaling Commission voted to uphold the 19-year whaling moratorium, though Japan announced plans to double its "scientific catch" quota of minke whales. In November the UN revealed that reforestation projects around the world had resulted in a small reduction in global deforestation rates. And in February research revealed that Iraq's Mesopotamian marshlands, devastated by damming and draining, are showing renewed signs of life.

While I Live

While I fight away the pains,
you shall survive.

Despite the omnipresent fear
you are safe, we are far but oh so near.
Our hearts reach out and wrap you and yours,
like a neat little family bubble,
protecting you, protecting yours.

Harm may come while I'm alive,
while we live, but we are here my dear.
We will protect your. Help you.

In the face of painful oppression,
when your feelings are nothing but depression,
we are here, we hear, we care and comefort you.

While I live you are alive,
if only in my memory.

While I live, I will love, I will pray.
I pray for the protectection of you and yours.

Always.

by [olivebranch] 30/12/05


There comes a time at the end of the year where you sit and look back. You ponder on what the year has accomplished. Have we moved forward from last year? What was happening this time last year?

Come to think about it, I think the TSUNAMI was dominating things this time last year, and I believe progress was made in 2005. Atleast in Banda Aceh, atleast in Post Katrina New Orleans. At least a little in the Gaza strip though it could just be the poise before the strike.

Atleast in my mind, and at least in Sunshine's lungs.

Yes some progress was made on this blog aswell, 3000 hits in the first 9 months is not bad, even if 1500 of them were me (which is a big exageration!)

Next year what progress will I make?

What progress will Iraq make?

How will I help you progress in 2006, my dear friends?

We will see. But there will be progress.

That'd be right, I decide to break and what happens?

The blairwatch group I joined to keep an eye on developments in regard to the "Al-Jazeera memo"- the discussion in which Bush outlined his desire to blow Al-Jazeera headquaters in Doha, QATAR off the face of the earth- they sent me an email.

It's not the Al-Jazeera memo, but it does need publishing before the UK Government squelch it.

Well they arn't getting away with this one, unless they put every last blogger in jail.

Here is the emial/post from BLAIRWATCH.

Please put a copy on your own blog, the more copies- the less chance for denial of their existance and the less likely for persecution against me & others who decided to post it.

thx in advance, enjoy

[/olivebranch]

*Calling All Bloggers: These Documents need publishing *_
*
Background:*
The UK government has been quick to deny that we practice, or tolerate the practice of Torture. So it is perhaps not suprising that they are determined that you should not see the following documents:
*http://users.pandora.be/quarsan/craig/telegrams.pdf
* *http://users.pandora.be/quarsan/craig/npaper.jpg*

Craig Murray was the UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, untill his complaints and protest at the use of inteligence gained by torture got too much for Jack Straw and the Foreign Office, who set about attempting to unsuccessfully smear him, and to successfully remove him from office.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3750370.stm
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2005/04/timeline_of_cra.html

The Foreign Office has had the draft of Craig's book for clearance for over 3 months now, and they are doing everything they can to try and prevent him from publishing his side of the story. Their latest attempt to cover their own backs was to inform him, the night before Christmas Eve, that these two documents cannot be published, and that he was to return or destroy all copies immediately.

*What are these documents?*
The first document is a series of Telegrams that Craig sent to the Foreign Office, outlining his growing concern and disgust at our use of intelligence passed to the UK by the Uzbek security services.

The second document is a copy of legal advice the Foreign Office sought, to see if they were operating within the Law in accepting torture intelligence, and according to Michael Wood the FCO legal adviser; it is fine, as long as it is not used as evidence.

Faced with this heavy handed censorship by the FCO, in an attempt to cover up our use of and complicity in torture, Craig has decided to fight back, and has asked us all to publish this information, so it cannot be suppressed.

/I am in discussion with the FCO over what I am and am not allowed to publish in my book. The FCO is seeking to gut the book of all evidence of complicity with the Uzbek regime.

With Bliar cornered on extraordinary rendition, they are particularly anxious to suppress all evidence of our complicity in obtaining intelligence from Uzbek torture.

In particular, they have demanded I do not publish the attached documents, and that I hand over all copies of them.

The obvious answer to this is to post these documents as widely on the web as possible. This is also potentially very valuable in establishing that I am not attempting to make money from these documents - you don't have to buy my book to see them, they are freely available. If you buy the book, you are only paying for the added value of my thoughts.

This will only work if we can get the [documents] very widely posted, including on sites in the US and elsewhere outside the UK … there is a chance that those who … post this stuff will get threatened under the Official Secrets Act.


In March 2003 I was summoned back to London from Tashkent specifically for a meeting at which I was told to stop protesting. I was told specifically that it was perfectly legal for us to obtain and to use intelligence from the Uzbek torture chambers.

After this meeting Sir Michael Wood, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's legal adviser, wrote to confirm this position. This minute from Michael Wood is perhaps the most important document that has become public about extraordinary rendition. It is irrefutable evidence of the government's use of torture material, and that I was attempting to stop it. It is no wonder that the government is trying to suppress this.

Craig/

Compare and Contrast the government's public position on Torture, with the information they were recieving at the time from their own Ambassador, and the legal advice they were seeking.
We have archived a selection of government spin and lies on the use of torture in these 4 pages:
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/708
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/709
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/710
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/711

and you can listen to Jack Straw and Tony Blair deny what you read in these hitherto 'secret' documents here.
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/down/strawhust.mp3
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/down/blairrend.mp3

*What you can do:
*We have published the documents in full here, and ask that anyone who can will do the same.
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/715
http://www.blairwatch.co.uk/node/714

If you could publish, host and link to these documents on your own webspace, then it will be harder for anybody to be prosecuted here in the UK, and ensure that they get maximum coverage.

Craig Murray stood up for what many of us believe, and it cost him his Job, his health, and his professional reputation. The least we can do his stand by him as he defies the UK government's attempts at censorship, and possible prosecution.

Craig's own post on the subject can be found here:
http://www.craigmurray.co.uk/archives/2005/12/damning_documen.html

Thanks for your help.

You know the best thing about blogs?

When you want a break, you take one.

This blog has been put on temporary hiatus for the new years holiday,
unless something so important comes up that I must write about it, this blog will probably not have any more posts this year.

It has been a wonderful first 9 months in the blogosphere and I thank my readers and friends in the blogosphere from the deepest corners of my heart for their kindness and their not-so-kindness.

Without you this blog doesn't matter. Without you I wouldn't bother to write.

Please keep on posting, keep on commenting and don't let your opinions be drowned out by that of others (inlcuding myself when you disagree!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, all the best for the next.

[olivebranch] out

If I had one wish for christmas, I would make it realistic.

So lets assume that in his jolly good mood on this festivous occasion God has granted me a wish.

Here goes.

I wish for the family of Sunshine , including but not limited to her siblings, parents, grandparents and cousins (Hassan, HNK, Najma.... you've seen the list before, its too big to type out in full) would be able to experience safe and enjoyable time in the future.

If I had one selfish wish, I would wish that I could bring the whole community of Iraqi bloggers to my house for Christmas dinner, so we could all enjoy a wonderfull night.

Peace be with you all, and to all a merry christmas.

Love + Prayers to my Iraqi friends, to their friends, and their families (especially the Assyrian/Christian families) - [olivebranch]

Salam

So I thought my readers and more particularly those who have just come to this blog would like to learn a little about who I am and where these views all came from, I decided after seeing it on a few other blogs that I would add an "About Olive" section.

I have also decided to add a "blogography", a basic run down on what has happened since this blog began, and what important steps the blog has taken over time!

anyway, here is the post from the About Olive section :) hope you enjoy!


About Olive
So you want to know about me? About what makes me tick and who I am?
Where I came from? How old I am? ETC ETC ETC??? Well I'll tell you a bit- but not too much, mostly what is relevant.

I was born in 1986 in a very remote town called Kalgoorlie, home to the worlds largest open-cut gold mine (nearest major city est 740km away). Jump ahead to 2002, when I was in year 11 at Sevenoaks Senior College, and that is where the story that relates to this blog really begins.

I was concerned about the potential outbreak of wide-spread international hostilities and terrorism if the Iraq War was to proceed... I wanted it stopped, or at least for Australia to condemn the idea, but unfortunately our government did not have the foresight shared by most of the public.

This was where I really lost my nationalist views. Back then I was a lot less open than I am these days, especially when it comes to other cultures and countries... I didn't care too much back then, unless it directly effected me.

But this war would not really effect me. Yet still I cared.

I felt that Iraq was a sign of something much bigger, I thought it was a last-ditch desperate grab for power by a failing American 'superpower'.

I had been studying Germany and the USA from 1898-1949 in history that year and had come to understand the idea of BOOM/BUST economies and how war is economically advantageous for a superpower, as long as the victim does not put up too much of a fight...

I also knew of the coming oil problem and how this was bound to effect the American economy. It made sense to me that the USA needed the reconstruction contracts and needed to do something with its excessive amounts of WMD, so the big companies who produce the WMD can start to make money again.

Plus I am sure these things have expiry dates and cost a lot to 'store'- long story short I thought the Iraq war was about enterprise and securing American global supremacy, and I still believe this to be the case.

That angered me.

It opened my eyes to a whole new world I had never quite understood nor cared much for previously, commonly known as the world of politics.

I don't like the word politics for it infers politicians, not everyday people taking charge of their own lives and banding together to help each other like the world I hope to promote through out this blog, similar to the one currently evolving on solid ground in South America, and in the not-so-solid grounds of the Blogosphere.

Non the less my eyes began seeing the world in a new light, in an angry, determined light.

The kind of light that you shines through in some posts on this blog, the anger pushing me to promote change, to encourage people to stand up on their own two feet and take control of their lives.

Dissapointment in some of my fellow humans and their complacency had now become ever-present in my life. Opening your eyes like this is a shock and it threw me out on a limb.

I felt isolated from the world and unable to make a difference.

I was too young to be allowed to vote, I had never had the choice of who should represent me- not that any of the choices would have been representative of my views anyway, but I still felt hopeless.

What's more it seemed anyone over the age of 25-30 gave me the same answers, "You're too young to worry about these things", or "You're just too young to understand"- if they disagreed with me.

I didn't know where to turn and so began my dissent.

At first I was an activist. I was right into the scene, I even got into the refugee rights and environmental activism. I became a rebel, a dissenter, a lefty.

I lost sight of my own life somewhat, I lost the connections with many people around me and sacrificed a lot of my own personality- though not intentionally.

I became fascinated by ideologies and doctrines, by manifesto's and ISM's. Then I realised what they all said, what they all shared- what they all meant.

Conformism. There it is again. A f**king ism.

Each doctrine wants you to believe it is correct, it is the only way or the best way- so you should support it. They were all the same yet all so different and I couldn't find one that stood out.

They all had their good reasonings and their own set of political rules and terminologies, and I wanted to understand them all.

Then I realised that you can't. Because to understand the theory of communism you have to reject capitalism. To understand Anarchy you have to reject communism. To understand theocracy you have to accept religion.

To accept religion you must conform. To conform is to give up ones self.

And so the circle goes.

If you are not this, then you are that.

If you are this or that, then you are just like the rest of those (apparently) "lefties, commies, anarchists, capitalists, trotskyites, leninists, stalinists, maoists, theocrats, fundamentalists, insurgents, rebels, tree-huggers-" and the list goes on.

Well I am not any of those, and I am not the same as anyone else, and you shouldn't have to be either.

I decided I needed to believe in myself and my friends. I needed to believe in humans and to feel that emotional connection again. That's what life is about.

Now I am a renegade. Or thats what I like to call it, thanks to Zack De La Rocha
in his words:

"Renegades are the people, with their own philosophies- changing the course of history. Everyday people like you and me."

Thats what I am.

I am just another every day person. I want to be just like you, and for you to be just like me. Yet I want us both to have our own philosophy, and for us both to change history- in our own ways.

Now I can see things I never saw before, and feel emotions overwhelmingly strong.

The hope I feel when something goes the right way, something never possible before is exhillerating. Something new in history a step in the right direction.

It doesn't have to be a big change or even something the average person would notice, like when I feel I have made a difference. These days I can make a difference, I have made a difference and I know I will continue to make a difference until the day that I die.

Changes have occured as a result of my determination, like the life of my dear little friend Sunshine after I sent her medication for her Asthma, because the kind she requires is no longer available in the middle east.

It's those little changes that make me know the world can be a better place. It's those changes and my determination which ensure the world will be a better place, for as long as I am alive.

I am only young, 19 years old *(born 1986 if your reading this in the future)*, but I am told I have wisdom for one so young. Maybe it's just excessive knowledge from obsessive reading, either way it helps me grow, helps me make a difference- where ever it comes from.

Ok, so sometimes it goes to my head...But I'm only human.

Without gratification the hurdles thrown at you by life become more like mountains, and as with physical reality, struggling up hill always lasts longer than the enjoyable run/roll/ride or slide down.

What I hope for is the moment when we all stand on top together, when everyone has helped each other get up to the top and we have all made it, and can look back together and reflect on how far we have come.

This is my dream... Not for the fit men & women to run ahead in life and leave their children and grandparents in their wake.

When we all stop for that little picnic, where we can all share our food and thoughts. Yeah, thats what I look forward to.

Where I can share my thoughts and feelings with someone other than my girlfriend Gee-Oh and not be considered a national security threat.

So what I don't like your government, so what I hate your newspaper, so what I support the right of an Iraqi father or mother or brother or son to fire at an Australian or Coalition troop when they abduct a family member.

Go ahead. Arrest me.

At least you understand how I feel now, and where this blog comes from

The Iraqi election seems to have been a major success in regard to voter turnout and the peacefull atmosphere in which the voting took place, and even here in Perth - the most isolated city in the world we had our own little voting centre.

There were 4 polling booths on site at Curtin University (of which I proudly announce I am a student!), and the counting of the votes finished today at roughly 12:30pm.

The turnout was not quite as high as expected in Perth but still managed a sizeable 972 votes out of up to 1800 eligble (no exact figure).

I met some very nice people but was at first escorted off the premises by a security guard while the counting was going on, but I soon found an official who invited me in not long after it finished.

The men were all very interested and keen to know why I cared, and I enjoyed the audience and letting them know I was informed.

When I asked what the results were and could recite who was the front-runner for each group and what the groups name/initials were, everyone was highly impressed. Turns out the security guard had just finished a politics degree as well and said he didn't know anyone nearly as motivated or interested in it as myself.

I love when I hear things like that, because it makes the long sometimes tedious hours of reading all worth while. I can make a difference. I am making a difference. Those people felt even better when I came along, that is a difference in itself.

Maybe I will get a story about Iraq's election actually to make it into WA's media, I will write a journalistic "inverted pyramid" style report after I finish this, the more important piece for my friends in the Blogosphere.

So by now you are all getting annoyed with my writing and just want the results:

so here they are.

The final results for the Iraqi elections Western Australian voting stations are:

[EXCLUSIVE TO YOU FROM OLIVE BRANCH OPTIMISM ]

United Iraqi Alliance (Sadr/Badr/SCIRI/Da'awa coaltion *the shiite bloc*): 688 votes (70.8%)

Kurdistani Gathering (PUK/KDP alliance): 120 votes (12.3%)

Iraqi National List (Allawi/secular list) 49 votes (5%)

Iraqi National Congress (Ahmed Chalabi's group) 24 votes (2.47%)

With remaining votes divided up amongst the other lists in lower percentages.

---- I do not think this will accurately resemble the final result, because Allawi's support in WA would be lower, due to his originally being the US ticket in January- I expect him to recieve closer to 20-25% of votes from inside Iraq.

I also believe that the UIA would recieve much less in Iraq itself, due to distrust amongst its own followers (would Sadr's followers still want to vote for SCIRI/Daawa?), and because their militia's have recieved a very bad name on the streets under the government elected in January.

This list though (UIA) does have a strong, wide-reaching support base- and it will be interesting to see what percentage of the votes they end up with... will they be reduced to 30% or less, or can they run away with it and get as high as 40-45 or even 50%?

only time will tell.

Check Iraq The Model and Pajamas Media for some GREAT election coverage. Well done my friends and bloggers alike! :)

So your interested in reading obviously, and since your reading this site you probably spend a portion of your time thinking about war and its outcomes.

So you should go and order from your nearest library or book stores the Australian author John Marsden's "Tommorow When The War Began" series, and when you finish those- like I have, read the follow on books (I just finished the first) "The Ellie Chronicles - while i live"....

in my life I have never cried while reading like I did in the first parts of this book, but I promise I will not say a word.

The book is about occupation, then the settlement of a "two countries in one" kind of thing in Australia... It's all very topical and shares similarities to real-life situations like Palestine/Israel.

but the what makes this book so great is the style John Marsden chose, the perspective of a young girl, barely 15 years of age in the first book when her and a group of friends go on a camp-out in the bush instead of the annual "Wirrawee Show". The show is a big festival out in the country, where mother swap jam and farmers trade and show off all their great produce, livestock and machinery.

Ellie and her group of friends, being country kids are expert drivers offroad, and they take an extremely remote path called "Tailors Stitch"- into a very remote bushy area a fair way from home.

while they are out for the weekend, the country is invaded and when they return home the strange noises of planes overhead Ellie had heard begin to make sense...

they are left alone, with everyone locked up at the showgrounds and very few people still free on the streets- with a fresh bunch of occupation soldiers in their town...

the story developes from there.

The Ellie Chronicles are after the war ends. That is all I will tell you.

[olivebranch]

------------------
Freedom is writing
------------------

Freedom is writing,
and knowing your heard.
Freedom is the truth,
no matter how absurd.

Freedom is reading,
what they don't want you to know.
Freedom is not found,
on some mainstreem reality show.

A blog brings you freedom,
when your silent and oppressed.
A blog feels like freedom,
when your sick of the press.

A blog helps you in times,
when life is full of stress.
A blog stops you becoming,
one really big mess.

Bloggers become friends,
like you are to me.
Like blogs become important,
amidst catastrophe.

Bloggers are together,
in good times as in bad.
Bloggers stick together,
so turn to me when you are sad.

Freedom is a blog,
that is what they are for.
Freedom is the truth,
from the middle of a war.

Dedicated to the Iraqi Blogosphere and all those involved
by [olivebranch] 12/12/05

Poem written by Attawie after she read some of my own!
very good :) go check out her blog http://attawie.blogspot.com/


Wednesday, December 07, 2005
What a BLOG means to me?
B is the blog if you wanted to see.
L is the letter blogs convey.
O is owing inspiration to thee.
G is getting closer to others community.

Blog is the thoughts of someone who wants to flee
Learning from others lives, manners and memory.
Organized ideas to present them to me.
Grouping people to help the world to be free.

Becoming heroes out of your generosity.
Leading simple war against stupidity.
Overcoming obstacles to gain liberty.
Giving the oppressed a sheltered lee.

Blending with others nationality
Landing in places we've never seen.
Overwhelming barrier to increase sanity
Glorifying simple deeds never meant to be.

Bringing real stories from west and east
Loaded up with imaginary beasts.
Observing world's rocking fate.
Gaining power over our deepest doubts.

That what a BLOG needs to be
So I can say:
That what a blog means to me.

This came to me after reading olivebranch's poems about Respect and War.
It started as a challenge for me. Then it turned to be fun. I wrote it few days ago but didn't have time to post it.

I wrote a poem in the same way but I lost it in Baghdad but I wrote inspired by the song (Love: L is for the way you look at me. O is for the only one for me. V is….) I don't really remember the words or the singer's name.
Greetings for all.

posted by attawie at 1:21 PM 3 comments

I wrote these today inspired by a few different thoughts,
the second one "Sad Statue" was obviously inspired by System of a Down....

Hope you like them! Tell me what you think by e-mailing me or leaving comments!

The Soldier-Sphere
(the march begins today)

The soldiers of the blogosphere begin to march today
So I pause and take this moment to reflect,
when did we get this way?

As the truth lets loose and the lies all fade,
I begin to wonder about it all...
where will this pendulum sway?

When the truth comes bare and the bloggers march,
who dares stand in their way?

As the power pendulum swings at random,
and the strong become the weak...
Will the weak remain strong?

Or will they rise with the greed of past,
and ruin it all again?

Will we be depressed and oppressed,
or will our truths pave the way...

Cooperation, Communication, Collectivisation
- in this peaceful way.

Written by [olivebranch], 09/12/05



Sad Statue
(liberty lost her meaning)

America's statue no longer smiles,
liberty lost her meaning...

The corruption and disruption,
desperation then devastation,
and so much more.

She will go down in history,
She's going down...
She's history.

The generation didn't agree,
yet still picks up the pieces-
and now again it begins.

The aftermath of distant relatives,
from so many years before.

What to do for America,
What about the world?

and whats more...

What do I do myself,
with my family, friends and more...

In what looks to be a certain war...

This generation does not agree,
but you just fight more...
please... no more.
no war.

by [olivebranch] 09/12/05
[inspired by the system of a down song "Sad Statue", thanks guys...]

Shit! There is nothing worse than another one of my own, someone who just wants to help such as a member of the Christian Peacemakers Teams, taken captive or silenced or threatened.

First before my rant, Get on your email client and fire up that media contact list again. Then go sign this petition: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/freethecpt

I will provide an e-mail list at the end of this post for those who do not have their own.

Thugs in Iraq, I don't know what else to call them, they certainly aren't Resistance fighters if they are kidnapping Peacemakers.. I wouldn't call them insurgents, they are just another group with its own agenda.

It's time for my Iraqi friends to put the word out that these are good people, and hopefully one of these holding the captor has a Distant friend related to one of their cousins's mothers, brothers sisters mother-in-laws (*if you know what I mean*) and comes to their sences to release these people.

The best outcome for bost the captors and the captives is their release ultimately, for hostages are bargaining tools and if the hostages are released then the captors must have got what they wanted. Or they must have realised they have done the wrong thing and by releasing the hostages have saved their own asses.

Either way this it the best outcome. We must help these people.

An Urgent Appeal: Please Release Our Friends in Iraq

Four members of Christian Peacemaker Teams were taken this past Saturday, November 26, in Baghdad, Iraq. They are not spies, nor do they work in the service of any government. They are people who have dedicated their lives to fighting against war and have clearly and publicly opposed the invasion and occupation of Iraq. They are people of faith, but they are not missionaries. They have deep respect for the Islamic faith and for the right of Iraqis to self-determination.

C.P.T. first came to Iraq in October 2002 to oppose the US invasion, and it has remained in the country throughout the occupation in solidarity with the Iraqi people. The group has been invaluable in alerting the world to many of the horrors facing Iraqis detained in US-run prisons and detention centers. C.P.T. was among the first to document the torture occurring at the Abu Ghraib prison, long before the story broke in the mainstream press. Its members have spent countless hours interviewing Iraqis about abuse and torture suffered at the hands of US forces and have disseminated this information internationally.

Each of the four C.P.T. members being held in Iraq has dedicated his life to resisting the darkness and misery of war and occupation. Convinced that it is not enough to oppose the war from the safety of their homes, they made the difficult decision to go to Iraq, knowing that the climate of mistrust created by foreign occupation meant that they could be mistaken for spies or missionaries. They went there with a simple purpose: to bear witness to injustice and to embody a different kind of relationship between cultures and faiths. Members of C.P.T. willingly undertook the risks of living among Iraqis, in a common neighborhood outside of the infamous Green Zone. They sought no protection from weapons or armed guards, trusting in, and benefiting from, the goodwill of the Iraqi people. Acts of kindness and hospitality from Iraqis were innumerable and ensured the C.P.T. members� safety and wellbeing. We believe that spirit will prevail in the current situation.

We appeal to those holding these activists to release them unharmed so that they may continue their vital work as witnesses and peacemakers.

Signed,**

# Arundhati Roy, author, The God of Small Things
# Tariq Ali, author, Bush in Babylon
# Denis Halliday, former U.N. Assistant Secretary General and Head of the U.N. Humanitarian Program in Iraq (1997-1998)
# Cindy Sheehan, mother of Casey Sheehan
# Noam Chomsky, Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
# Haifa Zangana, Iraqi novelist
# Kamil Mahdi, Iraqi economist and anti-occupation activist. Lecturer, University of Exeter
# Mahmood Mamdani, "Herbert Lehman Professor of Government," Columbia University
# Rashid Khalidi, "Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies," Middle East Institute, Columbia University
# Cindy and Craig Corrie, parents of Rachel Corrie, killed by Israeli military
# Hasan Abu Nimah, Permanent Representative of Jordan at the United Nations (1995-2000)
# Ralph Nader, former independent presidential candidate
# James Abourezk, former US Senator
# Howard Zinn, historian
# Naseer Aruri, Professor (Emeritus) University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
# Kathy Kelly, Voices for Creative Nonviolence/Nobel Peace Prize Nominee
# Naomi Klein, author/journalist
# Michael Ratner, President, Center for Constitutional Rights
# Rev. Daniel Berrigan, poet
# Jeremy Scahill, independent journalist
# Mazin Qumsiyeh, author, Sharing the Land Of Canaan, board member US Campaign to End the Occupation
# Milan Rai, author, War Plan Iraq: Ten Reasons Against War on Iraq
# Sam Husseini, writer
# Dahr Jamail, independent journalist
# Ali Abunimah & Nigel Parry, Co-founders, Electronic Iraq
# Leslie Cagan, National Coordinator, United for Peace and Justice
# Eve Ensler, author
# Jennifer Harbury, Director, Stop Torture Permanently Campaign
# Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Detroit
# Anthony Arnove, author, Iraq: The Logic of Withdrawal
# Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange
# G. Simon Harak, SJ, War Resisters League
# David Hartsough, Co-Founder and Capacity Building Director of Nonviolent Peaceforce and Executive Director of Peaceworkers. Nonviolent Peace Force
# Blase Bonpane, Office of the Americas
# Carol Bragg, Coordinator, Rhode Island Peace Mission
# Rev. Richard Deats, former Executive Secretary and Fellowship Editor, Fellowship of Reconciliation
# Omar Diop, Pr�sident de la Coalition S�n�galaise des D�fenseurs des Droits humains
# Jim Forest, Secretary, The Orthodox Peace Fellowship
# Thomas C. Cornell, The Catholic Worker
# David Grant, Nonviolent Peaceforce
# Ted Lewis, Global Exchange
# Charles Jenks, Chair of Advisory Board, Traprock Peace Center
# Jeff Leys, Voices for Creative Nonviolence
# Andr�a Schmidt, independent journalist
# Michael Albert, ZNet
# Richard McDowell, Senior Fellow for Iraq Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation
# Dave McReynolds, former Chair, War Resisters International
# Peter Lems, Program Associate for Iraq, American Friends Service Committee
# Kevin Zeese, Director, Democracy Rising
# Sunny Miller, Director, Traprock Peace Center
# Dave Robinson, Director, Pax Christi USA
# Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou, National Coordinator, Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq
# David Swanson, Co-Founder, After Downing Street, Board Member Progressive Democrats of America, Washington Director Democrats.com
# Mary Trotochaud, Senior Fellow for Iraq Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation
# Michael Birmingham, activist
# Barbara Wien, Co-Director, Peace Brigades International/USA
# Bishop Gabino Zavala, President, Pax Christi USA

**Organizations and institutions are listed for identification purposes only

Contact: freethecpt(at)gmail.com

Most Recent Signatures
Name Comments
19824 Erin Coates
19823 Luke(y) Skinner
The Bloggers and your Iraqi friends are watching these actions. Releasing these innocent people now will be best for your cause and will prevent us the people from having to come after you to save their lives.
19822 Ben Gadiner
19821 Richard Bocking
19820 Ruth Abel
19819 Alexander Iwachiw
Please, let us begin a dialogue. Do not kill these people of peace, they are not your enemy.
19818 Lilian Walls
Violence achieves nothing. Free these innocent people.
19817 Michael Kaplan
Harming this man would be a fascist
crime.
19816 Jenny Veninga
19815 Sandy Thompson
19814 Nuntanit Bumrungsap
19813 Martin Rutter
19812 Stephen Chan
19811 Bryan Garcia
19810 Nicholas Heller
19809 Ron Liskey
19808 Suheir Kassis
19807 Geraldine Blake
19806 Jacques Boulet
Don't kill and don't kill those who are with you.
19805 Frederick L King
19804 Okuno Takumi
Please release them.
from Japan
19803 Roberta Rominger
Moderator, Thames North Synod, United Reformed Church
19802 Kia
Please try your best to stop this terrible event from happening.
19801 Carolyn Shea
19800 Katy Sanders
ME - #19886 [olivebranch's real name!!!].
Please release these four people. People who are working for peace are the only hope the world has. Please join us in working towards peace, it would benefit everyone in the end.

Yesterday I recieved an e-mail. Well actually it was a comment on this blog that was then forwarded to my email address, anyway I though I would like to share it with you.

---------
hey, nice guy stay the nice guy and don't put yourself in this. listen to me , you can say your opinion about war or that stuff but to decided who should win or try to promote a list that is exactly what you shouldn't do. I live in Iraq and I know about who you are talking. each Iraqi has his own view and his own background. you don't take your friends words on who is best for Iraq. this elections still premature and even when we go and vote we vote to choose democracy . you have a loving and honest heart don't spoil it with politics lies. stay away and clean.
----------

There are a few things that really effected me in this comment.....

Firstly being the "nice guy" is something I just do, it's one way of helping people that never fails.... But when it comes to the physical politics of life and governments, unfortunately there are no nice-guys.

And the nice guys there are all seem to be silenced or killed before they can really make a difference.

I am sorry if I or my views on the coming Iraqi election offend anyone, and I am sorry to myself if they taint my personality now or in the future, but unfortunately there is a choice to face- and I want to help people to NOT MAKE the wrong decision.

I do not in anyway endorse Allawi or his chronies, much the same way as I do not endorse the Labor party here in Australia, since to me they are just another Liberal party in disguise, much like Allawi is another oppressive Tyrant acting good-guy.

I never support these people, and even if I were to vote for them, I would resist their stupidity and policies after they were elected.

Voting is not a "who is most like what you want" choice, and not a choice anyone should make going on "what a friend says". On the same note a person should never endorse or promote a particular list unless they know what they are in for.

Unfortunatly, whatever I say here will impact on some of my Iraqi friends, and may conflict with some of their views.

I had a choice in 2004 to vote for what is effectively two groups, the Labor or the Liberals. Now the Labor party supported the invasion of Iraq. They also supported the new Terror laws in Australia, federally they also somewhat support the establishment of Australian dominance in South East Asia and also they support our alliance(reliance?) with the USA.

This goes against every moral fibre of my body to support them, yet I have a choice to make.

It is either them, or the Liberal party who support staying in Iraq permanently, who believe australia already IS dominant in South-East Asia, who DO NOT SUPPORT West Australian plans for independance, who cherish the alliance with the USA and are highly critical of China.

They are also supportive of new Industrial Relations laws which will see people like me have no official place to turn if my boss wanted to force me to work at a lower rate.

Also they support the idea of "Sedition Laws". This means that my blog can have me held on accusations of promoting terrorism against Australian troops overseas (because I OPENLY SUPPORT AN OCCUPIED NATIONS RIGHT TO RESISTANCE).

I put my own freedom and safety on the line everytime I write the above quote, because my government would have me arrested were it in their resources to do so.

So when I walked into that booth to vote one way or the other, I was shuddering. I was feeling angry that I must choose a group who does not in the slightest represent my views on the world.

But it was either them or the big man in grey, Mr Howard the evil doer.

The War mongerer, george bush's "man of steel" (by the way, STALIN means MAN OF STEEL, coincidence???).

So I voted for the Labor party.
Much as many Iraqi's will choose to vote for Allawi's group against their own morals.

I am sorry to my Iraqi friends who believe I am mistaken in saying Allawi may be their best hope for the future, but that is what I believe. It is not what my Iraqi friends tell me, it is what I have decided after developing and studying the equation of Iraqi politics for several years.

I know alot about Allawi's past tooo, but I also know all about SCIRI/Badr/Daawa and Al-Sadr.

Were there not a group with the strength of the United Iraqi Allaince, then I would not support Allawi. But Allawi seems to be the only one the Kurds will consider as their allie other than the UIA (who in all reality are the Kurdish Alliances worst fear).

I do not wish to see my friend Sunshine forced into living under a Shiite' belief system, or to have her home town turned into a Kurdish province.

Ninevah is Ninevah, Mosul is for Moslawi's.

I do not believe that the Kurdish and the UIA combined would know how to keep Iraq unified without mass-suppression of beliefs amongst those who are neither Kurd nor a UIA supporter.

could the UIA even survive 6months as a government? Would Al-Sadr break away?

So I am sorry,

BUT I HOPE ALLAWI WINS THE ALLAINCE WITH THE KURDS, AND THIS ALLIANCE BECOMES THE NEXT IRAQI GOVERNMENT.

while the US are still there, the UIA are definately not the right choice.

p.s. I will always be the nice guy you believe in, whether I choose this person or that. If you needed my help and were a member of SCIRI, you would still get it. Even if you were a US soldier, I would still be there for you.

According to the most recent post on Iraq the Model , and in line with prior history of fraud and corruption the militias owned by the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRi), DA'AWA militia's and Ahmed Chalabi's Badr Brigade have been infiltrating election offices in Iraq's south to ensure votes go their way.

These militia have been known to press Iraqi's to conform to their more fundamentalist view of Islam, and to accept the decree's and Fatwa's offered by religious figures in Najaf and from Iran.

While the Ayatollah's have maintained officially neutral positions on what parties to vote for, there have been many quotes to suggest support for the "big group", and other terms referring to the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA), which consists of mostly fundamentalist Shiite groups namely:

SCIRI,
Badr Organization
Islamic Daawa Party
and Al-Sadr declared his support for this group also, despite their differences in the present past and probably future.

Hassan provided a list of the "coalitions" that have been formed- have a look:

Tawafoq Iraqi Front. Vote number 618. Consists of:

* The Iraqi Islamic Party.
* The General Council For Iraqi People.
* Al Hewar National Iraqi Council.

Arabic List. Vote number 615. Consists of:

* The Arabic Unifying Front.
* National Solidarity Movement.

Kurdistani Gathering. Vote number 730. Consists of:

* Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.
* Labor Party of Kurdistan.
* Islamic Group of Kurdistan/Iraq.
* Al Kaldani Democratic United Party.
* Communist Party of Kurdistan.
* Socialist Democratic Party of Kurdistan.
* Democratic Party of Kurdistan.
* Iraqi Turkman Brotherhood Party.

Independent Karbala Coalition. Vote number 533. Consists of:

* Dr. Abbass Naser Hasani Al Hasnawi.
* National Gathering For Karbala Iraqi Tribes.

Brotherhood and Peace List. Vote number 737. Consists of:

* Brotherhood Independent Gathering.
* AL Sheikh Ali Abd Al Husain Kamouneh.

Unified Iraqi Coalition. Vote number 555. Consists of:

* Islamic Da'awa Party.
* Islamic Virtue Party.
* Centrist Coalition Party
* Bader Organization.
* Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution In Iraq.
* Turkman Islamic Union of Iraq.
* Justice and Equality Assembly.
* Iraqi Democratic Movement.
* Movement of Hizbullah in Iraq.
* Turkmen Loyalty Movement.
* Saed Al Shuhada Islamic Movement.
* Al Shabak Democratic Gathering.
* Malhan Al Mkoter-Mr.
* Islamic Da'awa Party-Iraq Organization.
* Reform And Building Meeting.
* Al Sadriah Advertising.
* The Justice Community.
* Iraq Ahrar.

National Iraqi List. Vote number 731. Consists of:

* Iraqi Communist Party.
* Union Party.
* Al-Qasimy Democratic Assembly.
* Iraqi Republican Group.
* Arab Socialist Movement.
* Independent Democratic Gathering.
* Iraqi National Accord.
* Society of Turkman Tribes and Elites.
* Alfurat Al Awsat Assemblage.
* Iraqis.
* Loyalty For Iraq Coalation.
* Independent Iraqi Alliance.
* Independent Iraqi Sheikhs Council.
* The National List.
* Ahrar.

National Iraqi Council List. Vote number 569. Consists of:

* Democratic Iraqi Gathering.
* The First Democratic National Party.
* Iraqi Conference National Party.
* United Labor Democratic Front.
* Turkuman Act Party.
* The Iraqi Constitutional Party.
* Tareq Abd Al Kareem Al Shahd Al Budairi.
* Genral Secretary Advertising For The south Sectional of Iraq.
* The National List.
* Constitutionality Al Shareef Ali Abd Al Hussein Movement.

Islamic Coalition. Vote number 549. Consists of:

* Islamic Action Organization.
* Faili Islamic Gathering In Iraq.
* Religious Communwealth In Iraq.
* Islamic Commonwealth For Iraqi Students.
* Hussaini Cultural Organizations Union.
* Rafah And Freedom Movement.

Justice and Future Coalition. Vote number 517. Consists of:

* The Democratic Progress And Justice Party.
* Dr.Khaled Hmoud Abdalla Al Sa'adoon.

Al Nahrain National List. Vote number 752.

* Assyrian Patriotic Party.
* Beith Nehrain National Union.
* Assyrian Independent Gathering Movement.
* National Caldani Council.
* Hikmat Dawod Hakeem.
* Kildani Democratic Rostrum.

Al Wafaa For Basrah Gathering. Vote number 512.

* Loyalty to Najaf.
* Ramadan Al Badran, Basrah Son.

Hewar National Iraqi Front. Vote number 667. Consists of:

* Iraqi Christian Democratic Party.
* Democratic Arab Front.
* National Front For the United Free Iraq.
* The Iraqi Sons Unified Movement.
* The National Iraqi Front.

Furation- Human Rights. Vote number 647. Consists of:

* Babil People Gathering.
* Human Rights and Civilian United.

Mithal Al Aloosi List For Iraqi Nation. Vote number 620. Consists of:

* Iraqi Federalist Gathering.
*
* The Iraqi Ummah Party.

Watanion Gathering. Vote number 814. Consists of:

* Iraqi National Movement.
* Iraqi Unite Council.

Iraq Sun. Vote number 652. Consists of:

* Islamic Tallea'a Party.
* Democratic National Coalition.
* United-Democratic-Free Iraq.

Al Khalas National Front. Vote number 798. Consists of:

* Democratic Reconstruction And Justice Party.
* Nasiri Forefront Socialist Party.
* Sawamerah Lords Gathering.

Unified National List. Vote number 829. Consists of:

* The Iraqi National Movement.
* Iraqi Political Gathering.
* Iraqi National Union.



I hate to say it, but like Hassan, I think the US and Iraqi's need to get behind Allawi, even if it is only for the time being.

It's either Allawi & the Kurds
or its Sadr/SCIRI/BADR/DAAWA & The kurds

and I tell you right now, that Sadr/SCIRI/BADR/DAAWA do not really want to do any favours for the kurds, because Iran is very much anti-Kurdistan in it's disposition, and Iran is who these groups ultimately answer to.

So in my opinion, if the Kurds can bring Allawi and his group into a position of dependant power- that is the only reason Allawi would have power is because of Kurdish support... It would be a mutually beneficial relationship, and would allow the future government a much easier time in the North of Iraq...

It may cause some disruptions in the South, but that depends greatly on how Al-Sadr acts if such an event were to occur... If Sadr, often flexible with his alliances- truely wants to do the best for his followers...

Allawi and the kurds may just be his best chance to avoid being silenced amongst the voices of SCIRI/Badr's/DAAWA........

I say give Allawi this chance, though he does not deserve it.

It's much of a muchness, either choice is not very promising- but you have to choose one...

READ THIS!

Another story of Inspectors in Sunshine's house... Last time, if you are a regular reader you may remember Sunshine's house was inspected. The unit that did the inspection was vey nice, and the whole thing was conducted well and politely, except for one soldier.

That soldier happened to be the one who went into Mama (sunshine's mother)'s bedroom.

That asshole tipped baby-powder all over the place, squirted the toothpaste on their bed and floor. He went through all their clothes and messed up and dirtied their bedroom.

It's sad that people do things like that, but then there are the rest of the soldiers who did nothing, the poor troops are made into targets/enemies due to the action of one irresponsible person.

This time, things went much better. Sunshine had remembered last time what happened, and what the soldiers had told her to remember and ask if anyone came for inspection again (when she went to report the event).

She asked for their Unit, Names, what State they are from etc.

Very clever girl :)

here's her post, if you wan't to comment on it, go to her blog:

http://livesstrong.blogspot.com/

Mama' also tells the story from another point of view, if you can't tell- this is the updated part. Mama's view is a very enjoyable post to read and funny on many levels... Imagine the images she draws with words.

Oh and by the way, Sunshine has been dubbed an "Iraqi ambassador" by Mama's readers!!! :D

Mama's post is below sunshine's, here is her blog address:

http://youngmammy.blogspot.com/
[/olivebranch]


Thursday, December 01, 2005
Home inspection again ...
Hello friends .
yesterday I came back from my school , I didn't have so much homework , so I decided to have rest & read my E-mails . At 4:45 pm I decided to take a shower , & while I was doing that , I started to think about home inspection( I don't know why?!) & how to start a conversation with the soldiers , suddenly my sister knocked on the door to tell me to HURRY UP because there is an inspection in the neighborhood, while I was saying to her" ok ok I will " , my mom came and said that the soldiers were in our house . I wore my clothes while the soap was still covering my face and went out!!! ..
& I said OH GOD MY ROOM !! it was sooooooooooo messy ( but today I organized my room & my bed before going to school…)
Anyway , they asked if any one could speak English , & I answered quickly yes ( interrupting my mom of course ) . They asked my mom if it is ok with us if they used the roof , to see the neighborhood & to cover the road for a coming troop, my mom & I said " yes of course you are welcome ", they were about 25 soldiers , three of them stayed with us ,while the others went up to the roof.
In spite of the hoarseness in my voice , as I had laryngitis this week ,( now my voice sound like a teenager boy's voice) but I kept talking & talking!!! .. all the family were wearing pajamas we didn't have enough time to change our clothes ( just like in pajamas parties)…
I did what some soldiers told me after the previous inspection and asked them about their names , their unit & who is the commander?!!..
from which states they came from & we kept talking for more than an hour .
Anyway , they were very polite & nice with us ,& of course I showed off & talked about my blog , I also told them that I copied my blog if they want to take a look . You won't believe what happened , every one from the three soldiers read some posts from my blog during their stay in my house , but that was very funny , they took off there weapons , sun glasses & balaclavas , sat & started reading, with suckers in everyone mouth showing a bulbous cheeks , they read the post "an adventure" , they talked with me about some posts … I asked them if they know some Arabic words , they said no , & one of them said that a soldier in their unit thought that he was good in Arabic but he was only ridiculous , I kept laughing about that.
Before they had left I took a photograph for them…
That is the end of my post for today take care all……….
Sunshine……………..

Friday, December 02, 2005
Another home inspection experience..

Hi there.
Last Wednesday , our house was inspected again by the Us soldiers , I will not repeat what sunshine wrote about ,I will describe each one of us during that inspection ,
Mariam my 7 years old daughter she stopped focusing on the soldiers guns from the first sucker she got from them , although she remained cohered to me .
Yosif my 19 months old son , he was busy sucking his first sucker , you can't imagine what did he do to his face , hands &his clothes , I had to re-bath him after he finished it, & brush his tiny teeth.
My mother in law remained suspicious for a while then became more comfortable …..
My father in law … forgot the English words … but listened attentively to our conversations with relief ……..
My poor husband , he went before the soldiers had come in, to buy some pencils to the girls , but he couldn't enter the neighborhood until the whole neighborhood was inspected , he was worried about us ( you know we hear many stories , some of them are rumors & lies , some of them could be true without knowing who was the trouble maker in each story, but some Iraqis find inspection humiliating & refuse to cooperate , some times the soldiers are nervous and patient less, some have bad attitude)….
Mama(me).. so embarrassed as It was the first time I sit among strangers with my bed suit on & so amazed from sunshine ability to talk that much with hoarse voice !, how could she made a friendly atmosphere!, and how could she enjoy all circumstances in her life ……….
Sunshine….she enjoyed every moment! , she talked in every single moment!... what did she talk about ? or may the question should be put in this way, what she did not talk about?!...she asked the soldiers about their names ,unit , their homeland ,their BOOTS, their friends ,etc…
she definitely did not miss a moment to make friend relationships with them ,she also discussed her blog with them after she made them read it !!!…..
she took photograph for them , made them wait till she brought her film camera after her trial to take a photo with the digital camera , but the batteries were of law power , she simply smiled saying that that was bad luck…..
unbelievable………..
Mama………

-------------------
Your dream, A smile
-------------------

You will change the world,
with your very own smile.
Others worlds will change too,
If they can hold a smile like you.

A bit of confidence and inspiration, and a bit of love and determination,
will let your reach this goal.

Love your friends and family,
and the others who deserve humility.

Keep your smile and not a frown,
and that way you'll be happy,
even when your down. :)

Dedicated to Attawie, written by [olivebranch] 1/12/05

I was inspired by a sensible post written by Attawie on her(sorry for saying his originally! thx Morbid Smile :P) blog .

Here's the link to the blog, and below I copied his post :)
Hope you enjoy it :)

http://attawie.blogspot.com/

and the post:

Tuesday, November 29, 2005
A dream
As I am young and free I have a dream that I'm working very hard to make it real. It is to see a smile written on everybody's lips on this earth. But as I grow older I come to find it too hard to fulfill.

I minimized the dream and made it fit my country but unfortunately it seems it's also too hard to reach. So I decided to minimize it more and make it fit my family and friends. Yet it shocked me to realize that it is not working too.

So from today I made up my mind to make my dream come true and starting with one person, me, hoping I can bring a smile on the faces of my family and friends when they see the smile on me.

And who knows, that may change the whole world and make my dream come true.

posted by attawie at 12:18 PM

OK, so I wan't some words to write into poems- words with real meaning that seem to have been changed over time.

I started this with RESPECT, after seing a few questions about what respect means.

Now I am going to move on to the next. WAR

------------------------------------------
WAR, is not for poets.
No.

War is for haters, not soldiers.
Not for honour and not for glory,
No.

War is not for lovers.
No, It's for those who hate.

War is not for poets nor poetry,
except to find the end.

Witch hunts and WMD
Always brings the poverty, the starvation.
Racism, pain and profit not salvation.

Why
Are we
Racist?

WAR.

Why hate each other? Why?
Another dead childs mother?
Raped lands with no future.

WAR

Working for our "liberty",
Against the freedoms & humanity,
Really no liberty, no peace, no prosperity.

For even the rich are unhappy.

WAR

What is it good for?

Wrecking, dividing, destroying.
Again and Again and Again.
Reaping profit from others pain.

WAR.

What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing.

written by [olivebranch] 1/12/05

[/olivebranch]