CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" dir="ltr" lang="en-US"> <head profile="http://gmpg.org/xfn/11"><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/","20130124053612","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1359005772"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 2.8.4"/>  <title>Gorilla’s Guides » Lebanon</title> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612js_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/themes/neewee/js/jquery-1.2.6.min.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612js_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/themes/neewee/js/jquery.ui.1.5.min.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612js_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/themes/neewee/js/neewee.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612cs_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/themes/neewee/blueprint/screen.css" type="text/css" media="screen, projection"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612cs_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/themes/neewee/blueprint/print.css" type="text/css" media="print"/>  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612cs_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/themes/neewee/style.css" type="text/css" media="screen, projection"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612cs_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/themes/neewee/color_scheme_blue.css" type="text/css" media="screen, projection"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Gorilla’s Guides RSS Feed" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/feed/"/> <link rel="pingback" href="http://gorillasguides.com/xmlrpc.php"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Gorilla's Guides » Lebanon Tag Feed" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/feed/"/> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="http://gorillasguides.com/xmlrpc.php?rsd"/> <link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="http://gorillasguides.com/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml"/> <link rel="index" title="Gorilla's Guides" href="http://gorillasguides.com"/> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 2.8.4"/>  <meta name="keywords" content="Baghdad, بغداد, Mosul, Bombings, Summaries, Kirkuk, Refugees, كركوك, Christians, Middle East, Human Rights, بالمسيحيين, Anbar, Poverty, Death Squads, Religion, Sadrist Bloc, Ethnic cleansing of Christians, Syria, IRIN, حركة الصدر, Karbala, Child Poverty, Iran, KRG, Kidnappings, Civilian casualties, Turkey, Salah ad Din (Governorate), Najaf, Muqtada al-Sadr, الإسلام‎, Islam, Reuters, Christians - persecution of, Wasit, Jordan, security situation, Attacks on American Invaders, Militia, Photos, Elections, Militias, UNHCR, Kut, Israel, Lebanon, SIIC (Formerly SCIRI), Iyad Allawi, Interior Ministry, Independent -The (UK), Bombing campaigns, reconciliation, Resistance, Kurdistan, Dawa Party, Christianity, Abu Ghraib, violence, Al Qaeda, Women - killing of, Analysis, Criminal gangs, northern iraq, kidnapping, christian minority, Christians - killing of, Saudi Arabia, Saleh al-Mutlaq, kuwait, iraqi christians, Karrada, Saddam Hussein, kurds, نينوى, murder, Egypt, Demonstrations, occupation, Chaldeans, Jalal Talabani, sectarian violence, Christmas, Constitution, Damascus, christians - right to protection, GZG failure to protect Christians, مقتدى الصدر, History, Palestine, Catholic Church, Pilgrimages, Asia News, France, America, displacement, Amil, Saleh al-Mutlak, christian population, Pakistan, Bahrain, حديثة, Pope, Students, christians in iraq, الفلوجة, poverty rates, rural areas, Asharq Al-Awsat, Massacres, religious freedom, poverty alleviation, security forces, أبو غريب, Gulf War, Kurdish attempts to get Americans to stay, Taji, Nuri Al-Maliki, Syrian unrest and protests, Arabs, Arbil, Vatican, churches, Catholics, American occupation forces, Assyrian, armed conflict, Saudi, Christian churches and monasteries - attacks on, chaldean catholic, migration, New York Times, christian exodus, asharq alawsat newspaper, Bajii, minority communities, central baghdad, Budget, Genocide, Sudan, Al-Iraqiya, chaldean church, Rabia, Sadrist political transformation, palestinians, الحويجة, Extremists, assassination, situation in iraq, kurdish regional government, kurd, Nasrallah, Armed groups, HTS, Guardian, fundamentalists, schoolchildren, البيشمركة, الكوت, discrimination, Monasteries, Festivals, christian families, oud, iraqi refugee, Niger, illiteracy, intimidation, Armed groups - politicisation of, Guides, INIS, syriac catholic, اربيل, hizballah, crusaders, collaborators, Easter, Universities, chaldean, syrian catholic church, Hezbollah, كنيسة سيدة النجاة, Our Lady of Salvation Church, Robert Fisk, Sayedat al-Najah Church, Coptic Christians, child labour, Churches - attacks on, president jalal talabani, visas, economic situation, Christian endowment, Port Said, Assyria, Zionist Extremists, ethnic, Baha al-Aaraji, al-Amin, Nigeria, Cairo, apostasy, Archbishop Paul Faraj - kidnapping and murder of, islamic state of iraq, emigration, illiteracy levels, atrocities, Christian Solidarity International, Beirut, christianity in the middle east, christmas services, martyrdom, refugee children, chaldean catholic church, clash of civilizations, muslim leaders, West Bank, midnight mass, Badr Organisation, christian churches, السويد, unesco report, prince turki al faisal, christian minorities, millennium development goals, IISC, maronite catholics, Al-Najaf, Al-Sadr Trend, Medina, Al-Aws, Monsignor Fouad Twal, sunday school, Al-Hananah (Najaf), Mecca, Al-Hananah, بيروت, Sadat - Anwar, central Euphrates and southern cities, L'Orient-Le Jour, Al-Hakim, حامد المطلك, christian faith, political leaders, Filipinos, maronites, cathedrals, hasan nasrallah, Dawa, first gulf war, christian leaders, un high commission for refugees"/> <style type="text/css">.recentcomments a{display:inline !important;padding:0 !important;margin:0 !important;}</style> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612js_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/plugins/advancedsearch/advancedsearch.js"></script><link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612cs_/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-content/plugins/advancedsearch/advancedsearch-lite.css" type="text/css" media="screen"/> </head> <body> <div class="container"> <div id="navigation"> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/">Home</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-6"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/gorillas-guides-for-the-perplexed/" title="Gorilla’s Guides For The Perplexed">Gorilla’s Guides For The Perplexed</a> <ul> <li class="page_item page-item-3589"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/gorillas-guides-for-the-perplexed/fatwas/" title="Fatwas A Brief Guide">Fatwas A Brief Guide</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="page_item page-item-2066"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/cholera-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d9%88%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a7/" title="الكوليرا Cholera">الكوليرا Cholera</a></li> <li class="page_item page-item-759"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/scenes-from-an-iraki-childhood-march-16th-2007/windowslivewriterscenesfromanirakichildhoodmarch16th2007-fd1720070316-crying-children-kirkuk-morgue-waiting-to-collect-fathers-body-250x325-72dpi6jpg/guide-to-the-samarra-bombing/" title="Guide To The Samarra Bombing">Guide To The Samarra Bombing</a></li> </ul> <div id="subscribe"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/feed/">Subscribe to RSS</a> </div> </div> <div id="header"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/">Gorilla’s Guides</a></h1> <h2>“The only thing these sand niggers understand is force and I’m about to introduce them to it.”</h2> <div id="search"><form method="get" id="searchform" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/"> <div><input type="text" value="" name="s" id="s"/> <input type="submit" id="searchsubmit" value="Search"/> </div> </form> </div> </div> <hr/> <div id="content" class="span-13 append-1"> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-13773"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/10/08/%d8%ad%d8%b2%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%84%d9%87-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%82%d8%a7%d9%88%d9%85%d8%a9-%d9%85%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%af%d8%a9-%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%ad%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%8a-%d8%b9%d8%af%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%86/#respond" title="Comment on حزب الله: المقاومة مستعدة لسحق اي عدوان اسرائيلي">No Comments</a></span> Posted on October 8th, 2011 by admin</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/10/08/%d8%ad%d8%b2%d8%a8-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%84%d9%87-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%82%d8%a7%d9%88%d9%85%d8%a9-%d9%85%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%af%d8%a9-%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%ad%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%8a-%d8%b9%d8%af%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%86/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to حزب الله: المقاومة مستعدة لسحق اي عدوان اسرائيلي">حزب الله: المقاومة مستعدة لسحق اي عدوان اسرائيلي</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hezbollah/" rel="tag">Hezbollah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/zionist-extremists/" rel="tag">Zionist Extremists</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>اكد نائب الامين العام لحزب الله الشيخ نعيم قاسم ان اسرائيل تشعر بالقلق، بينما المقاومة الاسلامية التابعة لحزبه لا تشعر بالقلق، وذلك بعد ان تمت تهيئة المقاومة لمواجهة "اسرائيل" في حال حاولت الاعتداء على لبنان. <br/>وقال قاسم في كلمة له خلال احتفال تربوي السبت لن ترتاحوا من المقاومة ولن ترتاح "اسرائيل" من المقاومة، وخير لكم ان تعيدوا النظر في حساباتكم. <br/>ودعا الى البعد عن الموقف المتخاذل والتوقف عن الخشية من اميركا واوروبا والمجتمع الدولي، مطالبا بالتحلي بالجراة لمواجهة المجتمع الدولي بممارسات "اسرائيل" وباحتلالها واغتصابها للارض وقتلها للاطفال والنساء، وبتهديداتها المتواصلة بالحرب وبامتلاكها القنبلة النووية. <br/>واشار قاسم الى ان ويكيليكس كشفت ان اميركا لا تكن اي احترام للمتوددين لها ، مطالبا اياهم بالتوقف عن ربط كل شيء بقبول امريكا او رفضها، والاستماع فقط لمصلحة لبنان.</p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-13747"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/09/28/analysis-iraqi-shiites-fear-fallout-of-syria-turbulence-alertnet/#respond" title="Comment on ANALYSIS-Iraqi Shi’ites fear fallout of Syria turbulence – AlertNet">No Comments</a></span> Posted on September 28th, 2011 by Ali Ibn Hussayn</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/09/28/analysis-iraqi-shiites-fear-fallout-of-syria-turbulence-alertnet/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to ANALYSIS-Iraqi Shi’ites fear fallout of Syria turbulence – AlertNet">ANALYSIS-Iraqi Shi’ites fear fallout of Syria turbulence – AlertNet</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/analysis-briefings-commentary/" title="View all posts in Analysis Briefings Commentary" rel="category tag">Analysis Briefings Commentary</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/analysis/" rel="tag">Analysis</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/anbar/" rel="tag">Anbar</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-groups/" rel="tag">Armed groups</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/badr-organisation/" rel="tag">Badr Organisation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bahrain/" rel="tag">Bahrain</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/damascus/" rel="tag">Damascus</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hizballah/" rel="tag">hizballah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iran/" rel="tag">Iran</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israel/" rel="tag">Israel</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/jordan/" rel="tag">Jordan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/middle-east/" rel="tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/militia/" rel="tag">Militia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/militias/" rel="tag">Militias</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nuri-al-maliki/" rel="tag">Nuri Al-Maliki</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/reuters/" rel="tag">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saddam-hussein/" rel="tag">Saddam Hussein</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saudi-arabia/" rel="tag">Saudi Arabia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sectarian-violence/" rel="tag">sectarian violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/situation-in-iraq/" rel="tag">situation in iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syrian-unrest-and-protests/" rel="tag">Syrian unrest and protests</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/turkey/" rel="tag">Turkey</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="text-align: left; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; direction: ltr"> <blockquote> <p>BAGHDAD, Sept 27 (<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/analysis-iraqi-shiites-fear-fallout-of-syria-turbulence" target="_blank" class="external">Reuters</a>) – Iraqi Shi’ites, like their allies in Iran, fret that unrest in Syria could oust President Bashar al-Assad and bring to power hardline Sunnis eager to put their weight behind fellow-Sunnis in Iraq who have lost out since Saddam Hussein’s fall. </p> <p>They fear the turmoil next door could spill into Iraq, reignite sectarian violence and intensify a proxy battle between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which sees itself as the bastion of Sunni Islam and has never come to terms with Shi’ite rule in Baghdad. </p> <p>"If Syria falls, Iraq will work with Iran to influence events in Syria," said a senior Iraqi Shi’ite politician, who asked not to be named. </p> <p>"Change in Syria will cause major problems for Iraq. They (Sunnis) will incite the western (Sunni) part of Iraq." </p> <p>Iraqi Shi’ite militias are unlikely to fight for Assad’s survival, but might respond if Sunnis in Iraq’s western Anbar province were emboldened by the rise of Sunni power in Syria. </p> </blockquote></div> <p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/09/28/analysis-iraqi-shiites-fear-fallout-of-syria-turbulence-alertnet/#more-13747" class="more-link">» أقرأ التفاصيل .. | Read the rest of this entry »</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-13433"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/05/23/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%ab%d9%86%d9%8a%d9%86-23-%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%8a%d9%88-2011/#respond" title="Comment on الإثنين, 23 مايو 2011">No Comments</a></span> Posted on May 23rd, 2011 by Mohammed Ibn Laith</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/05/23/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%ab%d9%86%d9%8a%d9%86-23-%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%8a%d9%88-2011/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to الإثنين, 23 مايو 2011">الإثنين, 23 مايو 2011</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/abu-ghraib/" rel="tag">Abu Ghraib</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-groups/" rel="tag">Armed groups</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-groups-politicisation-of/" rel="tag">Armed groups - politicisation of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/attacks-on-american-invaders/" rel="tag">Attacks on American Invaders</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bajii/" rel="tag">Bajii</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/beirut/" rel="tag">Beirut</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bombing-campaigns/" rel="tag">Bombing campaigns</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bombings/" rel="tag">Bombings</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/child-poverty/" rel="tag">Child Poverty</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/civilian-casualties/" rel="tag">Civilian casualties</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/collaborators/" rel="tag">collaborators</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/criminal-gangs/" rel="tag">Criminal gangs</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/death-squads/" rel="tag">Death Squads</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kidnappings/" rel="tag">Kidnappings</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" rel="tag">Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdish-attempts-to-get-americans-to-stay/" rel="tag">Kurdish attempts to get Americans to stay</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kut/" rel="tag">Kut</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/poverty/" rel="tag">Poverty</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/poverty-alleviation/" rel="tag">poverty alleviation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/poverty-rates/" rel="tag">poverty rates</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/reconciliation/" rel="tag">reconciliation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/resistance/" rel="tag">Resistance</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/salah-ad-din-governorate/" rel="tag">Salah ad Din (Governorate)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saleh-al-mutlak/" rel="tag">Saleh al-Mutlak</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saleh-al-mutlaq/" rel="tag">Saleh al-Mutlaq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/summaries/" rel="tag">Summaries</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/taji/" rel="tag">Taji</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%83%d9%88%d9%83/" rel="tag">كركوك</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%85%d9%82%d8%aa%d8%af%d9%89-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b5%d8%af%d8%b1/" rel="tag">مقتدى الصدر</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%86%d9%8a%d9%86%d9%88%d9%89/" rel="tag">نينوى</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/wasit/" rel="tag">Wasit</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/women-killing-of/" rel="tag">Women - killing of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a3%d8%a8%d9%88-%d8%ba%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a8/" rel="tag">أبو غريب</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%81%d9%84%d9%88%d8%ac%d8%a9/" rel="tag">الفلوجة</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d9%88%d8%aa/" rel="tag">الكوت</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9/" rel="tag">البيشمركة</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ad%d9%88%d9%8a%d8%ac%d8%a9/" rel="tag">الحويجة</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b3%d9%88%d9%8a%d8%af/" rel="tag">السويد</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%84/" rel="tag">اربيل</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%aa/" rel="tag">بيروت</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af/" rel="tag">بغداد</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%ad%d8%a7%d9%85%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b7%d9%84%d9%83/" rel="tag">حامد المطلك</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%ad%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%ab%d8%a9/" rel="tag">حديثة</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="border-bottom: black 1px solid; border-left: black 1px solid; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; padding-left: 5px; width: 48%; padding-right: 5px; float: right; border-top: black 1px solid; border-right: black 1px solid; padding-top: 5px"> <p><strong>مقتل وإصابة خمسة جنود من قوات الاحتلال بانفجارعبوة ناسفة غرب بغداد </strong></p> <p>قتل جنديان من قوات الاحتلال الأمريكية وأصيب ثلاثة آخرون بانفجار عبوة ناسفة استهدفت دوريتهم اليوم غرب العاصمة بغداد . </p> <p>وأوضحت الأنباء الصحفية إن رجال المقاومة العراقية تمكنوا من تفجير عبوة ناسفة على دورية أمريكية اليوم في شارع العمل الشعبي بمنطقة العامرية غرب بغداد، ما اسفر عن تدمير آلية نوع همر ومقتل اثنين من جنود الاحتلال وإصابة ثلاثة آخرين بجروح .وأشارت الأنباء إلى إن قوات الاحتلال المسعورة قامت كعادتها باغلاق الشارع المذكور والطرق المؤدية اليه وفرضت إجراءات مشددة حول مكان الانفجار للتغطية على الخسائر البشرية والأضرار المادية التي تكبدتها نتيجة هذا الهجوم .</p> <p><b>مسؤول في البيشمركة: نحتاج لبقاء اميركا لأن جيشنا بلا اسلحة ثقيلة ولا طائرات</b></p> <p>اعلن الامين العام لوزارة البشمركة جبار ياور دعمه لتمديد فترة بقاء القوات الاميركية في العراق الى ما بعد نهاية العام الحالي، معتبرا ان البلاد لا تزال تحتاج الى هذه القوات في المجالات "العسكرية والسياسية". <br/>وقال ياور خلال مؤتمر صحفي في اربيل "نرحب بخطوة تمديد بقاء القوات الاميركية في العراق"، رابطا اياها بموافقة "الحكومة العراقية ومجلس النواب". <br/>واوضح ياور "ان الجيش العراقي لا يملك حاليا الاسلحة الثقيلة وكذلك القوة الجوية ولم يكمل تدريباته، ولهذا نحن نرى ان العراق ما زال بحاجة للقوات الاميركية في جميع المجالات العسكرية والامنية وحتى السياسية". <br/>واعتبر "ان انسحاب القوات الاميركية سيؤثر على الاوضاع في المناطق المتنازع عليها وبالاخص مدينة كركوك التي لا تزال تشهد اضطرابات امنية". <br/>ورأى ياور ان "انسحاب القوات الاميركية من هذه المناطق سيكون له تاثير لان هذه القوات تعمل معنا في مراكز التنسيق ونقاط التفتيش ولنا قوات مشتركة، وايضا تساعد القوات العراقية وقوات الاقليم في مجالات التدريب". <br/>وشدد رغم ذلك على انه "لا يحق لاقليم كردستان ابرام اية اتفاقية عسكرية مع اية دولة اجنبية، وحتى الان لم يبحث موضوع بقاء جزء من القوات الاميركية في الاقليم".</p> </p></div> <p><font color="#800000"><b>وزير التخطيط: الفقراء يمثلون 23% من نسبة السكان في العراق</b></font></p> <p>دعا وزير التخطيط علي يوسف الشكري الوزارات والجهات ذات العلاقة الى ضرورة الالتزام بتنفيذ الستراتيجية الوطنية للتخفيف من الفقر للسنوات 2010 – 2014 بعد ان اصبح الفقر في العراق واحدة من المشاكل الكبيرة والتي تعد من التحديات التي تواجه الدولة بكل مفاصلها". <br/>    واكد الشكري خلال الاجتماع الموسع الذي عقدته اللجنة الفنية الدائمة لسياسات التخفيف من الفقر في العراق "إن هذه الستراتيجية تعد واحدة من اهم المشاريع الوطنية التي يشهدها العراق، كونها جائت ثمرة لجهود كثيرة وكبيرة بذلت من قبل جهات كثيرة على رأسها مجلس النواب الوزارات ذات العلاقة، وبالتالي سيكون دورا فاعلا في مساعدة الفقراء الذين يمثلون (23%) من نسبة السكان في العراق ونأمل ان تتراجع هذه النسبة الى (16%) عام 2014". <br/>    الى ذلك اعلنت الوزارة ، اليوم الاثنين، ان تقييم عمل خطة التنمية الوطنية من 2010 ـ 2014 سيكون بعد السنة الثالثة من اطلاقها. <br/>    وقال وكيل وزارة التخطيط  للشؤون الفنية سامي متي بولص رئيس اللجنة الفنية لاعداد الخطة "ان المشاكل الخاصة بالخطة لايمكن ان تزول باشهر او بسنة واحدة، وانما تتطلب فترة اطول من ذلك لانه في الاصل معدل الفترة الزمنية لتنفيذ مشاريع الخطة لايقل عن ثلاث سنوات". <br/>    وبين بولص "اننا اذا اردنا بشكل حقيقي ومنطقي ان نقيس تاثيرات الخطة فيجب ان نقوم بتقييمها بعد السنة الثالثة او الرابعة من بدء تنفيذها، لكي نستطيع القول بانها فعلا حققت اهدافها والى أي درجة وماهي درجة انحرافها".</p> <p><strong>الجيش اللبناني يحرر ثلاثة عراقيين بعد أختطافهم في شمال لبنان </strong></p> <p>أعلنت قيادة الجيش اللبناني، انها تمكنت من تحرير ثلاثة أشخاص عراقيين يحملون جنسية أوروبية بعد اختطافهم على يد مجموعة مسلحة أثناء رحلة قاموا بها إلى شمال لبنان. وقالت قيادة الجيش في بيان، أنه "أثر توافر معلومات لمديرية المخابرات في الجيش عن اختفاء ثلاثة مواطنين عراقيين في منطقة البقيعة (شمال لبنان) في 20 أيار الجاري، قامت هذه المديرية بسلسلة تحريات واستقصاءات، أفضت إلى تحديد مكان وجودهم". وأضاف البيان "على الأثر قامت قوة من الجيش، بعد ظهر الأحد الثاني والعشرين من ايار، بمداهمة عدة أماكن في منطقة وادي خالد (في قضاء عكار شمال لبنان) حيث اشتبه بوجود المخطوفين فيها، وتمكنت من تحريرهم بعد تبادل لإطلاق النار مع الخاطفين". وأكد بيان الجيش اللبناني أن العملية أسفرت عن "إصابة أحد الخاطفين بجروح وإعتقالهم جميعا وعددهم تسعة، إضافة إلى تحرير المختطفين الذين تبين انهم عراقيون يحملون الجنسية السويدية"، مبينة انهم "كانوا في رحلة إلى شمال لبنان". ولفتت قيادة الجيش في بيانها إلى أنها "باشرت بالتحقيق مع الموقوفين بإشراف القضاء المختص لكشف ملابسات الحادث وخلفياته".</p> <h5>الصدر يدعو مجالس المحافظات كافة إلى منع دخول القوات الأمريكية إلى مدنها </h5> <p>دعا زعيم التيار الصدري مقتدى الصدر مجالس المحافظات كافة إلى منع دخول القوات الأمريكية إلى مدنها، وقال الصدر في بيان تعليقا على الطلب الذي طرحته كتلة الأحرار على مجلس محافظة النجف لمنع دخول القوات الأمريكية للمحافظة، قال إنه من المفرح ومما يدعونا إلى الفخر والاعتزاز أن نجد فيها من يساند قرار عدم دخول قوات الاحتلال إلى محافظة النجف، عازيا رفض بعض أعضاء مجلس محافظة النجف إلى وجود خلافات سياسية ومخاوف عامة نرجو أن يلغوها من قواميسهم، ودعا زعيم التيار الصدري إلى "تعميم هذه القرارات في باقي المحافظات كافة وعدم اقتصارها على النجف، مشترطا لذلك التشاور والتفاهم مع الاطراف الرافضة لذلك </p> <h3><font color="#800000">الاخبار السياسية</font></h3> <p><b>وزير المصالحة يؤكد حرص الحكومة لاجراء مصالحة وطنية حقيقية</b></p> </p></div> <p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/05/23/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%ab%d9%86%d9%8a%d9%86-23-%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%8a%d9%88-2011/#more-13433" class="more-link">» أقرأ التفاصيل .. | Read the rest of this entry »</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-12873"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/03/28/violence-hits-education/#respond" title="Comment on Violence hits education">No Comments</a></span> Posted on March 28th, 2011 by Khaled</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/03/28/violence-hits-education/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Violence hits education">Violence hits education</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/children/" title="View all posts in Children" rel="category tag">Children</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/women/" title="View all posts in Women and Children" rel="category tag">Women and Children</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/amil/" rel="tag">Amil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/armed-conflict/" rel="tag">armed conflict</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/budget/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/cairo/" rel="tag">Cairo</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/child-labour/" rel="tag">child labour</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/demonstrations/" rel="tag">Demonstrations</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/displacement/" rel="tag">displacement</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/economic-situation/" rel="tag">economic situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/egypt/" rel="tag">Egypt</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hts/" rel="tag">HTS</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" rel="tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/illiteracy/" rel="tag">illiteracy</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/illiteracy-levels/" rel="tag">illiteracy levels</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/interior-ministry/" rel="tag">Interior Ministry</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-refugee/" rel="tag">iraqi refugee</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" rel="tag">IRIN</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/jordan/" rel="tag">Jordan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kuwait/" rel="tag">kuwait</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/middle-east/" rel="tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/millennium-development-goals/" rel="tag">millennium development goals</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/photos/" rel="tag">Photos</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/port-said/" rel="tag">Port Said</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/refugee-children/" rel="tag">refugee children</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rural-areas/" rel="tag">rural areas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/schoolchildren/" rel="tag">schoolchildren</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-situation/" rel="tag">security situation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/students/" rel="tag">Students</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sudan/" rel="tag">Sudan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/unesco-report/" rel="tag">unesco report</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>NAIROBI, 3 March 2011 (IRIN) – Several Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Yemen are unlikely to achieve the education-for-all Millennium Development Goals by 2015 because of insecurity and conflict, according to a new report by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). </p> <p> <a title="20110328_yemen_school_caption by Gorillas Guides, on Flickr" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/5568168739/" class="external" target="_blank"><img style="border-right: silver 1px solid; border-top: silver 1px solid; display: inline; float: left; margin: 3px 10px 5px 0px; border-left: silver 1px solid; border-bottom: silver 1px solid" height="326" alt="20110328_yemen_school_caption" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5568168739_658b6e1305_o.jpg" width="350" align="left"/></a> <p>The education-for-all goals were endorsed by more than 160 countries in 2000. But according to Kevin Watkins, director of <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2011-conflict" class="external" target="_blank">UNESCO’s 2011 Global Monitoring Report</a>, children and education are not just getting caught in the cross-fire, they are increasingly the targets of violent conflict. </p> <p>"The failure of governments to protect human rights is causing children deep harm – and taking away their only chance of an education," he said. </p> <p>The UNESCO report, entitled The Hidden Crisis: Armed Conflict and Education, says 35 countries were affected by armed conflict between 1999 and 2008, several in the Middle East. “Children and schools are on the front line of these conflicts, with classrooms, teachers and pupils seen as legitimate targets,” it noted. </p> <h3>Egypt </h3> <p>Recent demonstrations and clashes in Egypt led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, but also closed many schools. In mid-February, half-term was extended for two weeks. Schools in only seven of the country’s 29 governorates reopened after the recess, according to sources in Cairo. </p> <p>The Interior Ministry deployed police outside schools to beef up security and encourage a return to school, but thousands of parents still preferred to keep their children at home. </p> <p>“A deteriorating security situation hinders the opening of the schools and this affects the whole educational process,” Fathi al-Sharqawi, a professor of educational psychology at Cairo’s Ain Shams University, told IRIN. “Teachers will have to skip some parts of the curricula after the students go back to their classrooms, which will also affect these students’ learning badly.” </p> <p>Hundreds of parents have complained that their children are attacked by thugs on their way to school, according to human rights groups. The Egyptian Centre for Human Rights, for example, said some parents complain that criminals use weapons to grab money from children. </p> <p>Manal Abdul Aziz, an Egyptian journalist who opted for home-based tuition for her two children, told IRIN in Cairo: “There is total obscurity about the future of this academic year.” The cost of hiring five teachers for her two children (aged 12 and 15) is the equivalent of US$169 a month – a significant sum for most families. </p> <h3>Iraq</h3> <p><strong></strong>Decades of war in Iraq, UN sanctions, poor security and the economic situation have adversely affected education and increased illiteracy levels. According to data produced by the government and UNESCO in September, at least five million of Iraq’s almost 30 million people are illiterate. Of these, 14 percent are school-age children who left school to feed their families, are displaced or have no access to suitable schooling. </p> <p>Ahmed Khalid Jaafar, 14, told IRIN in Baghdad that he left school after his father died in an explosion three years ago, and sought work on the streets to feed his mother and two younger daughters. </p> <p>"I sell gum and my mother works is a seamstress," said Jaafar. "We make 200,000-300,000 dinars (US$160-250) a month. We spend that money on the most important things, mainly food. School is not important now." Jaafar and his family squat in an abandoned government building. </p> <p>The September data show that adult illiteracy in Iraq is now one of the highest in the Arab region. In rural areas, almost 30 percent of the population are unable to read or write. Significant gender disparities exist, with 40 percent of the illiterate being women. </p> <h3>Other countries </h3> <p>Bahrain is on track to achieve the goal of halving illiteracy levels by 2015, but countries like Iraq, Mauritania and Sudan are off track. "The recent experiences of Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait and Yemen show that literacy policy can be effective: all four countries have increased their adult literacy rates by at least 20 percentage points in the past 15-20 years," the UNESCO report said. </p> <p>In Yemen, a reallocation of 10 percent of the military budget to education would put an additional 840,000 children in school. In the north, 220 schools were destroyed, damaged or looted during fighting in 2009 and 2010 between government and rebel forces, according to the report. "In Yemen, many internally displaced children complement family income by begging, smuggling or collecting refuse, and there are concerns that child labour is increasing." </p> <p>In Syria, attendance rates in pre-school programmes varied from less than 4 percent for children in the poorest households, to just above 18 percent for wealthy households. </p> <h3>In harm’s way </h3> <p>According to the report, armed conflict places children directly in harm’s way. Some get killed while others are exploited as soldiers or forced to flee their homes and become refugees. </p> <p>“Children subject to the trauma, insecurity and displacement that come with armed conflict are unlikely to achieve their potential for learning,” it said. All too often, armed groups see the destruction of schools and the targeting of schoolchildren and teachers as a legitimate military strategy. </p> <p>In conflict situations, children fear to go to school, teachers to give classes and parents to send their children to school. According to UNESCO, in such situations, children suffer psychological trauma, as well as loss of parents, siblings and friends. One survey of Iraqi refugee children in Jordan found that 39 percent reported having lost someone close to them, and 43 percent witnessed violence. </p> <p>“Armed conflict remains a major roadblock to human development in many parts of the world, yet its impact on education is widely neglected,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. “This groundbreaking report documents the scale of this hidden crisis, identifies its root causes and offers solid proposals for change.” </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=92091" class="external" target="_blank">IRIN Middle East | MIDDLE EAST: Violence hits education | Egypt | Iraq | Lebanon | Oman | OPT | Syria | Yemen | Children | Conflict | Education</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-12214"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/01/19/sadrist-bloc-to-be-iraki-hezbollah/#respond" title="Comment on Sadrist Bloc To Be "Iraki Hezbollah"">No Comments</a></span> Posted on January 19th, 2011 by Khalil Ibn Hussein</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2011/01/19/sadrist-bloc-to-be-iraki-hezbollah/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Sadrist Bloc To Be "Iraki Hezbollah"">Sadrist Bloc To Be "Iraki Hezbollah"</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-aws/" rel="tag">Al-Aws</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-hakim/" rel="tag">Al-Hakim</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-hananah/" rel="tag">Al-Hananah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-hananah-najaf/" rel="tag">Al-Hananah (Najaf)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-iraqiya/" rel="tag">Al-Iraqiya</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-najaf/" rel="tag">Al-Najaf</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-sadr-trend/" rel="tag">Al-Sadr Trend</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/american-occupation-forces/" rel="tag">American occupation forces</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/asharq-al-awsat/" rel="tag">Asharq Al-Awsat</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/asharq-alawsat-newspaper/" rel="tag">asharq alawsat newspaper</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baha-al-aaraji/" rel="tag">Baha al-Aaraji</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/central-euphrates-and-southern-cities/" rel="tag">central Euphrates and southern cities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dawa/" rel="tag">Dawa</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/dawa-party/" rel="tag">Dawa Party</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/elections/" rel="tag">Elections</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hasan-nasrallah/" rel="tag">hasan nasrallah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/hezbollah/" rel="tag">Hezbollah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iisc/" rel="tag">IISC</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/inis/" rel="tag">INIS</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/islam/" rel="tag">Islam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iyad-allawi/" rel="tag">Iyad Allawi</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/jalal-talabani/" rel="tag">Jalal Talabani</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/karbala/" rel="tag">Karbala</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdistan/" rel="tag">Kurdistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/martyrdom/" rel="tag">martyrdom</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/muqtada-al-sadr/" rel="tag">Muqtada al-Sadr</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/najaf/" rel="tag">Najaf</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nasrallah/" rel="tag">Nasrallah</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nuri-al-maliki/" rel="tag">Nuri Al-Maliki</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/political-leaders/" rel="tag">political leaders</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/president-jalal-talabani/" rel="tag">president jalal talabani</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sadrist-bloc/" rel="tag">Sadrist Bloc</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sadrist-political-transformation/" rel="tag">Sadrist political transformation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/siic-formerly-sciri/" rel="tag">SIIC (Formerly SCIRI)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85%e2%80%8e/" rel="tag">الإسلام‎</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%ad%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b5%d8%af%d8%b1/" rel="tag">حركة الصدر</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>A Iraqi political source in the city of Al-Najaf has stated that Al-Sadr movement’s Leader Muqtada al-Sadr "is preparing to be Iraq’s Hasan Nasrallah and play a major influential role" and warned that "partisan struggles for the political leadership of Iraq’s Shiites will take place in Al-Najaf, Karbala, and other central Euphrates and southern cities."</p> <p>The source which spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity by telephone from Al-Najaf said that "the leader of Al-Sadr movement is holding in his family’s home in Al-Hananah quarter, intensive meetings with leaders of his movement in an effort to put their affairs in order and resolve some conflicts and struggles inside it, especially between those wearing turbans and those not wearing them (Mullahs and non-mullahs). The first are asserting that they are the ones who protected the Trend and its permanence while the others believe they were the ones credited with making the Trend a political movement." </p> <p>The source went on to say that discussions during the meeting also focused on the removal of some the traditional leaders whom Al-Sadr believes are undisciplined or not in tune with the times, especially as some symbols of the movement have yet to appear in Al-Najaf since Al-Sadr’s return.</p> <p>The political source went on to say: "Al-Sadr returned to Iraq arrogant with power after having left Al-Najaf in secret for fear of being arrested by American forces. But his movment today has 40 seats in the Iraqi House of Representatives and seven ministers in the government. This hastened his return to play an influential political role that is to a large extent similar to the role of Hasan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to what those close to Al-Sadr are asserting."</p> <p>The source pointed out that "the attention the Iraqi political leaders are paying Al-Sadr is giving him stronger impetus" and referred to "the visit by President Jalal Talabani, leader of the Democratic Union of Kurdistan, to Al-Sadr in his house in Al-Najaf and the telephone contact Dr. Iyad Allawi, the former Iraqi prime minister and Al-Iraqiya List leader, had with him the day before yesterday." </p> <p>The source noted that, "leaders of the traditional Shiite parties are not happy with Al-Sadr’s return to Al-Najaf, the capital of Shiite influence." It added that "hot political struggles between the Shiite parties for control of the Shiite influence are going to surface through events, especially between Al-Sadr Trend and Al-Dawa Party, which is led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, on one hand and between the Trend and the Islamic Supreme Council [IISC] which is led by Ammar al-Hakim on the other hand." It warned that "the struggle between Al-Sadr Trend and the IISC is going to be more public due to the historic struggle for control of Al-Najaf between Al-Sadr and Al-Hakim’s families."</p> <p>The source believes that "Muqtada al-Sadr will not forget his traditional enemies easily or the battles the current Prime Minster Nuri Al-Maliki led against his Trend in which many of his supporters were killed or arrested. Hence, the struggle between Al-Sadr and Al-Maliki will not be confined only to the partisan one between Al-Sadr Trend and Al-Dawa Party but personal aspects and settlement of accounts might be involved which will weaken both sides, particularly as Al-Dawa Party considers itself as having greater Shiite influence in Iraq and does not accept anything less than that. This Shiite party even sees itself as the only political representative of Iraq’s Shiites following the reduced influence of IISC in the recent legislative elections and its failure to obtain important ministries in Al-Maliki’s second government." The source does not rule out the possibility of "Al-Sadr starting his battle with Al-Maliki by criticizing the government’s performance and through his ministers and parliamentary deputies so as to weaken the prime minister’s position without triumphing over him" and pointed out that the "coming months will see noticeable tensions between the Shiite parties’ leaders and the people of Al-Najaf are fearful of Al-Sadr Trend’s calm before the storm."</p> <p>However, Baha al-Aaraji, the leader in the Trend who is close to Muqtada, has said "Iraq is not Lebanon. What applies there cannot be applied here. In his speeches and statements, Muqtada al-Sadr stresses the need to stay away from weapons and demands that any issue should be resolved politically." He pointed out that the Trend leader "is expecting the government to provide the services to the Iraqi people and to get the American occupation forces out. He will back the government and give it the chance even though he had said it was weak. We will comment if his demands, which are for the Iraqis, are not fulfilled." He told Asharq Al-Awsat "there is a roadmap that is not yet clear and things will become clearer after "fortieth" celebration which marks the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Al-Hussein, when large meetings will be held."</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=23842" class="external" target="_blank">Al-Sadr’s Hezbollah designs for Iraq Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English)</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11986"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/24/christian-exodus-from-iraq-gathers-pace/#respond" title="Comment on Christian exodus from Iraq gathers pace">No Comments</a></span> Posted on December 24th, 2010 by Nur Hussein Ghazali</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/24/christian-exodus-from-iraq-gathers-pace/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Christian exodus from Iraq gathers pace">Christian exodus from Iraq gathers pace</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/religion/" title="View all posts in Religion" rel="category tag">Religion</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/apostasy/" rel="tag">apostasy</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/cathedrals/" rel="tag">cathedrals</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/catholic-church/" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/catholics/" rel="tag">Catholics</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/central-baghdad/" rel="tag">central baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/chaldean/" rel="tag">chaldean</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/chaldean-catholic/" rel="tag">chaldean catholic</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/chaldean-catholic-church/" rel="tag">chaldean catholic church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/chaldean-church/" rel="tag">chaldean church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/chaldeans/" rel="tag">Chaldeans</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-endowment/" rel="tag">Christian endowment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-exodus/" rel="tag">christian exodus</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-leaders/" rel="tag">christian leaders</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-population/" rel="tag">christian population</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christianity/" rel="tag">Christianity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christianity-in-the-middle-east/" rel="tag">christianity in the middle east</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" rel="tag">Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-persecution-of/" rel="tag">Christians - persecution of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christmas/" rel="tag">Christmas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christmas-services/" rel="tag">christmas services</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/discrimination/" rel="tag">discrimination</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/egypt/" rel="tag">Egypt</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/emigration/" rel="tag">emigration</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/festivals/" rel="tag">Festivals</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/fundamentalists/" rel="tag">fundamentalists</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/guardian/" rel="tag">Guardian</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/guides/" rel="tag">Guides</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/history/" rel="tag">History</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/islam/" rel="tag">Islam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/jordan/" rel="tag">Jordan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" rel="tag">Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/krg/" rel="tag">KRG</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurd/" rel="tag">kurd</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurdish-regional-government/" rel="tag">kurdish regional government</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kurds/" rel="tag">kurds</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/middle-east/" rel="tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/midnight-mass/" rel="tag">midnight mass</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/migration/" rel="tag">migration</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/oud/" rel="tag">oud</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/our-lady-of-salvation-church/" rel="tag">Our Lady of Salvation Church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/photos/" rel="tag">Photos</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/refugees/" rel="tag">Refugees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/religion/" rel="tag">Religion</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/religious-freedom/" rel="tag">religious freedom</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saddam-hussein/" rel="tag">Saddam Hussein</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saudi/" rel="tag">Saudi</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saudi-arabia/" rel="tag">Saudi Arabia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sayedat-al-najah-church/" rel="tag">Sayedat al-Najah Church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sunday-school/" rel="tag">sunday school</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/universities/" rel="tag">Universities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%83%d9%86%d9%8a%d8%b3%d8%a9-%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%af%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d8%ac%d8%a7%d8%a9/" rel="tag">كنيسة سيدة النجاة</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/visas/" rel="tag">visas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85%e2%80%8e/" rel="tag">الإسلام‎</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86/" rel="tag">بالمسيحيين</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <p>Their cathedrals stand silent and their neighbourhoods are rapidly emptying. Now <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/iraq" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq</a>’s Christians face two further unthinkable realities: that Christmas this year is all but cancelled, and that few among them will stay around to celebrate future holy days.</p> <p>It has been the worst of years for the country’s Christians, with thousands fleeing in the past month and more leaving the country during 2010 than at any time since the invasion nearly eight years ago. Christian leaders say there have been few more defining years in their 2,000-year history in central Arabia.</p> <p> <a title="20102412_captioned_memorial_murdered_christians by Gorillas Guides, on Flickr" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/5287899085/" class="external" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto 5px" height="276" alt="20102412_captioned_memorial_murdered_christians" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5287899085_689e1097d8_o.jpg" width="460"/></a> <p>The latest exodus follows a massacre led by al-Qaida at a Chaldean Catholic church in central Baghdad on 31 October, which left about 60 people dead, almost 100 maimed and an already apprehensive community terrified. Since then, the terrorist group has targeted Christians in their homes, including family members of those who survived the attack.</p> <p>In Baghdad, as well as the northern cities of Mosul and Kirkuk, Christmas services have been cancelled for fear of further violence. Church leaders said they would not put up Christmas decorations or celebrate midnight mass. They told families not to decorate their homes, for fear of attack after al-Qaida reiterated its threat to target Christians earlier this week.</p> <p>"Now more than 80% of Christians are not going to the churches," said the head of Iraq’s Christian Endowment group, Abdullah al-Noufali. "There is no more sunday school, no school for teaching Christianity. Yesterday we had a discussion about what we would do for Christmas. We took a decision just to do one mass. In years before we had many masses."</p> <p>Noufali’s church was closed and barricaded in 2005 when violence was consuming Baghdad. Many others had stayed open since then. Until now. In the wake of the attack on the Our Lady of Salvation church, at least 10 churches are believed to have been closed. At others, congregations are down to a handful.</p> <p>Iraq’s Christian population has halved since the ousting of Saddam Hussein. But in the past two months, the rate of departure has soared. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is reporting high numbers of registrations by Christians in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. And in Iraq’s Kurdish north, the number of refugees is overwhelming.</p> <p>Christians have been arriving since the president of the Kurdish regional government, Massoud Barazani, offered them protection and refuge days after the massacre.</p> <p>Kurdish officials say at least 1,000 families have taken up the offer. Noufali believes the number is far higher. He says the Kurds have been warm and welcoming, but fears that moving there does not offer his community a long-term solution.</p> <p>"We have seen in Kurdistan that they have no ability to accept the Kurdish students in the universities," he said. "There are not enough chairs in the university for them. They must have opportunity to learn and work. The problem is not just security."</p> <p>In Lebanon, the plight of Iraq’s Christians is being carefully scrutinised. Father Yusef Muwaness, of the Council of Catholic Churches in the Middle East, said: "We understand the shock [the Iraqis] are enduring. We want them to know that they won’t be left alone.</p> <p>"There are ancient issues at work. These people [al-Qaida] are killing because of a fatwa. There has not been a mufti who has stood up and said this is wrong."</p> <p>Lebanon’s Christians once held a demographic majority. Emigration and a brutal civil war has whittled numbers away. Amin Gemayel, a former Lebanese president and now patriarch of many of the country’s remaining Christians, believes far more could be done by Muslim leaders to ensure that the exodus is not total.</p> <p>"The Christians were very nationalistic," he said. "They are part of the foundations of this area. We can’t understand such extremity then passivity from the leaders. When the region is completely cleansed of other religions (apart from Islam) it will be a surrender to the fundamentalists."</p> <p>In the Chaldean archdiocese in Baabda, above Beirut, Father Hanna has been receiving Iraqi families fleeing their homeland. "I would go back there to give a service in front of one person, if I had to," he said. "But even that may not be possible now. Since 1 November, we have seen 450 families register here. Many more have gone to the UN."</p> <p>Among those who have stayed in Iraq and tried to build a new life in the north, there are mixed feelings. "Three days after the church attack I left my house (in Baghdad) and came to the KRG," said Georges Qudah, 30, a pharmacy assistant. "At the main checkpoint I said we are a Christian family, and they said we are welcome to stay as long as we want. I feel safe and comfortable here, but the problem is how to live. The council here has given us blankets and beds, but housing is very expensive."</p> <p>In Baghdad, there are few signs of the joy of Christmas.</p> <p>"There is no hope here anymore," says Noufali. "No one can believe they [the Christians] will stay. Christmas came with two messages, peace in the world and hope for the people and we need these two things for our life in Iraq. If there are no more Christians here, I am certain Iraq will become a more dangerous country."</p> <h3>Christianity in the Middle East</h3> <p> Freedom of worship for Christians varies greatly across the Middle East. <p>In Lebanon, where about half the population are Christian, believers are allowed to practise their faith without fear of persecution. The Maronite Church is the largest, most politically active and influential denomination, holding 34 of the 64 Christian seats in the Lebanese parliament.</p> <p>In Jordan, Christians are free to profess their faith, build churches, schools, hospitals and universities. They attend mass and there are public celebrations of religious festivals and ceremonies. They experience less discrimination and more freedom than fellow believers in Egypt and Iraq. There is a similar portrait of stability and freedom in Syria, where Christians comprise up to 10% of the population.</p> <p>Evangelising bvy Protestants in Jordan has prompted a crackdown on churches, visas and summer camps. Attempting to convert Muslims is illegal, but there is no law against proselytising to other Christians and some Catholic and Orthodox groups have complained of energetic wooing from Protestants. It is this evangelising that has offended authorities, keen to avoid religious zealotry of any sort.</p> <p>What Saudi Arabia lacks in violent persecution it makes up for in outright intolerance. There is no religious freedom in Saudi Arabia, which counts a million Catholics in its population. The country allows Christians to enter for work purposes but severely restricts the practise of their faith.</p> <p>Christians worship in private homes and there are bans on religious articles including Bibles, crucifixes, statues, carvings and items bearing religious symbols. The religious police bar the practice of any religion other than Islam. Conversion of a Muslim to another religion is considered apostasy and carries a death sentence if the accused does not recant. Still, Christians in Saudi Arabia are positively blessed compared with those of Iraq. <strong>Riazat Butt</strong></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/23/iraq-christian-exodus-christmas" class="external" target="_blank">Christian exodus from Iraq gathers pace</a> | by Martin Chulov in Baghdad |  <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.guardian.co.uk/" target="_blank" class="external">The Guardian</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11965"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/17/iraqi-christians-flee-baghdad-after-cathedral-massacre/#respond" title="Comment on Iraqi Christians flee Baghdad after cathedral massacre">No Comments</a></span> Posted on December 17th, 2010 by markfromireland</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/17/iraqi-christians-flee-baghdad-after-cathedral-massacre/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Iraqi Christians flee Baghdad after cathedral massacre">Iraqi Christians flee Baghdad after cathedral massacre</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/religion/" title="View all posts in Religion" rel="category tag">Religion</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/assyria/" rel="tag">Assyria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/assyrian/" rel="tag">Assyrian</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-endowment/" rel="tag">Christian endowment</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-families/" rel="tag">christian families</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" rel="tag">Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/civilian-casualties/" rel="tag">Civilian casualties</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/egypt/" rel="tag">Egypt</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-christians/" rel="tag">iraqi christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/islam/" rel="tag">Islam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/jordan/" rel="tag">Jordan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/middle-east/" rel="tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/muslim-leaders/" rel="tag">muslim leaders</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/port-said/" rel="tag">Port Said</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/refugees/" rel="tag">Refugees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/un-high-commission-for-refugees/" rel="tag">un high commission for refugees</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85%e2%80%8e/" rel="tag">الإسلام‎</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86/" rel="tag">بالمسيحيين</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="border-right: black 1px solid; padding-right: 5px; border-top: black 1px solid; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; border-left: black 1px solid; width: 300px; padding-top: 5px; border-bottom: black 1px solid"> <p>UN says more than 1,000 families have left capital after 58 were killed in attack on church in October</p> <p> <a title="20101217_guardian_irak_christians_captioned by Gorillas Guides, on Flickr" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/5269735020/" class="external" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline; float: right; margin: 5px 0px" height="180" alt="20101217_guardian_irak_christians_captioned" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/5269735020_b9b9a0571c_o.jpg" width="300" align="right"/></a> <p>From: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/martin-chulov" class="external" target="_blank">Martin Chulov</a> in Baghdad </p> </p></div> <p> Thousands of Christians have been forced to flee in seeking refuge from militant attacks after the siege at a Catholic cathedral in October, the United Nations said today. . <p>The UN High Commission For Refugees said at least 1,000 families had fled Baghdad and Mosul since 1 September for the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/iraq" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq</a>. A further 133 families had registered with the organisation in Syria, as had 109 individuals in Jordan.</p> <p>Father Hanna, the leading Assyrian Catholic priest in Beirut said that 450 recently arrived families had contacted with his office and plan to ask the UN for help.</p> <p>The mass movement of Iraq’s Christians, the remnants of which make up one of the most ancient communities in the Middle East, was sparked by the brutal siege in a Baghdad Assyrian Catholic cathedral on October 31, which left at least 58 people dead and around 100 injured.</p> <p>Since then, Christian families have been increasingly targeted in their homes, among them survivors of the church massacre. The violence is being driven by al-Qaida and its affiliates and is being seen as an attempt to ignite sectarian chaos after repeated attempts to lure Iraq’s Shias back into battle had failed.</p> <p>"We have heard many accounts of people fleeing their homes after receiving direct threats. Some were able to take only a few belongings with them," the UN report said.</p> <p>There are thought to be around 500,000 Christians remaining in Iraq, down from 1 million when Saddam Hussein was ousted. They enjoyed protection under Saddam and have not been persecuted by the various Shia-led regimes that have ruled Iraq since. However, many Christian leaders fear that Iraq’s leaders can no longer safeguard them from attacks. Many suggest that the last six weeks mark the beginning of the end of an era in Iraq that dates back almost 2,000 years.</p> <p>The UN described the movement as a slow but steady exodus, but Christian leaders disputed this. "I can tell you that the numbers the UN are citing are too low," said Abdullah al-Naftali, head of Iraq’s Christian Endowment Group.</p> <p>"We have recorded a 213% increase in normal departures since the church massacre. It is not a slow, or steady exodus – it is a rapid one."</p> <p>The large numbers of families looking for refuge in Iraq’s Kurdish north have been drawn there by the region’s president, Massoud Barazani, who last month pledged to protect and shelter them.</p> <p>Iraq’s central government has also increased security around churches and Christian enclaves.</p> <p>"The Iraqi government has reiterated its commitment to increase the protection of places of worship," the UN said. "While overall civilian casualties are lower this year than last, it appears that minority groups are increasingly susceptible to threats and attacks."</p> <p>The exodus has sparked widespread concern among Christian communities elsewhere in the Middle East, such as Lebanon and Egypt, where they enjoy freedom, but are apprehensive about declining demographic balance.</p> <p>"The Christians in general in the broader Middle East are not really secured and feel a kind of uncertainty all over the Islamic world," said Amin Gemayel, a former president of Lebanon and patriarch of the country’s largest Christian bloc.</p> <p>"Unfortunately there is a kind of unconsciousness among the Muslim leaders," he said in an interview with the Guardian. "Even among the moderates we don’t feel an effective reaction or see initiatives to stop this kind of behaviour," he added, referring to attacks by extremists.</p> <p>"This is very negative for the Muslim world. The Christians bring a lot to the region. They are eastern people with eastern feelings and eastern values."</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/17/iraq-christians-flee-baghdad-cathedral" class="external" target="_blank">Iraqi Christians flee Baghdad after cathedral massacre | World news | The Guardian</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11944"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/14/analysis-an-exodus-of-christians-from-iraq/#respond" title="Comment on Analysis: An exodus of Christians from Iraq">No Comments</a></span> Posted on December 14th, 2010 by Yusuf Al-Jezani</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/14/analysis-an-exodus-of-christians-from-iraq/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Analysis: An exodus of Christians from Iraq">Analysis: An exodus of Christians from Iraq</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/religion/" title="View all posts in Religion" rel="category tag">Religion</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-qaeda/" rel="tag">Al Qaeda</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/analysis/" rel="tag">Analysis</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/catholic-church/" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-exodus/" rel="tag">christian exodus</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-minority/" rel="tag">christian minority</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-solidarity-international/" rel="tag">Christian Solidarity International</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christianity/" rel="tag">Christianity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-killing-of/" rel="tag">Christians - killing of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-persecution-of/" rel="tag">Christians - persecution of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-right-to-protection/" rel="tag">christians - right to protection</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-in-iraq/" rel="tag">christians in iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christmas/" rel="tag">Christmas</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/churches/" rel="tag">churches</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/clash-of-civilizations/" rel="tag">clash of civilizations</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/coptic-christians/" rel="tag">Coptic Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/egypt/" rel="tag">Egypt</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/extremists/" rel="tag">Extremists</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/france/" rel="tag">France</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/fundamentalists/" rel="tag">fundamentalists</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/genocide/" rel="tag">Genocide</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gzg-failure-to-protect-christians/" rel="tag">GZG failure to protect Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/history/" rel="tag">History</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" rel="tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/intimidation/" rel="tag">intimidation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iran/" rel="tag">Iran</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-christians/" rel="tag">iraqi christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/islam/" rel="tag">Islam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/islamic-state-of-iraq/" rel="tag">islamic state of iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israel/" rel="tag">Israel</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/middle-east/" rel="tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/minority-communities/" rel="tag">minority communities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/monasteries/" rel="tag">Monasteries</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/new-york-times/" rel="tag">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/niger/" rel="tag">Niger</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/nigeria/" rel="tag">Nigeria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/pakistan/" rel="tag">Pakistan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/prince-turki-al-faisal/" rel="tag">prince turki al faisal</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/religious-freedom/" rel="tag">religious freedom</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saudi/" rel="tag">Saudi</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/security-forces/" rel="tag">security forces</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syrian-catholic-church/" rel="tag">syrian catholic church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/unhcr/" rel="tag">UNHCR</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85%e2%80%8e/" rel="tag">الإسلام‎</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="border-right: black 1px solid; padding-right: 5px; border-top: black 1px solid; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; border-left: black 1px solid; width: 360px; padding-top: 5px; border-bottom: black 1px solid"> <p>“What is often unnoticed in the Middle East is the devastating effect of U.S. policy on Christians in the region. U.S. policymakers have never taken the plight of Christians seriously, whether in Iraq or in Lebanon. There may be protests of specific violations, but not in those areas where the U.S. or Israelis have other strategic interests. For all the communication with U.S. government over the past 20 years, I have seen no serious action from any administration to improve protection for Christians. Religious freedom is basically a reporting matter and no more.”<img style="display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto 5px" height="286" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://gorillasguides.com/images/UNHCRstartstohelphundredsofIraqiChristia_33C/20081024_christian_refugee_child_syria.jpg" width="359"/></p> <p>"Iraqi Christians represent only 3 percent of the population, they account for 20 percent of the Iraqis who have emigrated abroad."</p> <p>"That’s largely because they have the connections to Western churches and family members who are already abroad in places like Detroit, Toronto, Los Angeles and elsewhere and therefore have a better chance of getting out."</p> </p></div> <p>WASHINGTON — A steady exodus of Christians from the Middle East and — most dramatically — from Iraq since the October slaughter of 57 churchgoers in Baghdad, has a long and layered history.</p> <p>The diminishing Christian presence in the land where the faith began some 2,000 years ago is an issue about which anyone — of any faith, or of no faith — who is concerned about the future of the Middle East, should care deeply.</p> <p>But when it comes out of a simple, emotional response by a Christian West wanting to defend a Christian minority in the East during Christmas time, it leads down a dangerous road in history. It’s a perilous path that sets out from the Crusades, when England and France marched off to save the Holy Land and its Christians from Muslim conquest, and one littered with moral hazards and potential for even greater violence.</p> <p>The whole message of the New Testament would be to care about all who are suffering in war-torn Iraq, not just Christians. And there are lots of people suffering in Iraq.</p> <p>So the starting point to understanding the lessons of the recent Iraqi Christian exodus is to not allow the religious extremists — neither Muslim nor Christian nor any other faith — to exploit the attacks and present them out of context as a “clash of civilizations,” that self-fulfilling prophecy coined by the late Harvard University historian, Samuel Huntington.</p> <p>A glimpse of the writing on the wall can be seen along the back alleys in the Iraqi Christian neighborhoods of Baghdad and Mosul. That’s where a militant fringe has for years been scribbling anti-Christian hatred in the form of graffiti.</p> <p>A particularly ominous anti-Christian bit of graffiti, which I first saw spray-painted on walls at least 12 years ago in Egypt when Islamic fundamentalists were targeting Coptic Christians, has reportedly resurfaced in Iraq in recent months. The translation from the Arabic slogan is this: “First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people.”</p> <p>The phrase is an overt threat intended to say that Muslims, who worship on Friday, have already pushed many Jews, who worship on Saturday, out of the Middle East and that now they will do the same to the Christians.</p> <p>Long before Sept. 11 and the “War on Terror,” it often felt like Selma, Ala. circa 1960 in many Christian minority communities of the Middle East.</p> <p>This climate of threat and intimidation and sometimes violence has been boiling to the surface in places around the world where the Muslim majority collides with a Christian minority, such as Egypt, Pakistan, Sudan, Iran, Nigeria and elsewhere.</p> <p>But nowhere is a palpable sense of fear and a Christian exodus from the Middle East more dramatic right now than Iraq, where analysts estimate that fully half of the country’s Christians have left since 2003.</p> <p>It was Oct. 31, a Sunday, at the Syrian Catholic Church of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad that the climate of fear was made horrifyingly real and where it became clear that Al Qaeda-inspired elements were going to go right to the third rail of the Western influence in the Middle East by targeting indigenous Christians — trying to break the 2,000-year continuum of a living Christian presence in Iraq.</p> <p>It was at the very end of an All Saints Day mass, when eight heavily armed men, purportedly inspired by Al Qaeda, invaded the church in the heart of Baghdad just as Wassim Sabih, the priest, was about to conclude the service with the words, “The Mass has ended, go in peace.”</p> <p>According to published reports based on eyewitness accounts, Sabih never got the words out as the militants opened fire. They pointed their weapons at him and silenced him as he began pleading for the release of his parishioners.</p> <p>They took the parishioners hostage and demanded the release of two Muslim women who were supposedly held by Egyptian Coptic Christians. Iraqi Security Forces responded and in the wild gun battle that ensued, grenades were thrown by the militants, and in the end of that Sunday’s mass, 57 people were dead, including two priests.</p> <p>A group calling itself The Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack. Believed to be an offshoot of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the group issued a bulletin, saying, “All Christian centers, organizations and institutions, leaders and followers are legitimate targets.” And that they will kill Christians “wherever they can reach them.”</p> <p>In the historical comparison of Selma, the Ku Klux Klan, which in this context would be Al Qaeda, has always been menacing, but now it is on the rise and openly attacking churches.</p> <p>It is attempting to stoke the emotional fury of a Christian West to defend the indigenous Christians, and draw it deeper into a fight, to draw us into an understanding that this is indeed a “clash of civilizations.”</p> <p>That is precisely how Al Qaeda sees this historical moment. And it is precisely why it’s wise for the United States and the West to avoid seeing it that way. Al Qaeda is a tiny criminal, terrorist organization with a warped, 12th-century ideology.</p> <p>It is not a civilization.</p> <p>Drew Christiansen, editor of "America," a national Catholic weekly magazine published by Jesuits, said that too often there is an overreaction or selective reaction to these attacks, and too little done by U.S. policymakers.</p> <p>“What is often unnoticed in the Middle East is the devastating effect of U.S. policy on Christians in the region,” he said. “U.S. policymakers have never taken the plight of Christians seriously, whether in Iraq or in Lebanon. There may be protests of specific violations, but not in those areas where the U.S. or Israelis have other strategic interests. For all the communication with U.S. government over the past 20 years, I have seen no serious action from any administration to improve protection for Christians. Religious freedom is basically a reporting matter and no more.”</p> <p>Predictably, there are often shrill responses to these kinds of attacks on churches, particularly from the Christian right and at times from right-wing Jewish groups that see peril in the whole message of Islam and are quick to see these attacks as evidence of that.</p> <p>Here’s an example. I recently sat with John Eibner, head of something called Christian Solidarity International, which is a Washington-based advocacy group focusing on the persecution of Christians around the world, said on the Christians in Iraq, "Only the U.S. can save them and if we don’t, the U.S. will be responsible for what amounts to genocide."</p> <p>"The human rights community doesn’t want to touch this because it is not politically correct," he said.</p> <p>There’s a kernal of truth in that and no reason to doubt Eibner is well intentioned, but overreacting to events in the Middle East can often conflate the problems and calling the violence and intimidation a "genocide" is ridiculous.</p> <p>Prince Turki Al Faisal, the longtime head of Saudi intelligence and the former ambassador to Washington, was in the United States in November and participated in an interfaith dialogue with Christian groups. In an interview with GlobalPost, he referred to the attacks in Iraq, saying, “It’s Al Qaeda being Al Qaeda. They are making a concerted strategy knowing it would cause a reaction and an overreaction in the West. They absolutely know what they are doing … We have to be careful not to let them succeed by overreacting.”</p> <p>The truth is just about everyone lives in fear in Iraq, and just about everyone has suffered violence. Many religious and ethnic groups have been targeted in much larger numbers in the violence and chaos that followed the 2003 invasion.</p> <p>Just two days after the church attack, a spate of bombs in Sunni and Shia neighborhoods killed 68 people and wounded hundreds. An article in Monday’s editions of<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/world/middleeast/13iraq.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast" class="external" target="_blank"> The New York Times</a> [2] provides an important piece of context to focus on: While Iraqi Christians represent only 3 percent of the population, they account for 20 percent of the Iraqis who have emigrated abroad.</p> <p>That’s largely because they have the connections to Western churches and family members who are already abroad in places like Detroit, Toronto, Los Angeles and elsewhere and therefore have a better chance of getting out.</p> <p>More than half of the Iraqi Christian community, estimated to be 800,000 prior to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, have left, according to the Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute.</p> <p>But the threat to Christians and the violence they are suffering is just as bad as the threat to Shia or Sunni Muslims, who are also trying to be part of a new Iraq — one where violence is beginning to subside and where the governing crisis is finally settling down. Those Iraqis care about their Christian neighbors and friends and know the important role they play in Iraq moving forward. Those are the Iraqis who don’t want the Christians to flee.</p> <p>In 2006, I had a chance to actually ask Samuel Huntington about his 1996 book, "The Clash of Civilizations," and about whether it’s central premise might actually be self-fulfilling, particularly in the wake of Sept. 11. He often felt that his scholarship was taken out of context, he said, and he confided that he wished he had titled it differently, perhaps “Clashes of Civilizations” or something not to allow people to so easily misinterpret his work.</p> <p>Huntington passed away, but we have a chance to not allow people to misinterpret history or the events unfolding around us, and that’s how best to ponder the suffering of Christians — and everyone else — in Iraq.</p> <blockquote></blockquote> <p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/iraq/101213/iraq-christians-al-qaeda?page=0,0" class="external" target="_blank">Iraq | Christianity | Al Qaeda</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11757"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/11/03/if-christians-leave-the-gates-of-hell-will-open/#respond" title="Comment on If Christians leave, the “gates of hell” will open">No Comments</a></span> Posted on November 3rd, 2010 by Suheila Jamil</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/11/03/if-christians-leave-the-gates-of-hell-will-open/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to If Christians leave, the “gates of hell” will open">If Christians leave, the “gates of hell” will open</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/analysis-briefings-commentary/" title="View all posts in Analysis Briefings Commentary" rel="category tag">Analysis Briefings Commentary</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/features/" title="View all posts in Features" rel="category tag">Features</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/iraq/" title="View all posts in News" rel="category tag">News</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/asharq-alawsat-newspaper/" rel="tag">asharq alawsat newspaper</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/asia-news/" rel="tag">Asia News</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/assassination/" rel="tag">assassination</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/atrocities/" rel="tag">atrocities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" rel="tag">Baghdad</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/catholic-church/" rel="tag">Catholic Church</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-churches-and-monasteries-attacks-on/" rel="tag">Christian churches and monasteries - attacks on</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" rel="tag">Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-persecution-of/" rel="tag">Christians - persecution of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-in-iraq/" rel="tag">christians in iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/churches/" rel="tag">churches</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/churches-attacks-on/" rel="tag">Churches - attacks on</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/displacement/" rel="tag">displacement</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic/" rel="tag">ethnic</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iraqi-christians/" rel="tag">iraqi christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/karrada/" rel="tag">Karrada</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" rel="tag">Kirkuk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/massacres/" rel="tag">Massacres</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/militia/" rel="tag">Militia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/militias/" rel="tag">Militias</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/murder/" rel="tag">murder</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" rel="tag">Syria</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syriac-catholic/" rel="tag">syriac catholic</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86/" rel="tag">بالمسيحيين</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; width: 300px; padding-top: 0px"> <div class="container"> <div class="shadow"> <div class="frame"> <p>London (<a title="AsiaNews" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/If-Christians-leave,-the-%E2%80%9Cgates-of-hell%E2%80%9D-will-open-19891.html" class="external" target="_blank">AsiaNews</a>) – “The plot” to attack the cathedral “had been in preparation for a long time, considering the weapons and ammunition found in the cathedral . . . these take a long time to stockpile,” said Fr Youssef Thomas Mirkis, a Dominican clergyman. The result is that it “is clear now is that they [Christians] will all leave Iraq,” said Pius Kasha, vicar of Iraq’s Syriac Catholic Church. Both quotes are in an editorial signed by Tariq Alhomayed, editor of the London-based pan-Arabic daily <i>Al Sharq Al Awsat</i>. </p> <p>In his article, he asks a question, namely “What has been done since 2008, rather than 2003, by the Iraqi government to protect an Iraqi component from repression and organized violence?”, and answers it: “Unfortunately, [. . .] nothing!” </p> <p>For Alhomayed, al-Qaeda is obviously to blame. The terrorist group has in fact not hesitated in carrying out massacred and committing atrocities, but for him the issue is what Iraqi authorities have done to defend Iraq’s Christians, for “Iraqi Christians remain targets in public”’ despite being “outspoken in their demand for government protection”. </p> <p>Since 2008, Iraqi Christians have turned to the Churches (rather the government) for protection against violence, at least the half that is still left in the country. </p> <p>Without self-defence militias, Christians have turned to church buildings that are guarded by security personnel. He wonders though, “how did the terrorists get in” in the latest incident. </p> <p>In his view, targeting “minorities, including Iraqi Christians, means the disintegration of Iraq”. It “is an infringement upon its cultural and political composition. We must ensure that minorities are not excluded on sectarian or ethnic grounds, for this will open the gates of hell. [. . .] We must also ensure that tomorrow, the same events do not occur but with Lebanon’s Christians, God forbid. Therefore we say: protect the Christians in our region, in order to protect the virtue of co-existence.” </p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/If-Christians-leave,-the-%E2%80%9Cgates-of-hell%E2%80%9D-will-open-19891.html" class="external" target="_blank">IRAQ If Christians leave, the “gates of hell” will open – Asia News</a></p> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> <h3>Protect Iraq’s Christians </h3> <p></p> <p><a title="02/11/2010" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=22895" class="external" target="_blank">02/11/2010</a> </p> <p>By Tariq Alhomayed</p> </p> <p>Fearing that our readers might think I only want to fill column space, I would have re-published my article “We Must Protect Iraq’s Christians”, first published on October 12th 2008. </p> <p>In that article I said that “it is the duty of all Iraqis, not just the government in Baghdad, to protect Iraqi Christians from murder and displacement, and all types of repression against them, especially because they have never been part of alliances against Iraq. They did not come with [L. Paul] Bremer, and others. Iraqi Christians also suffer the worst conditions of any Christians in the region”. </p> <p>This came against the backdrop of an appeal from the Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk, Luis Saca, informing the Iraqi government of the need to protect Iraq’s Christians, when he said that “The Christians in Iraq do not have militias or clans to defend them”. He added “I feel pain and injustice, because innocent people are being killed and we do not know why”. </p> <p>At the time, we faced condemnation and media campaigns by people affiliated with the Iraqi government, but here we are today witnessing a massacre, along with other atrocities against Christians in Iraq. The massacre did not happen at a checkpoint, or as the result of an assassination of a Christian figure at his home, or on a random road. Instead, it was an organized, armed attack on the Syriac Catholic Church of Our Lady, in the Karrada district of Baghdad. Reports suggest 52 people were killed, nearly two years after the call of Bishop Luis Saca, urging the Iraqi government to protect Christians. </p> <p>It was striking when Father Youssef Thomas Mirkis, head of the Dominican sect in Iraq, said after yesterday’s massacre that “the plot had been in preparation for a long time, considering the weapons and ammunition found in the cathedral…these take a long time to stockpile”. The words of the vicar of Iraq’s Syriac Catholic Church, Pius Kasha, were deeply saddening, when he said “what is clear now is that they [Christians] will all leave Iraq”. </p> <p>Thus, the question today is: What has been done since 2008, rather than 2003, by the Iraqi government to protect an Iraqi component from repression and organized violence? Unfortunately, the answer is nothing! It is easy to accuse al-Qaeda, an organization which never hesitates to commit massacres and atrocities. However, Iraqi Christians remain targets in public, and are outspoken in their demand for government protection, so what has Nuri al-Maliki’s government done for them? </p> <p>One of the hostages in yesterday’s terrorist attack said “Men wearing military uniforms broke into the church carrying their weapons, and killed a priest on the spot”. It is well known that since 2008, Iraq’s Christians, nearly half of whom have left the country, are now turning to the churches [instead of the government] in search of protection from violence. Interestingly, the targeted church was under the protection of security personnel, so how did the terrorists get in? </p> <p>We can only return to what we said in 2008; that the targeting of minorities, including Iraqi Christians, means the disintegration of Iraq, and is an infringement upon its cultural and political composition. We must ensure that minorities are not excluded on sectarian or ethnic grounds, for this will open the gates of hell. Some are able to incite such a possibility, but so far no one can ensure this will not happen. We must also ensure that tomorrow, the same events do not occur but with Lebanon’s Christians, God forbid. Therefore we say: protect the Christians in our region, in order to protect the virtue of co-existence. </p> <p><strong>Source:</strong> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=22895" class="external" target="_blank">Protect Iraq’s Christians Asharq Alawsat Newspaper (English)</a></p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/If-Christians-leave,-the-%E2%80%9Cgates-of-hell%E2%80%9D-will-open-19891.html" class="external" target="_blank"></a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="post clearfix" id="post-11700"> <div class="postmetadata"><span class="comments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/10/26/exodus/#respond" title="Comment on Exodus">No Comments</a></span> Posted on October 26th, 2010 by Ali</div> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/10/26/exodus/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Exodus">Exodus</a></h3> <p class="postmetadata">Category: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/english-articles/" title="View all posts in English Language Articles" rel="category tag">English Language Articles</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/human-rights/" title="View all posts in Human Rights" rel="category tag">Human Rights</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/category/religion/" title="View all posts in Religion" rel="category tag">Religion</a>, Tags: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-amin/" rel="tag">al-Amin</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/america/" rel="tag">America</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/arabs/" rel="tag">Arabs</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/arbil/" rel="tag">Arbil</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/archbishop-paul-faraj-kidnapping-and-murder-of/" rel="tag">Archbishop Paul Faraj - kidnapping and murder of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/beirut/" rel="tag">Beirut</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/cairo/" rel="tag">Cairo</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/catholics/" rel="tag">Catholics</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-churches/" rel="tag">christian churches</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-faith/" rel="tag">christian faith</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-minorities/" rel="tag">christian minorities</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christian-population/" rel="tag">christian population</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christianity/" rel="tag">Christianity</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" rel="tag">Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians-persecution-of/" rel="tag">Christians - persecution of</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/churches/" rel="tag">churches</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/constitution/" rel="tag">Constitution</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/coptic-christians/" rel="tag">Coptic Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/crusaders/" rel="tag">crusaders</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/easter/" rel="tag">Easter</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/egypt/" rel="tag">Egypt</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" rel="tag">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/filipinos/" rel="tag">Filipinos</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/first-gulf-war/" rel="tag">first gulf war</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/fundamentalists/" rel="tag">fundamentalists</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/gulf-war/" rel="tag">Gulf War</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/independent-the-uk/" rel="tag">Independent -The (UK)</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iran/" rel="tag">Iran</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/islam/" rel="tag">Islam</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/israel/" rel="tag">Israel</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/jordan/" rel="tag">Jordan</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kidnapping/" rel="tag">kidnapping</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lorient-le-jour/" rel="tag">L'Orient-Le Jour</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/" rel="tag">Lebanon</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/maronite-catholics/" rel="tag">maronite catholics</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/maronites/" rel="tag">maronites</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mecca/" rel="tag">Mecca</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/medina/" rel="tag">Medina</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/middle-east/" rel="tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/monsignor-fouad-twal/" rel="tag">Monsignor Fouad Twal</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" rel="tag">Mosul</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/northern-iraq/" rel="tag">northern iraq</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/occupation/" rel="tag">occupation</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/palestine/" rel="tag">Palestine</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/palestinians/" rel="tag">palestinians</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/pilgrimages/" rel="tag">Pilgrimages</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/pope/" rel="tag">Pope</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/rabia/" rel="tag">Rabia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/religion/" rel="tag">Religion</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/religious-freedom/" rel="tag">religious freedom</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/robert-fisk/" rel="tag">Robert Fisk</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sadat-anwar/" rel="tag">Sadat - Anwar</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/saudi-arabia/" rel="tag">Saudi Arabia</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/vatican/" rel="tag">Vatican</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/violence/" rel="tag">violence</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/west-bank/" rel="tag">West Bank</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85%e2%80%8e/" rel="tag">الإسلام‎</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86/" rel="tag">بالمسيحيين</a></p> <div class="entry" dir="rtl" align="right"> <div style="padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 5px; float: right; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 15px; width: 360px; padding-top: 0px"> <div class="container"> <div class="shadow"> <div class="frame"> <strong>From Israel to Iraq, a Christian flight of Biblical proportions has begun.</strong> <p><a title="20100913_cross_with_lights_Arbil by Gorillas Guides, on Flickr" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/27086036@N02/5117481728/" class="external" target="_blank"><img height="238" alt="20100913_cross_with_lights_Arbil" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1189/5117481728_113dc0d2e6_o.jpg" width="350"/></a></p> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> </p></div> <p>In the centre of the rebuilt Beirut, the massive old Maronite Cathedral of St George stands beside the even larger mass of the new Mohammad al-Amin mosque. The mosque’s minarets tower over the cathedral, but the Maronites were built a spanking new archbishop’s house between the two buildings as compensation. Yet every day, the two calls to prayer – the clanging of church bells and the wailing of the muezzin – beat an infernal percussion across the city. Both bells and wails are tape recordings, but they have been turned up to the highest decibel pitch to outdo each other, louder than an aircraft’s roar, almost as crazed as the nightclub music from Gemmayzeh across the square. But the Christians are leaving.</p> <p>Across the Middle East, it is the same story of despairing – sometimes frightened – Christian minorities, and of an exodus that reaches almost Biblical proportions. Almost half of Iraq’s Christians have fled their country since the first Gulf War in 1991, most of them after the 2004 invasion – a weird tribute to the self-proclaimed Christian faith of the two Bush presidents who went to war with Iraq – and stand now at 550,000, scarcely 3 per cent of the population. More than half of Lebanon’s Christians now live outside their country. Once a majority, the nation’s one and a half million Christians, most of them Maronite Catholics, comprise perhaps 35 per cent of the Lebanese. Egypt’s Coptic Christians – there are at most around eight million – now represent less than 10 per cent of the population.</p> <p>This is, however, not so much a flight of fear, more a chronicle of a death foretold. Christians are being outbred by the majority Muslim populations in their countries and they are almost hopelessly divided. In Jerusalem, there are 13 different Christian churches and three patriarchs. A Muslim holds the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to prevent Armenian and Orthodox priests fighting each other at Easter. </p> <p>When more than 200 members of 14 different churches – some of them divided – gathered in Rome last week for a papal synod on the loss of Christian populations in the lands where Christianity began, it was greeted with boredom or ignored altogether by most of the West’s press.</p> <p>Yet nowhere is the Christian fate sadder than in the territories around Jerusalem. As Monsignor Fouad Twal, the ninth Latin patriarch of Jerusalem and the second to be an Arab, put it bleakly, "the Israelis regard us as 100 per cent Palestinian Arabs and we are oppressed in the same way as the Muslims. But Muslim fundamentalists identify us with the Christian West – which is not always true – and want us to pay the price." With Christian Palestinians in Bethlehem cut off from Jerusalem by the same Israeli wall which imprisons their Muslim brothers, there is now, Twal says, "a young generation of Christians who do not know or visit the Holy Sepulchre".</p> <p>The Jordanian royal family have always protected their Christian population – at 350,000, it is around 6 per cent of the population – but this is perhaps the only flame of hope in the region. The divisions within Christianity proved even more dangerous to their community than the great Sunni-Shia divide did to the Muslims of the Middle East. Even the Crusaders were divided in their 100-year occupation of Palestine, or "Outremer", as they called it. The Lebanese journalist Fady Noun, a Christian, wrote a profound article from Rome last week in which he spoke of the Christian loss as "a great wound haemorrhaging blood", and bemoaned both Christian division and "egoism" for what he saw as a spiritual as well as a physical emigration. "There are those Christians who reach a kind of indifference… in Western countries who, swayed by the culture of these countries and the media, persuade eastern Christians to forget their identity," he wrote.</p> <p>Pope Benedict, whose mournful visit to the Holy Land last year prompted him to call the special synod which ended in the Vatican at the weekend, has adopted his usual perspective – that, despite their difficulties, Christians of the "Holy Land" must reinvigorate their feelings as "living stones" of the Middle Eastern Church. "To live in dignity in your own nation is before everything a fundamental human right," he said. "That is why you must support conditions of peace and justice, which are indispensable for the harmonious development of all the inhabitants of the region." But the Pope’s words sometimes suggested that real peace and justice lay in salvation rather than historical renewal.</p> <p>Patriarch Twal believes that the Pope understood during his trip to Israel and the West Bank last year "the disastrous consequences of the conflict between Jews and Palestinian Arabs" and has stated openly that one of the principal causes of Christian emigration is "the Israeli occupation, the Christians’ lack of freedom of movement, and the economic circumstances in which they live". But he does not see the total disappearance of the Christian faith in the Middle East. "We must have the courage to accept that we are Arabs and Christians and be faithful to this identity. Our wonderful mission is to be a bridge between East and West."</p> <p>One anonymous prelate at the Rome synod, quoted in one of the synod’s working papers, took a more pragmatic view. "Let’s stop saying there is no problem with Muslims; this isn’t true," he said. "The problem doesn’t only come from fundamentalists, but from constitutions. In all the countries of the region except Lebanon, Christians are second-class citizens." If religious freedom is guaranteed in these countries, "it is limited by specific laws and practices". In Egypt, this has certainly been the case since President Sadat referred to himself as "the Muslim president of a Muslim country".</p> <p>The Lebanese Maronite Church – its priests, by the way, can marry – understands all too well how Christians can become aligned with political groups. The Lebanese writer Sami Khalife wrote last week in the French-language newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour – the francophone voice of Lebanon’s Christians – that a loss of moral authority had turned churches in his country into "political actors" which were beginning to sound like political parties. An open letter to the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, warning him to try to turn Lebanon into a "front line" against Israel, was signed by 250 Lebanese. Most of them were from the minority Christian community.</p> <p>Nor can the church ignore Saudi Arabia, where Christianity is banned as a religion just as much as the building of churches. Christians cannot visit the Islamic holy cities of Mecca or Medina – the doors of the Vatican and Canterbury Cathedral are at least open to Muslims – and 12 Filipinos and a priest were arrested in Saudi Arabia only this month for "proselytism" for holding a secret mass. There is, perhaps, a certain irony in the fact that the only balance to Christian emigration has been the arrival in the Middle East of perhaps a quarter of a million Christian Filipino guest workers – especially in the Gulf region – while Patriarch Twal reckons that around 40,000 of them now work and live in Israel and "Palestine".</p> <p>Needless to say, it is violence against Christians that occupies the West, a phenomenon nowhere better, or more bloodily, illustrated than by al-Qa’ida’s kidnapping of Archbishop Faraj Rahho in Mosul – an incident recorded in the US military archives revealed on Saturday – and his subsequent murder. When the Iraqi authorities later passed death sentences on two men for the killing, the church asked for them to be reprieved. In Egypt, there has been a gloomy increase in Christian-Muslim violence, especially in ancient villages in the far south of the country; in Cairo, Christian churches are now cordoned off by day-and-night police checkpoints.</p> <p>And while Western Christians routinely deplore the falling Christian populations of the Middle East, their visits to the region tend to concentrate on pilgrimages to Biblical sites rather than meetings with their Christian opposite numbers. </p> <p>Americans, so obsessed by the myths of East-West "clashes of civilisation" since 11 September 2001, often seem to regard Christianity as a "Western" rather than an Eastern religion, neatly separating the Middle East roots of their own religion from the lands of Islam. That in itself is a loss of faith.</p> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-exodus-the-changing-map-of-the-middle-east-2116463.html" class="external" target="_blank">Robert Fisk: Exodus. The changing map of the Middle East – Robert Fisk, Commentators – The Independent</a></p> </div> </div> <hr/> <div class="navigation"> <div class="alignleft"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/lebanon/page/2/">« Previous Entries</a></div> <div class="alignright"></div> </div> </div> <div id="sidebar" class="span-10 last"> <div class="span-10" id="tabs"> <ul> <li class="ui-tabs-nav-item"><a href="#featured-articles">Featured Articles</a></li> <li class="ui-tabs-nav-item"><a href="#latest-articles">Latest Articles</a></li> </ul> <div id="featured-articles" class="widget"> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/04/19/hezbollah-says-latest-bombings-in-iraq-thwart-mission-to-build-state/">Hezbollah says latest bombings in Iraq “thwart mission to build state”</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/03/22/malaysia-prepares-to-send-peacekeepers-on-humanitarian-mission-to-iraq/">Malaysia Prepares To Send Peacekeepers On Humanitarian Mission To Iraq</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/03/19/sadrists-flood-basra-in-million-strong-demo/">Sadrists flood Basra in million-strong demo</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/03/11/iraqi-refugees-return-home-from-syria-middle-east-al-jazeera-english/">Iraqi refugees return home from Syria – Middle East – Al Jazeera English</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/03/06/iraq-women-in-iraq-fact-sheet-reliefweb/">Iraq: Women in Iraq Fact Sheet | ReliefWeb</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/03/01/the-battle-in-homs-will-breed-more-battles/">The battle in Homs will breed more battles</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/02/29/iraq-protests-fail-to-make-impression-iwpr-institute-for-war-peace-reporting-p215/">Iraq Protests Fail to Make Impression – IWPR Institute for War & Peace Reporting – P215</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/02/27/iraq-film-festival-raising-human-rights-cawareness/">Iraq film festival: raising human rights cawareness:.</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/02/24/niqash-three-million-drink-from-mosuls-poisoned-river/">Niqash: Three million drink from mosul’s poisoned river</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/02/22/iraq-call-to-adopt-modern-irrigation-techniques/">IRAQ: Call to adopt modern irrigation techniques</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="latest-articles" class="widget"> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/09/%d9%81%d8%aa%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%84-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af-%d8%b1%d9%87%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%81%d9%82%d8%b1-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85/">فتيات الليل في بغداد رهينات الفقر والميليشيات</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/08/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%ad%d8%af%d8%a9-%d8%a3%d9%83%d8%ab%d8%b1-%d9%85%d9%86-63-%d8%a3%d9%84%d9%81-%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%a6-%d8%b3%d9%88%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d9%81%d9%8a/">الأمم المتحدة: أكثر من 63 ألف لاجئ سوري في العراق</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/07/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d8%a4%d9%83%d8%af-%d8%b6%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a5%d8%a8%d8%b9%d8%a7%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%b9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9/">الكربلائي يؤكد ضرورة إبعاد الشارع العراقي عن أجواء التشنج ويحذر من إراقة الدماء</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/05/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b1%d8%b3%d9%84-%d8%ae%d8%b7%d8%a9-%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%ae%d9%84/">البيشمركة ترسل خطة سلام الى بغداد من خلال مكتب التعاون الأمني للجيش الامريكي</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/03/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%81%d9%82-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%aa%d8%ab%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%82%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%b9/">المالكي يوافق على تثبيت المتعاقدين مع مفوضية الانتخابات</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/02/%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%ae%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%ae%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%aa%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%a8%d9%83%d8%aa%d9%8a%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%ae%d8%b5/">استخبارات الداخلية تعتقل شبكتين متخصصتين بالاغتيالات ضمن قاطع الكرخ من بغداد</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/29/%d8%ad%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%b0%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%ba%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d9%88%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%88%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a8/">حالات تعذيب واغتصاب ومنظمات نسوية في بغداد تطالب بزيارة سجون النساء</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/23/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a3%d9%8a-%d8%aa%d8%ad%d8%b4%d9%8a%d8%af-%d9%84%d9%82%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%a7-%d9%88%d8%aa%d8%a4%d9%83%d8%af/">البيشمركة تنفي أي تحشيد لقواتها وتؤكد التزامها بالتهدئة وحل المشاكل بالحوار</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/23/%d8%b9%d8%a8%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%87%d8%af%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d8%b7%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ad%d8%aa%d9%83%d8%a7%d9%85/">عبد المهدي الكربلائي يطالب بالاحتكام للدستور لحل ازمة عمليات دجلة ويدعو الى التهدئة</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/22/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%86-%d9%82%d8%a8%d9%88%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%af%d8%a6%d8%a9-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9/">بارزاني يعلن قبول التهدئة والبيشمركة تنفي أي تحشيد لقواتها وتؤكد التزامها بالحوار</a></li> </ul> </div> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> $("#tabs > ul").tabs(); </script> </div> <div class="column span-5 append-1"> <div class="widget"> <h4>Recent Comments</h4> <ul id="recentcomments"><li class="recentcomments">Hazim on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/08/31/maliki-throws-all-or-nothing-hat-into-election/comment-page-1/#comment-11526">Maliki throws all-or-nothing hat into election</a></li><li class="recentcomments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://iraqsolidaridad.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/los-ninos-de-iraq-merecio-la-pena/" rel="external nofollow" class="url external" target="_blank">Los niños de Iraq: ¿mereció la pena? « Iraqsolidaridad</a> on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2008/01/16/medact-wmd-conflict-the-iraq-health-crisis/comment-page-1/#comment-11521">Medact – WMD & Conflict – THE IRAQ HEALTH CRISIS</a></li><li class="recentcomments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/" rel="external nofollow" class="url">admin</a> on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2009/04/27/%d9%85%d8%ad%d8%a7%d9%83%d9%85%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d9%86%d8%af%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a-%d9%85%d8%ba%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%a8-%d9%88%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84/comment-page-1/#comment-11520">محاكمة الجندي الأمريكي مغتصب وقاتل العراقية عبير الجنابي</a></li><li class="recentcomments">Susanne on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2010/05/13/i-am-in-love-with-massoud-barzanis-daughter-a-poem-that-kills-by-sardasht-osman/comment-page-1/#comment-11517">I am in love with Massoud Barzani’s daughter, a poem that kills. By Sardasht Osman</a></li><li class="recentcomments"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://atruthsoldier.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/arrest-george-bush-and-obama/" rel="external nofollow" class="url external" target="_blank">Arrest George Bush and Obama « A Truth Soldier</a> on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2008/01/16/medact-wmd-conflict-the-iraq-health-crisis/comment-page-1/#comment-11516">Medact – WMD & Conflict – THE IRAQ HEALTH CRISIS</a></li></ul> </div><div class="widget"><h4>Gorilla's Guides On Flickr</h4><p class="flickrrss"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/8231176221/" title="icc-logo" class="external" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8064/8231176221_17028ace7c_t.jpg" alt="icc-logo"/></a> </p><br clear="all"/><p class="flickrrss"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/6531857933/" title="talabani sadr hakim" class="external" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6531857933_2d2ce91e9a_t.jpg" alt="talabani sadr hakim"/></a> </p><br clear="all"/><p class="flickrrss"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/6326224088/" title="20111108_screenshot_seale" class="external" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6019/6326224088_ace54d0721_t.jpg" alt="20111108_screenshot_seale"/></a> </p><br clear="all"/><p class="flickrrss"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/6240548481/" title="Davutoglu_zebari" class="external" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6040/6240548481_0e21ae61db_t.jpg" alt="Davutoglu_zebari"/></a> </p><br clear="all"/><p class="flickrrss"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/6137215134/" title="sadr_ceasefire" class="external" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6183/6137215134_4ff6756e22_t.jpg" alt="sadr_ceasefire"/></a> </p><br clear="all"/><p class="flickrrss"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.flickr.com/photos/gorillasguides/6130245209/" title="baha_moussa" class="external" target="_blank"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612im_/http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6181/6130245209_4c08ac7e03_t.jpg" alt="baha_moussa"/></a> </p><br clear="all"/></div><div class="widget"><h4> </h4><div id="calendar_wrap"><table id="wp-calendar" summary="Calendar"> <caption>January 2013</caption> <thead> <tr> <th abbr="Monday" scope="col" title="Monday">M</th> <th abbr="Tuesday" scope="col" title="Tuesday">T</th> <th abbr="Wednesday" scope="col" title="Wednesday">W</th> <th abbr="Thursday" scope="col" title="Thursday">T</th> <th abbr="Friday" scope="col" title="Friday">F</th> <th abbr="Saturday" scope="col" title="Saturday">S</th> <th abbr="Sunday" scope="col" title="Sunday">S</th> </tr> </thead> <tfoot> <tr> <td abbr="December" colspan="3" id="prev"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/" title="View posts for December 2012">« Dec</a></td> <td class="pad"> </td> <td colspan="3" id="next" class="pad"> </td> </tr> </tfoot> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="1" class="pad"> </td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>4</td><td>5</td><td>6</td> </tr> <tr> <td>7</td><td>8</td><td>9</td><td>10</td><td>11</td><td>12</td><td>13</td> </tr> <tr> <td>14</td><td>15</td><td>16</td><td>17</td><td>18</td><td>19</td><td>20</td> </tr> <tr> <td>21</td><td>22</td><td>23</td><td id="today">24</td><td>25</td><td>26</td><td>27</td> </tr> <tr> <td>28</td><td>29</td><td>30</td><td>31</td> <td class="pad" colspan="3"> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div></div><div class="widget"><h4>Archives</h4> <select name="archive-dropdown" onchange="document.location.href=this.options[this.selectedIndex].value;"> <option value="">Select Month</option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/"> December 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/"> November 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/10/"> October 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/09/"> September 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/08/"> August 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/07/"> July 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/06/"> June 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/05/"> May 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/04/"> April 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/03/"> March 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/02/"> February 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2012/01/"> January 2012 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/12/"> December 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/11/"> November 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/10/"> October 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/09/"> September 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/07/"> July 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/06/"> June 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/05/"> May 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/04/"> April 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/03/"> March 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/02/"> February 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2011/01/"> January 2011 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/12/"> December 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/11/"> November 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/10/"> October 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/09/"> September 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/08/"> August 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/07/"> July 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/06/"> June 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/05/"> May 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/04/"> April 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/03/"> March 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/02/"> February 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2010/01/"> January 2010 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/12/"> December 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/11/"> November 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/10/"> October 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/09/"> September 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/08/"> August 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/07/"> July 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/06/"> June 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/05/"> May 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/04/"> April 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/03/"> March 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/02/"> February 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2009/01/"> January 2009 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/12/"> December 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/11/"> November 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/10/"> October 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/09/"> September 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/08/"> August 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/07/"> July 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/06/"> June 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/05/"> May 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/04/"> April 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/03/"> March 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/02/"> February 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2008/01/"> January 2008 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/12/"> December 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/11/"> November 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/10/"> October 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/09/"> September 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/08/"> August 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/07/"> July 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/06/"> June 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/05/"> May 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/04/"> April 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/03/"> March 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/02/"> February 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2007/01/"> January 2007 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/12/"> December 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/11/"> November 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/10/"> October 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/09/"> September 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/08/"> August 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/07/"> July 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/06/"> June 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/05/"> May 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/04/"> April 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/03/"> March 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/02/"> February 2006 </option> <option value="http://gorillasguides.com/2006/01/"> January 2006 </option> </select> </div><div class="widget">  <form id="asl_form" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/" method="get"><h2>Search this site</h2><p><input type="hidden" name="s" value="as_perform_advancedsearch"/><input type="hidden" name="as_perform_advancedsearch" value="true"/><label for="asl_searchquery">Search query:</label> <a onclick="as_openhint(this.href); return false" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/?as_hintpopup=show">(Help)</a><br/><input type="text" class="as_styled" size="35" name="as_searchquery" id="asl_searchquery" value=""/></p>as <input type="radio" class="radio" onchange="as_stringsearch("asl_")" name="as_querytype" id="asl_querytype_words" value="words" checked="checked"/> <label for="asl_querytype_words">words</label> <input type="radio" class="radio" onchange="as_stringsearch("asl_")" name="as_querytype" id="asl_querytype_string" value="string"/> <label for="asl_querytype_string">string</label><fieldset><legend>include results from</legend><ul><li><input type="radio" name="as_posts_pages" value="both" id="asl_posts_pages_both" checked="checked"/> <label for="asl_posts_pages_both">posts and pages</label></li><li><input type="radio" name="as_posts_pages" value="posts" id="asl_posts_pages_posts"/> <label for="asl_posts_pages_posts">posts only</label></li><li><input type="radio" name="as_posts_pages" value="pages" id="asl_posts_pages_pages"/> <label for="asl_posts_pages_pages">pages only</label></li></ul><ul><li><input type="checkbox" class="checkbox" name="as_comments" id="asl_comments"/> <label for="asl_comments">incl. comments</label></li></ul><input type="hidden" name="as_includefrom_available" value="true"/></fieldset><fieldset class="as_sortandorder"><legend>sort by</legend><ul class="as_sort"><li><input type="radio" class="radio" name="as_sortby" id="asl_sortby_rel" value="relevance" checked="checked"/> <label for="asl_sortby_rel">relevance</label></li><li><input type="radio" class="radio" name="as_sortby" id="asl_sortby_date" value="date"/> <label for="asl_sortby_date">date</label></li></ul><ul class="as_order"><li><input type="radio" class="radio" name="as_order" id="asl_order_desc" value="desc" checked="checked"/> <label for="asl_order_desc">descending</label></li><li><input type="radio" class="radio" name="as_order" id="asl_order_asc" value="asc"/> <label for="asl_order_asc">ascending</label></li></ul></fieldset><p><input type="submit" class="as_styled" value="Search"/></p><p id="asl_credits"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://www.zirona.com/software/wordpress-advanced-search/" class="external" target="_blank">AdvancedSearch Lite</a></p></form>  </div> </div> <div class="column span-4 last"> <div class="widget"> <h4>Last 15 Posts</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/09/%d9%81%d8%aa%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%84-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af-%d8%b1%d9%87%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%81%d9%82%d8%b1-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85/" title="فتيات الليل في بغداد رهينات الفقر والميليشيات">فتيات الليل في بغداد رهينات الفقر والميليشيات </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/08/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%ad%d8%af%d8%a9-%d8%a3%d9%83%d8%ab%d8%b1-%d9%85%d9%86-63-%d8%a3%d9%84%d9%81-%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%a6-%d8%b3%d9%88%d8%b1%d9%8a-%d9%81%d9%8a/" title="الأمم المتحدة: أكثر من 63 ألف لاجئ سوري في العراق">الأمم المتحدة: أكثر من 63 ألف لاجئ سوري في العراق </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/07/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d8%a4%d9%83%d8%af-%d8%b6%d8%b1%d9%88%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a5%d8%a8%d8%b9%d8%a7%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b4%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%b9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9/" title="الكربلائي يؤكد ضرورة إبعاد الشارع العراقي عن أجواء التشنج ويحذر من إراقة الدماء">الكربلائي يؤكد ضرورة إبعاد الشارع العراقي عن أجواء التشنج ويحذر من إراقة الدماء </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/05/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b1%d8%b3%d9%84-%d8%ae%d8%b7%d8%a9-%d8%b3%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%ae%d9%84/" title="البيشمركة ترسل خطة سلام الى بغداد من خلال مكتب التعاون الأمني للجيش الامريكي">البيشمركة ترسل خطة سلام الى بغداد من خلال مكتب التعاون الأمني للجيش الامريكي </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/03/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%81%d9%82-%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%89-%d8%aa%d8%ab%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%82%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%b9/" title="المالكي يوافق على تثبيت المتعاقدين مع مفوضية الانتخابات">المالكي يوافق على تثبيت المتعاقدين مع مفوضية الانتخابات </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/12/02/%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%ae%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%ae%d9%84%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%aa%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%a8%d9%83%d8%aa%d9%8a%d9%86-%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%ae%d8%b5/" title="استخبارات الداخلية تعتقل شبكتين متخصصتين بالاغتيالات ضمن قاطع الكرخ من بغداد">استخبارات الداخلية تعتقل شبكتين متخصصتين بالاغتيالات ضمن قاطع الكرخ من بغداد </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/29/%d8%ad%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%b0%d9%8a%d8%a8-%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%ba%d8%aa%d8%b5%d8%a7%d8%a8-%d9%88%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%86%d8%b3%d9%88%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a8/" title="حالات تعذيب واغتصاب ومنظمات نسوية في بغداد تطالب بزيارة سجون النساء">حالات تعذيب واغتصاب ومنظمات نسوية في بغداد تطالب بزيارة سجون النساء </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/23/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a3%d9%8a-%d8%aa%d8%ad%d8%b4%d9%8a%d8%af-%d9%84%d9%82%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%a7-%d9%88%d8%aa%d8%a4%d9%83%d8%af/" title="البيشمركة تنفي أي تحشيد لقواتها وتؤكد التزامها بالتهدئة وحل المشاكل بالحوار">البيشمركة تنفي أي تحشيد لقواتها وتؤكد التزامها بالتهدئة وحل المشاكل بالحوار </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/23/%d8%b9%d8%a8%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%87%d8%af%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d8%b1%d8%a8%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%a6%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d8%b7%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ad%d8%aa%d9%83%d8%a7%d9%85/" title="عبد المهدي الكربلائي يطالب بالاحتكام للدستور لحل ازمة عمليات دجلة ويدعو الى التهدئة">عبد المهدي الكربلائي يطالب بالاحتكام للدستور لحل ازمة عمليات دجلة ويدعو الى التهدئة </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/22/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%8a-%d9%8a%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%86-%d9%82%d8%a8%d9%88%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%af%d8%a6%d8%a9-%d9%88%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%b4%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9/" title="بارزاني يعلن قبول التهدئة والبيشمركة تنفي أي تحشيد لقواتها وتؤكد التزامها بالحوار">بارزاني يعلن قبول التهدئة والبيشمركة تنفي أي تحشيد لقواتها وتؤكد التزامها بالحوار </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/21/%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%af%d9%88%d8%ba%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%8a%d8%aa%d9%87%d9%85-%d8%ad%d9%83%d9%88%d9%85%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%83%d9%8a-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%b9%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%89/" title="اردوغان يتهم حكومة المالكي بالسعي الى اثارة حرب اهلية في العراق">اردوغان يتهم حكومة المالكي بالسعي الى اثارة حرب اهلية في العراق </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/20/pkk-%d8%b3%d9%86%d8%b1%d8%b3%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%aa%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a7-%d9%84%d9%84%d8%af%d9%81%d8%a7%d8%b9-%d8%b9%d9%86-%d9%83%d8%b1%d8%af%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%a5%d8%b0%d8%a7/" title="Pkk: سنرسل مقاتلينا للدفاع عن كردستان إذا تعرضت لهجوم من قبل الجيش العراقي">Pkk: سنرسل مقاتلينا للدفاع عن كردستان إذا تعرضت لهجوم من قبل الجيش العراقي </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/18/%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d8%a3%d9%85%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%83%d9%8a-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%a7%d8%b7%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82-%d8%b3%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ad-%d8%b9%d8%b6%d9%88/" title="استياء أمريكي من اطلاق العراق سراح عضو حزب الله علي موسى دقدوق">استياء أمريكي من اطلاق العراق سراح عضو حزب الله علي موسى دقدوق </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/18/%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%88%d9%86-%d8%b9%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%82%d9%8a%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%82%d9%84%d9%82%d9%88%d9%86-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%b7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%aa%d8%b7%d8%b1/" title="مسيحيون عراقيون قلقون من سيطرة المتطرفين على سوريا">مسيحيون عراقيون قلقون من سيطرة المتطرفين على سوريا </a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/2012/11/17/%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%b4%d9%87%d8%a7%d8%af-%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b5%d8%a7%d8%a8%d8%a9-%d8%b2%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b1-%d8%ba%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d8%aa%d9%87%d9%85-%d8%a7%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%8a%d9%88/" title="استشهاد واصابة زوار غالبيتهم ايرانيون وباكستانيون اثر انفجار سيارة ملغومة جنوب تكريت">استشهاد واصابة زوار غالبيتهم ايرانيون وباكستانيون اثر انفجار سيارة ملغومة جنوب تكريت </a></li> </ul> </div><div class="widget"><h4>Tags</h4><div><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%86%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%b1%e2%80%8e/" class="tag-link-3033" title="245 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.13114754098pt;">الأنبار‎</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d8%b5%d8%b1%d8%a9%e2%80%8e/" class="tag-link-2945" title="371 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.95737704918pt;">البصرة‎</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b5%d9%84/" class="tag-link-2939" title="638 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 10.7081967213pt;">الموصل</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%88%d8%b5%d9%84%e2%80%8e/" class="tag-link-1885" title="356 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.85901639344pt;">الموصل‎</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b3%d9%8a%d8%ad%d9%8a%d9%8a%d9%86/" class="tag-link-6475" title="367 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.93114754098pt;">بالمسيحيين</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%a8%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a7%d8%af/" class="tag-link-2942" title="833 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 11.9868852459pt;">بغداد</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%ad%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b5%d8%af%d8%b1/" class="tag-link-6346" title="266 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.26885245902pt;">حركة الصدر</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d8%af%d9%8a%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%89/" class="tag-link-2941" title="469 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 9.6pt;">ديالى</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%83%d8%b1%d9%83%d9%88%d9%83/" class="tag-link-2943" title="447 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 9.45573770492pt;">كركوك</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/%d9%85%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b5%d8%af%d8%b1%e2%80%8e/" class="tag-link-2955" title="298 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.47868852459pt;">مدينة الصدر‎</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/al-anbar-governorate/" class="tag-link-219" title="373 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.97049180328pt;">Al Anbar (Governorate)</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/anbar/" class="tag-link-4328" title="331 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.69508196721pt;">Anbar</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/baghdad/" class="tag-link-5" title="1,004 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 13.1081967213pt;">Baghdad</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/basrah/" class="tag-link-377" title="426 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 9.31803278689pt;">Basrah</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/bombings/" class="tag-link-52" title="695 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 11.0819672131pt;">Bombings</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/child-poverty/" class="tag-link-112" title="244 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.12459016393pt;">Child Poverty</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/children/" class="tag-link-20" title="568 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 10.2491803279pt;">Children</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/christians/" class="tag-link-282" title="372 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.96393442623pt;">Christians</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/death-squads/" class="tag-link-114" title="301 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.49836065574pt;">Death Squads</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/diyala/" class="tag-link-1006" title="556 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 10.1704918033pt;">Diyala</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/" class="tag-link-728" title="275 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.32786885246pt;">Ethnic cleansing of Christians</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/fallujah/" class="tag-link-26" title="225 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8pt;">Fallujah</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/features/" class="tag-link-14" title="263 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.24918032787pt;">Features</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/follow-up/" class="tag-link-21" title="243 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.11803278689pt;">Follow Up</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/human-rights/" class="tag-link-18" title="372 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.96393442623pt;">Human Rights</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/iran/" class="tag-link-100" title="227 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.0131147541pt;">Iran</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/irin/" class="tag-link-311" title="266 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.26885245902pt;">IRIN</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/karbala/" class="tag-link-806" title="256 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.20327868852pt;">Karbala</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/kirkuk/" class="tag-link-2991" title="599 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 10.4524590164pt;">Kirkuk</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/middle-east/" class="tag-link-208" title="372 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.96393442623pt;">Middle East</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/mosul/" class="tag-link-78" title="768 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 11.5606557377pt;">Mosul</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/ninawa-governorate/" class="tag-link-73" title="652 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 10.8pt;">Ninawa (Governorate)</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/politics-and-security/" class="tag-link-1614" title="2,360 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 22pt;">Politics and Security</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/poverty/" class="tag-link-113" title="308 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.54426229508pt;">Poverty</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/previous-site/" class="tag-link-11" title="268 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.28196721311pt;">Previous Site</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/refugees/" class="tag-link-32" title="482 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 9.68524590164pt;">Refugees</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/religion/" class="tag-link-143" title="291 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.43278688525pt;">Religion</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sadr-city/" class="tag-link-106" title="256 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.20327868852pt;">Sadr City</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sadrist-bloc/" class="tag-link-324" title="282 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.3737704918pt;">Sadrist Bloc</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/sermon-reports/" class="tag-link-238" title="234 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.05901639344pt;">Sermon Reports</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/society-and-economy/" class="tag-link-771" title="460 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 9.54098360656pt;">Society And Economy</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/summaries/" class="tag-link-1540" title="671 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 10.9245901639pt;">Summaries</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/syria/" class="tag-link-48" title="274 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.32131147541pt;">Syria</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/water-crisis-iraq/" class="tag-link-123" title="244 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 8.12459016393pt;">Water Crisis (Iraq)</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/tag/women-and-children/" class="tag-link-336" title="526 topics" rel="tag" style="font-size: 9.9737704918pt;">Women and Children</a></div> </div><div class="widget"><h4>Meta</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/wp-login.php">Log in</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/feed/" title="Syndicate this site using RSS 2.0">Entries <abbr title="Really Simple Syndication">RSS</abbr></a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://gorillasguides.com/comments/feed/" title="The latest comments to all posts in RSS">Comments <abbr title="Really Simple Syndication">RSS</abbr></a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://wordpress.org/" title="Powered by WordPress, state-of-the-art semantic personal publishing platform." class="external" target="_blank">WordPress.org</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <hr/> <div id="footer"> <strong>Gorilla’s Guides</strong> is proudly powered by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://wordpress.org/" class="external" target="_blank">WordPress</a> on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://neewee.com/" class="external" target="_blank">NeeWee Wordpress Theme</a> by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130124053612/http://frontendbook.com/" class="external" target="_blank">Front End Book</a> </div> </div> </body> </html>