A Day in Iraq

[segovius]

This is interesting... (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2005/day_in_iraq/default.stm)

An ongoing record of today's events as they happen in Iraq and updated every minute or so. You can leave comments but the BBC refuse to publish mine.

Anyway, it's is a one-off experiment that aims to show what a typical day is like. So far we've had suicide bombs, deaths of Marines, loss of electricity and loss of hope.....just another day.

NEWS 1336: Four Iraqi soldiers are killed in an ambush and a roadside bombing north of Baghdad, AFP reports quoting Iraqi police and the army officials. Two bullet-riddled bodies were found on the banks of a nearby river, the report also says.

NEWS 1328: The US Army denies killing seven people during a raid on the town of Rawah on Sunday, the al-Jazeera Arabic TV network reports. The station quotes eyewitnesses as saying seven people died when the US shelled houses in a raid in which 80 people were arrested.

NEWS 1317: A US Marine was killed in Falluja when a bomb went off near his vehicle on Monday, the US military says in a statement reported by AP.

NEWS 1304: A correspondent for pan-Arab al-Arabiya TV channel reports that US soldiers have shot dead two Iraqi teachers in the Tamin district of Ramadi. The correspondent says the two Iraqis were caught up in a raid against insurgents that the US troops were conducting.

UPDATE 1303: Twenty-eight people, including three police officers, are injured in a car bomb blast in Baghdad's northern Shula area earlier on Tuesday morning, AFP has reported quoting a hospital source.

UPDATE 1247: Nine people, including two policemen, were injured by a car bomb explosion in Baghdad earlier on Tuesday morning, Iraqi police say.

UPDATE: 1134 Reports say a series of car bombs at checkpoints in the northern town of Hawija have killed more than 12 people and injured 20.

NEWS 1128: A suicide bomber attacks a police patrol in Baghdad, Reuters reports quoting Iraqi police. There are reports of casualties.

News 1119: US military officials say a Marine has died from injuries suffered in a roadside bomb attack near Falluja. The soldier, who died on Monday, was wounded during combat operations outside of the city, according to AP.

NEWS 1044: Details emerge of an attempted escape and rioting at Abu Ghraib jail, west of Baghdad. A US military statement reported by AFP says a detainee tried to escape under the cover of a heavy sandstorm on Sunday night. Four guards and six prisoners were injured during clashes that followed.

NEWS: 1038 A Sunni Muslim cleric, Salam Abdul Karim, is found dead in Basra, Reuters reports. It is the latest in a series of assassinations of religious figures that have stoked sectarian tensions.

NEWS: 1032 Four car bombings within seven minutes kill six people, including at least three Iraqi soldiers, in northern Iraq, according to the Associated Press. The first bomb exploded in Hawija, about 40 miles south of Kirkuk, before three others exploded at army checkpoints in Bagara, Dibis and at the entrance to Hawija.

NEWS 0958: Senior Iraqi police officer Lt Col Ali Hamza Jomaa is in a critical state after gunmen opened fire on his car on his way to work in the Chaab district in northern Baghdad, AFP reports, quoting an interior ministry source.


Maybe if we keep checking the updates all the really good news will come rolling in this afternoon :no:

[New]

UPDATE 1408: Latest reports suggest 18 people died and 19 were injured in the Hawija car bombings. Iraqi and US troops are also dealing with another car found packed with explosives in a nearby village.

[New]

hey, did you heard that the Hizbollah are moving their katusha rockets to pentium technology?

oh... wait... no... ;)

[AquaMac]

Originally posted by New
hey, did you heard that the Hizbollah are moving their katusha rockets to pentium technology?oh... wait... no... ;) I'm sorry but I feel you failed in your attempt to be cute.
American and Iraqi Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, and Childen are being killed, maimed, and traumatized on a daily basis. No one sees an end to the years this will continue. And all over oil. Oops! I mean weapons of mass destruction.

[segovius]

Originally posted by AquaMac
I'm sorry but I feel you failed in your attempt to be cute.
American and Iraqi Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, and Childen are being killed, maimed, and traumatized on a daily basis. No one sees an end to the years this will continue. And all over oil. Oops! I mean weapons of mass destruction.

But not by Hizbollah.

[New]

As a sidenote The Hizbollah, teamed up with a christian coalition just won the south lebanees elections by a landslide. They won all 17 parliament seats from this region.

[segovius]

Originally posted by New
As a sidenote The Hizbollah, teamed up with a christian coalition just won the south lebanees elections by a landslide. They won all 17 parliament seats from this region.

Yes, that means they are the people's legitimate choice.

Funny how we're not hearing so much about the 'winds of freedom' in Lebanon now.

[New]

The new lebanese government will probably consist of the anti-syrian forces in Lebanese politics. Which will probably be good for lebanon. But one important reason is that the pro-syrians arn't even running this time. Another reason is the complex parlamentary system in Lebanon, Where amongst other oddities, christians are secured a majority to muslims by a 6 to 5 ratio, even though the muslim population is bordering on 80% of the total.

This also explains how the Hizbollah can benefit from running in a coalition with the south lebanese Greek-Catholics.

[groverat]

Iraqi schoolgirl says:
It is becoming normal to be fearful.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/images/1030-02.jpg

[Aurora]

It boils down to Secure Border in Iraq but the Bush administration doesnt think about stuff like that. Look at the Borders in the U.S. As Bad as Iraq.:mad:

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by segovius
This is interesting... (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/middle_east/2005/day_in_iraq/default.stm)

An ongoing record of today's events as they happen in Iraq and updated every minute or so. You can leave comments but the BBC refuse to publish mine.

Anyway, it's is a one-off experiment that aims to show what a typical day is like. So far we've had suicide bombs, deaths of Marines, loss of electricity and loss of hope.....just another day.



Maybe if we keep checking the updates all the really good news will come rolling in this afternoon :no: Boy this is good news for the left. One stop shop for bad news. That was a mighty nice thing for them to do.

I'm just glad to see someone go out of their way to help the recruiting efforts of the poor wittle jihadists.

What a creative and wonderful idea. I bet the BBC will be up for some kind of award and history will laud this accomplishment.

Great work.

[audiopollution]

Originally posted by NaplesX
Boy this is good news for the left. One stop shop for bad news. That was a mighty nice thing for them to do.

I'm just glad to see someone go out of their way to help the recruiting efforts of the poor wittle jihadists.

What a creative and wonderful idea. I bet the BBC will be up for some kind of award and history will laud this accomplishment.

Great work.

It's not news if it's not good news!!

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by audiopollution
It's not news if it's not good news!! That obviously isn't the case. Haven't you been reading the headlines for the last 3 years?

[audiopollution]

Originally posted by NaplesX
That obviously isn't the case. Haven't you been reading the headlines for the last 3 years?

Right. So what's the problem with the BBC story?

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by audiopollution
Right. So what's the problem with the BBC story? Nothing. It's something that every mother can be proud of. Especially those who have their sons or daughters serving in Iraq.What's not to love?

[audiopollution]

Originally posted by NaplesX
Nothing. It's something that every mother can be proud of. Especially those who have their sons or daughters serving in Iraq.What's not to love?

Well, in your case, the bad news.

For me, it's the condescension in your 'up for an award' post.

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by audiopollution
Well, in your case, the bad news.

For me, it's the condescension in your 'up for an award' post. They are being extremely progressive here. Forget wartime sensitivities, forget the feelings of their fellow countrymen and allies, the only thing that matters is truth and the truth is all bad news.

The US and british people, never-mind the world community or the Muslim world need not be informed what good is going on. Forget the 2358 schools that have been refurbished and modernized, or the 8,759,260 primary, secondary math and science textbooks delivered, or the jobs that were created by the 6,100,000 of them being printed in Iraq. This just the period from May '03 to March '04. If you do the math that is 196 schools per month or 6 per day, 42000 books printed per month, 1400 a day if they worked every day for the last year. That's not to mention the 4500 new schools scheduled to be built by 2008.

Or how about the fact that Iraq’s 2004 budget for health care was $950 million as opposed to Saddam Hussein’s $16 million on health care in 2002.

The new Iraqi dinar is stable and has has risen in value.

But I realize making a big deal out of such things would seriously hamper recruiting efforts, so I can understand the reluctance to report on that kind of stuff.

[NaplesX]

My local newspaper got my respect when I found out it published this report on a local in Iraq,:

http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/nw_columnists/article/0,2071,NPDN_14945_3800885,00.html

"The last few weeks have been the busiest since we got here. The elections were a very important step in our victory here in Iraq. The people of this war-torn country stood up against their oppressor and told them that democracy was more important to them than extremism.

"Some may find fault in my reasoning; others may only spin what has been going on here because they are against a certain policy or administration back home. But I am here. Since the middle of January I have seen such great changes in these people. I have seen children and teen-agers running beside our convoys, shouting warnings of possible dangers that lie ahead.

"I have sat by a fire at night and listened to a widow who lost her husband during the Iran-Iraq war 20 years ago cry for his memory and then smile while she talked about the bright future of her country. I have been hugged by grown men who only want to thank me after I congratulated them the day after the election.

"I am not looking at the situation through rose-colored glasses. I am only comparing what is going on now versus what was happening when I arrived here. And I can't tell you all enough just how much it has all improved."

I know, non-story.

[audiopollution]

Originally posted by NaplesX
My local newspaper got my respect when I found out it published this report on a local in Iraq,:

http://www.naplesnews.com/npdn/nw_columnists/article/0,2071,NPDN_14945_3800885,00.html

<trimmed the good news>

So, is this what it takes to gain your respect? To report the happy stuff but downplay the not-so-happy stuff?

From the BBC story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4613785.stm) that you disliked:
"At the moment, I am sitting in my office garden in the middle of Suleymaniya. Things are very normal and calm here. I can go to restaurants and cafés.

Even at midnight I can walk alone and feel very safe. The Kurdistan region is one of the safest areas compared to other areas such as Baghdad and the centre of Iraq.

We Iraqis are looking forward to a new life and starting a new democratic process in our lives."
"Life here in the north has totally changed.

I feel safer, we are not seeing any types of terrorist attacks or car bombs in this part of the country.

There have been very few incidents in the last two years and none have been fatal apart from the latest one when a traffic policeman lost his life about ten days ago.

People are carrying on their lives as normal, they are not scared.

Even late at night, at two or three in the morning you can see people in the street.

People are stopping at traffic lights, having picnics and enjoying their lives."
"The people in Mongesh are very proud of how well Muslims and Christians get along together in their community. Our second day of the workshop is going very well.

The people are enjoying it and the level of discussion is good - even with the people who have less education than some of the other participants."
"The life here is quite normal. Most of the people are now having their lunch outside, as many of them have jobs so can't go home to lunch.

It's easy to move around between bars, cafes and restaurants. And not just for Kurds. If you walk for a while you'll come across blue - eyed foreigners walking alone on the street, and they feel safe.

For 13 years this area was out of the reach of Saddam's regime, so the people suffered shortages of power and fuel. But recently it's been getting better.

In the Kurdish region there's now power for 20 hours a day, water is available, and we get fuel from Turkey, which must come through Kurdistan first on it's way to Iraq."
"The situation is now quite normal here, much better than a few months ago around election time. Security is better, the market is better, all things have improved.

Our water supplies have improved, before we had to rely very heavily on our generator.

There is important change on both sides it seems now. The insurgents are not active, they are quiet, and the coalition soldiers are not as active - we don't hear the American F-16 planes screaming overhead as much any more.

I am a father to 8 children, and a few months ago we spent every night moving across the river where I live to houses outside the city as it was not safe near my house.

Many households would gather together for protection to spare us from the military action.

Now, there are smiles, normal activity, more shopping, going to the market, there is no phobia.

Well, this afternoon I have to do some construction on our house, it will take a few days but I have to start. It is nice to do something normal again."
"I am a secondary school English teacher. The things that are getting better are the increase in salaries. This has encouraged more teachers to go back to schools and to give more and more because come the end of the month, they have better salaries in order to buy what they need.

But there are so many things that are still difficult. Electricity is a problem and threatens the safety of the pupils.

But there is freedom now, you can talk, speak and express yourself."
"My engineering section runs a $2 billion construction program in support of the Iraqi security forces with projects all over the country. We are building or reconstructing a wide variety of facilities from huge bases to individual police station renovations.

It is important for the protection and support of the Iraqi forces and it is very tangibly rewarding."

There's more, and of course you took that into account before deriding the BBC story as a pile of bad news that will do nothing but help "recruiting efforts".

You did, right?

Oh, and what's this about "wartime sensitivities"?

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by audiopollution
So, is this what it takes to gain your respect? To report the happy stuff but downplay the not-so-happy stuff?

From the BBC story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4613785.stm) that you disliked:

There's more, and of course you took that into account before deriding the BBC story as a pile of bad news that will do nothing but help "recruiting efforts".

You did, right?

Oh, and what's this about "wartime sensitivities"? 50 entries and 5 are neutral to positive, You have to read 15 before anything remotely positive.

Sounds very balanced to me.

[audiopollution]

Originally posted by NaplesX
50 entries and 5 are neutral to positive, You have to read 15 before anything remotely positive.

Sounds very balanced to me.

Funny, considering I posted 7 entries and stopped about halfway.

Do you expect nothing but good news from Iraq? If the BBC got 50 people who stated a opinion that things were 'bad' and 20 people who said that things were 'good', should they drop 30 of the 'bad' opinions to make things balanced? It seems to me, that type of story would constitute poor reporting.

It's not about the reporting, though, is it? It's about coddling the families of those serving over there with that "wartime sensitivity" crap. Truth be damned!

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by audiopollution
Funny, considering I posted 7 entries and stopped about halfway.

Do you expect nothing but good news from Iraq? If the BBC got 50 people who stated a opinion that things were 'bad' and 20 people who said that things were 'good', should they drop 30 of the 'bad' opinions to make things balanced? It seems to me, that type of story would constitute poor reporting.

It's not about the reporting, though, is it? It's about coddling the families of those serving over there with that "wartime sensitivity" crap. Truth be damned! I would love to see a 60/40 split in coverage. But that is not the reality. It's more like 95/5, if that. So your scenario is just wishful thinking IMO.

And no. I wouldn't ask the media to drop anything to manipulate the appearance. I am railing for them to report the news, not just follow the "if it bleeds it leads" pattern.

How many people aside from us actually read that whole story and followed all the links. I suspect that the bad news gets monotonous real quick. Or perhaps we should assume that everyone reads the whole thing?

I suppose I am just being unrealistic.

[Gene Clean]

Naples, you want a 60/40 coverage? Then the happenings there should be 60/40 as well.

For every 60 bombs that have been blown up, 40 schools should be built. For every 60 times electricity is cut off, 40 million bucks should be invested in that field. For every 60 young people imprisoned for the wrong reasons, 40 Americans should be imprisoned as well.

Then, and only then, we can see a 60/40 coverage. Until then, you said it yourself, you're an unrealistic right-winger.

[audiopollution]

Originally posted by NaplesX
I would love to see a 60/40 split in coverage. But that is not the reality. It's more like 95/5, if that. So your scenario is just wishful thinking IMO.

And no. I wouldn't ask the media to drop anything to manipulate the appearance. I am railing for them to report the news, not just follow the "if it bleeds it leads" pattern.

How many people aside from us actually read that whole story and followed all the links. I suspect that the bad news gets monotonous real quick. Or perhaps we should assume that everyone reads the whole thing?

I suppose I am just being unrealistic.

Perhaps we all are. Any expectation that the news will be the 'all the news' is unrealistic. Good or bad.

Haven't you ever watched the evening news and been wholly pissed off that they run a teaser for the happy-fun-story (such as "Local man rescues kittens from tree, stay tuned!") continually until you've watched 30 minutes of bad news only to see some cute mewling kittens for the last 10 seconds of the show as the credits roll? I have. Why do they do this ... because people want some good news to smile about, but if it were an entire newscast like that they might as well tune into America's Funniest Animals.

Bad news sells. "Fair and Balanced" is just as much a crock of shit as "All the news that's fit to print" or "Where real news makes a difference".

The good news will always be buried by the bad.

I don't buy the notion, however, that a subjective balancing of the news reporting is possible or even neccessary. It's what is truly unrealistic in the face of the economic realities of news media.

[NaplesX]

Well I'll do my part. Here is good news/progress in Iraq this week, that has not been reported:

Electrical

- Construction/refurbishment on 8 power substations in Bagdad is underway with good progress. One substation was completed. Current increased demand is caused by "heightened economic activity" and the obvious temperature related issues. The current grid is overloaded, and has been operating above prewar levels since October, 2003. This effort will attempt to meet current demands. Project slated to be complete by the end of June. 37 total sites are being refurbished or constructed with the total project to be complete in December 2005.

- Two thermal power generation units in S. Bagdad are being refurbished and are about 94% complete. Involved is repairing turbine and the Digital Control System, alignment of Cold Reheat piping. This project will add 320 MW of capacity to Iraq’s national power grid when finished. This major overhaul will help make the grid more stable.

Water and Sewage

- Water and sewage plants serving small town in the Diyala Governorate is nearly complete. repairs, including new settlement tank and overhauled diesel generator, to plant are complete, but are awaiting electrical and furl supplies to begin operations. The capacity of 3.8 MGD, will meet the needs of the region’s 60,000 residents. Before this upgrade the facilities were operating at only 33% causing residents to use contaminated water.

Economic Reform

- A study that identified 200 top U.S. companies with operations in the ME was completed. The study will be a resource for the new Iraqi Investment Promotion Agency to increase investment and commerce in Iraq

- Major public firms from the United States, Germany and the Netherlands were solicited by a project to share public information about their auditing standards, financial disclosure practices, and annual reports, to help Iraqi business interact in the world economy.

- Four Iraqi government officials to participate in the Rebuild Iraq 2005 Expo and Conference in Amman, Jordan. They included two investment promotion officials from the Ministry of Planning and two from the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. The delegation also participated in a two-day “Doing Business in Iraq” conference. The trip aimed to familiarize the officials with prospective investors’ interests and requirements for making investments in Iraq.

Agriculture

- Ministry of Agriculture is working to improve Iraqi crop yields, which are low by international standards. A seed multiplication project will produce high quality seed for planting next year.

- The MOA has an extensive network of veterinary clinics throughout the country. Many of these clinics are in need of rehabilitation, and the MOA has planned and implemented a rehabilitation program over the last 18 months. With a new grant recently approved, they will begin restoration of four more clinics. These clinics were in disrepair during the former regime and were rendered largely inoperable in the turmoil following the government’s collapse.

More to come tomorrow, I'm tired.

[groverat]

Originally posted by NaplesX
Well I'll do my part. Here is good news/progress in Iraq this week, that has not been reported:

If it hasn't been reported, how do you know about it?

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by groverat
If it hasn't been reported, how do you know about it? Ah, you think you got me, don't you?

It is being reported, but not by the news outlets. Months of research have yielded some valuable resources.

[NaplesX]

Education (2 months ago)

- After looters stole the computers at Mosul University and burned the computer center, students and teachers had no way to conduct research and communicate with colleagues around the world. Forty-eight computers along with Internet access were donated, giving the university’s 32,000 students a place to continue their studies. “About two months ago the computers were installed. It was a good achievement for the Americans to set it up. The Internet is important for our work,” says a professor.

[NaplesX]

More highlights from this week in Iraq

Community Projects

- 7 trash collection projects completed in Bagdad neighborhoods. Projects include new garbage containers, fences, a public information campaign to encourage proper disposal of trash, and daily maintenance.

- Project started to heat schools in the As Sulaymaniya governorate where winter temperatures rarely rise above zero in the mountainous areas. The project will provide 300 Karbala. Emphasis on critical infrastructure needs has improved kerosene oil stove heaters for one of the towns and the urrounding village schools.

- A chairman of a Community Action Group in southern Iraq who recently became the chairman of his district council. Communities working with many restoration projects form CAGs to prioritize development needs and implement projects that address those needs. In order to be fully successful, CAG members must gain the assistance and support of local government officials, obtain necessary authorizations from relevant government bodies, mobilize contributions, and monitor project progress and quality. CAG representatives are deeply involved in almost all aspects of project implementation. Several members of CAGs, including the new district council chairman, have moved on to leadership positions in government bodies.

- After the first Gulf War, Ansar al Islam—a Kurdish terrorist organization—took control of a large area in As Sulaymaniyah on the border with Iran. Women and girls were then restricted in their movement and activities and, for more than a decade, girls rarely continued school after the sixth grade. Now, a small town in the governorate, is helping girls and women regain control of their future with the establishment of a women’s center. The Center will be used for classes in sewing, computers, and rug making.

-Several Iraqi engineers recently participated in a targeted engineering training program in Serbia and Montenegro. In addition to classroom training, Iraqi engineers spent several days in the field seeing achievements firsthand.

Government Transition

- Representatives from 25 Iraqi nongovernmental organizations recently attended a management training course that was funded by an Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI) grant. The course was presented by a human rights NGO and included two components. The first component emphasized civil society and included discussions about democracy, the role of NGOs, civil representation and human rights. The second component focused on organizational development with workshops on proposal writing, fund raising, advocacy and financial management. In addition to learning effective ways to manage an NGO, participants also had an opportunity to meet other NGO representatives working in Iraq and to develop cooperative relationships. This course will help build the capacity of civil society organizations to contribute to a stronger democracy in Iraq. Iraqi NGO managers took part in a management training course to support their role as leaders in a democratic Iraq. The class also provided them with fundraising, advocacy and financial management tools.

- In a central Iraqi city, the Ministry of Municipalities acquired 300 safety belts and 1000 uniforms for utilities workers with the support of an ITI grant. The Ministry of Municipalities is responsible for water and sewage services in the city. Through this assistance, ITI has helped establish a permanent presence of municipal workers in the city, demonstrating to local officials the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting a viable local government equipped with the necessary physical infrastructure.

- The municipal government of a city in central Iraq procured a new generator for their water system with the support of an ITI grant. The city’s potable water system suffered significant damage after recent intense fighting and sabotage. The broken system continued to pump water to an outlying district causing extensive leakage and standing water. The new 500KVA generator and submersible pump were connected to wastewater lift stations and provide the necessary power to pump sewage and standing water from the city streets.

Education

- A research grant program enabled Iraqi scholars to enhance their expertise in agricultural studies. This research addresses high priority needs for the Iraqi agriculture industry. The 18 grants awarded ranged from $5,000 to $30,000 (totaling $205,500) and funded equipment, supplies and support services not otherwise available to Iraqi scientists. One of the grants researched solutions to soil erosion, a challenge in Iraq exacerbated by deforestation, which results in desertification of crop and grazing land. The researchers identified critical areas of erosion in 15 locations. Researchers designed structures such as terraces, retaining walls, check dams and wattle fences to help conserve water and soil. These methods can be utilized across Iraq to support more soil conservation efforts and allow Iraq’s diverse geography to regain its fertility.

- University of Hawaii recently delivered a shipment of seventeen boxes of current agriculture and forestry publications to strengthen the research resources at two agricultural colleges in Mosul and Dohuk. These publications discuss subjects including soil, agronomy, nutrition, plant protection, agricultural economics, and statistics.

The agriculture sector is vital to political stability in Iraq. Today, 40% of Iraqis are directly or indirectly employed by agriculture. Unfortunately, Iraqi agricultural science endured years of isolation from the tools and techniques of modern agribusiness. Efforts underway enable Iraqi universities to connect farmers with international best practices and modern farming methods. Improved agricultural research will allow farmers and agricultural firms to increase crop yields resulting in domestic food security and more profitable exports.

[NaplesX]

http://www.dailyitem.com/archive/2005/0609/local/stories/10local.htm

"Like many soldiers, the Furbushes are dismayed by the negative reports coming out of Iraq.

"There is a lot of humanitarian aid" being provided by U.S. military to the Iraqis, Mr. Furbush said.

He recounts stories of villagers with "tears in their eyes" accepting food from soldiers and a father of 10 whose disabled daughter was able to walk with milk crates fashioned as a walker after receiving physical therapy.

Mr. Furbush retired from military service last August and moved in with his father-in-law to wait for his wife’s return.

Today, he operates Furbush Services, a drywall hanging and finishing business.

Although he’s looking forward to civilian life and sharing it with his wife, "There is no soldier more proud to have served than I."

Almost immediately after moving to Hummels Wharf last week, Mrs. Furbush landed a job at LeFevre Wilk Architects in Selinsgrove.

She looks forward to the job with hope, just as she and her husband view the situation in Iraq.

Even after looking into the defiant eyes of Iraqi terrorists, they are hopeful that the country will eventually regain peace.

"I love the Arabs and I love Iraqis," Mrs. Furbush said. "They are a gentle, loving people.""

Great all around article, IMO

[New]

Man Naples, you just don't get it do you?

[NaplesX]

Originally posted by New
Man Naples, you just don't get it do you? I 'get' a lot of things. What exactly are you talking about?