Oh what the hell...

This is Barham Salih's speech in post-invasion Iraq and what is required to rebuild the country. Enjoy
Policy Watch
On January 23, 2004, Barham Salih addressed The Washington Institute’s Special Policy Forum. In January 2001, Dr. Salih became prime minister of the Kurdish regional government in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Having joined the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Iraq while it was an underground movement, he left for the United Kingdom and served as the movement’s spokesman from 1985 to 1991. From 1991 to 2001, he served as the PUK representative to North America. The following is a rapporteur’s summary of his remarks.

The current situation in Iraq constitutes a unique moment in the history of the Islamic Middle East. For the first time, Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, and Assyrians of the same nation have an opportunity to cooperatively evaluate the task of shaping their shared future. The challenge between now and June 30, 2004—when the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq is scheduled to hand over power to the local authorities—is to articulate a transitional law through which a sovereign provisional government can be elected. Naturally, there is significant debate as to how this goal can be achieved. Although significant challenges lie ahead, the progress made following the liberation of Iraq has been incredible, particularly in light of the country’s numerous complicating factors. Iraq’s leaders now have the opportunity to build on this unique situation by creating a viable state.

Future of the Iraqi Nation

Nature of the Iraqi government. All parties understand that the current debate is not a zero-sum game, and they are making efforts to arbitrate their differences of opinion. Such dialogue is new in the Islamic world, and its success has been illustrated most visibly by the use of street demonstrations rather than violence as a mode of resolving differences.
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Ok

Well it's nice to see Kerry calling Bush and Co. a bunch of liars and crooks. You usually don't see that coming in an election. It's usually a game of "my esteemed opponent is a great guy and a good person and I only want to point out that little thing that he was doing with the stripper in the Vegas motel to make a small point regarding the way his tax program is going to force middle class families to sell their children for breakfast."

I'm thinking of going to a movie but I better leave shortly. I don't even know what's at the theaters because I used to go to the movies after work but the damn bus strike is playing hell with my schedules. There's also a used clothing place so I can get more pants. I was wearing a pair that I didn't realize were way too small for me. I think this pair was tight before I weighed 220 pounds (maybe I'm less - oh G-d let that be so) and I spent my entire day at my desk because I really didn't want to get up and walk around. Granted I got a fat ass regardless of what I'm wearing but I'm not eager to show it off to the world.

Got into another one of those "you're just moving to New York because you hate your mother" discussions with Mom. So I changed my voicemail to say that I'll be in New York in August. I've only been planning this for two years. It's only slightly less awful than the end of Angela's Ashes where everyone gathers around to wish Frank off to New York with a bunch of rousing songs about how his mother will die once he leaves her with his four younger brothers.

Movies

Ok I went to the movies today. Actually I spent a ton of money at the book store and the grocery store on the way back> I did need the groceries. I didn't need the books. I still have cash. I don't feel good about myself. But I saw Starsky and Hutch and it was ok. Some parts were funny but none of it was laugh out loud funny. I still like Ben Stiller but he does get predictable. Then again that's not such a bad thing. He and Owen Wilson work well together and I hope it knocked the Pissing of the Gibson off the #1 slot.

I also saw Secret Window and ( not really a spoiler if you've watched movies )

And at the grocery store the clerk asked me if April Blood was a good book and what it was about and he got to learn more about the history of Catholicism during the Renaissance than he ever wanted to know. Popes were fun back then. Pope Sextus IV was in on the plot to kill Lorenzo. When Lorenzo's son became pope it was "party time" and he replaced the Borgia pope who had those orgies in the Vatican. Not like the wimp variety these days. Now we got the Holocaust duo of Pius 11 & 12 and that son of a bitch pope that endorsed the kidnapping of a baptised Jewish child to raise as a priest. I forgot the son of a bitch's name (or is it son's of a bitch - damn this is a tough grammar one) but John Paul II put him up for canonization which I suppose is what you do with any pope of any popularity whose not caught fucking altar boys. And even that is a questionable one.

So that was my day. I'm broke again and it's worse this way because it's the broke of making enough money to spend twice as much.