tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189179912011-04-21T15:02:13.373-07:00Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-58800137129271026342008-09-28T03:59:00.000-07:002008-09-28T16:43:26.293-07:00

As reported in Aftenposten and Dagbladet, in September 2008 Mullah Krekar threatened to kill Mariwan Halabjaee in an audio file published on the Kurdish website Renesans.nu. Mullah Krekar was the original leader of the Islamist terrorist group Ansar al-Islam in Iraq.Mr. Halabjaee is the author of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam. The allegedly "blasphemous" book is about how

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-45356906254123197652008-09-01T13:18:00.000-07:002008-09-01T13:19:52.604-07:00

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-78550547805266937572008-03-23T01:39:00.000-07:002008-03-23T01:40:11.412-07:00

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-27004262913953846142008-03-20T16:56:00.000-07:002008-03-20T16:57:32.165-07:00

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-34177431936448021222008-03-19T20:28:00.000-07:002008-03-19T20:29:17.222-07:00

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-36555622821840657312008-02-08T21:32:00.000-08:002008-02-08T21:42:48.343-08:00

Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan," is the author of the book "Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam." Mr. Halabjaee was forced to flee to Norway from Iraqi Kurdistan because the Islamic League of Kurdistan issued a fatwa to kill him. In August 2006, Mr. Halabjaee was granted political asylum in Norway. In December 2007, Mr. Halabjaee was convicted in absentia in

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-32608463082665823352008-02-01T02:53:00.000-08:002008-02-01T23:08:47.854-08:00

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-26261186743033609842008-01-08T18:06:00.000-08:002008-01-09T01:05:06.482-08:00

As reported by United Press International, Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan," was was sentenced in absentia in Iraqi Kurdistan to prison for blasphemy. A court in Halabja sentenced Halabjaee to six months behind bars.The allegedly "blasphemous" book, Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam, is about how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women. "I wanted to prove

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-28524657431014271902007-09-03T17:34:00.000-07:002007-09-03T17:47:28.989-07:00

The second music video to include the entire contents of a suppressed book.Remix version of the music video for the song "Only Women Bleed" by Alice Cooper, dedicated to Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi-Kurdistan." Mr. Halabjaee is the author of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam. He was forced to flee Iraqi-Kurdistan and obtain political asylum in Norway

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-56191228925993159062007-08-02T21:41:00.001-07:002007-08-02T21:41:39.801-07:00

The first music video to include the entire contents of a suppressed book.Remix and extended version of the music video for the Stuck Mojo song "Open Season," dedicated to Mariwan Halabjaee,* "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi-Kurdistan." Mr. Halabjaee is the author of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam. Mr. Halabjaee was forced to flee Iraqi-Kurdistan and obtain political asylum

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-37324637470182241092007-02-18T05:21:00.000-08:002007-02-18T06:11:15.691-08:00

As first reported by Kurdish Media, the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam by Mariwan (sp. Marywan) Halabjaee (sp. Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi), "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan," will be translated and published in English within the next few months.The book is about how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women. "I wanted to prove how oppressed women are in

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1159067368996157722006-09-23T20:08:00.000-07:002006-09-26T14:53:07.453-07:00

Much has been written about the national, state, and separatist implications of the recent decision by the Kurdistan Regional Government ("KRG") not to fly the flag of Iraq, but instead to fly only the flag of the KRG. However, the religious and cultural implications, and more specifically, the implications concerning the relationship between religion and the State, may be more profound.The

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1144532500438023052006-04-11T01:15:00.000-07:002006-04-11T01:21:41.420-07:00

In an article entitled "Why is Dr. Kamal Sayyid Qadir still in jail?," Diane Warth at the weblog Karmalised said:Don't count on certain Kurdish bloggers to call for an investigation. They're too absorbed with supporting the freedom to criticise Muslims in the most offensive ways possible to be worried about the fate of Kurdish academics who refuse to tow the implicit line imposed by the ruling

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1144631846655267142006-04-09T17:59:00.000-07:002006-04-10T04:33:25.550-07:00

By Jamal MuhsinApril 8, 2006jmuhsin [at] yahoo [dot] com‘The Prophet’s Hair’, a short story by Salman Rushdie, called ‘a moral fable’ reveals much about Islam. The story was written in 1981 in which it was not controversial. In a different era ? namely after Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, when the fatwa was issued against him and recently when Muhammad’s cartoons have caused chaos and the world

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1144201213329214952006-04-05T02:01:00.000-07:002006-04-05T02:50:59.090-07:00

The New York Times has published an article, "Sex and Islam Author Says He Fears for His Life, but Some Call Him a Publicity Hound," about Mariwan (sp. Marywan) Halabjaee (sp. Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi). Halabjaee, who is often referred to as "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi Kurdistan," is the author of Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam.The New York Times article calls

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1144196666842456882006-04-04T17:24:00.000-07:002006-04-04T17:34:22.010-07:00

Analysis and SolutionsBy Lawk SalihApril 4, 2006www.lawksalih.comOn April 8th, 2003 the U.S. and Coalition forces entered Iraq to in order to overthrow Saddam Hussein's tyrannical regime. The decision was made by the U.S. government after the terrorist attacks occurred in the United States that damaged the Pentagon and brought down the Twin Towers in New York City. Three thousand innocent lives

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1143857507893105162006-04-03T00:25:00.000-07:002006-09-23T20:16:06.963-07:00

As first reported by the The Kurdistani, the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam by Mariwan (sp. Marywan) Halabjaee (sp. Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi), "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi-Kurdistan," has now been published on the Internet.The book is about how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women. "I wanted to prove how oppressed women are in Islam and that they have no

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1143781211101604402006-03-31T00:59:00.000-08:002006-09-23T20:24:41.056-07:00

UPDATE 4/3/06: See the most recent article, Iraqi-Kurdistan: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam published on the Internet.As first reported by the The Kurdistani, the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam by Mariwan (sp. Marywan) Halabjaee (sp. Halabjay, Halabjayee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi), "the Salman Rushdie of Iraqi-Kurdistan," is now available online. The book is about

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1143512303469992342006-03-29T02:15:00.000-08:002006-09-23T20:26:54.186-07:00

UPDATE 4/3/06: See the most recent article, Iraqi-Kurdistan: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam published on the Internet.As first reported by the Kurdish language weekly Hawlati (translation by Hiwakan) on March 27, 2006, and later reported by the Peyamner News Agency and The Hewler Globe on March 28, Mariwan (sp. Marywan) Halabjayee (sp. Halabjaee, Halabjaye, Halabjayi), "the Salman

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1143421812266639152006-03-27T00:08:00.000-08:002006-03-30T01:00:42.006-08:00

You are blowing it.Worse, you are blowing it at a time when, because of the Abdul Rahman affair in Afghanistan, the West is paying attention. At a time when the West is beginning to ask itself some hard questions.Questions like, "Do any of these people really share our values? Or are they just telling us what we want to hear in order to get our support, guns and money?"Questions like, "Is the

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1141961258621078452006-03-10T06:37:00.000-08:002006-03-21T19:41:15.640-08:00

Keith Windschuttle has provided a powerful historical example of the only appropriate response to "honor" killings and fatal fatwas:Sir Charles Napier, the British Commander-in-chief in India from 1849 to 1851, signed an agreement with local Hindu leaders that he would respect all their customs, except for the practice of suttee, the incineration of widows. The Hindu leaders protested. Napier

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1141547341053294962006-03-08T03:10:00.000-08:002006-04-03T02:04:18.513-07:00

UPDATE 4/3/06: See the most recent article, Iraqi-Kurdistan: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam published on the Internet.This is a call for the Internet publication (and eventual translation) of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam by Marywan (sp. Mariwan) Halabjaye (sp. Halabjayee, Halabjayi). The book concerns how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140749870581268472006-02-27T07:37:00.000-08:002006-04-03T02:04:35.450-07:00

UPDATE 4/3/06: See the most recent article, Iraqi-Kurdistan: Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam published on the Internet.Iraqi-Kurdistan has its own Salman Rushdie.As reported on Kurdish Media, the Islamic League of Kurdistan has issued a "conditional" fatwa to kill Kurdish writer Mariwan (aka Marywan) Halabjayi (aka Halabjayee, Halabjaye) if he does not repent and apologize for

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140430855011413572006-02-25T02:19:00.000-08:002006-03-11T13:31:06.816-08:00

Karl Popper made an observation that is directly applicable to Denmark and its relationship with Islam, or at least the more extreme and fundamentalist forms thereof. In The Open Society and Its Enemies, Popper explained:"Less well known is the paradox of tolerance: Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant,

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1141092651536200422006-02-22T17:41:00.000-08:002006-03-11T13:24:23.280-08:00

In a public forum organized by the Kurdish Center for Human Rights on February 18th, 2006, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Human Rights supported both the resettlement of Iraqi Christians whereever they may wish to live in Iraqi-Kurdistan, as well as the creation of a Christian province in the Nineveh plain. The Minister also noted that the KRG had increased support to

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140574415189274842006-02-21T18:47:00.000-08:002006-02-21T22:06:02.986-08:00

As previously reported on The Is-Ought Problem, Iraqi-Kurdistan is offering refuge to Christians in Iraq. In the article "Our Jerusalem," Michael J. Totten reports that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is providing monetary support to Christians who resettle in Iraqi Kudistan:Arab Christians from the south and the center of Iraq are actually given money and housing by the KRG if they move

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140573035733071592006-02-21T17:34:00.000-08:002006-02-25T18:14:20.263-08:00

The Iraq Investment and Reconstruction Task Force (IIRTF) of the U.S. Department of Commerce has issued a report entitled "Breaking Into Iraq’s Marketplace." The IIRTF report states that:Another strategy involves targeting Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region as a gateway for investment in Iraq. In part due to its semi-autonomous status since the early 1990s, the Kurdistan region boasts of a

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140389304454563332006-02-19T22:48:00.000-08:002006-02-20T01:43:30.163-08:00

"Has Jyllands-Posten insulted and disrespected Islam? It certainly didn't intend to. But what does respect mean? When I visit a mosque, I show my respect by taking off my shoes. I follow the customs, just as I do in a church, synagogue or other holy place. But if a believer demands that I, as a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for my respect, but for my

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140417877794133182006-02-19T22:30:00.000-08:002006-02-19T22:47:17.620-08:00

Townhall.com has an interview with Iraqi National Assemblywoman Tanya Gilly-Khailany: "Right Woman at the Right Time. Ms. Gilly-Khailany was a member of the Kurdish Aliance List, the umbrella organization of the two major Kurdish parties, the Kurdish Democratic Party of Massoud Barazani and the Patriotic Union Of Kurdistan of Jalal Talabani. Ms. Gilly-Khailany was elected to represent Kirkuk.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140380581777598622006-02-19T12:22:00.000-08:002006-02-19T12:23:02.050-08:00

"Iraqi-Kurdistan: A Photo Gallery," from Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140416146025544122006-02-17T22:15:00.000-08:002006-02-19T22:17:05.516-08:00

"After dinner we watched Southpark on DVD, the episode where Cartman and the rest of the gang end up in Afghanistan and do battle with Osama bin Laden. It was one of those weird Middle East moments. I never thought I would laugh my ass off at Osama bin Laden with a Palestinian friend in Iraq (of all places) behind bomb-blast walls that didn’t seem necessary.""Lockdown," another great post from

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140229024210053832006-02-17T18:13:00.000-08:002006-02-18T13:08:12.800-08:00

The New Republic Online, has an excellent article about a possible Kurd - Shia split: "Hostile Makeover." Besides the usual concerns about effect of a majority Shia religious government on Kurdistan's relatively secular society, the article contains an interesting observation by Ahmed Penjweny, a prominent Erbil cleric and member of the upstart Kurdistan Islamic Union party:"Some Kurdish leaders

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140139040217438522006-02-16T17:10:00.000-08:002006-02-17T19:00:32.480-08:00

"National Review Online: Why did you limit your travel to Kurdistan?Totten: I couldn’t go south of Kurdistan without quite a large security detail. Nobody goes to Baghdad without bodyguards. I raised enough on the blog to cover all the expenses, plus a small profit, but if I’d have hired bodyguards it would have been a whole other story.""To the Scene of Massive Reconstruction," an interview with

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140057668316527282006-02-15T18:38:00.000-08:002006-02-15T18:41:08.316-08:00

I've added a new Blog of Note: Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal. You will find the link "below the fold" in the right sidebar. You will also find links to two excellent posts from the Journal immediately below.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140056786600134072006-02-15T18:19:00.000-08:002006-02-17T19:01:49.956-08:00

"I did what I wanted and needed to do. I threw myself into their society, without a gun and without any bodyguards, and I trusted that they would catch me. And catch me they did. I trusted the Kurds with my life. No trust in the world is greater than that, especially in an extraordinarily dangerous blood-spattered country like Iraq.""Iraq Without a Gun," from Michael J. Totten's Middle East

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140054633341360282006-02-15T17:43:00.000-08:002006-02-16T17:47:31.616-08:00

"The Dream City of the Kurds," from Michael J. Totten's Middle East Journal.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140053223823737542006-02-15T17:21:00.000-08:002006-02-15T19:06:55.023-08:00

Buy Danish - Support Denmark Banners in Multiple Languages

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140019896831310252006-02-15T08:07:00.000-08:002006-02-15T08:24:25.460-08:00

No Burka on Free Speech - Support Denmark - Buy Danish

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1140018325814680672006-02-15T07:42:00.000-08:002006-02-15T07:49:53.153-08:00

Growth in Danish exports to USA and Germany exceeds loss to Muslim boycott.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1139822146726320632006-02-13T01:11:00.000-08:002006-02-13T01:19:36.926-08:00

BuyDanish.Net

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1139697466276959522006-02-11T14:30:00.000-08:002006-02-13T02:30:15.433-08:00

Buy Danish Products

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1139640803125436432006-02-10T22:44:00.000-08:002006-03-31T21:02:25.196-08:00

Support Denmark Banners

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1139640164422528982006-02-10T22:38:00.000-08:002006-02-13T01:18:54.950-08:00

Buy Danish - Let Freedom Prevail

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1139450477557415702006-02-08T17:50:00.000-08:002006-03-31T21:11:59.046-08:00

Help the Danes Defend Our Freedom Buy Danish Campaign Buy Danish! Support Denmark!

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1135157226898334782005-12-21T01:17:00.000-08:002005-12-21T08:33:05.956-08:00

At the risk of being didactic, and in response to the prosecution of Dr. Kamal Sayid Qadir discussed below, I would like to draw your attention to several new links "below the fold" on the right side of the page:Marketplace of IdeasAreopagiticaOn Liberty-- Chapter II: Of the Liberty of Thought and DiscussionJohn Stuart MillHolmes' Dissenting Opinion in Abrams v. United StatesThe best starting

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1135044507397158262005-12-19T17:55:00.000-08:002006-02-17T19:31:29.860-08:00

"None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself."-- Number 13 of "Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths."-- Hadith in al-Bukhari"Do unto all men as you would they should do unto you, and reject for them that which you would reject for yourself."-- Mishkat-el-MasabihOn Monday December 19, 2005, The Kurdistani reported, that a court in Erbil (Hawler), Iraqi Kurdistan, had

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1134816630857653122005-12-17T01:27:00.000-08:002005-12-17T02:56:26.116-08:00

The questions are both simple and immediate. Will the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) seize its opportunity to teach the government of Turkey about freedom of speech? Will the KRG demonstrate that it is Iraqi Kurdistan, and not Turkey, that is the leading example of democracy, human rights and freedom of speech in the Middle East? Will the KRG choose to serve as an example for Turkey and

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1134740276769586102005-12-16T05:31:00.000-08:002005-12-16T07:01:19.400-08:00

I would like to draw your attention to several new subject areas "below the fold" on the left side of the page. The new areas are for: (1) streaming Kurdistan television from Kurdistan TV and Roj TV; (2) the latest Kurdistan news from Google; (e) the latest Kurdistan news from Yahoo; and (4) the latest news from the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1134556797613176092005-12-14T02:11:00.000-08:002005-12-14T11:10:40.860-08:00

The Shia government of Iraq has made two moves in the last two days that indicate it may be preparing for war against Iraqi Kurdistan after the pending elections. The Kurdistani is reporting: Wednesday, 14 December 2005Suleimani (TheKurdistani.com) by Nermin Abdulla – The Iraqi Prime Minister and Shitte politician, Ibrahim Al-Jafari, has demanded that the Kurdish Peshmergas must surrender their

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1134548177405478412005-12-13T22:03:00.000-08:002005-12-14T00:35:58.486-08:00

The New York Times has reported:BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 13 - Less than two days before nationwide elections, the Iraqi border police seized a tanker on Tuesday that had just crossed from Iran filled with thousands of forged ballots, an official at the Interior Ministry said.The tanker was seized in the evening by agents with the American-trained border protection force at the Iraqi town of Badra,

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1134466586545825782005-12-12T23:02:00.000-08:002005-12-13T02:56:07.596-08:00

As reported by AKI on December 8, 2005, Massoud Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Regional Government, announced that Iraqi Kurdistan would welcome all Christians seeking refuge from the critical security situation in other areas of Iraq who want to stay definitively or temporarily in the region. At a meeting of religious leaders and members of the Christian community in Iraqi Kurdistan,

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1133939002137376402005-12-06T23:02:00.000-08:002005-12-07T20:17:45.140-08:00

I decided I wanted to write about Kurdistan, or at least what I thought of as Kurdistan, which turned out to be Iraqi Kurdistan. Out of sympathy, empathy, respect, idealistic and indignant (but hopefully not too morally superior or self-congratulatory) support. And out of not complete and total ignorance. Not quite. At least I didn't refer to Northern Iraq. Then again, I'm not a Baathist.

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1133855450294293142005-12-05T22:35:00.000-08:002005-12-06T03:19:37.370-08:00

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has denied a recent Los Angeles Times story that the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and not the KRG, entered into a contract with Norway's DNO oil company to drill for oil in Iraqi Kurdistan.As previously reported in The Is-Ought Problem (TIOP), on December 1, 2005 the Los Angeles Times reported that:The Kurdistan Democratic Party, which controls a portion of

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1133773751262021672005-12-05T00:59:00.000-08:002005-12-05T01:10:49.950-08:00

I'd like to draw your attention to several new permanent links "below the fold" on the left side of the page. The new links are for:Kurdistan TV on the Web 24/7 (high bandwidth)Kurdistan TV on the Web 24/7 (low bandwidth)Kurdistan TVLawk Salih NewsSalahaddin UniversityUniversity of Sulaimani

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1133525407338066862005-12-02T03:52:00.000-08:002005-12-05T22:14:14.293-08:00

In response to the two stories posted immediately below, we received e-mail from Ms. Bano Kader at the Kurdistan Development Corporation (KDC) office in London. Ms. Kader stated that she was "not aware of where Los Angeles Times got their source from but the DNO deal is definitely with the KRG."According to Ms. Kader, the KDC works works with the office of the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1133519702746596682005-12-02T01:33:00.000-08:002005-12-02T12:05:49.103-08:00

As explained in the post immediately below, on December 1, 2005, the Los Angeles Times reported that:The Kurdistan Democratic Party, which controls a portion of the semiautonomous Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq, last year quietly signed a deal with Norway's DNO to drill for oil near the border city of Zakho.(Non-registration link: The Seattle Times. ) However, that is not what the DNO oil

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1133431360455422222005-12-01T01:27:00.000-08:002005-12-01T08:10:47.613-08:00

As reported in today's Los Angeles Times:Kurdish Oil Deal Shocks Iraq's Political LeadersA Norwegian company begins drilling in the north without approval from Baghdad.A controversial oil exploration deal between Iraq's autonomy-minded Kurds and a Norwegian company got underway this week without the approval of the central government here, raising a potentially explosive issue at a time of

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1133083661507062242005-11-27T10:49:00.000-08:002005-12-01T00:13:09.780-08:00

As reported in the Kurdistani, on Friday, November 25, 2005, Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government, criticized Amr Musa, the head of the Arab League, for describing attacks on foreign forces as “resistance.” Barzani said foreign forces are our friends who helped us get rid of Saddam. He rejected describing terrorism as resistance because targeting friends is not a

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132806661179094572005-11-23T19:09:00.000-08:002005-11-23T20:31:01.190-08:00

It is being widely, albeit erroneously, reported that at the recent Cairo summit Iraqi's leaders condemned the use of terrorism. They did not. Not if terrorism includes intentional and unprovoked attacks on all civilians.Instead, the final communique of the Cairo summit, issued on Monday, November 21, 2005, states:Though resistance is a legitimate right for all people, terrorism does not

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132715724686528642005-11-23T00:16:00.000-08:002005-12-12T22:57:53.820-08:00

As reported on November 21, 2005 in the Turkish Daily News, and reprinted (with no registration required) in the The Kurdistani, Jalal Talabani, the Kurdish president of Iraq, stated:An independent Kurdish state emerging out of the current semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq would not be capable of survival because neighboring states are against it.Talabani explained that:if we

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132726865432520202005-11-23T00:06:00.000-08:002005-12-12T22:49:51.020-08:00

As reported in the Los Angeles Times on November 21, 2005, and reprinted in Kurdish Media (with no registraton required), on June 23, 2004 outgoing U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer III delivered $1.4 billion to Iraqi Kurdistan. The money represented what Kurdistan was allegedly owed under the United Nations oil-for-food program. The only problem is that Kurdistan officials say that the amount

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132730124071874342005-11-23T00:01:00.000-08:002005-11-23T02:33:46.880-08:00

The post immediately above is serious. This post is part of the same story. I couldn't resist the new headline. This post is unavoidably humorous except, perhaps, when it is not.When the U.S. delivered the $1.6 billion to Iraqi Kurdistan on June 23, 2004, it did so in cash. Cash. Fifteen tons of new $100 bills. Enough to fill three U.S. military helicopters.After the money was delivered via

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132562727582243612005-11-21T00:45:00.000-08:002005-11-21T00:45:27.583-08:00

Iraqi-Kurdistan has launched an advertising campaign thanking the United States, introducing Kurdistan, asking us to share the dream, describing the Kurdish people, explaining the history of Kurdistan's relationship with the West, announcing investment opportunities in Kurdistan, and promoting: Kurdistan: The Other Iraq Kurdistan Regional Government Kurdistan Development Corporation

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132458738057589562005-11-21T00:36:00.000-08:002005-11-21T00:44:43.876-08:00

As reported on November 11, 2005, the United States denied Turkey's request for a "military operation" to remove the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) from Iraqi Kurdistan. Peter Flory, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, said "This would not be good," and that steps of "broader perspective" were being taken against the PKK. Interestingly, General Isik Kosaner, Deputy

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132457794195330552005-11-21T00:35:00.000-08:002005-11-21T00:36:26.816-08:00

In two interviews on November 7, 2005 and November 18, 2005, Massoud Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, stated that Kurdistan would declare independence in northern Iraq in the event of a civil war between the country's Sunni and Shiite communities. However, Barzani stressed, "if the two parties (Sunnis and Shiites) remained committed to the new constitution, we will also remain adhered

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18917991.post-1132389239182442502005-11-21T00:32:00.000-08:002005-11-21T00:33:19.083-08:00

During the October 15, 2005 vote on the Iraqi constitution, civil servants and police officers in Iraqi Kurdistan were punished for not voting. The action was justified on the grounds that:"Ordinary citizens have the right to vote or not, but government employees have a responsibility and should vote for the sake of public interest. The government sees voting as a social responsibility."

Charles Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14614875950171851519noreply@blogger.com0