neurotic Iraqi wife
June 22, 2008
The Ninety Minutes of Iraqi Peace...-Updated
Funniest thing happened today. I was out smoking, and as usual, stirred some conversation up. Two Iraqis were out there, so I asked about their expectations for the much awaited football game against Qatar today. Before they answer my question, one of them said, I don’t want Iraq to win. I want Qatar! I almost choked on my cig.
“What do you mean???” I shouted. “You’re kidding right?”
“No, Im not kidding. I am very serious!” He said as a matter of factly
“But its Iraq! Its our country, how can you say that? Its the only thing that unites us” I was getting really agitated
“Let me tell you why Neurotica. Remember when we won the Asia Cup last July? Remember how everyone went crazy?” I nodded fervently, for ofcourse it was a moment I will never forget.
“Well that day in July, my neighbour went out of his house, into his garden to hear the celebrations and join in, out of the blue, a stray bullet from the celebratory fire hit him right on the spine. My neighbour is now paralyzed from the hip down and I honestly don’t want to be paralyzed, I don’t have long for my US visa. So Neurotica, that’s why, I don’t want Iraq to win, and I pray that Qatar takes it.”
I didn’t really know what to say or how to react. Except I said, well don’t go out. But still pray for Iraq to win. He smiled and as he was going back inside, he said No, Inshallah Qatar wins. And with that, he left me sitting there, really upset. Upset and disappointed. Im not asking him to go in the middle of the street where the people are shooting. All Im asking for, is for him to be happy, happy for his country. I guess not.
I guess, I think differently. And yes, maybe if I had a next door neighbour who fell victim to a stray bullet, then Id react the same way. The GZ gets hammered with those anyways, and we always get a warning if the game was over and Iraq won. So Im used to it.
Anyhow, Im not gonna be like A. Stray Bullets or not, Im gonna say, Inshallah Iraq wins! Lions of Babylon will win, they will win and unite ALL Iraqis even if its for a short period of time. In less than half an hour, it will be the most peaceful hour and a half in all of Iraq. The Ninety Minutes of Iraqi Peace
Updated: And so at 8:56PM, the game was over, and there was no celebratory Fire! A got his wish and Qatar won :(
“What do you mean???” I shouted. “You’re kidding right?”
“No, Im not kidding. I am very serious!” He said as a matter of factly
“But its Iraq! Its our country, how can you say that? Its the only thing that unites us” I was getting really agitated
“Let me tell you why Neurotica. Remember when we won the Asia Cup last July? Remember how everyone went crazy?” I nodded fervently, for ofcourse it was a moment I will never forget.
“Well that day in July, my neighbour went out of his house, into his garden to hear the celebrations and join in, out of the blue, a stray bullet from the celebratory fire hit him right on the spine. My neighbour is now paralyzed from the hip down and I honestly don’t want to be paralyzed, I don’t have long for my US visa. So Neurotica, that’s why, I don’t want Iraq to win, and I pray that Qatar takes it.”
I didn’t really know what to say or how to react. Except I said, well don’t go out. But still pray for Iraq to win. He smiled and as he was going back inside, he said No, Inshallah Qatar wins. And with that, he left me sitting there, really upset. Upset and disappointed. Im not asking him to go in the middle of the street where the people are shooting. All Im asking for, is for him to be happy, happy for his country. I guess not.
I guess, I think differently. And yes, maybe if I had a next door neighbour who fell victim to a stray bullet, then Id react the same way. The GZ gets hammered with those anyways, and we always get a warning if the game was over and Iraq won. So Im used to it.
Anyhow, Im not gonna be like A. Stray Bullets or not, Im gonna say, Inshallah Iraq wins! Lions of Babylon will win, they will win and unite ALL Iraqis even if its for a short period of time. In less than half an hour, it will be the most peaceful hour and a half in all of Iraq. The Ninety Minutes of Iraqi Peace
Updated: And so at 8:56PM, the game was over, and there was no celebratory Fire! A got his wish and Qatar won :(
22 Comments:
Strange guy you met there. I'm with you on this, I hope for Iraq to win at any time. Any Iraqi who don't cheer for our football team have some serious problem(s) (I don't mean that in a bad way)
Nice to read a bit about your "patriotic" side though NIW :D
It would be freakin' hilarious if football actually end up being one of the major factors which unite us Iraqis and our country someday.
Peace.
Everyone loves noise. Everyone loves light. Problematic Humans granting themselves "God" with the power of rain checks. All those unnatural "disasters" a far cry from the Opera house that slew Abraham Lincoln. Yesterday a Kennedy, today the President of World Cup soccer. When reliving sensation the majesty of a conductor pride ensures no one else is in near the garden. That was what love was.
-Signed the President of Narcotics and World Cup Soccer.
Weird that he had that as an excuse not to vote for them. I think the chances of the same thing happening to him are as high as the chances of him getting shot if they don't win.
I have read your blog for some time, the only patriotic issue for Iraqi's is getting the golden U.S. Visa.It makes one wonder if those helping in the rebuilding of Iraq, are counting the days to Visa day, how well it goes. Could it be that the Visa is the last hope for Iraqi's to get out, since the countries in the area are turning them away? Odd, that they are helping build a house they can't wait to get out of. Maybe the Ho-rah American patriotic ideology isn't being bought locally.
From you pleasure hole blog:
Here you go neurotic, this will show you it's a two way street.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2174531/College-girls-banned-from-whistling-at-builders.html
Weird people you meet there! I'm wondering, how long you'll still be around them?!
Girl you smoke too much.
And Iraqis need to stop firing their guns in the air to celebrate. I remember in 1981 after Sadat was assassinated, Iraqis celebrated by shooting bullets in the air, and Saddam got on TV and said that Iraqis should be happy, but they should not shoot bullets in the air because it's dangerous. My dad said that was the best thing Saddam ever did!
Anon'
The correct term is Boo Rah and it is not an American Idealogy. It is a US marine saying.
We did not deserve to win. Hands down. On another note, I guess firing shots in the air is kind of a tradition now not only in Iraq but also in neighboring countries especially rural areas. I guess it makes them discharge some of their daily frustrations by shooting at the big guy!! LOL
As Salam Alaikom
I want to write in Arabic but your blog and the bloggers are writng in English
But I want to told you that the loss in the match save us
you can read this>>>
http://mahmoudalrawi.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/no-shooting-fire/
Seeing how Iraq played like crap against Qatar there would be no way for it to even think about winning WC 2010. Iraq would instantly get crushed either by European teams or South American teams, the only exception being Asian teams (Australia included) and the USA.....as they are enough weak compared to Europe and South America (South Korea played really good though in WC 2002).
HI Anon, yeah he is kinda strange. I went to him yesterday and asked abt how he felt with Qatar winning, he said thank god they did. It was the quietest night ever...
Hiya michemily, tell me abt it. But I guess I cant really be a good judge since I dont live in the red zone, and I dont know how bad things can become...So he may be right afterall.
Anon, I will be extremely honest and tell you, maybe 98% of the Iraqis working here, DO NOT believe in the rebuilding of their country thats going on. Only reason they are here is yes for that "GOLDEN" one way ticket outta here. BUT, the ones who started back in 04 or 03 or even 05, did not know that there will a program that can assist them in going to the states. Those were the ones who believed in the rebuilding process...There is a big difference between the 2 groups.
Lol Anon, thats a funny article. Well you know what, I whistle at HUBBY all the time :)
Oh Anca, I tell you, weird is an understatement, I swear...
Lol IM, I know it sounds funny when everytime I start a post its abt me smoking outside. But its just like a girls bathroom, where all the conversations take place there. Abt Saddam, I thought he used to shoot in the air, n'est pas?
Lol Leo, the game was atrocious. They missed so many opportunities!!!Ughhh I was very very upset. But ohw ell, what can they do. You know, I always tell my coworkers, THANK GOD I dont have a gun, OMG, stray bullets wouldnt be stray at all...
Halaw mahmoud, you can write in arabic if you want. So you had teh quietest night, huh. Maybe you are my colleage A, in disguise :)
Ahhhhhh cmon anon, dont be harsh on them. Dont forget, Qatar had 2 or 3 players that are foreign. Atleast we are 100% Iraqi!!!
"Abt Saddam, I thought he used to shoot in the air, n'est pas?"
Yeah only Saddam & Sons were allowed to shoot guns in the air, rape & murder Iraqi women, etc.
"Halaw mahmoud, you can write in arabic if you want. So you had teh quietest night, huh. Maybe you are my colleage A, in disguise :)" _ni w
haaaaaaahahahaahahahahahahahahaa
NEUROTICA LUV MAYBE YOUR FRIEND IS INFACT DISSAPOINTED IN IRAQ &WHAT HAS BECOME OF IT & THEAXIS OFEVILIRANIAN NONIRAQI REGIME INPLACE INFLUENCING THE PLACE & SO DEEP DOWN INSIDE HE WOULD RATHER HAVE HIS BRETHREN ARAB SOUTH TAKE THE PRIZE AS OPPOSED SOMEHALFPROIRANIENBASTARDAISED REGIME!!!!!!!!!! JUST A THEORY!!& AN INKLING OF SOME PEOPLE,S DEEP SENSE OF BETRYAL!!!AT ANY RATE IT IS JUST A THOUGHT & MAYBE THINGS SHALL STRAIGHTEN OUT & THE IDIOTIC PROEVILIRANMILITTIA & IRAN COME TO THAT ARE ERRADICATED OUT OF THE REGION FOREVER.ALL THE BEST OF MERRY GREETINGS & KINDEST OF REGARDS WWW.BFBS.COM YOURS AS ALWAYS :)OLAFF
For your sake, I'm sorry Iraq lost the game! But, I don't think A is weird for valuing the life of a person over seeing Iraq win a game.
It's beyond my ability to comprehend how anyone, anywhere, could aim their gun in the air and pull the trigger, knowing that bullet has to come down somewhere. How could anyone have so little regard for their neighbors or even for an innocent animal? Tradition is not a valid justification. It sounds like a careless excuse.
There's countless ways to make noise and celebrate - whistle, yell, honk horns, beat drums or pans, ring bells, light up the sky with floodlights, etc. A controlled fireworks display would be more entertaining for everyone to watch, than being in fear of bullets dropping out of the sky. Just staying inside doesn't always protect people. I've heard of bullets coming through roofs and killing people.
Using guns that way doesn't equate to a "celebration". It's a deadly, and unnecessary evil.
Bamboo
Getting shot in a celebration is a heck of a way to go... It was bad enough when a dignatary would visit and someone launched a rocket into the IZ when word got out...
There is no normal anymore. Or maybe what isn't normal has become the new normal.
Your friend with the paralyzed neighbor is right.
90 minutes of celebratory "unity" isn't enough.
If they can Stop Hysteria in Iraq then maybe those Heroes can help in America? Magical and Sexy results are kinda wearing on the people who can plan effectively.
Thanx Olaff...Well I came in the next day and asked him if he was happy that Qatar won, he smiled and said YES, it was the quietest night ever,
Bamboo I agree, but by the way, its not just an Iraqi tradition. Its done all over the Middle East. They even do it when people get married. And I am disappointed at A....
Seraphine, I knoooooooow, but I really wanted Iraq to win.
Bill, yup. I know. Everytime Condi, or Bush or someone comes along, we get bombarded. Its funny, cuz at times I wouldnt even know who is here, until we get the rockets and I check the news and "oddly" enough some person is visiting...
I'm an American male, 29. My wife was online yesterday and found your blog about the raid in the P.M.s home town & it got me thinking. We don't want this for you or your children, most of us here disagree with the war & wish we would have never meddled in your affairs. However on the other hand we are the hands of this rogue war machine & for that, for what it's worth, I'm sorry! I'm sorry this is happening to you, your family, & your people. I watched the videos on your site & it seems you guys have been thrown from one bad situation to another. I will say my prayers for you & your family & hope peace with come to both our nations.
PEACE
peasantrock
"n'est pas?"
You should say: n'est ce pas?
Do you speak some Frensh Neurotic?
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