Friends of Democracy

Kilmen Eedeh Ileh

From the "I love Iraq" blog.

It is a well-known historical fact that our country, Iraq, is the cradle of the most ancient human civilizations on earth. Ancient Iraqis invented writing and they were the first to enact laws. They also invented the sponge which we use today in our bathrooms. And as we know from all the history books that Saddam crammed into our heads, our forefathers were the pillar which human civilization was erected on.

According to the latest archaeological excavations which have not yet been made public as a result of the liberation's circumstances, our forefathers were the first to use cellphones but -and this is a big BUT- Iraqis could not continue their ongoing development because of the international circumstances surrounding them at the time.

One of the main goals of Saddam during his reign was to bring back the old glories of Iraq through new and useful inventions for mankind. And indeed he succeeded in innovating new methods of governance which will be studied for a long time to come. Unfortunately though, he was not the first or the only one in such attempts. He was preceded by Hitler and many others, and despite the originality of his experiments he failed to create a unique Iraq in this regard, but we cannot deny the fact that he earnestly tried to make Iraq an unmatched example in something.

Now that Saddam is gone and with him his unparalleled experiments, do we have the right, as Iraqis, to abandon our role as eternal pioneers? The problem now is that the world has not left us anything to invent, but is this really an obstacle for the incredible Iraqi mind with all the great leaders we have?

Our new leaders studied this problem and held continuous meetings day and night until they finally came up with the most modern governing system practiced by mankind. It's called Kilmen Eedeh Ileh, which can be roughly translated to "Anyone can do as they will."

Our heroic governorates started implementing this new system immediately. Their blessings are already pouring on the citizens of Baghdad by ridding them of electricity for fear of electric shock. That was stated by our gallant electricity minister, who spared no effort in providing darkness for the citizens of the capital out of concern for their eyesights which have been damaged from repeated viewings of the fiery statements from our great leaders on Al-Iraqiya station, which recently started following the example of its predecessor, Iraq TV, when the newscaster smilingly announces: "And this is the complete recording of the victorious president's speech."

Other governorates, just out of concern for the central government's comfort, have took it upon themselves to sign mutual cooperation and understanding pacts with neighboring countries.

Congratulations to the prime minister for such governorate administrations which are trying to carry everything they can (of responsibilities and nothing else!) instead of burdening his central government. All it seems able to do is to implore the neighboring country to refrain from signing such agreements with our heroic governorates, as Hoshiar Zebari did when he called on Iran to stop receiving official delegations from Iraq. It appears that according to our new (masterpiece) constitution that the authority of the central government includes neighboring states but not the governorates.

When Will The Mistakes In Najaf Be Corrected?

By Mino

A wise man once said: "Do not forbid others that which you do not forbid unto yourself. 'Tis a great disgrace onto you if you do."

If we contemplate this verse for a moment we realize that the poet intended to affirm one of the greatest principles of character which should be possessed by us all, especially those who hold positions of responsibility in our daily politics.

We could say it is a reminder to those politicians and leaders that their actions should conform to their statements.   

This is just a small preface to the things I want to say here. I would also like to point out that it is people who write history, and the things I want to say here are being circulated and talked about by the people of Najaf. Of course, I truly wish that I am mistaken and that someone would come forward and refute these points in order to reassure the people of Najaf.

But we cannot stay silent, as silence would mean complacency, so here is what the people of Najaf are gossiping about:

1- Just a few days ago there was a huge commotion in Najaf, specifically in Haidariya where it was rumoured that terrorists had infiltrated the city. The police promptly raided the area and there were news of clashes and arrests and so the crisis ended.

After the situation calmed down it appeared that these arrests and detentions were not made under the law as the officials in Haidariya had stated, but that it was an individual decision made by deputy governor of Najaf, Mr. Abtan, the goal of which was to provoke the followers of the Sadrist movement and to add fuel to the fire. No terrorists were arrested and no weapon caches were discovered as many had mentioned. Instead, it appeared that many followers of the Sadrist movement were killed with their property destroyed.

2- Any neutral observer who had followed the developments in Najaf after Sadr's offices were burned down would realize that there were hidden, guilty hands attempting to stir dissension in Najaf, but the grace of God and the intervention of moderate Najafis prevented it.

The latest news from the investigation is that several arrest warrants have been issued for some very well known names in the city, with many of them being prominent politicians and clerics. It is said that the judge responsible for the investigation has issued over 40 arrest warrants for people such as Sayyid Al-Ghuraifi, who manages the shrine of Imam Ali, the son of Ayatollah Mohammed Saeed Al-Hakim, the brothers of Sayyid Al-Qubanchi, many from the Al-Abu Saibi' family who are members of the Badr organization, and Mr. Nazar Al-Mullali, member of the governorate council and also a member of SCIRI. As to Mr. Abtan, the mastermind of the whole incident, he was sent to Baghdad for interrogation.

I would just like to ask when will these Persian-style conspiracies and schemes ever end? How long will certain members of SCIRI - who use the cover of religion and the Marji'iya for their vile plots and actions - continue to belittle the people of Najaf? And for how long will the leadership of SCIRI continue to cover up the blunders of Abtan and co.? Isn't it time for a purge in the leadership of SCIRI? Or are they content with the way things are going?

3- It was rumoured, before SCIRI took charge of Najaf, that the governorate of Najaf and its citizens would soon enjoy a state of prosperity and welfare never seen before in its history. Here we are today and not a tiny bit of that can be seen anywhere. Perhaps they were only referring to the members of SCIRI, Badr and their followers. What happened to all the promises? What happened to your political agenda and your promised achievements? In the past, everything was blamed on the former governor, Adnan Al-Zirfi, and his staff. We can see today though that not a single project was carried out in your golden reign, and that all existing reconstruction projects are those which were contracted and implemented by Al-Zirfi. All your promises were gone with the wind. I say it is time to end this fraud and this manipulation of simple-minded people. If power had lasted for others, it would not have reached you.

4- It was recently circulated that a leader of a large political bloc in the National Assembly made a proposition to cancel the elections for governorate councils in seven specific governorates. Perhaps the intention was the governorates controlled by his political party, or perhaps this is just the beginning of their intended future hegemony over the central and southern regions.

He justified his ridiculous proposal by stating that the previous elections in these governorates were carried out in a transparent, democratic manner and that the majority participated in voting, therefore according to him these elected governorate councils are legitimate and there is no need to replace them. By God, what kind of twisted logic is this? Or is this how they carry out their policy of double standards? By the same logic, why should we elect a new National Assembly if the current one is legitimate? Or is it that you are lenient and merciful when it comes to you and tough with others? Or does this proposal have another hidden explanation behind the scenes such as your fear that certain movements and political parties would be elected? Only God knows.

In the end, this is yet another call to whom it may concern to reconsider their policies and to right their wrongs while there is still plenty of time for it. Do not copy the methods of Baathists and always remember that people are writing down your history.

From The History of Bread

By Qais Al-Sa'ad

One cannot deny the unique and distinguished importance of 'bread' in the history of nations and people in general. It's availability symbolizes a nation's welfare and prosperity, its progress, as well as being proof for its observance of the United Nations' statements on Human (and Animal) Rights. As it is no secret for anyone with the most basic education (including clerical and religious education) how 'bread' has been a major underlying reason behind the emergence of ancient religious, philosophical and political movements, just as it was a driving force behind modern and contemporary revolutions, uprisings, coups and movements which brought belly-dancers on private jets.

I am not concerned here in researching the role of bread in the lives of peoples and countries, but in the methods of producing bread and its different ingredients. It is a well known fact that wheat represents the main ingredient of bread all over the world and that each nation has its distinct method or tradition for producing its bread derived from its own heritage.

As a result of lack of communications, dangerous roads and intermittent Internet access, it has become almost impossible for us to find accurate statistics on the different kinds of bread in the world. Therefore, we will leave it there and focus instead on the attempts to find substantive alternatives to wheat bread as witnessed in several countries during critical and exceptional times. A situation very similar to the attempts to find reliable alternatives to petroleum as a source of energy.

The most famous attempt was that made by Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, when she suggested biscuits as a substitute to bread which ended unfortunately with her execution by a smooth, sharp guillotine. Another was the attempt of our folks in

Iraq

, earlier during the last century, when they made bread from millet, or their tragic attempt during the early 1990s when they repeated the experience of making bread from barley. It resulted in horses and donkeys suffering from starvation at the time, and the government had to resort to bribing organizations protecting animal rights in order to preserve the country's reputation.

These days, however, we are witnessing a new kind of bread, which in fact may not be really new, as it usually appears during certain circumstances in the history of nations. We had it before but it was rare. Nowadays it has become very popular and widespread. This kind replaces wheat with religion and makes it a substance to feed on and to live a prosperous life. This kind of bread takes many different forms and shapes which require certain conditions to get, such as a turban, a long beard, etc.

They do have a common characteristic though, no matter the time or place; They all feed on bread dipped in the blood of innocents and that they all have rotten breaths.

The Priest, Dr. Yousuf Al-Qardawi: Fatwas on demand!

By Samir Ibrahim Hassan.

The esteemed priest, Dr. Yousuf Qardawi can be considered the modern Gog, in his preaching of Ibn Taimiya's dominating Islam. As the foremost jurist and reference of this dangerous version of Islam, which is promoted by the Qatari Al-Jazeera station in its weekly show "Sharia and Life", Qardawi calls for a kind of democracy where Gog is free to incite and push Magog to carry out barbaric and destructive acts in the lives of people.

Allah's Book has no existence for the priest Qardawi and his ilk. He is the living Book and its owner, nay, he is religion itself, its source and reference. The same can be said about the priests of Al-Azhar and other state-appointed clerics. They rush on every occasion to issue fatwas as per the need and request of tyrannical authorities throughout the Arab world.
Their most famous fatwa in Egypt was that which permitted and legalized the usury taken by state-owned banks from its citizens.

Whereas the Quran says: "Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury." Al-Baqara:275, and "That they took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men's substance wrongfully; we have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment." Al-Nisa':161. Those clerics who twisted Allah's word are mentioned here: "The unbelievers say:
'Listen not to this Qur'an, but talk at random in the midst of its reading, that ye may gain the upper hand.'" Fussilat:26.

As to the esteemed priest, Dr. Yousuf Qardawi, his fatwa authority is much more powerful and influential than that of the Azhar priests and others, simply because he leans on a huge destructive, suicidal base which crawls all over the world and strikes everywhere. This situation has put the the priest Dr. Qardawi in a bargaining position with tyrannical authorities.
They are forced to pay more in order to protect their own power and ruling positions with his fatwas. A similar bargaining position exists with democratic governments in which he provides them reasons and conditions to turn democratic rule into an authoritarian one under the excuse of security and fighting terrorism.

The abilities of the priest Dr. Qardawi were demonstrated the time he acted as intermediary between the Egyptian tyrant and the dark forces of Ibn Taimiya's Islam (as was widely publicized by the Egyptian press). He realizes the Egyptian tyrant's need for a peaceful environment while running the farce of elections and he enters negotiations with this fact in mind.
This appropriately puts him in the position where he can snatch the largest amount of Halal money from the Egyptian authorities, with no concern whatsoever to the methods the authorities collect this money from the impoverished Egyptian people.

According to his warped interpretation, he and his followers dreams of an Islamic kingdom, not for Allah, but for them. Allah has made it clear in His book that "There is no compulsion in religion," yet the Islam of the priest Dr. Qardawi and his ilk is based on forcing people into religion. Anyone who does not observe their version of Islam is considered Kafir and should be eliminated. If one of their dark soldiers and Magogs is killed, they are "martyrs". They also lure their living followers with Heaven if they blindly
act on their orders and decrees.

The renowned priest, Dr Yousuf Qardawi needs no introduction. He works as an Islamic jurist (Faqeeh) live on his popular station, Al-Jazeera. He also works as an economic consultant for a number of large financial corporations which operate under the guise of Islam. He works hard in his Satanic interpretations to devise new methods to increase profits at the expense of naiive people who believe they are doing what Allah asks of them.

He often promotes these institutions through his shows and live fatwas, advising gullible Muslims to invest in them for the sake of "Halal" money.
He fails to remember the Quranic verses: "Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury," and "That they took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men's substance wrongfully; we have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment."

Qardawi also acts as the spiritual guide for the majority of armed Islamic groups which strike wherever they are ordered to, as well as other Islamic groups and organizations miserably crippled by poverty as a result of the continous organized theft carried out by tyrannical authorities in the Arab world which derive their legitimacy from the fatwas of Al-Azhar and other priesthood nuthouses. Qardawi is the most influential of all priests because of the popularity of Al-Jazeera.

The priest Dr. Qardawi mentioned some time ago following the events of 9/11 that he had deposited several million dollars at American banks, which incidentally are not the same banks which he advises other Muslims to deal with. He described this sum as "the savings of a lifetime."

Our priest collected and saved during his lifetime the kind of money that can only be made by huge corporations in the Arab world, except that our priest does not plant or trade. Instead, his income comes from his live fatwas and from his services as intermediary between authorities and Islamic groups threatening to carry out acts of terrorism.

We do not understand why the Americans have ceased to bother Qardawi.
Perhaps the priest doctor with his judicial and economic bargaining powers succeeded in striking a profitable deal with the Americans who are seeking further security powers to turn into an authoritarian state capable of destroying everything human on this earth. With the fatwas of a destructive version of Islam, the United States could turn into an empire of evil on earth, just like 'Aad and Thamud in the past and with the power of their scientific and military achievements it could risk destroying everything, returning mankind to a new beginning.

"See they not how many of those before them We did destroy?- generations We had established on the earth, in strength such as We have not given to you - for whom We poured out rain from the skies in abundance, and gave fertile streams flowing beneath their feet: yet for their sins We destroyed them,
and raised in their wake fresh generations to succeed them." Al-An'aam:6.

What Happened In Najaf?

By Mino 19

The tragic events which unfolded in holy Najaf a few days ago require us to pause for a moment in an attempt to envisage a realistic picture of what happened and is still happening there, far from emotional outbursts and preconceived notions which tend to affect our judgement.

I can safely say that I am an independent person who is concerned for the peace of my city and my governorate. I do not owe allegiance to any group, whether it be partisan, factional or sectarian.

As a matter of fact, it is my understanding that what occurred in Najaf was a natural consequence of the tension in the precarious relationship between the followers of the Sadrist movement and members of the Supreme Council (SCIRI) and the Badr organization.

This relationship unfortunately went through periods of ebb and flow in many aspects, sometimes to the point of explosion had it not been for the grace of God and the intervention of moderates.

In order to identify the defect, I am afraid it is necessary to implore the leaders and reasonable members of both parties to appoint qualified, efficient people to the right positions and to prevent their ignorants from fooling with the lives of innocent people and exposing them to dangers as a result of foolish policies aiming for the control of Najaf as if it was their inheritance.

Just as it is necessary for the good clerics of different groups, parties and the Marji'iya to abandon all control of sacred shrines in Najaf and to leave the administrative matters to the Shi'ite Endowments Board. The shrines should be managed by the state as the holy shrine of Imam Ali belongs to all and is not the inheritance of anyone in Najaf. It is time to end this farce once and for all.

It is also certain that such bloody disputes between religious movements and parties -as they prefer to call themselves- open the doors for those with evil purposes who are trying to encourage dissension between Shia. This does not mean we should try to blame our own mistakes on others but that we should stand together to recognize and diagnose these mistakes and to put solutions before it is too late.

No, we do not deny that some have evil designs on Najaf and its people and that some wish to see Shi'ite unity destroyed. It is therefore our duty and our responsibility to realize this threat and to thwart these attempts, instead of crying endlessly about them.

We are at the doorstep of historical events such as the constitutional referendum and elections. We are all required to work seriously together, to keep our calm and to punish the guilty without hesitation and with no regard to their partisan affiliations or social background.

And to those who are trying to add fuel to the fire, I say stop fooling around with peoples' lives, Najaf is not your playground. Beware the wrath of God and the people.

Which is More Important: The Reconstruction of Iraq? Or the Reconstruction of the Iraqi Individual?

by Mino 19

It is impossible to deny, even for a moment, the overwhelming joy in our hearts and minds on April 9, 2003. We were even convinced, for a while, that the fall of the idol had returned us our stolen dignity. We were convinced we had taken revenge for all the miserable souls who perished in the jail cells of the tyrant. His mass graves and his oppression surpassed that of Al-Hajjaj and all the other despots in history. This point should not be forgotten despite what unfolded later.

On the other hand, the fall of the regime was accompanied by many strange values, concepts, and practices that were introduced to our lives. Some are even more troubling than those prevailing during the rule of the tyrant.

Administrative and financial corruption is probably the most dangerous. It is obvious that corruption was the natural result of a devilish seed planted by the former regime. It was cleverly and deliberately watered later under the rule of civil administrator Paul Bremer, and it finally gave its fruits under Allawi's interim government. New thieves from abroad were imposed on the government, many of whom were experts not only in robbery but in creating an atmosphere of corruption to encourage others from inside and from abroad to plunder the country's riches.

Many of those expatriates became prominent leaders and officials as if Iraq were devoid of qualified honorable individuals from inside. This begs the question: when will the right person ever fill the right place in Iraq? One who will truly serve the people instead of those who seek power and positions for their own personal gain?

I have to say here that the reconstruction of the Iraqi psyche is far more important and urgent than the reconstruction of our infrastructure. What use is a prosperous country when it is governed by sick, greedy individuals looking for their own interests?

You can treat this as a call to return to our timeless, noble values and morals such as altruism, sacrifice for the sake of others, and other sacred values which have disappeared and are almost extinct in the new Iraq which is full of empty slogans such as transparency, accountability and democracy.

The worst is when such calls are made by individuals who appear to be highly devout and religious on the surface…members of certain Islamic political parties, for example. Those who say one thing in public while following the complete opposite in private remind me of the old saying: Do not forbid others that which you do not forbid yourself.

Some of them find it convenient to wear a turban and to utter a few mystical religious lines to please the masses. Then they climb on the peoples' shoulders to gain power. It doesn't matter to them if Rome burns afterwards.

In the end I would like to say: God help the heart of Dr. Ibrahim Al-Ja'fari because of what he suffers from such individuals. The gray in his head and beard has grown worse since he became prime minister.

It's Raining Nails

by Mino 19

To the Minister of Trade,

I still remember enjoying your televised interview on Al-Hurra where you explained your ministry's plans, particularly your promise that monthly rations would be distributed in full by July at the latest. We still haven't received ration items for May and June. So what exactly could Your Excellency's promises mean?

By the way, I heard an exchange between a citizen and a food ration distributor the other day. The citizen asked if the monthly rations had arrived yet.

"Yes," the distributor said. “We received two items, beans and soap!"

The poor citizen angrily responded: "No wonder everything is upside down when our trade minister is a Kurd."

To the Minister of Housing,

We wish to offer our sincere thanks and appreciation for your ministry's plans to build apartment complexes in Najaf exclusively for exiles and expatriates who suffered from full bellies and from stacking Euros and Dollars while enduring the extremely difficult living conditions in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and... Iran.

They did not enjoy the pleasures of eating bread made from black (unrefined) flour or drinking muddy water during the reign of Saddam.

To His Excellency, Sayyid Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim,

You know a book by its title, as they say. Therefore, we wish Your Excellency would select people who are competent and eager to serve the weak instead of those who seek to control state-owned property for a cheap price. Many of your followers turned into estate agents instead of providing services for citizens. They took over buildings and property belonging to the Najaf Municipality, the Traffic Police Directorate, the Security Directorate, the Kufa Branch, even the tyrant's palace on the Kufa river and the park at the factory street. They registered these properties in the names of Islamic schools and universities, the Imam of Najaf Friday prayers, and his Excellency Sayyid Ammar Al-Hakim. I wonder if they know about any of that.

Also, does Your Excellency know that such practices by certain members of SCIRI and Badr have made the average Najafi citizen compare those who wear turbans now to those who used to wear khaki in the past?

To the Head of the Najaf Governorate Council,

Did you know that Mr. Nazar Al-Mulali, a lawyer and a member of your esteemed council, receives a monthly salary from the Facilities Protection Directorate of Najaf as a policeman? Is this allowed by the law? You should know since you are a man of law yourself. Try to put a little more effort into checking the backgrounds of your members.

To His Excellency, Sayyid Al-Qubanchi,

Your efforts are appreciated, especially your offers of five thousand dinars plus a free lunch for everyone who prays behind you during Friday prayers. Shouldn't that money go to the poor and those in need? Or is that also part of the elections campaign?

Also, try to stop your attempts to convince women about Mut'a (temporary marriage), particularly to the members of Badr Brigade.

To Sayyid Ammar Al-Hakim,

The people of Najaf sincerely appreciate your educational efforts during your repeated visits to girls' high schools and colleges. We wish you would extend this honor to male high schools and colleges and not to limit it to members of the fair sex.

Friends of Democracy Sponsors Women’s Rights

by Omar at Iraq the Model

Friends of Democracy held a lecture and a round table discussion about women and the constitution.

The main lecturer was Dr. Fawzi Al-Juboori, a law professor and vice dean of the law school at Kirkuk University. The event was attended by representatives of women’s organizations and civil society activists in Kirkuk.

The first part of Dr. Juboori's lecture shed light on the general principles of the constitution and its concepts. After that there was an open discussion for all the participants about the proposed draft of the constitution. The women participants expressed disappointment with some clauses of the draft.

The Personal Affairs Law’s undermining of women's rights was a hot topic. So were the issues of a woman’s freedom to travel without a sibling male escort, “honor killings,” and the rights of women to assume high posts in government. The participants also condemned the suggestion to call Iraq an Islamic country.

At the end of the event, the participations signed a document that included their demands and suggestions. Friends of Democracy will submit that document to the Constitution Drafting Committee.

Civil Disobedience in Samawa on August 7, 2005

by Al-Dhafer

To the good people of Samawa. Your independent parliament calls upon you to gather near the Husseiniya of Haj Mahmoud on Bata street at 7 pm on Saturday, August 6, 2005 in order to hear our statement which includes your legitimate demands. The appropriate decisions on the next course of action will be made at that time.

Below is a copy of the statement published and distributed by the Independent Popular Parliament of Samawa.

To the people of our beloved city,

Our parliament has always made it a duty to be faithful and honest with you, especially when it depends on Allah and you for support. We wish to inform you - with our trust in Allah and the honorable people of Samawa - of the following points made after the meeting arranged by your parliament in the guesthouse of Al Sayyid Jawhar:

1 - The poor situation in our city should be condemned by all for the sake of its security. Vile attempts to drag it to chaos and destruction must be stopped.

2 - Security in the city is a patriotic responsibility of the city's officials. They must see to it that all criminal elements are purged. It should be noted that the people of Samawa have fulfilled their duties in this regard.

3 - Basic services in the governorate – those which should be provided by the government such as water, electricity and municipal services – are the worst in months. It is our duty for the sake of our people to stand firmly in order
to correct these shortcomings and to expose and expel those who are behind them under the rule of law.

4 - We should put an end to administrative corruption in our governmen offices. We should also work hard and keep our eyes wide open so we can expose and punish those who are behind it. We have lived through many wars and terrible times. We were buried alive. People were killed merely for being suspected. We cannot return to that era. We should see to it that our children enjoy a better future instead.

5 - Mature nations behave in a civilized manner. Problems are resolved with peaceful constructive dialogue rather than violence. We must take it upon ourselves to act maturely so our city will remain peaceful and beautiful as it has always been.

6 - We also wish to inform you that we have exhausted every possible action to improve the deteriorating situation in our city. We have stood for hours at the gates of governmen offices. Unfortunately, they did not budge in the face of your just demands which are a part of every citizen's rights. We worked to forward your demands to the National Assembly through Mr. Mahmoud Ahmed, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Ja'fari, and Sayyid Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim during their last visits to the governorate.

Therefore the decision was made to stage a sit-in on Sunday, August 7, 2005. People will go on strike. All shops, stores, and streets will be closed so you can tell the National Assembly of the neglect our city is suffering.

Best regards to the patient men and heroes who have done their best to serve their people in our gracious city.

The Independent Popular Parliament of Samawa

Copy to/

-The National Assembly, Baghdad.
-The Council of Ministers, Baghdad.
-The Muthanna Governorate Council.
-The Governor of Muthanna

Thanks for Nothing

by al Zaeem and the staff at the (Arabic language) Iraq is in our Hearts Web site

* A special thanks to all Iraqi municipalities for their much appreciated efforts in removing sewage swamps, garbage and debris, for paving streets, and presenting Iraq in a new and brighter face.

* A special thanks to all government employees and civil servants for refusing bribes and for putting an end to administrative corruption and favoritism.

* A special thanks to all Iraqi citizens for their cooperation with traffic police and for not parking their vehicles irregularly.

* A special thanks to the Ministry of Trade for improving the monthly rations card and for prompt distribution of food rations on time and with no shortages.

* A special thanks to the Ministry of Electricity for reducing scheduled power outages to one hour a day.

* A special thanks to all purchasing committees of government directorates for providing purchase receipts which actually correspond to prices at the local market.

* A special thanks to all political parties and movements for giving priority to their economical and development programs instead of empty slogans.

* A special thanks to all reconstruction committees in the governorates for finishing reconstruction projects and for not wasting the people's money.

* A special thanks to all civil society organizations for arranging public conferences and symposiums in order to continuously educate and develop Iraqi society.

* A special thanks to National Assembly members for performing their duties without monthly salaries or pensions in order to serve the Iraqi people.

* A special thanks to all Iraqi tribes for denying refuge and protection for terrorists and criminals, and for adhering to the noble Iraqi values of chivalry.