Sunday in Iraq -- Cradle of Civilization

I would like to introduce Philippine Commentary readers to some weblogs that are in my BlogRoll from current day IRAQ. (Yes, that's the place where bombs are blowing up killing innocent men, women and children on CNN every single day.)

HAMMORABI "Iraq - The Past, Present and Future of the Cradle of Civilization!" has an article that covers that theme and is a wealth of basic information that I doubt many Filipinos actually possess --

Sumer, Akkad, Babylon & Assyria are the out come of the first civilization which moved from prehistory to history in the Mesopotamia present Iraq. An advanced civilization flourished in Sumer long before that of Egypt, Greece & Rome. It is deep-rooted civilization had fostered humanity from its affluent fountain for thousands of years. Now Iraq contains the world's richest known archaeological sites.

On this page you can learn about The Epic of Gilgamesh which has some surprising relationships to the Christian story of the Garden of Eden; the Sumerian Calendar;
and indeed the Code of Laws of Hammurabi which perhaps the Palace ought to work on more:

1. The state is the authority responsible for enforcing the law
2. Social justice should be guaranteed
3. The punishment should fit the crime
4. Legal protection should be provided to lower classes

And here is REAL PROGRESS via Hammorabi also: Congratulations to the Iraqi Soccer Team for Victory Over Kuwait (in soccer silly!).

Now if Ancient History is not your bag, and would rather spend some time looking at the most surpassingly poignant display of CATS, pay a visit to Baghdad Girl and just think of the surrounding context.

But if you are into Modern History, the 2004 Winner as the Best Middle East or Africa Blog is the Playful Primate giant IRAQ THE MODEL : "New Points of View About the Future of Iraq". They are also talking about elections on that site today.

POWERFUL photographs are to be found on MICHAEL YON'S Online Magazine. --

Michael Yon, author of "Danger Close," is an independent, informed observer chronicling the monumentally important events in the efforts to stabilize Iraq. His dispatches have the benefit of his life experiences without drawbacks based on deadlines or demands of marketplace.

Michael Yon's photo in Little Girl is destined to become iconic of this period in the relationship between Americans and Iraqis. See also Children of Iraq. His post Purple Fingers from last October likely inspired this.

Discover the hidden PEARLS OF IRAQ or commiserate with a NEUROTIC IRAQI WIFE.

A blog I've read for a long time is BAGHDAD BURNING whence this sublime line --. I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend.

One quite famous blog when this all got going is WHERE'S RAED. He is still in Iraq. Just as we are. And who can ignore AL JAZEERA?

This was quite an eclectic selection, from all across the spectrum, and as the great debate in America proceeds about what to do next many of the points of view of those closest to the action on the ground will be found in these and thousands of other Iraqi and Iraqi-related blogs. Like Philippine Commentary.