Bars, pubs and liquor stores are now back and proliferating in Iraq.
BAGHDAD — After disappearing for the past six years, sin and vice are now running rife in the streets of the Iraqi capital.
"Sin is part of Baghdadis' lives again," Fadilla Muhammed, member of a group campaigning for family traditions and morals, told IslamOnline.net.
Bars, pubs and liquor stores, once shut down by militant groups, are back to business and proliferating.
Prostitution homes have reopened, and in many of them, prostitutes troll for clients.
In downtown Baghdad, cinemas infamous for showing sex-themed movies while spectators engage in actual sexual relations in their chairs or in the bathrooms are re-opening.
Although less common, women are found inside such movie theaters, offering themselves or their own daughters for clients.
"Today, after the invasion and many attempts to shut down such places, they came back with strength," notes Muhammed.
According to Mustafa al-Ghadhun, a senior Health Ministry official, there is an increase in the alcohol consumption and drugs in Iraq.
"There is also a very large consumption of medicines containing codeine and valium derivatives," he told IOL.
"We are concerned about the quantity consumed, as many cases of alcohol addiction have been reported."
Baghdad districts such as Sadr, Alawi, Dora, Bab al-Muadhem and Gazellia have reportedly become hotbeds for drug dealing.
Drug dealers are also especially active in the areas where policing is less present and where militias hold sway.
Democracy
For those who indulge in all the once-illicit practices, this is what they have wanted the Americans to bring to Iraq.
"It is time to feel liberty and some Western traditions," says Abu Feiraz who is sitting in a café at Karada district with his 17-year-old son playing chess.
"We are adults and responsible for our acts," said the father while pouring more wine in his son’s glass.
He defended the return of alcohol and prostitution as part of the democratic Western lifestyle the US has vowed o bring to Iraq.
"I’m not hurting or destroying the life of anyone."
Sitting in a tavern drinking a glass of wine, Faeq agrees.
"Each human being has the right to decide what he wants for his life."
He argues that many Iraqis like him are tired after years of war and violence and have found in drugs and alcohol a way to run away from problems.
"We can not only be worried about what will happen. We want to have fun after all these years of suffering.
"It is time to live the western life that was one of the gifts the Americans said would bring to us."
But not everyone is happy that sin reared its ugly face back.
Sheikh Ibraheem Ahmed Naffi, a Karada district imam, warns that the new sinful lifestyle would affect thousands of young Iraqis.
"It is a Muslim country and alcohol should be forbidden," he stressed.
"Family values are being lost in Iraq and the government isn’t doing anything to address the problem," he fumed.
"That’s one of the issues that make the difference between us and Westerns."
Oh yes, because they drink, we should have never dis-placed Sadam Hussein. Next time a lunatic dictator decides to rule a country and support terrorism, let's let him stay, since, dare I say it, forbid, the people drink a beer!
American government once supported that ''lunatic dictator.''
I'm rather confused. One minute America is your ally and the next minute their are your enemy. I do wish they could make up their mind.
This clearly points to the obvious, American government only support countries that have the same interests as them. Any disagreements, America labels that country as their enemy.
It shows the American government have not tolerance and no respect for other countries points of view. They use the media as a form of propaganda to gain support from the public.
format_quote Originally Posted by Amadeus85
I have noticed that Islamonline likes to point out only bad things that happen in nowadays Iraq, as if nothing good happens there lately.
Well it would have been helpful for you to list all the good things that happened. To provide evidence to back up your claim.
The only good things that happened in Iraq they removed Sadaam Huessin though war was not the answer. They could have been variety of ways to establish democracy.
America went to war to ''save'' Iraqi citizens. Instead, they have killed thousands of innocent’s civilians.
There is horrific evidence of torture used upon suspects by the Bush Administration.
All this outweighs the good the American government have actually done.
format_quote Originally Posted by amani
aah but america didnt always think he was a lunatic dictator when they could use him...
Yes. If I am not mistakened, Iraq had certain disputes with Iran. America supported Iraq actions.
format_quote Originally Posted by seeker-of-light
as an american, i think the american government is in the wrong for going to iraq to begin with. it just caused more problems (as if the world didnt already have enough of them) and amani is right, the usa government didnt "see" hussein as a dictator as long as he was beneficial for them to tolerate. kind of like the same situation with the previous dictator in pakistan that was backed by the usa. as long as they are pro-usa, they can be as dictator like as they want. sounds hypocritical to me.
I agree with you. These are American government disposable puppets. When they are not in any use, they are disposed of.
That is the impression I am getting from the American government.
format_quote Originally Posted by Clover
How do you know they didn't sell the WMD's back to the original owner? That has been a long-known theory, and we don't know if they ever did or didn't have WMD's.
The U.S. aided them to fight for their own freedom, we didn't know after we did that, they'd help terrorists that planned on murdering Americans.
lol, I am doing what I want, expressing a opinoin.
What is strange to me is that the American government throw a tantrum where they hear a country developing nuclear energy/weapons.
I think America is the actual big threat. They actually used Nuclear Weapons.
''Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.'' Does this ring a bell?
Personally, I cannot trust American government. Based on their actions, they only support those who share similar interests. American government need to learn that not everything can happen meet their needs. They do more harm than good.
Just to add Obama is unwilling to release 44 images of Gutanmo/cuba prisoners who have been abused by the US personal - he doesnt want to release them becasue it would give america a worse image in the muslim world - a form of censorship in other words - for the greater good in Obama's eyes.
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
Just to add Obama is unwilling to release 44 images of Gutanmo/cuba prisoners who have been abused by the US personal - he doesnt want to release them becasue it would give america a worse image in the muslim world - a form of censorship in other words - for the greater good in Obama's eyes.
I am not surprised. America needs to learn how to handle the truth. Learn from their past mistakes and never repeat them again. However, the likely chance of that occurring is zero.
I am not surprised. America needs to learn how to handle the truth. Learn from their past mistakes and never repeat them again. However, the likely chance of that occurring is zero.
Salaam
I agree with you - hiding history wont help them one bit - Just hiding the images is going to create a worse image of america.
peace
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
Just to add Obama is unwilling to release 44 images of Gutanmo/cuba prisoners who have been abused by the US personal - he doesnt want to release them becasue it would give america a worse image in the muslim world - a form of censorship in other words - for the greater good in Obama's eyes.
They should be released, I agree, for honesty, but I also agree with Obama that the prisoners' faces should not be plastered everywhere for even more embarrassment. Another excuse is national security which is kind of a weak argument to me, but... :X
They should be released, I agree, for honesty, but I also agree with Obama that the prisoners' faces should not be plastered everywhere for even more embarrassment. Another excuse is national security which is kind of a weak argument to me, but... :X
Thats not his reason - the prisoners faces will blotted out but hes worried about how the muslim world is going to react to these images and what thats going to do there standing in the world - including the images acting as a recruitment tool for terrorism.
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
and yes why the hell did bush invaded Iraq??? link with Al Qaida and possession of mass destruction weapons... of which none have been proved.
if democracy = legalization of alcohol, drugs, prostitution etc... i prefer saddam, and so should every muslim
"Each riyal, dirham …etc. used to buy their goods eventually becomes bullets to be fired at the hearts of brothers and children in Palestine.. To buy their goods is to support tyranny, oppression and aggression." -Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
and yes why the hell did bush invaded Iraq??? link with Al Qaida and possession of mass destruction weapons... of which none have been proved.
if democracy = legalization of alcohol, drugs, prostitution etc... i prefer saddam, and so should every muslim
salaam
Its an illiegal war - everybody knows that - just nobody can do anything about it as america is the only militery superpower of the world - and nobody can stand up to it otherwise they will be destroyed.
Do you think the pious don't sin?
They merely:
Veiled themselves and didn't flaunt it
Sought forgiveness and didn't persist
Took ownership of it and don't justify it
And acted with excellence after they had erred - Ibn al-Qayyim
and yeah, the silence of the UN and the Arab league.
if only the Muslim leaders had guts, they could rule the world... they could have closed the petrol tap and let the world starve till they decide to change things
and yea, some are gonna think that they got their army, nuclear power etc, but didnt the mujaheddin bring down the soviet union, and now even the US is finding it hard to cope with them.
think of badr, of the first Muslim empires, how they ruled the world... they had tawakul... unlike us
"Each riyal, dirham …etc. used to buy their goods eventually becomes bullets to be fired at the hearts of brothers and children in Palestine.. To buy their goods is to support tyranny, oppression and aggression." -Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
"Each riyal, dirham …etc. used to buy their goods eventually becomes bullets to be fired at the hearts of brothers and children in Palestine.. To buy their goods is to support tyranny, oppression and aggression." -Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
if democracy = legalization of alcohol, drugs, prostitution etc... i prefer saddam, and so should every muslim
Don't you think people should have the choice of religion and whether or not they follow Islamic laws? Obviously, because you are a Muslim, you probably think it's no big deal making others do what you feel is right, but to someone else, it is a huge deal when we are restricted by things from that with which we are not involved. Enforcing Islam (or any other religion) on people isn't the most productive thing in the world, and can be even more destructive than the crimes brought by the regulation of alcohol and drugs.
So, I respectfully disagree with you.
(However, personally, I hate alcohol, so I would support its prohibition if it came to choose. )
well, that's the second article I've read where people are saying that they preferred the reign of saddam hussein. There were no rape, no illegal abuse of women under saddam, and whether you like it or not, the Saudi king is not better than Saddam, he may have not wage war unto other countries, but people practically have no liberty there,
im not talking against the shariah, but about the fact, that people are not allowed to criticize the government.
"Each riyal, dirham …etc. used to buy their goods eventually becomes bullets to be fired at the hearts of brothers and children in Palestine.. To buy their goods is to support tyranny, oppression and aggression." -Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
Don't you think people should have the choice of religion and whether or not they follow Islamic laws? Obviously, because you are a Muslim, you probably think it's no big deal making others do what you feel is right, but to someone else, it is a huge deal when we are restricted by things from that with which we are not involved. Enforcing Islam (or any other religion) on people isn't the most productive thing in the world, and can be even more destructive than the crimes brought by the regulation of alcohol and drugs.
So, I respectfully disagree with you.
(However, personally, I hate alcohol, so I would support its prohibition if it came to choose. )
In a Muslim country, you would have Islamic laws because majority of the public are Muslims. A non-Muslim are expected to follow these laws, if they wish to enter a Muslim country.
In a non-Muslim a country, a Muslim will have to follow their laws. For example, Interest/Riba is against the teachings of the Quran; however, Muslims will have to abide by their regulations.
In Iraq majority of the population were Muslims. When Alcohol and Prostitution was prohibited, this did not raise any concern. However legalizing it does create concern. Legalization of Alcohol and Prostitution had put Iraq into a position to face future problems that they are unfamiliar with.
Why did USA invade Iraq? To liberate them or turn it into a Western nation?
In a Muslim country, you would have Islamic laws because majority of the public are Muslims. A non-Muslim are expected to follow these laws, if they wish to enter a Muslim country.
In a non-Muslim a country, a Muslim will have to follow their laws. For example, Interest/Riba is against the teachings of the Quran; however, Muslims will have to abide by their regulations.
In Iraq majority of the population were Muslims. When Alcohol and Prostitution was prohibited, this did not raise any concern. However legalizing it does create concern. Legalization of Alcohol and Prostitution had put Iraq into a position to face future problems that they are unfamiliar with.
Why did USA invade Iraq? To liberate them or turn it into a Western nation?
Iraq was a secular country under Saddam, I don't think alcohol was ever banned during his reign.
if we're talking about guessing, saddam was sunni, he prohibited shia rituals of karbala etc, so if he was such a stout sunni as to ban these, why not alcohol and prostitution...
well just guessing...
"Each riyal, dirham …etc. used to buy their goods eventually becomes bullets to be fired at the hearts of brothers and children in Palestine.. To buy their goods is to support tyranny, oppression and aggression." -Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
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