Alice in the wonder land

Last week my friend Tony Femino of Radio Station KTAR sent me a message about 'Disneyland' comes to Baghdad with multi-million pound entertainment park. Here is my reaction to it. I am adding that there actually 2 existing amusement parks other than Al-Zawra park several kilometers away from the American Green Zone.

Maybe they are developing it for the Americans and those “Iraqis” living with them in the Green Zone. With few animals added they will call it the Green ZOO

Dear Tony

Thank you for sending the link to this important article. I am very grateful for the Americans for transforming Iraq into “Alice in the wonder land” country!!!

A bit of history of Al-Zawra park in Baghdad: It used to be an old Iraqi Military camp (built in the 40s) now right at the center of Baghdad. I served at that camp (during my military service 1969). The camp was converted into a park around 1970. The park had lakes, restaurants, playing fields, cafes, swimming pools … and Baghdad Zoo. It used to be (and still is) THE place for people of Baghdad to go out and enjoy life. The attached Satellite image of the park shows the Park as is before the intended American privatizing of the LUNG that the Baghdadis breath fresh air.

The park being just across the street from the green zone will serve as a natural extension to the green zone which will be bracketed by blast walls. Any talk about converting it to an Amusement park is bull-shit. The company will build hotels and probable will make room for “other” embassies that cannot find a single empty house in the already crowded green zone!!!

Last year I sent you the following message concerning the Al-Zawra and Baghdad Zoo. I am sending it again after marking the Sat image to show you the relation of the Zawra to the Green Zone.

While Saddam granted the people of Baghdad a FREE access to the park The Americans are giving OUR park to an American investor to charge US to go in and enjoy OUR park FOR THE NEXT FIFTY YEARS!!!!! Privatization of Enjoyment!?!?

This could only happens in the magical kingdom of “Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves”!!!!

Regards

Ghazwan

PS: The American investor might be a Democrat this is why he accepted 50 years instead of the 100 years advocated by the Republican McCain

From: GhazwanAl-Mukhtar
Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 4:00 AM
To: Anthony Louis
Cc:
Subject: Achivments

Dear Tony

If you are looking for ACHIVMENT in Iraq here is one from the horse’s mouth!!! Baghdad Zoo opens new horse stables, pool

Please Tony look at the picture of the pool and t

ell me if the pool is half empty or half full??? THEY DID NOT TELL US if they fixed an existing (Saddam Era pool) or is it a new pool!!!!!!! Oh God since when fixing a thing was a great ACHIVMENT

I am sure that the people of Baghdad (in fact Iraq ) will be thrilled by such achievement and will swim FULLY clothed with BOOTS despite the cold weather just to celebrate with the whole world such HUGE achievement in “liberated Baghdad” !!!!

This is an image from Al-Zaora park in Baghdad (just next to our house) you can see the Saddam era swimming pools!!!

Best regards

Ghazwan