Ramadan Iftar dinner

The Hutchinson News ^ | 10/01/08 | Martin MIller

[kathsua]

I wish I could have been at the KDOT Operations meeting, I am ready to be back home in Kansas.

Last week the Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team that I work for held a Ramadan Iftar dinner for 330 Kirkuki dignitaries and 350 body guards, military, and other security staff. During the month of Ramadan Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset which means not eating or drinking all day. At sundown the Imams from each Mosque broadcast the call to prayer and that signals the time everyone can drink and eat. I tried to fast for the first week, because my Iraqi fellow coworkers were fasting, but riding in a hot humvee to and from work while wearing body armor took its toll so I had to start drinking water and eating a little bit during the day.

The large Iftar was to promote the topic of reconciliation among the ethnic groups in Kirkuk and was titled "Reconciliation among Ethnicities, Civil Society Organizations, and Political Diversity." We also held four other smaller Iftars for around 40-80 people with speakers about the following specific topics:

1. The Criminal Justice System: Working for a Safer Kirkuk

2. The Role of Media in Public Opinion and Politics

3. Islamic Societies, Banking and Economic Growth

4. The Influence of University Professors and Student Leaders in Kirkuk's Future

I just receive my ballot to vote from Reno County, thanks to my Mother taking the form in that I filled out while on leave in July, and will be mailing it back in tomorrow, so normal life goes on just in an unusual and interesting way. It has been a good nine months so far with no dangerous situations that I have encountered but as I said earlier it will be good to be home. I miss green grass, the changing seasons, and rain. It did rain here last night and it is cooler, but we had virtually no rain from May-September.

[kathsua]

this is the type of story that the MSM tends to ignore so they can make the situation in Iraq look worse than it is.