[muawiyah]

The Ottoman Empire was among the first foreign powers to recognize the brand new United States way back during the Revolution.

Iraq was then a province of that country, so that had a lot to do with the Fourth of July.

An Iraqi meal would likely be based on American rice grown in South Carolina and a fresh frozen packaged chicken shipped in from Arkansas or Maryland (we do that big time on this planet and before Saddam ruined their economy Iraq soaked up almost all the rice grown in SC).

I've heard tomatoes and cucumbers are a big deal there as well.

We've had neighbors from there from time to time and they make some downright "Western" sounding dishes ~ probably because CIVILIZATION WAS INVENTED by the Sumerians ~

[Osage Orange]

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1592&bih=702&q=iraqi+countryside&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&oq=iraqi+countryside&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=2052l9857l0l11612l17l16l0l8l0l0l210l1075l3.4.1l8l0#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=iranian+countryside&pbx=1&oq=iranian+countryside&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=14816l17800l0l19502l6l6l0l0l0l3l1307l4474l2-1.1.1.7-3l6l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=8025d9902b77f853&biw=1592&bih=702

Some awesome images of Iran....If they weren't so messed up...I'd go there to visit.

A while back Rick Steves...the travel guy went. I watched that show...and was amazed.