iraq's future — then and now

From: Mad Kanuck - The Malwiya Minaret (852 AD) 

Here's a respectful, though sadly ironic documentary about Iraq from British Pathe (circa 1950).
AGELESS IRAQ reel 2 - British Pathe

And a recent article in The New York Times...

"SOKUR, Iraq — The name of this dusty little village means falcon in Arabic, a reference to its history as a residential community for workers at a nearby airport. But most people in Iraq call it Traitor Town.
'It’s not fair, but it’s true,' one market vendor here said about the nickname, pointing down the street to the walls of a now-empty American base just beyond.
     Years ago, the residents of this town formed an alliance with the Americans who had moved into the airport and renamed it Speicher Base.
     Nearly every young man in the town worked at the base, making this place an illustrative, if extreme, example of the unfortunate turn of fate for Iraqis who took jobs with the United States military during the nearly nine-year war, and who are now being left behind. [...]
     Amir Abu Ali sidled into the town cafe around noon on a recent day, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He is unemployed after working his entire adult life at Speicher Base, starting in 2003 as a 16-year-old, parlaying odd jobs for contractors into work as an interpreter, once he learned English.
     Mr. Abu Ali has a note, signed by an American lieutenant, that says, 'This letter of recommendation is testament to his personal character and selfless services to our men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces.' The note adds that he 'provided information freely to my soldiers about current situations.'
     Mr. Abu Ali said of the letter, 'When I want to die I’ll show this to a business in Iraq while applying for a job.' " — Andrew E. Kamer, The New York Times
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