BOB DAVIS ART

Iraq

A. Background

Iraq is a country in the Middle East comprised of 17 separate and semi-autonomous states named after the 17 leading figures from ancient Babylonian history.

Iraq is no stranger to war, having been under siege for 42% of its history between the years 540 bc (when the Vandals attacked for the first time, unsuccessfully) and 1880 (when the British successfully conquered the sultanate). Since then, Iraq has been mostly peaceful, mostly friendly, and until 1991 a valuable and irreplaceable ally of the United States, at which point the evil dictator-for-life was deemed insane for trying to conquer Kuwait. He was then repelled and has been repelled since then too. He subsequently lost control of his country, handing it off to former allies in his government-for-life.

History of Iraq

As was reported in the Seven Voyages of Sinbad, as part of the classic 1001 Nights, Sinbad was from Baghdad, and travelled to Basra and from there around the world for his own purposes, only to be rebuffed and returned to ancient Babylon (now known as Iraq.)

From Bob Davis' reduced 3rd Voyage of Sinbad:

I abode awhile in Baghdad savoring ease and prosperity,

till once more seized with longing

for adventure and money.

So repairing to Basra, found there a fine ship.

We set sail, buying and selling and taking our pleasure.

One day the master cried out,

“the wind has driven us to the Mountain of Apes.”

and the apes were upon us.

They made off with the ship.

There came upon us a frightful giant.

He came to the master

and fetched a long spit and roasted him,

and one after the other eating them.

So we hauled down wood, making a boat.

As he slept we thrust two red-hot iron spits into his eyes.

We fled but up came two more ogres.

The ogres pelted us with rocks—

till there remained but myself and two others.

The winds cast us upon an island.

At nightfall a dragon reared its head

and swallowed one of my companions

and climbed up to my comrade and swallowed him whole.

I went down to the shore,

whence a ship heard my cries

and took me on board—they had my goods.

I disposed of my merchandise and profited largely.

We bought and sold

and after a prosperous voyage,

arrived at Basra

and returned to Baghdad

and my house and family and friends.

Size of Iraq

Iraq is 42.3m Hectares in size, comparable to a medium-sized state in the middle east, yet large enough to be of concern to many around the world.

Iraq Timeline

1203: Birth of Sultan Omar

1924: Iraq built it's first public library, modeled on the mythical Library of Alexandria, although at the time only 22% of the population was literate, and every home already had their own copy of the Koran, the only book the library chose to stock.

1932: there were fewer than 32 incorporated cities, while still many people chose not to live in cities.

1946: Sixteen children were converted in the last great purge of the prior government.

1955: The Shah of Iran invites the President of Iraq to a dinner at his garden estate, meanwhile there are more people starving in their hovels in both countries than their leaders care to mention to each other. This outrage prompts the World Court to arrest the Iraqi representative at the new United Nations in Geneva, with Switzerland forgoing their neutrality this one time to right wrongs in the face of great and dismal pressure from Amnesty International.

1962: More pressure, more poor people, more ignoring, candles lit in peace and forgiveness by 12 nuns in Nicaragua.

1984: Donald Rumsfeld meets with Saddam Hussein and shakes his hand as a greeting from President Ronald Reagan. Trade commences. People toast their leaders in celebration throughout the civilized world.

1991: WAR!

1992: We WIN! George H.W. Bush not re-elected.

1993: Bush leaves office to derision from the leader he beat fair-and-square. Saddam Hussein is now officially declared "evil" and an enemy to freedom and verboten and not-likely-to-remain-in-office much longer.

2003: WAR!

2004: We WIN! George W. Bush re-elected.

2005: War, though already won by the United States, continues unabated.

Iraq Exports

Major exports include paper, copper, colophony, cereals, headphones, batteries, and sand.

This knowledge entry was written by BD, CV, and FF

If you are using this for a school paper, please remember to credit the "Bob Davis Knowledge Base"

last updated February 19, 2007

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