U.S.: Iraq thanks Paul Bremer for the speech the Western media never reported he made

Mohammed at Iraq the Model writes thus:

I don't like to give much credit to an individual no matter who he is, as I believe it's one of the reasons we're so behind the others. People in the east generally get attached to individuals more than ideas and the fact that Iraqis support Al-Yawer and Allawi more than they support the government as a whole is just one example of this. However I find myself compelled to write about Mr. Bremer because this man was never given the credit he deserves. That of course includes all the good people who worked with him.

We miss you Sir and we know that it's been difficult for you too. Your speech has touched the hearts of all the Iraqis I have met just as your efforts have contributed in drawing the outlines of the bright future of Iraq, the new free democratic Iraq and we will never forget you. You worked hard as if you were a true son of Iraq and in fact you're one of Iraq's sons, that's how we look at you.

I never heard anyone talk badly about you, I heard people say a lot of bad things about GWB and the GC members but you were the most respected and loved political character among Iraqis and I can say I'm almost sure that if there was a poll about who's the most popular person in Iraq, then you would've been the winner.

You maintained an equilibrium in a very intricate situation and at a very difficult time and I doubt that someone else would've been able to do that.

You've understood the mosaicism of the Iraqi people and the desires, fears and demands of each group and dealt with them in the wisest possible way.

You were working hard to convince one group and satisfy another one to guarantee the progress of the process and you faced one crisis after the other and an attack after the other but all that didn't affect your morale, stamina and high level of professionalism.

You were keen on leading Iraq to the shores of peace despite the harsh environment, and most Iraqis recognize that you succeeded in your mission.

Sir, Iraq loved you just like you confirmed your love in your farewell speech. We were touched just as you were. You have taken a place in our hearts just as you said we've taken our places in your heart.

We will be waiting for you to return with your grandchild Sophya (as you promised in your speech) and we'll share your will to teach her the history of Iraq and I'm sure that she'll love Iraq as you do.

Yes, we'd like you to come back to your country, Iraq. And we'd love to have you share the moments of joy with us as you shared the moments of sadness.
We would like you to live the moment of victory with us as you lived the moment of hardships.

I was never surprised when none of the western media broadcasted your impressive speech because I doubt their interest in showing the world the nature of the relation between you and the people of Iraq. But I'd like to tell you this:
Iraq loves you just as you love her.

*These are the verses which Mr. Bremer used in his farewell speech. They are too difficult to translate (in fact they're difficult to understand even for Arabs, as it's an old verse with difficult vocabulary that's no longer used in daily life) and I'll post them in Arabic, but they generally say:

I've left my heart in the hands of God in Baghdad
I said good bye to him when I wished instead..
That I would say good bye to the days of my life.

Read the entire post.

These Iraqis must be nuts. The Western media said J. Paul Bremer left without making a speech to the populace. The Philly Burbs and KCBS: International Wire, both imply that Bremer's last speech was actually a reading of the document transferring sovereignty. The Old Gray Whore indicates that Bremer's didn't give a farewell speech at all. So, the Iraqis must be crazy!

Mohammed and Ali and their friends must be stark raving bonkers to imagine that Bremer made a speech in which he quoted an Arabic poem in Arabic and "finished his speech by saying in Arabic, "A'ash Al-Iraq, A'ash Al-Iraq, A'ash Al-Iraq"! (Long live Iraq, Long live Iraq, long live Iraq)."