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| Iraq |
| Iraq's holy city of Najaf witnessing a boom - Not a bomb for a change |
| 2008-08-28 |
| NAJAF, Iraq -- The city's first airport is weeks away from opening, but already a bigger one is talked about. Land prices are soaring. Merchants say they don't remember business ever being so good. Four years ago, Najaf was an urban battlefield with American troops fighting Shiite militiamen loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Today, the Shiite holy city is a hot spot of a different kind thanks to improved security, a free-for-all market economy _ and a direct pipeline to the Shiite-led government. The boomtown buzz in Najaf is more remarkable for its limited company. It's matched only in the northern cities of Sulaimaniyah and Irbil in the self-ruled Kurdish region in northern Iraq, which has been mostly a bystander in the war. Now, Najaf may point to some of the same ambitions for wider autonomy by the most powerful Shiite party _ with possible far-reaching implications for the country. The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council hopes to maintain its domination of Najaf's local government in provincial elections expected late this year or early 2009. Its broader goal is a self-governing region in Iraq's Shiite south _ with its oil wealth and important religious shrines. Shiite rivals oppose such a move, fearing it would cement the Supreme Council's sway over Shiite affairs. Sunni groups, meanwhile, argue that a Shiite autonomous region would fall under Iranian influence and lead to the eventual breakup of Iraq. "We already are making every effort to win Najaf" in the provincial elections, said Ridha Jawad Taqi, a Supreme Council lawmaker. "We may well make it the capital of a future region." It's already getting a major facelift _ even as plans to build new commercial towers and hotels in Baghdad remain little more than blueprints. Other ideas, including a giant Ferris wheel bigger than the famous London Eye, are even farther out the fringes. But in Najaf, the rumblings are real. Construction crews race to keep pace with millions of Shiite pilgrims _ some from as far away as India and Britain _ who visit the shrine of the revered Imam Ali or bury their dead in the massive "Valley of Peace" cemetery. The city's ancient bazaar stays open until around 11 p.m., quite late for a market in most parts of Iraq these days due to security concerns. Shoppers fill narrow alleys to buy gold and silver jewelry, spices, worry beads and perfumes sold in small ornate bottles. Ahmed Redha, head of the state Investment Authority in Baghdad, estimated that US$38.8 billion in projects are on the drawing board for Najaf and many will be undertaken by private companies. The core of the plans call for new luxury hotels and more than 200,000 housing units, he said. |
| Posted by:GolfBravoUSMC |
| #1 Something Iraq really needs is planning and zoning. For example, their quality of life would jump if they would just require some measure of control and decorum for their electrical wiring. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-08-28 09:07 |