Yesterday I had my computer stolen. With it went three months worth of work, including notes, images, reports, etc. During the summer I went through almost all of my Iraq books, and took extensive notes. All that is lost. Also gone are plans for future articles. For example, I was planning articles on the recent Baathist crackdown, one about problems with electricity contracts, the Baathist Naqshibandi insurgent group, and 1998's Operation Desert Fox, and done research into each one. That's all disappeared.
Fortunately, I uploaded two future articles onto the blog before the theft, but I'm not sure I can consistently post five articles a week until I start putting things back together again. Please bear with me.
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8 comments:
Joel, I am so sorry to hear your computer was stolen! Speaking of the Naqshibandi insurgent group, I understand it's responsible for more of the small-scale attacks by Sunni insurgents, whereas al-Qa'ida prefers mass-casualty attacks and hostage takings, right?
Al Qaeda undertakes attacks that will make it money. The high profile ones get it press that it in turn uses to fund raise. They partake in smaller operations to extort money from businesses in places like Mosul.
Naqshibandi is more involved in day to day operations and also coordinates and funds other attacks by different groups including Al Qaeda.
my heart is broken, i am sorry to hear that, you will be back on track soon, you have to, i love this site (-:
Absolutely gutted for you (and me!) - i was really looking forward to reading your views on the recent Baathist arrests. On 02 November three IEDs detonated against coffee shops in Al-Jumhuriyah district, Basra at a location in proximity to one of these arrest operations. Do you think this may have been a direct revenge attack?
Anyway i have just ordered 'Volatile Landscape' so looking forward to reading your contribution in that. And may i suggest your producing a sole authored book in the future - would be great.
Thanks everyone for their support.
Anon, I hope you bought the book from a seller that actually has it in stock. Volatile Landscape was supposed to come out months ago, but never has. There are some review copies I believe floating around, which is how I got my own copy.
The thing about the current Baathist crackdown is that I can tell what's going on, and how people are reacting and why so far, but I just can't figure out what the motivation was to begin it in the first place. None of the reports or the few analyses that are out there have given a good explanation or given me a hint to make my own decision yet. That's the main reason why I haven't written anything about it yet so far.
I'm very sorry to hear this, you clearly work very hard in keeping this blog running. I hope the thief is caught and your laptop returned.
Also I recommend you use cloud computing for any in-work documents. Very convenient!
Anon, I actually had cloud on my computer. Got it with an update, but hadn't used it yet. I'm using Dropbox from now on, similar file sharing concept.
I am very sorry that this happened to you. I start my day by reading your excellent blog. I look fwd to reading about the electricity contracts soon.
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