Iraq: postcards from the edge (page 3 of 3)

"These stations are always showing Sadr attacking the Kurds and calling the groups who plant bombs 'resistance.' We can't understand why the Arabs don't celebrate their freedom, as we did after 1991."

"We are poor people in a rich land," said Abdul-Ghafar Abed Ali, a Shi'ite Arab and neighbor. "The Kurdish leaders incite people by talking about 'those from the south' who were brought to Kirkuk to replace the Kurds who were expelled. Well, the Arabs came just because they wanted somewhere to live, not out of hostility to Kurdish people. Maybe I will soon have to leave, but even if I can sell my apartment, I need 40 times as much to buy an apartment in Baghdad."

Despite all the problems, though, Iraqis are managing to get on with their lives. The streets of Baghdad are busy and the local police struggling to direct the growing traffic. "Higher wages and some reorganization have improved morale, and people are slowly getting their pride back," said an official in the ministry of water.

The Industrial Union Investment Bank is one of a new breed of private banks offering loans to buy cars or houses. "The country has no financial policy because we have had no government in Iraq," said Abdul-Jaber Al-Rubaie, the managing director.

"As a bank, we need more capital and so we have to encourage people to keep money with us, but this is hard because of all the looting last year. The important thing is to improve security. Once this is done, then everything else can fall into place."