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Iraq Middle East 2012

Amadiya: A Charming Paradise in Iraqi Kurdistan

It was day 2 in Iraq and I was confused. I had a mission: To visit Amadiya (commonly called and even spelled Amedy or Amedi), famed for some fancy old gate I had spotted in a Lonely Planet guide. But I had a problem. I had no idea how to get there… See, cities in Kurdistan, three […]

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Iraq Middle East 2012 Photos

Inside Saddam Hussein’s House of Horrors

Have you ever heard of “Chemical Ali?” You know, Saddam Hussein’s cousin who was responsible for “Gassing the Kurds?” His biggest claim to fame happened on March 16, 1988 on an otherwise quiet day, at least as quiet as it gets in an active war zone! It was late in the Iran-Iraq War when Saddam […]

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Iraq Middle East 2012 Videos

A Night at an Amusement Park in Iraq (VIDEO)

Iraq can be a hot place. The afternoon sun beats down with an intensity that makes you want to wither up into a little ball. Or just chill and do nothing. Not the best combination for traveling, if I do say so myself. Let’s rewind for a second. It was my first full day in […]

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Iraq Middle East 2012 Politics

Meet Kurdistan: The “Other Iraq”

Think of Iraq. What pops into your head? Romanticized visions of Baghdad? Ancient Mesopotamia? A war-torn country filled with cities you’ve heard about on the news, like Mosul or Fallujah? If you want to travel to this Iraq these days I’m sorry to tell you that it sure as heck ain’t gonna be easy. Tourist […]