[Alan131210]

Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region (Kurdish: Herêmî Kurdistanî, Arabic: إقليم كردستان ) is an autonomous Region since 1991 (de facto state) in Iraq.It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. Its capital is the city of Arbil , known in Kurdish as Hewlêr. The Region is officially governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG.

Following the 1991 uprising of the Iraqi people against Saddam Hussein in Gulf war , many Kurds were forced to flee the country to become refugees in bordering regions of Iran and Turkey. A northern no-fly zone was established following the First Gulf War in 1991 to facilitate the return of Kurdish refugees. As Kurds continued to fight government troops, Iraqi forces finally left Kurdistan in October 1991, leaving the region to function de facto independently; however, Iraqi Kurdistan continues to view itself as an integral part of a united Iraq but one in which it administers its own affairs.

The three governorates of Duhok, Erbil (Hawler) and Sulaymaniya comprise around 40,000 square kilometers and have a population of around 5 million.Disputes remain between the central Iraqi government and the Kurdish government about predominantly Kurdish territories outside the current borders of Iraqi Kurdistan. there are also issues of Kurdish disputed "sliced off" areas that was done by Saddam between Erbil and Baghdad weather they are to annex back to KRG or stay as they are.



KRG is only waiting on 2 things before it breaks away
1. isolated areas like kerkuk,sinjar and makhmoor
2. self sufficient in food which according to a 5 year plan should be completed in 2013 .

only a seat is missing in UN otherwise KRG has all the benefits of an independence country. KRG currently has state revenue payback , travel restrictions , independent visas , independent army, own President PM and parliament, education in mother tongue, 3 international own controlled airports, own border security and check points, own flag and so much more ... i want to know any "federal region" out there somewhere in the world that has these ? Kurdistan IS NOT A FEDERAL REGION! It has all the advantages of Independence, with the revenue sharing and "international law protection" of a federal region! with Iraq.



KRG (Kurdistan regional government)

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/226308_169454973115753_100001537555377_403413_4334852_n.jpg

Flag

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/34648812.jpg

parliament

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2724/4483589051_c422e3004b_b.jpg



Tourism

even though Kurdistan is located in the middle east but it has mountainous and beautiful landscapes with waterfalls every where and NY times has listed it amongst other 41 places in the world to visit in 2011.

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by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/52277893)


Underground resources

KRG-controlled parts of Iraqi Kurdistan are estimated to contain around 45 billion barrels (7.2×10^9 m3) of oil, making it the sixth largest reserve in the world and 200.83 Trillion Cubic Meters of Gas. Extraction of these reserves began in 2007. As of July 2007, the Kurdish government solicited foreign companies to invest in 40 new oil sites, with the hope of increasing regional oil production over the following 5 years by a factor of five, to about 1 million barrels per day (160,000 m3/d).Gas and associated gas reserves are in excess of 200 TCF.



the citadel - 6000 years old
the 1st inhabitants were the Sumerians

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Abu Shahab Restaurant

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http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1259429

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Majidi mall

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Best inn hotel

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Skeletons of some buildings u/c

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City Center

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downtown

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by kulka (http://northerniraq.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6102&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=45)

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by kulka (http://northerniraq.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6102&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=45)

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FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/43336009)

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]http://www.abcgroup-erbil.com

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By Kulka (http://northerniraq.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6102&p=53895#p53895)

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by Kulka (http://northerniraq.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6102&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=60)

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alan131210 (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/53293356)

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Escalator crossing bridge

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[Alan131210]

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/4290/33634164987643526390157.jpg
http://www.overseaspropertymall.com/regions/middle-east-property/iraq-property/for-sale-in-erbil-kurdistan-iraq-homes-in-the-american-village-residential-development/

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inside the airport
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/5733267054_7acda08bca_b.jpg
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57223774@N03/5733267054/in/photostream"]by hewraman /URL]

[Alan131210]

ShaQlawa District

SmuxcI9XfYY

[Alan131210]

Rawanduz sub district


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Gali Ali bag water walls

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[Alan131210]

Shanadar Park

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[Tom In Chicago]

You need to properly credit the photos or this thread will be removed from the forum. . .

. . .

[Alan131210]

i am working on them :).

[Alan131210]

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/50352096.jpg
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/50352096)

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by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/50082230)

http://v11.lscache3.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/49007107.jpg
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/49007107) family mall

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/46149393.jpg
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/46149393) family mall

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/46148921.jpg
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/46148921) family mall

[Alan131210]

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/welat/4708249433/sizes/l/in/photostream/

[Alan131210]

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/28000967@N07/2986808069/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3145/3082602102_881a9195a3_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kikimora/3082602102/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/5754908021_bb4fcef618_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hariripro/5754908021/

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4885478740_de9dc6d8e9_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/one-thirteen/4885478740/

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/3122039795_c3af012b1d_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kikimora/3122039795/sizes/l/in/photostream/

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5251/5482166616_0885dcab3e_b.jpg
proposed currency for this autonomous region (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kurdistan4all/5482166616/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3822930412_214a6bfd48_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/one-thirteen/3822930412/

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2516/3765509600_c892ab6d95_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/one-thirteen/3765509600/

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/38348392.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/38348392

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/38409641.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/38409641

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/38409593.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/38409593

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4848980360_2602c572be_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/one-thirteen/4848980360/

[Austinlee]

Great stuff. So is it safe to say that Kurdistan is the best run and most modern part of Iraq?

[Alan131210]

yes it is , i dont want to get into politics but Kurds got rid of Saddam in an uprising with the help of UN back in 1991 a no-fly-zone was created for them and they are running their own affairs independently ever since , so when US went to Iraq in 2003 they didn't even enter this region :).... its as safe as Washington DC :).

[Alan131210]

300 years old minaret u/c

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3461/3299106051_35829b3e34_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/one-thirteen/3299106051/

[Austinlee]

yes it is , i dont want to get into politics but Kurds got rid of Saddam in an uprising with the help of UN back in 1991 a no-fly-zone was created for them and they are running their own affairs independently ever since , so when US went to Iraq in 2003 they didn't even enter this region :).... its as safe as Washington DC :).

Gotcha. I had no idea this area looked like this till you started posting.
I suppose that's one of the main reasons I come to this forum: To get educated. :cool:

[Alan131210]

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/42611090.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/42611090

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/42611067.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/42611067

[Tolbert]

Those nature shots are great :)

[Alan131210]

indeed , this is another source of income that kurdistan government can use to generate more budget . which is currently getting worked on.

[Alan131210]

http://v8.cache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/52708349.jpg?redirect_counter=2
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/52708349)

http://v1.cache6.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/52789654.jpg?redirect_counter=2
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/52789654) Khanzad Castle

http://r13.syd05s01.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/52358983.jpg?redirect_counter=1&st=nx
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/52358983) Jundean

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/52277893.jpg
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/52277893)

http://v6.cache3.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/52357805.jpg?redirect_counter=2
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/52357805)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/52804777.jpg
by FO (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/52804777)

[KULKA KURDISH]

Hi to everyone who visiting that thread. I would like to invite you to capital city of south Kurdistan - Hewler. I started with introducing the most famous parks. All pic was taken by me and originally posted in my page on facebook.

Welcome to Minare park:
http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/250561_152372704834509_100001853400306_332458_380157_n.jpg

http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/250561_152372708167842_100001853400306_332459_4155160_n.jpg

http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/250561_152372711501175_100001853400306_332460_5350187_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/250561_152372718167841_100001853400306_332461_3483451_n.jpg

http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/218181_139555059449607_100001853400306_253595_4336174_n.jpg

http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/218181_139555056116274_100001853400306_253594_2073342_n.jpg

http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/218181_139555052782941_100001853400306_253593_6348470_n.jpg

http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/216905_139556609449452_100001853400306_253615_4066837_n.jpg

[KULKA KURDISH]

http://https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/218181_139555056116274_100001853400306_253594_2073342_n.jpg

sorry, but for some reasons i cant post more pics, maybe moderator can explain that to me

[Alan131210]

^^ yeah ask tom in Chicago he will have an explanation

[KULKA KURDISH]

from my experience i know that admins are not too much intetretsed in helping people - even on our forum nobody never gave me the answer about attachements, so i just give up. admins are only fior blocking people - nothing more.

but if you are able to post pics - use mine from facebook.

[Alan131210]

yes sure i will :)

[KULKA KURDISH]

its unfair that i cant post my own pics and others can post any pics they wanted

[Alan131210]

http://www.iraqinternational.org/gallery/d/60-2/00008.jpg
gallery (http://www.iraqinternational.org/gallery/main.php)

http://kurdishguid.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dsc_0480.jpg?w=560
http://kurdish-guide.com/gallery/

http://kurdishguid.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dsc_0514.jpg?w=560
http://kurdish-guide.com/gallery/

[Alan131210]

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/e3/00/6d/erbil-rotana.jpg
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g659505-d2070833-r105784253-Erbil_Rotana-Irbil.html

[KULKA KURDISH]

rotana hotel, at the back of sami abdulrahamn park, next is costa rica caffe where i met with my sisters... miss it very much...

[Alan131210]

yeah ? lucky you i still havent been there :(

[Alan131210]

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/54122534.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54122534 by FO

http://v8.cache1.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/54122430.jpg?redirect_counter=2
Amedi town (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54122430) by FO

[KULKA KURDISH]

yeah ? lucky you i still havent been there :(

lets meet there in march then! i am going, you? come on, i will show you Hewler :)

[Alan131210]

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/54203671.jpg
by AlanKurdi (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54203671)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/54204909.jpg
by AlanKurdi (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54204909) Kurdistan International Bank building

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/54205046.jpg
by AlanKurdi (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54205046)

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/54203099.jpg
by AlanKurdi (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54203099) Kurdish Flag

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/54204917.jpg
by AlanKurdi (http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54204917)

[Alan131210]

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/5645512217_75ec63cf80_z.jpg
by mike's world on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikesworld/5645512217/sizes/z/in/photostream/) Zakaria Apartments

[edeniz]

Kurdistan or Iraq ?

i heard that Erbil is growing so fast..

[KULKA KURDISH]

Kurdistan my friend

[Alan131210]

------------

[Alan131210]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/5415945231_71a8759e4a_b.jpg
by Shakawan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kurdistan-hawler/5415945231/sizes/l/in/photostream/) Zheen international hospital

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5265/5569402446_d632bb137a_b.jpg
by Shakawan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kurdistan-hawler/5415945231/sizes/l/in/photostream/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5095/5545315025_56fd9f8e59_b.jpg
by Shakawan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kurdistan-hawler/5545315025/sizes/l/in/photostream/)

[LeftCoaster]

its as safe as Washington DC :).

Yikes, I hope it's a little safer than that! :haha:

Thanks for the pics, Hewler doesnt seem like that attractive of a city but the surrounding area sure seems picturesque.

Also, it seems as though Kurds really love their bowling!

[Alan131210]

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/58636867.jpg

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/58637799.jpg

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/58635988.jpg

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/58578137.jpg

http://www.panoramio.com/user/4505525?with_photo_id=58637799

[Alan131210]

Yikes, I hope it's a little safer than that! :haha:

Thanks for the pics, Hewler doesnt seem like that attractive of a city but the surrounding area sure seems picturesque.

Also, it seems as though Kurds really love their bowling!

yes we love it hehe

[Alan131210]

http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/993465/erbil_iraq_large.jpg

http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/993465

names of those fallen victims in a terrorist attack by an extremist Islamic group in 2004 .

[Alan131210]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/5987839148_cd0a7f6b18_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57077676@N06/5987839148/

[Alan131210]

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/285369_10150242451347333_11873502332_7423753_539198_n.jpg
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150242451347333&set=a.384340052332.162245.11873502332&type=3

[Alan131210]

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/316848_280171995359674_265007483542792_831910_1993790444_n.jpg
Erbil city fans (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=280171995359674&set=a.265150100195197.71904.265007483542792&type=1&ref=nf)

[Alan131210]

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/312575_272784159431791_265007483542792_812740_399420904_n.jpg
Erbil city fans (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=272784159431791&set=a.272783666098507.73653.265007483542792&type=3&theater)

[Alan131210]

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6268/62841012.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/62841012

[Alan131210]

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/2098/40715431048142232873126.jpg

from Erbil city fan page on Facebook.

[Alan131210]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7164/6554235317_d7c881a573_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30195924@N03/6554235317/

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6513666371_9262d13434_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30195924@N03/6513666371/

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6513685541_d8e7ce35d8_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30195924@N03/6513685541/

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6554240353_4396fe966e_b.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30195924@N03/6554240353/

[Alan131210]

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/424222_274773479254528_100001656334730_712887_1061808035_n.jpg

Facebook - Erbil city fans

[Alan131210]

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/403864_10150521339582333_11873502332_8870932_1019671663_n.jpg

Erbil city fans - Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150521339582333&set=a.384340052332.162245.11873502332&type=1&ref=nf)

[Alan131210]

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/7594/32463710150568341990310.jpg
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.479029985309.289469.61679720309&type=3

[Alan131210]

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/430452_395951657098459_100000508852762_1532606_1882281592_n.jpg
Erbil city fans (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=395951657098459&set=o.61679720309&type=3)

[Alan131210]

originally posted by "Welato_21


http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9826719.jpg

http://webchinupload.com/files/(53)_2.jpg

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/9460696.jpg

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/9460560.jpg

http://www.demotix.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/large_652x488_scaled/photos/redevelopment-iraqi-kurdistan_590670.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2377/2535947105_e7423095b8.jpg

http://webchinupload.com/files/(137).jpg

http://webchinupload.com/files/(137)_2.jpg

http://www.kurdistan-photos.com/cache/rawanduz/station-montagne-rawanduz_604.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5029/5671822545_b0db892b8f_z.jpg

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2619/3677253717_9e778534fb_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5186/5654696419_71f6277abb_o.png

MYoMFI909kI-

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/37540019.jpg

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/37941595.jpg

http://www.ierbil.com/images/gallery/l_star-hotel-erbil-shaqlawa.jpg

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6070/6049710624_aabed3b3f7_z.jpg

http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/piling-FPctJUHaU_Q-hd.jpg

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/135/362066458_e0f6b42d52_z.jpg?zz=1

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7AQCPEO-kYc/TO1Sb0Y_yYI/AAAAAAAAApc/DQ0Q1vtXpVM/s1600/DSC02100.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmuxcI9XfYY&feature=player_embedded


http://rawandoz.com/

[Alan131210]

http://oi40.tinypic.com/24zylnt.jpg
Facebook - Erbil city fans

[Alan131210]

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/533149_316183988477551_1544486657_n.jpg

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/540398_10151166441505310_418528001_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/426665_253950101374351_1072815598_n.jpg

http://northerniraq.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=6102&p=81076#p81076

[Alan131210]

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(21).jpg

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(6).JPG

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(18).jpg

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(17).jpg

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(15).jpg

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(14).jpg

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(13).jpg

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(12).JPG

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(10).JPG

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(9).JPG

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(7).JPG

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(3).JPG

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(2).JPG

http://kurd.kurdiu.org/rsm/parky-shar/parky-shar%20(1).JPG

http://www.kurdiu.org/hawal/?pageid=109242

[Alan131210]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/537653_286107571491937_1976181141_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/25016_286153808153980_1633692029_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/425697_10151312505262668_463964095_n.jpg

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/3615/60289044903067514659820.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s480x480/563647_285895034846524_856817217_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/547506_285478624888165_667112310_n.jpg

http://sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/224859_446552272061105_330894343_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/224820_287690988000262_2088101242_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/532651_533164333378446_749221670_n.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2772/48149735548638788064446.jpg

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2235/45813435686749440920053.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/190171_450040985055472_2000724670_n.jpg

SSC (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1271529&page=27)