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Friday, April 3, 2026
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Staying in topeka kansas for now
Moving to Iraq is currently extremely difficult and highly discouraged due to severe, escalating security crises and complex bureaucratic requirements.
As of April 2026, major international authorities, including the U.S. Department of State and Government of Canada, have issued "Do Not Travel" advisories, explicitly ordering citizens to leave Iraq now if they are there. [1, 2, 3]
1. Security and Practical Barriers
The most significant barrier to moving is the current high-risk environment:
• Active Conflict: Escalating regional tensions and militia activity have led to the closure of Iraqi airspace; commercial flights are currently not operating out of the country.
• Personal Safety Risks: Foreigners face high risks of kidnapping, terrorist attacks, and civil unrest. Anti-U.S. militias have specifically threatened international companies and citizens.
• Suspended Services: The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has suspended routine consular services and ordered non-emergency employees to depart. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6]
2. Legal and Visa Requirements
If you still intend to proceed, the legal process is rigid and recently changed:
• New eVisa System: Since March 1, 2025, Iraq has suspended its previous visa-on-arrival policy for most nationalities. You must now apply for an Iraqi electronic visa (e-Visa) before traveling.
• Residency and Work Permits: Moving permanently requires a residency permit. You generally need a confirmed job or work contract before arrival, and employers must secure a work permit for you.
• Health Checks: Long-term residents must undergo mandatory blood tests for transmittable diseases, including HIV and Hepatitis, upon arrival to secure residency stamps.
• Kurdistan Region: The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has a separate immigration system. While it previously offered easier entry, its KRG e-Visa
is not valid for travel to central or southern Iraq.
3. Logistical Challenges
• Bureaucracy: Navigating the "bureaucratic maze" often requires documents to be translated into Arabic and authenticated by an Iraqi embassy.
• Language Barrier: Official procedures are conducted in Arabic or Kurdish; without fluency, navigating residency offices is daunting.
• Infrastructure: While some expat compounds in Baghdad offer modern amenities (gyms, supermarkets), daily life involves frequent security checkpoints and potential disruptions to transportation. [7, 15, 16, 17, 18]
Recommendation: Given the current security alerts
, you should consult with your country's embassy and monitor the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
for any changes before making plans.
AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses
[15] https://www.ghilegal.com/navigating-the-journey-challenges-and-processes-of-immigrating-to-iraq/
Iraq
As of early 2026, Iraq remains a politically fragile federal parliamentary republic facing persistent security challenges from ISIS, which has shifted to a hit-and-run insurgency. While Prime Minister al-Sudani works to position Iraq as a diplomatic mediator, the country battles corruption, economic instability, and high unemployment, leading to sporadic unrest. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Aspects of the State of the State:
• Security Situation: Despite significant, ongoing U.S. military support, ISIS
remains a threat, particularly in northern areas and through sporadic attacks. The U.S. Department of State maintains a "Do Not Travel" advisory due to terror, kidnapping, and armed conflict.
• Government & Politics: The country operates under a fragile coalition government. The government is struggling with corruption, and there are frequent protests against it. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) remains a more stable but sometimes tense partner to the federal government.
• Economy: The economy is heavily dependent on oil exports and is grappling with a high public sector salary bill, as seen in the 2026 budget.
• International Relations: Iraq is attempting to bolster its role in the region as a neutral facilitator, as noted by Secretary of State Rubio's continued engagement with both federal and KRG leaders.
• Humanitarian Concerns: Approximately 1.2 million people remain internally displaced. [1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9]
The country continues to struggle with the aftermath of decades of conflict, relying on international partners for aid and stabilization, especially in areas formerly under ISIS
control.
AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses
Fw: Oakland Express meeting
From: chas <cbaylor1@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2026 7:34:14 PM
To: chas <cbaylor1@hotmail.com>
Subject: Oakland Express meeting
Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2026 7:34:14 PM
To: chas <cbaylor1@hotmail.com>
Subject: Oakland Express meeting
Dear everyone,
The April issue is out—a bit late admittedly—and barely distributed at all. Let's have our monthly meeting at the Blackbird, 4025 SW 10th, 5 p.m. Thursday April 9. Bring your criticisms of the current issue (which you probably have not seen yet), as well as your ideas for the next one. There really is so much coming up--60th anniversary of the tornado, 75th of the flood, Germanfest, the Fiesta--we just need people to write about it. First beverage on me.
--Charley
A private real-estate management company charging a standard 5% fee on MTAA’s $3.945 million non-tax income would generate only $197,262 in revenue and keep operating expenses under $140,000 — yet MTAA’s actual costs are 87 times higher, subsidized by your taxes.
MTAA Board of Directors – Qualifications Comparison (Current Term: December 2025 – November 2026)
The five-member MTAA Board is 100% appointed (3 City seats by the Mayor with City Council approval; 2 County seats by Shawnee County Commissioners). Kansas statute (K.S.A. 27-330) requires only that City appointees be Topeka registered voters and County appointees be Shawnee County residents living outside Topeka city limits. No aviation experience, airport management expertise, finance credentials, or infrastructure background is required.
Here is a side-by-side comparison based on public records, LinkedIn/professional profiles, board minutes, news coverage, and official bios:
- Aviation-specific expertise is extremely limited. Only Samuel Sutton has direct flying/pilot experience. No board member has professional airport management, FAA Part 139 compliance, large-scale FBO operations, or commercial aviation finance experience.
- Strengths are in adjacent fields: Engineering/infrastructure (Armstrong), banking/legal/risk (Munson), small-business/transportation operations (Cortez), and community/economic development (Odupitan). These are valuable civic skills but do not substitute for specialized airport operations knowledge.
- No statutory or public vetting for technical qualifications. Appointments appear driven by civic leadership, political connections, and community involvement rather than proven airport or complex public-authority management experience.
- This pattern aligns with the broader issues documented in this report: an appointed board levying $5.28 million in annual property taxes while overseeing $12.18 million in 2026 expenditures, chronic operating losses, personnel costs of $5.5 million, prolonged litigation (MTAA v. Rural Development Corp. with forensic metadata issues), and the judgment.
A private real-estate management company charging a standard 5% fee on MTAA’s $3.945 million non-tax income would generate only $197,262 in revenue and keep operating expenses under $140,000 — yet MTAA’s actual costs are 87 times higher, subsidized by your taxes.
Conclusion: The current board brings civic commitment, but the lack of aviation/airport-specific qualifications underscores why the appointed structure enables opacity, inefficiency, and taxpayer exposure. This is why privatization (or expanded private FBO contracting) or an elected board (or both) is urgently needed to bring professional expertise and direct voter accountability.
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