Baghdad Burning

To mark the fifth anniversary of the US war in Iraq, Georgie gave a speech to an audience of officers and enlisted men (I guess he did not dare speak before an audience of ordinary Americans). As usual, he was able to keep a straight face while praising the success of the US troops in the occupied country. Georgie must be the best liar on the face of the earth, or, which is more likely and more scary, a real dummy to actually believe that what he says is true.

Dear Georgie, I will go with the second possibility. Accordingly, here is a friendly advice. When you go on the internet, (I am guessing that you do to email your dear friends who supported your war on Iraq and because of it, were all driven out of office by the people of England, Spain, Poland, Italy, & Australia) I suggest you check out a blog called Baghdad Burning. Check it out at: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

The blogger, who uses the pseudonym Riverbend, tells us: "I'm female, Iraqi and 24. I survived the war. That's all you need to know. It's all that matters these days anyway." Reading her blog we learn that she is a computer programmer who enjoyed considerable personal freedom. After Baghdad's fall, Riverbend finds herself unemployed and largely restricted to the safety of her family's home. Her blog is a first-hand experience and insight into the effects of the current war in Iraq. It's an invaluable resource for anyone who is still, because of the conflicting reports one gets from the main stream media, not sure about how to feel about the invasion of Iraq.

Archives of the first year (2003) of her blog, is now available in a book titled (you guessed it) Baghdad Burning. The book is forward by Ahdaf Soueif who says: "Riverbend’s perspective is so authentic as opposed to people who are safely in their homes(or the White House in the case of Georgie), far away from any fighting, writing about the war."

I hope you can find the time to read Baghdad Burning, the blog or the book, before you formulate or give an opinion about the war in Iraq.

Riverbend, please accept my respect, solidarity, & best wishes for a peaceful Iraq.