Update on Iraqi Bloggers

Photo is of the shine in Samarra - before some wicked evil person blew up the dome.

This is a short roundup of Iraqi blogs - well, some of them anyway. There are over 200 Iraqi bloggers today, and I wish to thank them all for their contribution.

Sahar was held up from leaving her parents home one evening from a very long American convoy. She re-discovered the beauty of Baghdad at night:

Finally, at a little past eight, the convoy ended and I was free to leave. As I stepped out onto the night street, I involuntarily drew in my breath. Dulaimy was right! The sight was indeed breathtaking! The long stretch of the four roads separated by narrow pavements with big leafy trees had never looked more beautiful! The street lights (that I have not seen for years now) were on; and to me, it looked like an enchanted land of sweet and bitter memories that came flooding back to me in such force, I was overwhelmed, and cried hot tears of … what? I don’t know. A few minutes later, after having regained my composure, I turned on the car, fumbled for the long forgotten light switches, and drove very slowly, very silently, and very uneasily home in the forbidden night of my city.

Laith, meanwhile, writes about his birthday in a land of violence and grief. You can stop by and say Happy Birthday if you feel inclined.

But for me, here I am in spending the night in the office because I have to do the violence report. Can you imagine a guy doing VIOLENCE report during his BIRTHDAY! I have to do that because I dont have internet at home and the violence report is my job today. There is also one more reason, beleive me, I dont exaggerate if I say we have no time for happiness in this country. With all this killing and destruction, we lost even the feeling of happiness and the only happiness for Iraqi families is when all the family members return back home safe. My mother’s face looks much vivid when I return back home because of my deadly work (Im only a journalist but its enough to be targeted by the insurgents and accuse you that you work for teh enemy).I’m the last member of the family who enter the house and when I retun back home, she and my dad receive me as if I'm a soldier who just returned back from the battle feild.

Saad Eskander, director of the Iraq National Library and Archive, started keeping a diary on what was happening to his staff and the library in Baghdad. He started this at the insistence of a British professional in his field. He says that he does not report all the violence his staff faces because it would be too frightening. Here are some excerpts from just three days in late March 2007.

Thursday, 29 March
Usually on Thursdays, the traffic will not be heavy. This Thursday was not an exception. There were sporadic exchanges of fire. US planes were flying low in the area.

The INLA's nominated five women went to the Melia-Mansur Hotel, where the Ministry threw a party for all nominated women from its directorates. The Minister is expected to award the nominated women. Only God knows why the Ministry of Culture celebrated the Woman Day 19 days late!!

I learnt after I returned home that the neighborhood was shelled by mortars. As a result, one of the Ministry of Culture's mini-buses was hit directly. Its driver and the passengers were sent to the nearest hospital.

Friday, 30 March
I was alone in the flat, as my wife took our son with her to visit her parents. I spent most of the day writing and reading. My secretary rang my at 9.30, informing me that her son was arrested by a US army unit based in al-Karradah. Her son was arrested with some of his close friends on Thursday night. Fifty minutes later, she called me to say that her son and his friends were all released without a charge.

At 20.00, a friend of mine rang me, saying that Ib., who is one of my closest friends, disappeared without a sign. He left his sister's house at 11.00, and did not come back. My other friends and I tried to call him on his two cell phones. The first phone was switched off, whereas the second one was not. But no one answered our calls on the second cell phone. At 20.45, I found out that the second cell phone was switched off.

Saturday, 31 March
From 8.00, one of my friends and I began to search for our missing friend. We went from one area to another and from one police station to another, until we found him. We were quiet relief to see him alive, although he was arrested by the police. Clearly, it was a question of a mistaken identity. I was extremely exhausted when going home, and I slept quite early.

Sahar, again, talks about being woken up before dawn by US troops who want to search her home:

I awoke to the sound of furious barking. What time is it? Looking at the window I could see that day had not yet dawned– before six in the morning. Why was Suka – our tiny doggie – barking madly at the entrance window?? Apprehensively, I get up and run to look outside. I could see shadows moving about in the garden. What to do?? Do I call out?? Do I pretend not to be at home?? Which is the safest move?? Have “they” come for me?? Good God, spare us – My kids!! Suka continues to bark madly, and I hear a chuckle from outside, “They have a dog!” “Not a very large one, judging by its bark!” English! I hesitate, then call out in Arabic: “Who is outside?” Arabic, “We are here to search the area, house by house. We are the Army” “Please wait until we get dressed.” “Very well.” Quickly I call both my daughter and son, “Get dressed! Quick!”

Read, meanwhile, has something to say to John McCain:

Dear John, I read about your latest trip to Baghdad in articles like McCain, in Baghdad, says city is safer than before, McCain lauds security during Baghdad visit, and McCain Sees Improvement in Iraq. I'm sure you wanted to stage a "shopping in baghdad" spree to show us how great and safe baghdad is, and to encourage more Americans to go do their Shopping in downtown baghdad, but I'm not sure your plan has worked.

It doesn't seem like good security to me when One shop-owner in Shorja, which was closed to traffic after the February bombings, said there had been a heavy security presence, with many U.S. soldiers on the ground and U.S. helicopters overhead. I don't think many Iraqis can afford to hire some hundreds of bodyguards and a few helicopters to protect them while they are shopping. Do you realize how would it be for a regular Iraqi to go shopping without the US army's protection, do you realize how your shopping spree would have looked like if you went to a real market with cars driving around?

How does it feel when you can't stop lying? Don't you think that a better way to support the US, the President, the Republicans, or even yourself is to tell the truth and end illegal interventions in other countries?

Hometown Baghdad is a video blogger website. They are amazing and brave too. Adel decided to film the streets of Baghdad with a hidden camera. Go watch on Healing Iraq blog. See the garbage of Baghdad, the burnt out cars, the city that the US occupation has destroyed!

And here’s a link to Nabil’s audio blog, where he tries to play the song “Peace Train” on his guitar. He was unhurt when all was said and done, just so you know.

He says in his blog:

It's like no one should be happy in this country, because if you say that you're happy, a bullet will come and smash your head right away. …..maybe this country is cursed, because it's a really funny incident.

A Citizen of Mosul just has some pictures on his blog – that reflect badly on US troops in Iraq.

Treasure of Baghdad is separated from his parents, and he writes about what it is like to live so far away from someone you love who desperately needs help and needs you:

It is very hard to see your mother crying. Really crying. Can you imagine it? Can you imagine you being far away unable to wipe her tears? Unable to compensate her? Make her happy? I couldn’t even see her tears. I heard her crying in the phone. She was speaking and speaking and then burst into tears. Tears that became the only companion of her after I left. I tried to calm her down, but can a crippled voice do that? Was it really helpful? My voice thousands of miles away? Was it really able to wipe at least one tear from the tear streams that flowed down her cheeks like the Tigris and the Euphrates?

When my father was abroad, I was there for her. I was the stick she could lean on. I was the smile that she always wanted. I was the shelter that secured her. Today, I left her and my father by themselves imprisoned in the house. She missed everything. She lost everything. She lost her precious life. She is deprived from seeing her granddaughter. She can’t take my father to the hospital. She felt humiliated because there was no one there to take care of them. No one. No fucken one. Everyone said no. Everyone said, “We can’t. We’re afraid.” Everyone prefer seeing him crippled, disabled but to take him to the hospital. Even those whom he helped his entire life turned their faces.

Mama writes about what she used to have before the Americans showed up:

Four years ago I had a very different life , peaceful one ,I could celebrate my and my kids birthdays ,the feast with my parents and my only sister, I used to visit my parents in Baghdad from time to time, in a safe way and never had problem in traveling, we used to have lots of plans together ,parties ,picnics ,visit friends and neighbors, do lots
of shopping, walking and have family gatherings. we had a wonderful life ,among family ambiance.

And she reflects on what the Americans brought her:

What life did America give us?
-non secured life even when you say nothing with or against the many many political components.
-non secured life at home ,at work, in the street, in the hospital , in the church, in the mosque.
-neither the children nor the olds feel safe from so many's harm, from all sources of mischief's.
many innocents Iraqis are under arrest. -
-the number of the widows and orphans highly increased. And we lost so many citizens.
But we now have internet connection to communicate with our faraway families.-
we have mobile phones to check our family members if they were still alive.-
-I have a job now ,the road by which I reach home is now called " the road of death" it's unsafe road full of mines and ambushes.

And Mama’s daughter, Sunshine, all of 15 years old, writes about what it is like to have a suicide car bomber go off nearby:

At about 1:15 I was preparing to go back , when mama called she said that a car exploded in the street lead to my house , I use this road almost everyday , I felt really worried …
I was stuck in the street the policemen and US soldiers locked all the streets leads to my house! I saw the exploded car , it was burning , and people everywhere , one was injured in his head, shrapnels were in the street and the rest of the terrorist's body (not good view, I couldn't sleep well at nigh) .. 3 mines and two cars exploded but thank god we didn't get hurt ..
When I reached the house, I knew that mama and dad were in that street when the car exploded , their windows were opened that's why they didn’t break , thank god they are safe and alive … I can't thank god enough.

And this is what Sunshine says about life today under US occupation:

Now , when I see a tank I go as far as possible , when a tank come the cars go aside , and after they pass we drive as fast as we can , so that we don’t get hurt when some one attack the troops, I feel unsafe now , I worry about my family members , relatives and friends , I miss my aunt , I live in destroyed country full of terrorists , explosions , shootings , I don’t' go out as I used before , I see people I love leaving Iraq , I see my country bleeding and I can't do anything about that , I don’t trust the governments nor the presidents , I try to keep my spirit high , and say all of the darkness in the world can't blow my candle , but it is hard , I don't have enjoyable life , I miss picnics and fun , I miss the safety and security ,I miss a lot of things , I feel like a stranger in my country.

Yet, she thinks the US troops should stay:

If the US troops will leave, a carnage will happen, they should stay I think and fix my country .. But as I say I am too young to talk about policy I might be wrong , that's just my opinion ..

I wrote a letter to the WaPo in December 2005, saying that reading Sunshine (and other young female Iraqi bloggers) was like reading The Diary of Anne Frank in real time. Anne Frank knew who her enemy was, Iraqis face unknown enemies from all directions. Hiding won’t keep one safe either. I do hope things work out better for Sunshine. Sunshine, by the way, does not see the similarity because Anne Frank was a few years older when she was keeping a diary – isn’t that just like a teenager to make such a claim? I really admire Sunshine’s spirit and courage.

There are many more Iraqi bloggers out there, but I am wrapping this up in the interests of time and readability. I am grateful there are Iraqi bloggers out there giving us some important information on what is happening in their country.

May God bless them and keep them safe.