We had a nice change of pace during the past three days of Eid here in Baghdad, even though there's not much to do outside the house. It was mostly a time to gather up with family over a nice quzi dinner, and to see people we haven't been able to see during Ramadan because of the short days and the early self-imposed curfews. And of course to catch up on old news.
On the second day of Eid, we had my husband's maternal family gather at our house for a potluck Eid lunch/dinner. We usually hold this dinner at Aunt W's house at the outskirts of Adhamiya, but because of the security situation there, we decided to have it at our house.
Aunt W was telling us about how a car bomb that exploded right in front of their house shattered all the windows in her house about ten days ago, and destroyed her doors. Her 19 year old son was taking pictures of the damage done with his cell phone, and then decided to go up to their roof to take a picture of the car skeleton. Iraqi army officers saw him and stormed the house, to arrest him. They were afraid that he was trying to get their location on film for a possible attack against them (he had no such plans in mind). They tried to get him to admit right then and there that he was a part of the insurgency.
His poor mother went crazy. She was telling me how she screamed at the officer and told him, "I won't let you take him. You'll kill him. Do you have a mother? What would she do if you were taken from her?" He told her, "I promise I'll bring him back to you." She pleaded and pleaded, but the officer had to take him in.
Thankfully, an hour or so later, the kid was let out, without any harm done. The officers actually apologized to him and his mother, told her they made sure to bring him back safely because they felt sorry for her.
Another aunt was telling us that her house in Amiriya was searched at 1 am the night before Eid by American soldiers looking for certain names in the area. Her story will follow in a coming post- the Sunni aunt married to a Shiite husband, living in now Sunni-only Amiriya.
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9 comments:
subhanallah. Atleast that sign (af'9al al9iyam 9omuka 3an demi a5eek) worked for Eid
Eid Mubarak to everyone from us. Stay safe and keep us in your dua iA.
another post which brought me to tears... subhan Allah... I can't believe they arrested him, poor khalei.. i can't even imagine how she felt. :o(
A blessed 'Eid from New Mexico. Insha'Allah, Baghdad and Gaza and Lebanon and al-Quds will see a new and better Ramadan next year.
Man I can't imagine what Khaley was going through when that happened, he's just a kid! It's unbelieveable they lengths soldiers would go through just to make themselves feel secure.
I love your posts and I am, as you know, much concerned about the safety of you and your family. In that context, I wonder if you would be kind enough to answer a question:
In the states a crucial election will occur next week. There are several views of the US position in Iraq in debate. There are those, like me, who believed the war was wrong in the first place and would pull out immediately. There are those who may or may not have agreed that the war was wrong initial, but have come to realize what a disaster it is both for the Iraqis and the Americans. Most of these people would like us to leave, but some believe that the Iraqis themselves don't want us to go or at least don't want us to go immediately. And finally there are some (who I regard as idiots) who think we should stay until the Iraqi government is able to stabilize Iraq no matter how long that takes. Many of these people also believe that if we are to be successful in this evident, we need to increase our forces several fold. This last view is not politically popular here but it is clearly the view of the administration, although they are unlikely to say so before the election. Would you be so kind as to comment on this? Thank you and peace be with you.
Joel
Joel,
I very much would like to know the answer to the exact same questions you asked but please, why do you need to ask it in such a loaded way? Why not just what he thinks americans should expect of their leaders out of the next election with regard to Iraq?
By claiming something "is clearly the view of the administration" you are using an opinion, not a fact, to taint the question. And listing your old view points, as well as calling your opponents "idiots" just shows more unnessesary impartiality.
Wouldn't you rather have an open and honest answer without all this extra baggage? Seem's like there is plenty of that to go around already!
of course I meant "what she think..."
Hey Joel,
Good question, and I wish I had a correct answer for that question. I think I wrote something about it before, but let me tell you what I can.
My husband and I were dead against the war before, during and after it happened.
But the situation has changed alot in three years, deteriorated like crazy. I know for most Iraqis, they don't like having the 'multinational forces' here. But at the same time, some people, at least those who deal with politics, realize that if the americans leave now, an all out civil war cannot be held back. My husband feels that way. He believes that the Americans should stay around for a bit to settle the mess that has been started. I trust my husband know what he's talking about, but I don't know what is right for Iraq.
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