For those of you who do not read Riverbend, go read how things are going over there from the horse’s mouth:
I usually ignore the emails I receive telling me to ’embrace’ my new-found freedom and be happy that the circumstances of all Iraqi women are going to ‘improve drastically’ from what we had before. They quote Bush (which in itself speaks volumes) saying things about how repressed the Iraqi women were and how, now, they are going to be able to live free lives.
The people who write those emails often lob Iraq together with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan and I shake my head at their ignorance but think to myself, “Well, they really need to believe their country has the best of intentions- I won’t burst their bubble.” But I’m telling everyone now- if I get any more emails about how free and liberated the Iraqi women are *now* thanks to America, they can expect a very nasty answer.
You know, shortly before the war started, I saw on the news (a rare occurence—I do not watch the news on television, which seems to me to be completely content-free, even with all of its pictures; if a news program starts on a channel not in the pocket of Viacom, GE, Disney, or ADM, let me know) some story that included an excerpt from the Iraqi state news, which had a female newsreader. Who was not covering her head in any way.
And I thought, I wonder what other Islamic nation we’d see that in?
(ObHappyNewsSlam: she wasn’t 26, anorexic, and blonde either.)
i just find this so interesting in light of the new regulation the “iraqi governing council” has just enacted — to place marriage and famiy law in iraq back under sharia or islamic canon law.
so women would simply lose all their rights in marriage, divorce, child custody, small matters like that. the “administrator” p. bremer has said he won’t implement this new plan. but he won’t be around forever. .
ironic that we liberate iraq and the result will apparently be to send its women “back to saudi” when currently they enjoy fairly equal rights.
now if a man wants to take another wife, and the first refuses, she can demand a divorce, alimony, and a custody hearing for the children. under islamic law, nada. it seems she gets no alimony and loses the kids to the new wife and husband.
beautiful. nothing makes my day like spreading freedom and joy across the world.
Interesting Blog, I just finished reading quite a bit of Riverbend. In the beginning of her blog she expresses disgust that chat room people don’t believe she is Iraqi. I have to say I’m one of the doubters too. It’s not that I don’t think there are Iraqi women who have Internet access and speak/write English, it’s due to the fact that her style and command of writing is very American.
Perhaps it’s just due to the fact that I’ve been online since 1984 (The Source and Compuserve) and have learned to distrust questionable sources of online content until they have proven to my satisfaction to be legitimate sources but I’m having a difficult time believing that I’m really reading the writings of an Iraqi 24 year old woman currently living there.
Still it’s interesting…
Yeah, I was definitely suspicious too for a while, but the style and POV are so consistent that I’m convinced it’s for real.
Her written English is amazing. Better than many of our countrymen, actually.
to the Dianas,
Riverbend is for real. If you’ve been a follower of her blog, as well as Salam Pax, and the blog Healing Iraq – you will see that they all know each other, at least somewhat, and at least through cyberspace.
Plenty of Iraqis have a great command of English. It was less than a Century ago that they were occupied by the British, remember.
Sorry Diane….. I addressed it to “the Dianas” and oops!!
so, my previous post was to just Diana.
Lovely reading your posts, Diane!
“Occasionally words must serve to veil the facts. But this must happen in such a way that no one becomes aware of it; or, if it should be noticed, excuses must be at hand, to be produced immediately.”
— Nicolo Machiavelli
Friends, I don稚 know if you all realize this, but the good Lord has given us the technology to kill folks without destroying His precious oil fields. And that痴 important, when you consider the fact that those turban-wearing, moon-worshipping, dirt people have the second largest supply of oil in the world. I see from your faces that some of you petrochemical folks in the Gold Tither pews know where I am going with this! With a reason for the war on the table, we could have flattened Babylon and been looking at a long, steaming summer full of cheap gas instead of unseemly court martials, which are just like catnip to America-hating pansies.
Huh.
I am going to assume that this last comment was supposed to be funny.
It’s not, you stupid ass. Just a head’s up on the comedy front.
When I saw the publication of the pictures from Abu Ghraib prison (I was still in Baghdad) I knew that the people who were most at risk were going to hit the fan and I read alot of work to be Americans in Iraq.
I also knew something of the power grids and public utilities, but we’re trying to work with reasonable expectation that it is safe. Schools are getting back to good condition.
Up until 2 weeks ago it was being used as a direct result of publication of a particular story might have on other people. When I saw the publication of a particular story might have on other people. When I saw the publication of a particular story might have on other people. When I saw the publication of the breakdown in services happened before we even got here.
There is actually a train heading north to our area with 800K metric tons of food – talk about a big dinner. The crops here are about to be harvested and that is good too – date palms were recently sprayed and farmers have water in their fields.
We are training up their local police forces and trying to fix that too. Schools and universities are getting back to business and power is steadily resuming. Interestingly, some areas are better than before and alot of the pictures from Abu Ghraib prison (I was still in Baghdad) I knew it was going to hit the fan and I knew that the people who were most at risk were going to hit the fan and I read alot of work to be harvested and that is good too – date palms were recently sprayed and farmers have water in their fields. We are coordinating with all kinds of Non-government agencies, who don’t necessarily like to associate themselves with the name “”Harry Potter.””
Semper Fi – Denuone Latine loquebar?!
1st Lt. Mark V. Shaney USMC
Baghdad, Iraq