Hey Mom! What's a rack?
During the Iraqi war, we (Bloggers) first heard of Salam Pax through a blog entitled Where is Raed? It was actually more like January of 2002 when I started reading it. Just after President Bush directed my attention to the fact that he might go over there and blow the shit out of something. About time!
Anyway, Salam Pax became very famous in the blog world. Many of us sat and patiently waited for him to post and worried when he didn't. He was blogging from Baghdad, giving us day to day commentary on the state of affairs. Most of what went on on that blog during 2002 has been removed. But now Salam Pax has written a book and released a video diary of his experiences during that time. It was quite interesting to hear about the war from the ground. From ordinary people that were living it day to day. We (Bloggers) did not have to rely on the media's take on things or official press conferences. We had blogs from Iraqi citizens as well as a few from military personnel stationed in and around Baghdad.
One in particular that I enjoyed was Lieutenant Smash. The weblog of a member of the military stationed in the Middle East with his first person perspective on the war. It was interesting when he returned home and revealed that he was actually incognito in Iraq and his true identity as the Indepundit, a well known blogger state side. Unfortunately I could not find any posts from his LT. SMASH days but it was very interesting hearing of his experience living in the desert during that time. Learning just how many baby whipes a grown man can go through in the absense of an actual baby. These days he is out of the military and posting as Citizen Smash - The Indepundit.
More recent ramblings from Salam Pax can be pieced together from a couple of other blogs he has such as the Fat Whiner and Shut Up You Fat Whiner.
There were many other blogs that I used to read daily such as A Small Victory, and the Command Post but most of them are either gone now or I just can't remember the names of them anymore.
Does anyone care about the war in Iraq anymore? Most of us can point it out on the map now but that's about all we know. Do we even know if the war had an end? Has it ended? Maybe that is the problem. It dragged on so long, we lost interest after the excitement of the bombing of Baghdad, and the capture of Saddam. I am not even interested in Saddam's trial. I couldn't care less. I know he won't get exactly what he deserves.
What do you think?
3 comments:
NOV 3... hi there.. and Happy Birthday ....
Nadine
I think that Saddam's trial is a good test for Iraqi independence and democrary. Regardless of what happens in the trial (guilt, innocence, punishment), it is clear to me that the overall face of life in Iraq is changing - though quite slowly.
The Soviet bloc more or less emerged from Communism 16 years ago, and democracy there is still fragile; so I'm not expecting any quick solutions in the Middle East.
I believe the people of the region need to become more accustomed to freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and the sanctity of human life before meaningful change will occur there.
My heart was ripped out in the first Gulf War; my husband was killed.
I try to keep on top of it, and my heart breaks again when I hear of those that won't be coming home. But, I cannot sit and watch daily newscasts from Iraq; it's just too painful.
I cannot watch as troops come home, either.
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