Reply #21: I've been reading riverbend

[stellanoir]

for just shy of 3 years. She did a cameo post on Salam Pax's site just before our deceitful invasion. She was a vibrant 24 year old who was walking the streets freely, wearing what she wanted, and earning more in IT than her older male coworkers.

Gradually since she started her own blog in August of '03, I've watched her move from a place of tentative hopefullness to sullen despair. First she couldn't work then she was rebuked for wearing pants, then she couldn't leave her home without male relatives escorting her.

Liberation my butt.

She is an absolute love.

I'll have to wait till the morning to read her latest as I'm way too tired in the same way as she delayed her viewing of the DVD of innocent victims in Fallujha having been burned to the bone by white phosphorus. See her November 17th posting for reference.

These are atrocious war crimes. It brakes my heart. Justice must inevitably be served.

I feel such a global sisterhood with her and Faiza. ( http://afamilyinbaghdad.blogspot.com scroll down past the Arabic for the English translation ) They are both thinking, feeling, caring brilliant women and we've wrecked their lives and their country. It's an abomination.

Peace over time.