Bloggers Paradise

 Dear Riverbend,

After reading the first fourty pages of your book, I feel that I have a completly differnt outlook on the war in Iraq than you do. However, your point of view has opened up my thinking of what an Iraqi is feeling at the time of war. Throughout most of your blogging you go into alot of descriptions of horrifying occurances that have been going on, and get up close and personal. I know that you mention a child Omar Jassim who was killed in Anbar for no reason but to act as a reminder that Iraq is not free or liberated. You mention the number of children that are being invaided at schools, and how they are to young to have been  doing anything why are they deserving the punishment. You also mention the fear of Iraqis and how you can identify the sound of an American Mistle and an Iraqi. With all of the pain and fear, however how do you think Americans feel? They are risking their own lives away from family memembers. Some leaving behind childrean, wives, loved ones. Others having no shelter, having to pee on the streets due to no bathrooms. Not being able to shower for days, even not knowing who to trust. You dont know who are terrorists like you said and who isnt. Getting sick from unsanitary water, eating whatever they can get their hands on. Dealing with all types of weather. Do you think that they want to be over their distroying lives? I can relate to this from another perspective. Having a cousin over in Iraq who has been their for a year. His experiances alone have been similar to yours just a different point of view. From his experiances the people he has been working with are really trying to seak help. They just have no point of direction or anyone to take control of their govornment. I have enjoyed reading from your point of view and am anxiouse to read some more. It has been very interesting to me to compare my thoughts as well as yours.

Thank you,

Dawn Brushett