A.Y.S. hasn't been doing a lot of posting on Iraq at a Glance. He's dropped off to about once a month, but today he brings sad news.
Hi....
Do you remember my friend Alaa? he's died.. I recieved an e mail from my friend saying that Alaa died because of a sudden deterioration ... God damn this situation....
I wonder if this is Alaa the Mesopotamian. If it is, another voice for freedom has been silenced. We must prevail.
Update: It was not Alaa the Mesopotamian, but it is no less of a loss. Commenting on Iraq at a Glance, Brian H. directs us to the September 30th post in which A.Y.S. described how he learned that his friend Alaa suffered gunshot wounds that eventually killed him.
In reading your posts from today, it brings to the forefront the disasters that plaque are world, both natural and man made. The voices from Iraq are of utmost importance for the world to hear. We often only hear santizied versions of what is happening in Iraq, maybe sanitizied is too strong a word, but in my opinion, we may not always be given the complete story.
To understand the perspective of the people of Iraq who live day to day in fear of reprisals from factions that turn up in places where you should feel free and safe (i.e. your home and dining halls for the service men/women) is of outmost importance. We as Americans, who have never experienced living in a wartorn country where the freedoms we take for granted are nonexistent, can never truly understand the struggles faced by the people of Iraq who want and fight for freedom.
One can only hope that the brave soul in Iraq (referred to in the post)died from natural causes and that he was not slain due to his beliefs and ability to express them to the world.
june
Posted by: june | December 27, 2004 at 11:04 AM