Sadr City to New York

I have to apologize to all of you for my lapse in posts. It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Last Saturday I was sitting with soldiers in a powerless abandoned home in Sadr City also now known by U.S. soldiers as "Sniper City" and by Monday I was in a hotel in New York City. It was quite a surreal experience. I should be back in Baghdad next week.

I spend most of my time unembedded in Iraq, so spending time with young guys from Tennessee, Illinois, Michigan and Texas was eye opening. They came under fire, slept with rats and no power. But when things quieted for a time they became men of their age. They sifted through clothes in the closet searching for something to entertain themselves, went through photo albums and took toy guns from the little store attached to the house.

Without power and little running water life was hard for the men, as hard as it is for Iraqis every day who deal with shooting in their neighborhoods, no running water and no electricity. People didn't want them there and shots were fired out against them. On the loudspeaker, speeches from the Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr said those who died at the hands of the occupation forces would go to paradise. He has long touted what he calls legitimate resistance against a foreign occupation.

One soldier found a copy of Grand Theft Auto, the video game where bandits hijack cars and do drug deals. "This place is like Grand Theft Auto for the terrorists, they do whatever they want."

A mother sent me a note that brought home why I write these stories. Her words are below and the story is here.

"Lt Adam Bowen is my son.  You were with him and his platoon a few days ago in Sadr City.  When I read your article, which so accurately depicted him, I could hear him talking and hear his tone of voice in each quote.  But then I saw the video.  I watched it, with lots of trepidation, hoping for a just quick glimpse of him.  When the camera panned around the room, and I found myself face to face with him, it was such an incredible moment. I’ve watched it over and over and have paused it repeatedly just to be able to look at him,  to see if he’s okay.  (He looks well—I hope you found him so.)  I play it again and again, hearing him in the background on the radio. "

Something Lt. Bowen said to me has stuck with me. "Nobody cares about what we're doing here, nobody but our families." I hope that's not true.

Comments

[dwg]

It's absolutely NOT true.

I care. Many many many of us care. I care DEEPLY. Passionately even. I care so much I petitioned my minister to share the pulpit with me last November 11th so I could address it. She agreed.

You can listen to the podcast here by going to iTunes, search for "Arlington St. Church" and go to the podcast from 11/11/07 entitled "11th Hour."

FYI: Arlington St. Church has a long history of social justice from supporting the Abolition movement of the 1860's to the publishing of the Pentagon Papers in the 1960's.

At the end of my "sermon"(the podcast ends just before this) I asked for an "altar call" - all those willing to "bear witness" to their opposition to the war - virtually every single person in the sanctuary (>200) leapt to their feet and crowded the aisle to get their button that reads: "Another Unitarian Universalist Against THIS War."

Not against ALL wars, just the dumb, illegal, pointless ones.

[billjpa]

OK- good to see you posting again. Swa you on Bill Moyers. Absolutely terrific. Honest, a simply honest commentary. Bravo Ms F.
Be careful with the embed situation. Never forget that it is a manipulative situation. Stay true to your beliefs and stay safe.

[Jim Bratton]

Ms. Fadel:

I saw you on "Bill Moyer's Journal". I am taking this opportunity to thank you for your thoughts and commentary. It is great to know there are people such as you outside the Green Zone that can report to us what is going on. It is also great to know that you know so much about the Iraqi people. We do not get much of the Iraqi view point here, even though they are taking the brunt of our misadventures.

Thanks again for all you do. Please stay safe.

Jim Bratton

[waters24]

by chance saw your interview on the moyer's journal and was very impressed with your insights and the incredible footage- thank you for your insights - I wish more people would hear what you and others on the ground have to say. Stay safe

[Ron Paul]

Hi Leila,
Please continue to spread the truth about this illegal and immoral occupation of a sovereign country. We had no business going there in the first place.

Once Saddam started selling oil with a price based on the Euro instead of the US Dollar we knew there was no stopping the military/industrial complex from using our sons and daughters as enforcers and cannon fodder.

Please let everyone know we want them all home today! I'm gaining thousands of new supporters and converts each and every day. Sure hope you'll come visit with me while you're home next time!

Sincerely,
Ron Paul
www.ronpaul2008.com

[patrick]

I just want to let Lt. Bowen know that there are plenty of Americans that care about the soldiers in Iraq. I try to read as many articles and blogs as I can to inform myself. Believe me, trying to figure out the difference between Jam/Mahdi, ISCRI/Badr, Sons of Iraq/Awakening movement, have illustrated for me the difficulty of the job you are doing, plus getting shot at and blown up.

The disloyalty and corruption of our so-called allies in the Iraqi Army and Police is a story that the media should focus on. The Maliki govt is not our friend and the new Awakening guys are not our friends either. And it will be difficult to be friends with the Kurds once the issue of Kirkuk comes around this Fall, as the Turks and Arabs all wish to control it.

I pray for you guys and wish you success, all the while knowing that the war was a mistake from the jump. Iraq was contained and did not attack or threaten the USA nor did it have the weapons to do so.

It was a foolish war pushed by Israli-firsters like Feith, Wolfowitz, Perle, and Abrams that has only empowered Iran and Al Qaeda ... and military industrial outfits/oil companies.

Stay safe.

[IceNine]

I also saw the Moyers interview. I thought you were terrific: an authentic person doing her best to fairly describe the situation in Iraq and the difficulty of practicing journalism there. I was particularly struck by your matter-of-fact humility and--especially--by your generosity in bringing attention to the courage shown by Iraqi staff members of the Bureau. Please let them know that their bravery and their journalism is deeply appreciated. Millions of people depend on McClatchy for accurate news about Iraq--I always go here first--and the Bureau depends on the skill and talent of its Iraqi journalists. They are truly heroic.

And let me echo the sentiments of other commenters about the soldiers. I care about them DEEPLY. I was one of the first wave of enlistees in the volunteer army. I have never been in combat, but bunked in barracks during the Cold War, and put in more field time than any other soldier in my unit.

And I have some professional understanding of the military complexities they face: I was a military intelligence analyst (MOS 96B) with a TSSI clearance. (And I was, dare I say, a damn good one. Honor Graduate of my class. And they gave me some medals for my work against the Soviets.)

I was against the war in Iraq from the very start. But I think about the ground-pounders almost every day--loaded with gear in the heat, in the alleys, in the Humvees, in snatches of downtime. And because I care about them, I want to get them out of the crossfires of an impossible and untenable strategic situation.

[Carol Thompson]

Hi Leila. I also saw you on Bill Moyers and shared it with many others. Your honesty, objective reporting and truth telling is VERY refreshing and unusual these days. Please continue spreading the truth about this terrible and unnecessary war. Keep safe.

[Chris Baker]

Great interview Leila. In general I find a lot more in common between average Americans and average Iraqi's than many Iraqi's might believe, however I don't understand the popular support among Shiite for Muqtada al Sadr. I'm optimistic on Iraq as long as Iraqi politicians keep US and other big international corporations away from their natural resources. There is a very large risk that Iraqi politicians, including the Prime Minister, will become corrupted by these large international corporations - just the way so many US politicians have been corrupted. The Kurds may be beyond hope in that regard.

[Chris Baker]

Great interview Leila. In general I find a lot more in common between average Americans and average Iraqi's than many Iraqi's might believe, however I don't understand the popular support for Muqtada al Sadr. I'm very optimistic on Iraq as long as Iraqi politicians keep US and other big international corporations away from their natural resources. There is a very large risk that Iraqi politicians, including the Prime Minister, will become corrupted by these large international corporations - just the way so many US politicians have been corrupted. The Kurds may be beyond hope in that regard.

[naomi dagen bloom]

leila, just last night another grandmother and i spoke about how much we'd appreciated your remarks on the moyers' program. reading the respnse you posted from lt. bowen's mother, again brought tears to my eyes.

so many of us care deeply about what is happening to her son and those who return from iraq and iraquis who struggle to live there. we're committed to continue to advocate for all of them.

it is important for older americans like myself to hear thoughts and ideas of intelligent and caring people in your generation. i look forward to hearing more and have added you to my blogroll.

yours, naomi, elderblogger

[josephloiacano]

Dear Miss fadel,

I saw you on television and you have presence. How you have achieved such presence at such an early age must be God given.

Please be careful of your person. I am guessing but I would say that the world needs you.

God works stronly with me.

I am in open mouthed awe of your presence.

[Susan]

I just saw the interview with Moyers - great work from both of you.... you are making a definite contribution in our knowledge of what is happening in Iraq and what is happening to the Iraqi people.

Read a couple of reports (one from VOI) saying that cluster bombs were used in Sadr City recently.

[Dorothy Dillon]

I have not forgotten our brave and courageous soldiers.I am so proud of each and everyone of them. On 04/14/2008 I lost a very best friend in a fight in Fallujah,he was blown up,nothing left of him.He was my hero and I miss him,but he died fighting and I know he is happy he was able to save alot of soldiers lives by his actions.In memory of Rifle50

[Dorothy Dillon]

I have not forgotten our brave and courageous soldiers.I am so proud of each and everyone of them. On 04/14/2008 I lost a very best friend in a fight in Fallujah,he was blown up,nothing left of him.He was my hero and I miss him,but he died fighting and I know he is happy he was able to save alot of soldiers lives by his actions.In memory of Rifle50

[Bohdan Szejner, Rome, Italy]

Leila Fadel has put her finger on the problem in Iraq, but apparently she has read the answer backwards! The problem is not who will go to paradise, or who is "the occupier"! The reality is that the Americans are there under the protection of the Iraqi government! The problem is that Muqtada al Sadr has been criminally inciting his Shiites, to kill the American soldiers, protected by the Iraqi government and the UN charter! Under international law, this is a crime when it comes from a cleric who doesn't wear the fatigues and who doesn't fight! If he were a guerrilla, that would have been something else. But Muqtada is not a guerrilla! He is an Islamic cleric inciting killing! Since when is the violating the laws of the land a "ticket to paradise" for anyone? No! It's a ticket to punishment! So the answer is not that "they will go to paradise for dying at the hands of the occupation forces"! Rather, because they violate the law of the land, killing the occupation forces under the orders of Muqtada, they may go to hell lest they amend their ways! As for Muqtada, he may find himself in prison lest he repent!

[Vigilante]

O/T: (Sorry!)

Who can answer my question about diplomatic recognition of Baghdad Government? How many different countries have existing embassies in Baghdad? How many countries extend diplomatic recognition to Maliki's Government of the Green Zone (GOGZ)?

I want an authoritative answer and I will credit and link (blogospheric recognition) to whatever site that gives it to me.

[Chip Northrup]

Lt. Bowen has gotten to that point where every soldier in every war asks himself "Why am I here ?" Once in awhile there's a good answer.

In his case, acting as a police force in the midst of another country's civil war, the answer is easy: "You shouldn't be. There is no good reason for you to be there. "

This is not Japan or Germany post WW II. This is not Bosnia. Not Afghanistan. This is Viet Nam - with oil. Understand ?