Torture

For the last three years we had to read, listen and report daily news. The problem lies in this news because it is sad and full with grief. One of the days that I can not forget was when a car bomb exploded near New Baghdad and I had to go. More than 30 children were killed. I had to talk to the families and look to the limbs of angels all over the place hanged on the power lines, blood covering the place, their shoes and that smell.

A father tears can easily tear your heart and a mother sobbing sound will never and ever leave your ears. The echo of that kid who came to his father crying and a river of tears was covering his face … his words still torturing me. Here I am alone at dawn in Baghdad, and here is he in front of me saying to his father “I want my brother back”… he couldn’t understand that his brother is not coming back again.

The other kid that i can not forget was in Fallujah, he is laying down suffering bullets injuries and his father, mother and aunt were killed in the car behind him and he can not see them… he refused to let the ambulance take him to the hospital only if I swear to him that his family are alive… he pulled my shirt and said “don’t lie to me”.. I was looking at them all killed in front of me and he is laying down, an American sobbing soldier beside him was treating him till the ambulance arrived, and I had to swear to him that they were alive and he will find them in the hospital if he allowed the ambulance to take him, he and his one year old sister who were covered with here mother’s blood all over her body…

I am sorry but I had to write this down...

Comments

[a]

Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for writing this. And for your reporting. God speed.

[janinsanfran]

There is a thing people do on blogs that I've never done before, but I must do it now.

(((Dulaimy))) That is a blog hug.

I will hold you in my prayers as I try to hold all in your unhappy country where my country has so dishonoured itself.

[Gillian]

As terribly dificult as this must have been to live through and chronicle - it is vitally important that such stories be told. The world needs to know what is going on.

[mee]

my dear..what i read really broke my heart.
The pain that you feel,i can feel it deep in my heart,and i wish it's just like fairy tails that we can erase the pain within seconds.Just want you to know. We share the same pain.What you said is what i see or hear.May God protect you.

I write this to you from the real hell.Iraq

[Wren]

Thank you for writing, Dulaimy. Thank you for telling us, who live so far away, what's happening in your home and what's happening in your heart because of what you've witnessed. Your work, and your words, are important. As Americans, especially, we need to know the truth and understand the terrible human toll this war is taking on everyone, but the Iraqis most of all.
You are very courageous.

[ljm]

Dulaimy,

We have something we say to each other on a blog where I post and the people there care about each other very much. When someone is experiencing distress like the death of a loved one we say to them A on P. It means "angels on your pillow." We say it so the person knows we love them and want them to feel safe inside something larger than this physical world. Know that we wish you and all the people in Iraq, A on P. Nobody should be alone with these memories and sorrow. We want to share all of them you are ready to write about here, again, A on P.

[Kendall]

Please don't be sorry that you wrote this down. It is unbearable that this is happening. The least the rest of us can do is bear witness to what you are saying. We need to know. I wish we could stop this. I echo what Laura says, and I ask all the people I know to read your blog, so they know what is happening. Thank you for writing it down. Your work is absolutely vital.

[Laura]

Please please keep writing. Don't be alone with these memories. I read these postings over and over, and so wish I could do more and say more--instead, I am an invisible witness, someone trying to feel your experiences, wishing somehow, hoping somehow, that if I can feel a bit of what you and others are going through, that will in some way lighten your suffering. You're not alone. People you don't even know care that these things happen to you, happen to others. Take good care, Dulaimy. I am thinking of you and of Sahar constantly.