Sitting to a dinner of kabab, hot khubz (Iraqi flat bread) and other niceties, the conversation was flowing. Our rotating reporter, Chris (a very nice chap of only 23) was showing us the lovely old Iraqi silver pendent and bracelet he had bought his mum from a shop in the al-Rasheed Hotel, which is inside the green zone. We congratulated him on his excellent taste. He had bought other things as well. A lovely painting of a local scene, some coins and notes used during Saddam's era, some Iraqi medals and an Iraqi flag. We were commending him on his good sense of value too - I was afraid that it would be a rip-off, but happily it wasn't.
My son is a coin collector and was quite impressed and said out loud, "Mum , let's go down to the al-Rasheed tomorrow (my day off) and look up this place, the items are good and the prices are right. Let's Mum!"
"I'm sorry baby, we can't. I will take you to another shop near al-Mutanebbi, you might find similar things."
"Why, Mum? Why can't I go to this shop?"
"Because it's in the green zone baby, and you're Iraqi."
I could see the words forming on his lips; I could hear them ring in my head.
His rebellious look locked with my own sadly understanding eyes - but he just looked away, defeated.
The relevent point is that the choice should be HIS. How would you feel if downtown DC was off limits to regular Americans because some superpower had it uder its control?? "Shop elsewhere" is just not good enough.
Posted by: newfreeguy | September 13, 2007 at 02:58 PM
garhane, what a seriously twisted thing to say.
Posted by: ljm | September 12, 2007 at 09:14 PM
"..locked with .my own sadly understanding eyes...". Right. What is she, cross eyed so that one eye looks at the other? And what is being lost here except the opportunity to buy stuff cheap that is available because of wide scale murder of other Iraquis. I think the story is fake and the author a creep and a predator. I hope she and her rotten kid do get into the green zone and get royally taken by the treacherous merchants of the black market who flourish there, among the American officers, mercenary killers
and the like.
Posted by: garhane | September 12, 2007 at 01:51 PM
"..locked with .my own sadly understanding eyes...". Right. What is she, cross eyed so that one eye looks at the other? And what is being lost here except the opportunity to buy stuff cheap that is available because of wide scale murder of other Iraquis. I think the story is fake and the author a creep and a predator. I hope she and her rotten kid do get into the green zone and get royally taken by the treacherous merchants of the black market who flourish there, among the American officers, mercenary killers
and the like.
Posted by: garhane | September 12, 2007 at 01:48 PM
To the other Laura:
Even in America we can't walk wherever we want. Government buildings have limitations on where the public can go, and military bases are restricted to those who have a pass.
The Green Zone is restricted because a lot of bad guys would love to get in there and do some damage to the Iraqi gov't employees and the US employees who are based there. Use your noggin.
As far as prices... I'd wager that everything in the Green Zone is at least a little pricier than it would be outside the Green Zone - it's simple capitalism. When there is more money and more demand, the prices are higher. So I am sure the child could have bought things cheaper elsewhere.
Posted by: Laura | September 12, 2007 at 12:59 PM
The 5000 Iraqis living in the green zone were homeless and poor. The houses were available,so they moved in. And you think you are somehow excluded because you're Iraqi?
Get a clue.
Posted by: Perry | September 12, 2007 at 02:19 AM
5000 Iraqis live in the Green Zone. That's right,houses and all. Most of the people who work there are Iraqi. Sheesh,you'd think an Iraqi would know these things.
Posted by: Perry | September 12, 2007 at 02:13 AM
You are misleading your readers. While it is true that entrance to the IZ is tightly controlled -- and controlled by Americans -- most people inside the IZ are Iraqis, including hundreds of Iraqis who actually live there, as well as those who work there. Even those who neither work nor live there, and don't have an IZ badge, can enter, though it's an incredible hassle.
Having been to the shops in al Rashid, I would much rather go shopping in al Mutanebbi. I'll bet you can better merchandise for a better price there -- al Rashid is a ripoff.
Posted by: Bill Herbert | September 12, 2007 at 01:17 AM
You have such a gift for writing about a situation in a way which helps us see and feel it, not just think about it. Knowing that you and your son cannot freely walk anywhere you choose in your own country is like a slug in the gut. Freedom American-style. Hmmm.
Posted by: Laura | September 11, 2007 at 10:37 PM
I'm sorry about not being able to get into the green zone. I wish I could have been at dinner with you. In Armenia the bread was called "hotz." They called the barbeque they did on skewers "horovatz." Is that what you had for dinner? Or is it like the Turkish kabobs, which are more like a sandwich or Greek gyro. I love middle eastern food.
Posted by: ljm | September 09, 2007 at 08:49 PM