"Rotting Away"


Spoke to Auntie Sameera today. She said

"We are rotting away at home...at times I feel my heart is going to burst...
Can you imagine our only outing is to the vegetable store, 3 minutes away. We consider that an important event. Your cousins dress up for that occasion...But then we don't even know if we will make it back in one piece...Layla, my heart is going to burst..."


Met with Fatima, she arrived from Baghdad a few days ago. She said

They kept me at the airport for 4 hours, they saw am here for medical purposes and have a sponsor, but still they kept me like a dog. Could they not see am an elderly woman, hardly able to breathe ? Yalla it's better than the bombs...Do you know who puts these car bombs ya Layla? The Americans and the Iranians, of that we are 100% sure. They leave us to rot that way...

Spoke to Zakaria

Are you managing to cope with no water and no electricity?

What water and what electricity ? I have forgotten what they look like. Yabbah, we are all rotting away...

Radhee called me

Layla, am so bored, I know I keep calling you, am so bored at home, I have nothing to do, I can't go out, Wallah I feel am rotting in this prison...

Nawal said to me

Did you know I managed to go to Al Rasheed Street, it's been over 2 years since I've ventured there, but had to go

What's it like now? I asked

It looks worse than Kabul, it's rotting away...What is left of Baghdad is rotting away...


Painting: Iraqi artist, Rakkan Dabdoob.

Comments

Mister Ghost said…
Layla often presents interesting and valuable insights in to Iraq and Arabic society and thinking, even if they are not charitable to us American types. SO, I appreciate her contributions to the Iraqi blogosphere.
Anonymous said…
So the old lady Fatima has the inside information on car bombs? You are so full of shit Layla..yalla, yabbah, wallah... Take a crap why don't you?
Anonymous said…
Dear Layla,

i am enjoying your blog an it is my pleasure to find a very open minded lady such as your self.

i feel so sorry of what is happening in Iraq...

i am dream in of a day that we can visit Baghdad...

here in Dubai we do have a great respect for all decent Iraqis

all the best Layla
Layla Anwar said…
Mister Ghost,

How very chivalrous of you...lol
Am I getting your stamp of approval and a certificate for good behavior? I am really very touched.
Layla Anwar said…
Ansha? (not sure of the name)

Thanks for visiting and for your comment. We will visit a truly FREE Iraq soon.

Regards
Anonymous said…
I am still Layla's number one fan!
Anonymous said…
JR IS BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous said…
Layla, the bloggers at Iraq The Model are true Iraqi heroes

Here is a random link to one of their posts http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/2007/09/al-qaedas-war-of-villages.html

Would you call them traitors?

BTW, thanks for not deleting my posts. I would have expected you to since they attack your ideology.
Anonymous said…
If everything is so rotten, why aren't you Iraqis doing something to fix things?

Dammit, you do whine a lot. You remind me of my first wife; always whining about how bad things were while making no effort to fix matters.

What a loser!

The Lord
Bruno said…
"If everything is so rotten, why aren't you Iraqis doing something to fix things?"

But they are.

They've been trying to throw the American invaders out since 2003.

Didn't you know?
Angel said…
Hello Layla,

YOU'RE BACK!

I did miss posting, but had to get over 'it'.

I'm glad you're OK, also Aunty Sameera.

Why is it, they can manage a phone system, but not electricity or water?

I see JR is back also. Did he feel the same as me?

Stay safe.
Anonymous said…
bruno,

Hearts and minds, bruno, hearts and minds.

You will have to do better than "trying to throw out the American invaders" if you want to beat the Americans. Try putting people to work picking up the trash or cleaning up the sewage first - it took us awhile, but we are finally getting it right.
Anonymous said…
I am Layla's number 3 fan! I'm sure I'll move up in the polls once I get my act together and show up more. Geesh...didn't know being a new dad would be so much work.
Anonymous said…
JR, you have a child ???

The world is really upside down !!! :-)

Joking aside, we did not even know there was a "she" in your life (apart from Hala, LOL).

Please tell us something of this new joyful chapter of your life.
Anonymous said…
Jr., it's lovely to see you back! Gosh, it's difficult to think of you as a Dad (as Anonymous has said above!) Sorry! But congratulations!
Layla Anwar said…
Hey Jr,
Welcome back
Congratulations on being a Dad?
Can't believe my eyes too...lol
Is it a boy or a girl ?
KM said…
Layla, it's interesting for me to see that nowhere can I find any type of major construction going on in Iraq. There's the US squatter (embassy) ofcourse but nothing else.

If there was, the US's government-corporation would be having these 'successes' being shown. Where are all these US dollars going? I think the US government-corporation has pulled a heist.

It's like poor people that approach me when Im in my car. they walk up to me and give me a story on why they need a few bucks and then turn around do whatever. They have liquor on their breath so I believe they just use the money other than what they've told me.

I read today in Al Jazera that CITI BANK has laid off more American workers.

The way 'things' are run in America is that it is a statutory duty for companies/corporations to do what it takes to perform. By perform, I mean, to turn a profit. Ofcourse to turn a profit, a corporation can cut benefits, lay off / fire employees, move offshore or move overseas wher it is less expensive. All these satisfies a corporate duty for its shareholders; to make a profit.

Over the years, unemployment has risen along with poverty of course, here in America. This equates to less American paying taxes to the government which in turn, makes Americana a liability (expense) on the American government.

Added to this is that the American government is heavily invested in these corporations becasue they have invested in them by purchasing stocks.

Many many Americans dont get it. The government is and has been looking out for their best interests. It is government for the governemnt and by the government.
Kosta said…
American Woman said...
"So the old lady Fatima has the inside information on car bombs?"

What's so hard to understand.
As an indigenous person, you think she doesn't have a little insight???
Dumbya didn't know the dif. between Iraq and Iran when he invaded.
I'd bet Fatima had a little more insight than that.

Take you and I for example, we have a little more insight into USA and Australia than Fatima.
She may have not noticed as you and I may have IF WE OPENED OUR EYES, that when there is a case in our countries of rape of a PRE-Pubescent; it's invariably an Anglo-Saxon.
Not in the cases of 15yo or 14 or 12yo; but the very 'accomplished' paedophiles.... don't tell me that you haven't noticed the local news reports and gossip around town.
Your country has a multitude of 'child sex' criminal naming web sites with pictures of these bastards.

It's difficult to be sure which of these men raped a pubescent child or a pre-pubescent, because even if the person is only just under 18 in many cases one qualifies for 'entry'.
But compare the pictures to your typical US general prison popullation in which blacks are so well 'represented' and ask yourself...why? do they seem to be absent from the INFANT predator lists.

Insight, American Girl, Insight.....
Miss Pre-Teen
"Who's Your Dady???",.... charming.

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