I have written before on this subject, and established that I don't know which I would rather be if I had but two choices: either be an Iraqi woman or an Iraqi donkey. They are both worked to death and beaten pretty regular.
When I get out and give out any candy I try my best to fully discriminate and give as much to the little girls and none to the little boys. This may be mean, but...
We were out last week by the IP (Iraqi Police) station. There was a house there and this Iraqi female teenager was looking out the window at us. She was really pretty. She didn't have on her crow suit but had on what looked like regular clothes. We motioned for her to come down and talk with us but she shook her head no, and gave us the cut off your head sign, running her clinched fist - like she was holding a knife - all the way across her throat. And that is what they will do to them if they talk with us: either beat them or cut off their heads: consequently, the women here are terrified of their own men. Her brother came out and we learned from him that his sister, in the window above us, was seventeen years old. She waved at us for a while and then disappeared into the house.
A while back I was out with the scouts. The IPs were close by, but a group of teenage girls - all in their crow suits - stopped by and talked with us for a while. When the IPs saw this they came running toward them and hollared at them and waved them off. They were pretty ticked about this. But then the unexpected happened: all three girls, in real good English, lit into the IPs and dog cussed them like I have never heard anybody cussed before. I thought, despite the fact they would probably be beaten for this: good for you!
We went through ancient Babylon yesterday. The modern city there is Hilla. There, some of the women don't wear the crow suits and they are really beautiful, as is their very colorful clothes they wear. I have a pic of two on the side of the road. They wore long skirts that were full of color, and one was black with a big white flower painted on it. It is a shame they destroy this with those ugly crow suits for the most part. They both had on head scarves, however. But the scarves are very colorful as well, and I have bought a bunch of them and sent them home. In Babylon we can see, from the road, all the big mounds - or tells - where the ancient ruins are. It is pretty neat. These big and little tels are everywhere in this region. Saddam Hussein reconstructed old Babylon, where the ruins are, there.
Well, got to go, and will write back later. Richard....
If you would like to send some hard candy to Richard for him to hand out please email Sara.
Contributed by:
Sara of Soldiers' Angels USA and "her" soldier Richard from Iraq
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