Riverbend Returns: Baghdad Burning

[eridani]

.. I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend...

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com.au/


Ten Years On...

April 9, 2013 marks ten years since the fall of Baghdad. Ten years since the invasion. Since the lives of millions of Iraqis changed forever. It’s difficult to believe. It feels like only yesterday I was sharing day to day activities with the world. I feel obliged today to put my thoughts down on the blog once again, probably for the last time.

In 2003, we were counting our lives in days and weeks. Would we make it to next month? Would we make it through the summer? Some of us did and many of us didn't.

Back in 2003, one year seemed like a lifetime ahead. The idiots said, “Things will improve immediately.” The optimists were giving our occupiers a year, or two… The realists said, “Things won’t improve for at least five years.” And the pessimists? The pessimists said, “It will take ten years. It will take a decade.”

Looking back at the last ten years, what have our occupiers and their Iraqi governments given us in ten years? What have our puppets achieved in this last decade? What have we learned?

We learned a lot.

[madokie]

1. I'm one happy old man to see

that riverbend made it. Hopefully one day the perpertrators of this huge war crime will be brought to justice. Iraq should be cordoned off as a crime scene.

[cantbeserious]

8. The Obama Justice Department Has Guaranteed That Will Never Happen

eom

[madokie]

10. I'll be kiss my ass

How quick do you think the pukes would start impeachment proceeding against him if he was too push for this?
We already know they will impeach a democratic President for frivolous bullshit as they did with Clinton. Spent years and tons of money until they finally found something that they could sell to the public.
President Obama, you know the black man who the old white mans club doesn't want to succeed will do and are doing all they can to ensure he is not followed by another other than a white man.

'I'll be kiss my ass' is not directed at anyone especially you. It is simply used by me as a way to convey astonishment at what was said that I'm replying too
At any rate have a good day

[cantbeserious]

14. '' I'll Be Kiss My Ass '' - Your Post Expressed The Desire For Justice

eom

[bonnieS]

15. she did not exactly make it

Yes, she is alive, but homeless and wandering in bitterness from country to country with nothing in her life. She says we probably won't hear from her again. This is what the U.S. did in our name.

[madokie]

17. Sad to read that

I'm still carrying the burden of what we did to the Vietnamese people. I say we, our government in our name.
All so very sad

[kdmorris]

2. Thank you!

I had wondered what happened to her and if she was OK.

[polly7]

3. Thank you so much!

I used to email her once in a while and then she just disappeared.

[Mnemosyne]

4. Thank you, eridani! I had hoped she made it out and survived. nt

[Mnemosyne]

5. "And are you Americans safer?" "Will they ever be held accountable?" Good questions, riverbend. nt

[annabanana]

6. I feared we would never hear her voice again.

I am glad she's alive. I am sorry we destroyed even the semblance of normal in her Country.

[sendero]

7. As usual..

... the pessimists were right and that is why I make no apologies for being one.

[Berlum]

9. k and r

Wow.

"We are learning that ignorance is the death of civilized societies
and that everyone thinks their particular form of fanaticism is acceptable..."

[riverbendviewgal]

11. thank you for posting this. I had followed her from her first blog to the last.

I have thought of river bend often. She is a wonderful writer on her experiences of watching her country and lives around changed and destroyed. I am happy she still lives. This blog shows the results of bush and Cheney's war for their greed.

[Oilwellian]

12. Riverbend put a human face to the consequences of our criminal invasion

She made me ashamed to be an American, and rightly so. I'm happy to see she survived the decimation of her country and hope she finds peace one day.

[Frustratedlady]

13. This made my day to see Riverbend again!

I followed her since the beginning and have feared that she might not be with us anymore. Oh, what good news. Thank you for letting us know.

[Marrah_G]

16. YAY!!!!!

I'm very glad she is alive and back!

[Cleita]

18. Damn. I must be prescient. I was just thinking about Riverbend last night

and was going to do a post on it today about remembering the past and when we at DU all followed Riverbend.

Thanks for posting this.

[Hissyspit]

25. I was thinking about her last week, too.

I knew she and her family had left for Syria, but never thought "wait, Syria?!"

[Cleita]

27. She didn't say where she was. Maybe the family has left Syria

for a safer place.

[dog_lovin_dem]

19. Thank you so much

for posting this, eridani. I have often wondered what became of Riverbend and her family.

[arikara]

20. Bless you Riverbend

I hope you can find peace.

[11 Bravo]

21. And all because a drunken frat boy wanted to engage in a dick-measuring contest with his Daddy.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

22. She, and so very many others, have had a long hard road to travel.

Their lives destroyed, family members lost and dreams abandoned. Now they're a forgotten side note, an inconvenient reality that's ignored by most.

Saddest part is, she's one of the lucky ones.

[PA Democrat]

23. Thank you for posting this moving update from Riverbend.

I had feared her dead. I hope that she will find the peace and solace that she deserves. Her blog should be required reading for the cheerleaders for any future military invasions.

[Autumn]

24. I have so often thought of her.

We did indeed learn a lot. Rec

[Kali]

26. thanks for posting this

she an important witness

Finally, after all is said and done, we shouldn't forget what this was about - making America safer... And are you safer Americans? If you are, why is it that we hear more and more about attacks on your embassies and diplomats? Why is it that you are constantly warned to not go to this country or that one? Is it better now, ten years down the line? Do you feel safer, with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis out of the way (granted half of them were women and children, but children grow up, right?)?

[johnnyreb]

28. Thank you Riverbend

... for speaking to us Americans like humans. For keeping us so informed over the years. For trusting that some among us will carry your message and your love forward.

[babylonsister]

29. Wow. I'm glad to see she's alive. nt

[RainDog]

30. I'm glad to see her again

She was an important voice. I hope she finds a way and will to post about her life now.

[coffeenap]

31. So very glad to know she's ok!

I have thought of her so often and have tried to find out if she was ok. This is fantastic news!