The mess continues ...

The bombs are still flying, Israel is calling up more troops, western peace activists are gearing up to go to Lebanon and the Bush, who could probably stop all this death and destruction with a single phone call, says there can be no return to the status quo (excuse me, but wasn't the status quo a hellava lot better than this?!? Personally, I vote for the status quo).

In Baghdad recently, eight bombs went off in my old neighborhood of Karada and then more explosions went off after people rushed in to help the injured. Isn't the mentality of Iraqis who are so willing to throw lives away like this, only taking on a slightly different form by world leaders who refuse to demand an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon?

An we lost a co-worker over the weekend ... killed leaving his house in Baghdad.

When even the peaceful are filled with rage ...

My arabic class is truely multi-cultural. I am the only American in the group. We people from Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and South American (not sure which country Haskel is from). Our teacher, Samira, is a wonderful, sweet lady who is a great arabic teacher. She has even taught in the States. Last night during class we put the arabic aside and talked about the situation in Lebanon and Gaza.

Samira told us,

It is so difficult for me. But yesturday I saw the picture in the Jordan times of Israeli children writing messages on Israeli missiles that will be used against Lebanon. They wrote: "A gift to the children of Lebanon." It fills me with such sadness that children are being taught to hate. I'm a peaceful person. I want peace with Israel. I wanted the fighting to stop, but after seeing such things and watching the news, I'm just filled with anger and I'm afraid how easy it would be to let my anger give way to striking back.

Today is Friday and it is the day when most people will go to the mosque. Samira warned us that, as foreigners, we should stay away from the big mosques downtown. "All it takes," she said, "is one stupid person to get a crowd to do something foolish." There will also be major demonstrations in other parts of town. I'm leaving for Northern Iraq today otherwise, I wish that I could go.

The world my be going to hell in a hand-basket, but what the heck, Italy won!



Recent celebrations in Jordan.

A Request for Your Prayers ... from the Christian Peacemaker Team

Dear all,

Below is a letter from a young Palestinian friend in Baghdad who worked with CPT to another of my team mates. He is 21 years old and has received a death threat from the Badr brigade (a Shi'a group) and is very frightened. He is Palestinian (Sunni) and thinks the threat may have come because of his work with CPT in accompanying the Palestinians to the Syrian border (the trip that CPT accompanied was in October last year) or for our work with them in Baladiat (their neighborhood in Baghdad). This beautiful young man is full of the joy of life and is very brave. If he is frightened for his life, the threat is real. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. (I have removed all names for security reasons).

Peace & thanks,

CPT Team member

hii sis how are you ?

i hoop you are doing good

i just want to know that i recived a death threaten from the bader last
night !!!!!!!!

it was pointed to me and right now im totlly confused i dont know what to do....right now i am a refugee in werdo house !!! and [my brother] is perparing to
go to serya in the next sturday so i want [you] to know if i get killed in the next week or the next one that the bader folks killed me....and i think that they are paying back for what i done in

the border's and about i done for the palestine's in baladyat .....sis im really feeling tired and i hoop god help me and help me family cuz im really worry if i get killed who's gonna look after my mom and my lil sister

i send the letter and im not so sure if i will stay alive to send another one and right now the condtion's in baghdad is really really bad more then you can imagen so plz if there is any one from cpt want to come here plz advise him
or her not come.....

take care of yourslef

your lil brothere

Sad Times ...

for me personally and professionally.