Iraq today - as seen by an Iraqi

Let me introduce you to a ?Girl?s Blog from Iraq? She has been actively blogging since August, 2003. Her blogs have been emotional, particularly when the electricity has gone out, or she has been inconvenienced with something more than ordinary. She has not been particularly gracious in some of her political entries, favoring no one. She does give a good insight from the viewpoint of an Iraqi citizen.

Here is how she has closed a recent entry:

?Muqtada Al-Sadr is a measure of how much we?ve regressed these last three years. Even during the Iran-Iraq war and the sanctions, people turned to sports to keep their mind off of day-to-day living. After the occupation, we won a football match against someone or another and we?d console ourselves with ?Well we lose wars- but we win football!? From a country that once celebrated sports- football (soccer) especially- to a country that worries if the male football players are wearing long enough shorts or whether all sports fans will face eternal damnation? That?s what we?ve become.?

Her blog site: http://www.riverbendblog.blogspot.com./

Keep in mind that Mugtada Al-Sadr is the renegade young cleric who has built and maintained an armed militia since the beginning of the ?invasion?. His militia has engaged Iranian and American forces. He has been responsible for the murders of other clerics who have supported a democratic Iraq. Only someone in the ?brain crew? in Washington DC can answer why ??the shot wasn?t taken" when it was available on numerous occasions.