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Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Being Aware of the Human Toll
The human toll of the Iraq war is often untold. Here in America we rarely hear (or care) about the death of US soldiers and the post-war shaft they've been given much less the toll the war has taken on Iraqis. I recently came across an article though that highlighted the plight of Iraqi women. As more and more Iraqis flee the continuing violence in their country, they are forced to leave everything they hold dear behind - including the luxury of morality. Amongst the women who have fled to Syria, a scary number of very young girls who once wore the hijab have found prostitution to be their family's only hope of survival. Some of these girls are forced or tricked into prostitution, but others find its the only way their families can live. The country is destroyed, the families are destroyed, and now a way of life is being sacrificed. The effects of war on women are always the hardest, and we need to force ourselves to be aware of the plight of our sisters.

Read the full story here.

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posted by Julie at 9:27 PM ¤ Permalink ¤


6 Comments:


  • At 6/06/2007 06:14:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous

    I guess they're feeling especially grateful for their freedom and democracy now.

    There are no words to express my deep and visceral reaction to that.

     

  • At 6/06/2007 04:08:00 PM, Blogger Amy

    I just want to cry. I can't imagine taking my daughter to a strip club or making that decision for myself. I can't imagine being placed in a situation that horrible and destitute. My heart breaks for those women.

    Do any of you know of any type of program that it addressing this situation that we could support?

     

  • At 6/06/2007 08:46:00 PM, Blogger Lori

    On a related topic, I've just finished reading Princess : a true story of life behind the veil in Saudi Arabia by Jean Sasson. It's a heartbreaking depiction of life as a woman in Saudi Arabia. I've been in prayer for our sisters ever since.

     

  • At 6/07/2007 06:02:00 PM, Blogger Heather

    That's horrible. Unimaginable.

    I'm not a political person. I try to stay out of politics. But I can't stand that our country is supporting this one-sided "war". When will it all end? What has to happen to stop this?

     

  • At 6/09/2007 11:23:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous

    Check out www.womenforwomen.org. For $27/month (or more) you sponsor a woman in a war-torn or war-recovery country to get back on her feet. You exchange letters, too. It was founded by Zainab Salbi, whose story can be found in 'Between Two Worlds: Growing Up in the Shadow of Saddam.' For much of her life, she was known as "the pilot's daughter," as in, Saddam's pilot.

    For a picture of the US human toll, keep an eye on the Washington Post. They frequently run articles not only on the despicable conditions at Walter Reed, but also on parents losing custody, the inability of some soldiers to return to civilian life, etc.

     

  • At 6/10/2007 07:21:00 PM, Blogger marilyn

    Thank you Agma for that info, I will definitely check that out--very constructive.

    Sonja and Heather--it never fails to amaze me just how little Americans know about other countries, and how willing they are to complain about their own.

    Take Lori's lead and read about life in the middle east. Find something constructive to do instead of criticizing a war you
    obviously know nothing about.

     
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