Riverbend Baghdad Burning: Women in Iraq - Article Example

Riverbend Baghdad Burning: Women in Iraq In April 2003, the world grew a significant new voice ; a blog written by the 25-year-old Iraq woman talks about the everyday veracities on the ground, punctuated by incisive analysis on the politics behind the events of the Iraq War. In a voice, Riverbend recounts stories of life in an occupied city and neighboring homes being raided by US troops. Riverbend narrates experiencing her relatives escaping from prison and the kidnapping of children by soldiers. She refers to the soldiers as money –hungry militias. As she tells, at times, the tragic merge into bizarre. She recalls a situation whereby her family jumped out of bed to send emails and to wash clothes in the center of the night when the electricity is briefly reinstated. Interspersed with these stunning snapshots from the daily life is what Riverbend is trying to analyze. From the elusive working of the Governing Council of Iraqi to the Abu Ghraib torture, from the coverage provided by Al-Jazeera to the American media. Riverbend focus on the fate of women whose freedom and rights have fallen victim to the intensifying fundamentalism in a messy postwar society. Primarily, Riverbend stresses on the dangers that were experienced by the Iraq women after the US interference in the Iraq war. In her blog, Riverbend tries to express the primary chauvinisms that are experienced by the typical Iraq citizens especially from a woman perspective. She recalls various versions of women chauvinisms including culture, government agencies including the Iraq Governing Council, US Troops among others. Riverbend start by mentioning that war has been a way of life in Iraq for last thirty years, both internal wars and wars with neighbors, in particular, the Iran Islamic revolution. She continues by mentioning that, what made things worse was the interference of the United States. During this period of the Iraq war, Riverbend pinpoint considerable courage that was shown by women especially during the gulf war period (River, 2003). Her message is not only courageous but inspiring to the audience. This piece is a significant portrayal of the situation at the particular time. Reliability of her sources and the Authority In more than one situation, Riverbend uses authorities to emphasize the severity of the situation in Iraq and especially in Bagdad. According to Riverbend, the Iraq authority is compromised. She mentions that police did not have a great impact in dealing with issues relating to the various tortures that were experienced by women. For instance, the police were involved in the conspiracy involving the two girls that were shot while they were in the field. Riverbend mentions that, the reports that were given by the police authorities were contracting almost every media report including Al Jazeera. This information is critical she eposes the evils in the authorities that were mandated to protecting the population. How Riverbend supports her argument Riverbend recalls bodies of women who were lying in the Sulaimaniyah hospital morgue in Kurdistan Iraq, which were set on white –tiled slabs. A significant number had been beaten to death, some had been strangled or shot, but a greater part of them had been burnt. She remembers seeing a girl, a lock of hair falling across her; her half-closed eyes could nearly be on the position of sleeping. Face Burns had stretched the skin of the face of another woman into another fixed look of surprise. Essentially, the dead bodies of women were not casualties of battle; in fact, the death of these women had been recorded as accident irrespective the fact that very few bodies were claimed (River, 2003). Riverbend explains how education was disrupted for the young girls who had to stay home for their safety. She recalls staying home together with her cousin for two days. Regardless of the fact that her cousin had just begun her academic year, she had to stay at home due to the increased insecurity and rape cases. Riverbend explains how parents had a difficult time to explain to their daughter the dangers of the dangers outside especially for the bright student. Some girls were even insisting on being taught at home. She says that her cousin was debating reason of having them the whole year at home and tutoring them at home. Unfortunately, the education system of Iraq does not have a provision for such a scenario in elementary schools. Unless there is an incredibly good reason, the education system of Iraq allows every child to be taught in school (River, 2003). Riverbend explains the emotional fear experienced by women during the invasion. She provides one point that the helicopters got so loud such that she felt they were going to land on the roof of their house. Everyone in the family was silent as they had been cautioned by Riverbend’s mother not to go the top of the roof to experience the American troops surveying. Later it was it was found that it was a bombing that had taken place in the old Republican Guard facility although everyone was unaware of the reason for the bombing (River, 2003). Riverbend also mentions how women were being pushed together with their children shivering with fear out of the door in the middle of the night. Women were effortlessly experiencing their children being dragged out of their homes having their belongings as well as their homes damaged and burned. The Iraq blogger explains how once a worldly city where women are afraid to leave the homes devoid of a male escort, as well as a head covering (River, 2003). According to Riverbend, women thought that after the invasion of Iraq war by the US government, women will experience new hopes as well as new life. Actually, their lives became even worse. Cases or rapes increased the destruction of properties through burning, increased murder cases among other criminal activities. In other word, the invasion of the war was the beginning of more female chauvinism (River, 2003). Riverbend explains the pain that was experienced by women after losing the daughter during from the indiscriminating troops that were going around. Girls were being abducted, killed and raped regardless of the age. She recalls one case where two girls had been shot aged 12 and 15 years. The two girls had been shot in the field as they were gathering firewood. Later, the CPA announced that the two girls had been found dead and were handed over to the police of Iraq. There were allegations that the US troops shot the two girls. The first story regarding the story of the two girls was given by the France Press (AFP), and later Al Jazeera, and other media fraternity picked up the story later (River, 2003). The author has effectively used the media to support her argument especially Zawra Channels. She mentions due to the fear that had been imputed to them; most individuals were staying in their homes waiting for updates from Zawra channel as well as Salahiddin. The viewing was until the Iraq security forces closed the channels after showing the pro-Saddam demonstration. This was due to the various curfews that had been introduced by the American troops. Strength and weaknesses The author has effectively managed to pinpoint the events of that were happening during the war, before the war and after the war. Additionally, she has effectively managed to show the intensity of the repercussion by mentioning the involvement of U.N. Riverside mentions that regardless of the endless rioting, killings, bombings among other criminal activities .she realized her country was in trouble when the UN started to open a special branch to monitor the bloodshed and chaos. Nevertheless, the paper is mostly based on personal experience and hearsay. Although, Riverbend is seen getting sources from the authorities such as police, Iraq Governing Council among others, a greater part of this paper is based on individual experience. Author’s reasoning Riverbend feels obliged to write about the massive killing experienced by the Iraq citizen due to the pain that is inflicted on her. She mentions that the loss of the millions of Iraq changed forever. She has feared to put down her experience due to fear of persecution. When she was writing her first blog, she mentions that she might probably be writing for the last time. Opposition’s viewpoint Although the intervention of the US troops played a significant role in the putting an end to the war, Riverside condemn the intervention. She considers the number of deaths that were lost in the war during the piece keeping the mission to be higher that what it could have resulted if they had not intervened Reference River. (2003, November 30). Baghdad Burning. Retrieved from Riverbend Blog: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2003_11_01_archive.html Read More