NYT: “Iraqi Boy, After Dream Trip to U.S., Hates to Go Home”:
After two fairy-tale weeks of pampering, shopping, top-notch medical care and limitless Pepsi, Ayad al-Sirowiy, the 13-year-old Iraqi boy who came to the United States to get the tattoo of war removed from his disfigured face, is going home.
And – no surprise – he really doesn’t want to.
“Ma arrooh, ma arrooh,” Ayad shouted Wednesday afternoon, as he kicked and fussed in his hotel bed, a few hours before his flight. “I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go.” […]
[A U.S. cluster bomb] drilled tiny pieces of shrapnel into his face, blinding him in one eye and printing a map of pin-prick scars across his skin. The boys in Ayad’s village call him “Mr. Gunpowder,” and he was so ashamed that he dropped out of school.
[A] retired law professor in Miami Beach read about his plight and won him approval to come to the United States, …
During his time here he has seen a lot – the inside of the Pentagon, a senator’s office, sharks in a tank, girls in tank tops, the view from the Empire State Building and the treasures of Wal-Mart.
“It was bigger than my village,” said Ayad’s father, Ali, who accompanied him on his visit. […]
Ayad and his father met Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, who has worked to increase financing for civilian casualties.
Mr. Leahy told Ayad that he is blind in one eye, too.
“If I can be a senator with one eye, you can be prime minister,” Mr. Leahy said. Ayad beamed.
It was Sen. Leahy who worked so well with aid worker Marla Ruzicka, who was tragically killed by a suicide bomber enroute to the Baghdad Airport in April.
did you know Leahy is a huge unabashed Grateful Dead fan?
I didn’t. That’s sweet … a lot of neat people are great Grateful Dead fans.
When we lived in the University District of Seattle, our hippie neighbors would festoon their entire yard with drying tie-dyed t-shirts that they’d make before they hit the road and went to Dead concerts.
Ann Coulter is a huge Deadhead too. And Bill Walton. And Al Franken. They should all get together and do Dinner for Five.
I’d watch that. But only if Franken lobs a grenade at the she/he-devil.
“I am wild.” “I am free.” “I am coyote.”
Whatever the source of your screen name, thanks for making me smile.
Love, Coyote
Uh, got it off a belated birthday card. It seemed to fit my style. (I sent the card for father’s day, since it was long past my dad’s birthday).
That was my absolute favorite card of all time. I got it for one of my sisters, and since then I’ve been signing my letters to her “Love, Coyote”. (The card cracked me up every time I looked at it)
for this.
That term is haunting.
Why did he have to win approval to even COME here to get medical aid?? It should have been a given. No contest. Just get him here.
Now they’ll send him back? To what? More bombs?
Who wants this kid to return? Why? I guess Gov Arnie is skeered that this young lad, “disabled” at that, would TAKE jobs and services away from Kaleefornyuns and udder Uhmereekin. (sorry sarcastic, bad mad mood) I wont even mention the “wal-vart” tour… But why does he have to go? To hovel of a bombed out place where he is seen as disfigured and called names? Where’s his family?
I wish all our leaders were like Conyers, Boxer and Leahy.
and while I’m at it.. I wish ALL our children could get medical aid.
Thanks for this lovely look at a glimmer of hope, Susan.
I suppose he has more family at home … but, heck, bring them all here. It’s the least we can do.
We brought that attorney who supposedly helped save Jessica Lynch, and he got set up with a house and cushy job here … then Lynch wouldn’t even greet him when he came to her town … (I still wonder why, but suspect it’s because she knew his story was a lie) …
Bring the whole family over. This is just sickening…
Oh gawd don’t get me started about Jessica “I don’t remember anything” Lynch. That whole thing was a drama made for tv – a let’s get Duhmericans worked up about a “hero” – A total scam and sham.
This does seem like the “After School Special” administration. . .
How sad for this little boy, all the way around. First the “tattoos of war” and probably all the destruction around him that went along with it, and then to show him something so completely different… and then send him back into the hell again.
Sigh… maybe we can just tell everyone his name really is Elian? Surely we can find a magic dolphin or two to vouch for him.
He needs A LOT MORE plastic surgery, which he won’t be able to get in Iraq.
It’s just nuts.
If the family wishes to stay, I’m sure there’d be someone willing to sponsor them or something.
So what was with the angry father who was allegedly promised money and gifts? Total propaganda on his part for the Iraqi media, or someone on this end not fulfilling their part of a deal for photo ops or such?
I deeply feel for this child and the tens of thousands of other children who have been effected by this war in one way or another. In reading the full article at NYT, I found it pretty bittersweet, seeing the child salute the picture of the president. (It made me wonder if the child truly thought the president was responsible for his medical treatments) As mentioned above. . .how about the rest of the wounded Iraqi citizens? You know, the ones who had absolutely no desire to see their nation evolve into a combination terrorist state/military state situation – yet have found themselves deeply wounded, in body, spirit and/or mind.
So, so sad. . .everything about this whole mess. And the father/son will likely be profiled at the airport on the way home. . .I’m sure the child’s hurtful moniker “Mr. Gunpowder” has already made it to the CIA/FBI terrorist lists throughout the nation. (Just to be safe, what with the orange alerts and all.)
Has there already been a thorough discussion about the show “Over There” and its debut last night? (Yes, I’m a bit behind. . .so please forgive me. I found it highly compelling.)
By bringing him here we may have averted his becoming a terrorist in a few years, showing him we are not so evil. By sending him back, we may undo all that. And what about the uncounted masses of Iraqis we have disfigured and maimed? Who will bring them over and show them America isn’t what BushCo is trying to make it?