this diary is dedicated to all who suffer because of war and other disasters
cross-posted at DailyKos, Booman Tribune, European Tribune, and My Left Wing.
image and poem below the fold
An Iraqi beggar receives money from a passer by in Najaf, Iraq, Thursday Oct. 6 2005. Many Iraqis face hardships as the economy is not helped by Iraq’s oil industry which has the world’s third largest known reserves, but has been crippled by war, sanctions and the insurgency with oil production remaining limited, curbed by decaying infrastructure and frequent attacks on pipelines and refineries by militants.
(AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)
Villanelle
by William Empson
It is the pain, it is the pain endures.
Your chemic beauty burned my muscles through.
Poise of my hands reminded me of yours.
What later purge from this deep toxin cures?
What kindness now could the old salve renew?
It is the pain, it is the pain endures.
The infection slept (custom or changes inures)
And when pain’s secondary phase was due
Poise of my hands reminded me of yours.
How safe I felt, whom memory assures,
Rich that your grace safely by heart I knew.
It is the pain, it is the pain endures.
My stare drank deep beauty that still allures.
My heart pumps yet the poison draught of you.
Poise of my hands reminded me of yours.
You are still kind whom the same shape immures.
Kind and beyond adieu. We miss our cue.
It is the pain, it is the pain endures.
Poise of my hands reminded me of yours.
– – –
support the Iraqi people
support the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC)
support CARE
support the victims of torture
remember the fallen
support the fallen
support the troops
support the troops and the Iraqi people
read This is what John Kerry did today, the diary by lawnorder that prompted this series
read Riverbend’s Bagdhad Burning
read Dahr Jamail’s Iraq Dispatches
read Today in Iraq
Leonard Clark’s blog has been taken down
witness every day
.
“Baghdad – US-led forces have bombed eight bridges on the Euphrates River in western Iraq to stop insurgents using them, US military spokesperson Major General Rick Lynch said Thursday.”
Now we are blowing up bridges. For the first time I believe we have lost. For the first time as a military professional I think we have no way of winning this. We are willing to destroy the basic structures of the country to deny the enemy their use.
Is it still breaking news what is happening in Iraq – 33 minutes ago ::
Six Marines Killed in Iraq Bomb Attacks
An Iraqi woman grieves next to the body of her 6 year old daughter killed by a car bomb in Samarra, Iraq yesterday. Three other people from the same family were wounded in the explosion. AP Photo/Hameed Rasheed▼ ▼ ▼
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Talibani a Kurd – he himself was occupied in London planning
a new venture: War on Iran!
Kurdistan anno 2005
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…….as always, your diary says it like it really is. Thanks, as always, again.
.
Recently in Uzbekistan, which was covered in the news. In the aftermath Russia and China moved in. Troubles started for the West when Uzbek dictator Karimov slaughtered civilians after a protest demonstration.
Russia with joint military manouvres and China with a big oil deal. I begin to understand GWB’s grinding jaw bone, is automatic for Texas oil tycoons in distress, eh… large and tiny ones. Some relief offered by Kyrgystan base.
What hasn’t been covered is another setback in neighboring Kazakhstan. A reform movement of young Kazakhs has been outlawed and people arrested. I guess the former Soviet, satellite dictator states, want to pre-empt any Orange revolutions.
The region is of utmost importance due to geographical presence near Caspian Sea Oil.
US flag upside down - Distress Signal for Bush & WH StaffA Bad Week for the White House and GOP
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Poise of my hands reminded me of yours.
Not sure why today’s photo seemed more disturbing to me. I think b/c the beggar is still alive, and his life is in shatters. His face is covered from view. His robes are tattered. He’s lying fetally. The only ‘movement’ is his palm facing up. He looks lost. Like a piece of the rubble he’s lying amongst. This is really quite sad Rub. So much heartache.