this diary is dedicated to all who suffer because of war and other disasters

we honor courage in all its forms – and pray for the courage to confront evil

we love and support our troops, just as we love and support the Iraqi people – without exception, or precondition, or judgement.

cross-posted at DailyKos, Booman Tribune, European Tribune,  My Left Wing, and TexasKos.

2 images and 2 poems below the fold

ATTENTION EDITORS – CAPTION ADDITION ADDING DATE OF BIRTH A citizenship identification card issued by the Iraqi government in 1993 shows Abeer Qasim Hamza al-Janabi with a date of birth of August 19, 1991, as translated from the identity card in this handout photo from her relatives in Baghdad July 9, 2006. Five U.S. soldiers were charged in a rape and multiple murder case that has outraged Iraqis, as documents obtained by Reuters on Sunday showed the rape victim was a minor aged just 14, and not over 20 as U.S. officials say.
EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Handout (IRAQ)

– – –


Loved ones including Krystle Halcom (L) of United States Army Sgt. Terry M. Lisk, who was killed in Iraq, cry after funeral services in Lemont, Illinois, July 8, 2006.
REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

Rape
by Sondra Upham

I wake to a knife
on the back of my neck,
a man’s voice low
in my ear. What I am told to do,
I do. Still
the moon lights my room.
The freight of his chest
fixes me to the rough, wood floor.
His breath
brags down my throat
into my lungs, and I pray
for my soul.
I make of my body a bunker:
when he enters,
he does not touch me.
I am clean as rain.
– – –

I Might Have Dreamed This
by Kirsten Dierking

For a short time after
the rape, I found I could

move things. Energy birds
swarmed from my brain.

With a witch’s sense
of abandoned physics,

I set dolls rolling.
Back and forth. Like a

breathing sound.

Using only my night-powered
eyes, I pushed the lamp

to the dresser’s edge.
I buried the mirrors

in avalanches of freshly
laundered underpants.

I never slept.

I did all these things
lying down.
– – –
read This is what John Kerry did today, the dKos diary by lawnorder that inspired this series

love and support the Iraqi people

join CIVIC’s “I Care” photo campaign

raed in the middle’s blog

support the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC)

support CARE

support the victims of torture

read Riverbend’s Bagdhad Burning

read Dahr Jamail’s Iraq Dispatches

read Today in Iraq

love and support our troops

read Ilona’s important blog – PTSD Combat

support Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

view the pbs newshour silent honor roll (with thanks to jimstaro at booman.)

take a private moment to light one candle among many (with thanks to TXSharon)

support Veterans for Peace

remember the fallen

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support Gold Star Families for Peace

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support a young heart with an old soul peace takes courage (multimedia)

poetry matters poets against war

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witness every day

While speaking at the YearlyKos 2006 Convention in Los Vegas, former Virginia Governor Mark Warner said (and I paraphrase from memory): “George Bush, incompetent idiot, blah blah blah, went to war in Iraq when the real threat is in Iran.” (my emphasis)

There was a brief pause after his statement, and I regret that I wasn’t brave or quick-witted enough to yell “Bullshit!” into the silence. But the moment passed, Warner picked up his next thread in perfect cadence, and I bit into my box lunch apple.

So now what?

I’m gonna let him know that I think his statement is bullshit, and why. I’m starting here. If anyone knows of other ways, please put them in this thread.

Thanks.