Baghdad Burning

Even though I wrote my previous post about blogging, I felt like I needed to continue that conversation after reading the article “Baghdad Burning” because I feel like it only proves more why blogging should be accepted as news coverage. The article is written by an actual woman living in Iraq while all the conflict is occurring. Her family in the end leaves for Syria and begins there life there, at least until the war in their homeland is done. She gives a brutally honest and opinionated account of what is really going on. She has multiple strong choice words for her own government in Iraq, as well as American leaders and military, especially George W. Bush. She basically calls them all out on multiple lies that deal with such disturbing acts such as rape, which is something that is pretty gutsy to do, given the situation.

Being able to share her side of what goes on in everyday life really shines a new light on what Americans think is really going on. Some of the Iraq soldiers which we have trained are going and doing these horrific acts, yet the government covers it up and the story is put to rest. She shows how it is all a cycle because then others are just more scared to come out with their personal ordeals. I personally have seen and heard a lot of coverage on the Iraq war, yet I do not recall EVER hearing about soldiers committing these crimes. The only way that the real story could ever get out to the public would be from personal publications, like this blog. The fact that blogs are straight from someone’s mouth with no editing really allows a raw account as well as a totally different side of things. Just think if we had blogs from other events over time, to let the minority speak out. Her postings touched me and made me feel for her, but I also congratulate her for standing up and speaking up. Blogs like this should one hundred percent be counted as newsworthy and informative.