Research Journal 6

Baghdad Burning

The Novel by 'Riverbend' a computer programmer in Iraq, named Baghdad Burning, addresses to audiences or readers about the daily lives or rather, consistent complex time in Iraq, which is mainly on the topic of the terror that the terrorists in Iraq are 'celebrated' for.

Unlike her blog on the website - http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/, the Novel is more on her perspective as one of the people in Iraq, instead of relating the story also with foreigners' point of view. (Especially in means of US citizens, the book is not pleasant since the Iraq has a lot of influence from the US) While she should be thankful to US armies for Iraq's protection over the terrorists in Iraq, she is against them and questions why are the US armies being involved to a such matter that only should be gathered and solved within Iraq. Yet, as I followed her partial life events throughout the book, I found her story significant, for from reading the book one can remind the difficulty in Iraq and view oneself as if he/she were an Iraq person currently living in Iraq.

She often or always talk about her circumstance at home. The electricity is not always 'visible' and because of the light, she couldn't write or add to her journal for about the whole summer of 2004. Furthermore, the heat the climate in Iraq brings to the people in Iraq is troublesome. Too hot and no rain. It was good point for her to make a reference on the rain, saying that it is the main key to goods' and crops' growing up while cooling the heat down especially during the summer (when she wrote during summer), since most of people don't realize the good point of the rain.

It is pitiful to be in her situation espeicially when she talks about the national holidays in Iraq, including obvious holidays such as Christmas. For instance, during the Christmas day, there was a gunshot going on even from the early morning. If this is one's case, then the Christmas day for a such year wouldn't be a 'joyful' day to the one, but offering a feeling of 'sadness' or 'isolation' from the such event of the year.

Terror in iraq is just crazy that i don't even feel like to mention it. Terror is just ongoing process of everywhere and of any time. 'Riverbend' was afraid to work on the streets... some of nine presidents in Iraq, or puppets she call, dies from the terror. Innocent and guilty are in prison..., and etc.

In my opinion, the US armies definitely need to stay in Iraq; otherwise, the country Iraq itself would be destroyed, as well as the terrorists in Iraq would have more opportunity to spread their number.