'Just World News' with Helena Cobban

Faiza: The story of Husaam

Faiza al-Araji is a courageous, talented Iraqi civil engineer of about my age (mid-50s), also with three grown-up children. Hers are all male; two of mine are daughters. When I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting her-- in Boston in summer 2005; and later, more briefly, at a conference in New York City-- I found we had so many things in common!

Yesterday, she had a really moving post on her blog "A family in Baghdad."

Actually, for now, all her family is out of Baghdad. She and her spouse are in Jordan, her sons scattered to the corners of the earth. Well, that makes them representative of the vast number of Iraqis currently living in exile from their homeland, thanks to George W. Bush.

You may find the urological details at the top of the post a little hard to read. (Ouch! Poor Faiza! I hope you're feeling better now... ) But if they don't grab your attention, scroll on further down the post for the story of a young man she knows called Husaam.

One of the great things about Faiza's blogging is the way she puts a human face on what we all know are some really horrible events. Her work is really a great example of what makes bloggging such a revolutionary medium.