بغداد احسن كاع بكل المواسم
حبي الج لدوم ماله قاسم
This post is dedidcated to the memory of my good friends Omar, Zeynab, and their son Hussain whose remains were identified yesterday.
They died at the hands of the depraved dogs set loose upon the city which was their home by the modern Hulegu. Long after he, his barbaric blood-drenched empire, and all his pomps and works are no more than a memory at which men spit, Baghdad - “the city given by God” will be there, serene, triumphant, beautiful.
markfromireland
2006 April 20th.
may that day come soon!
With sorrow at the loss of your friends
Comment by siun — April 20, 2006 @ 5:25 pm
Beautiful - it would have made her smile and it captures her spirit. They both liked that sort of thing but dear Zeynab especially.
Thank you Mark I have copied all this and will translate the English so that her parents can read it.
Thank you also Siun whoever you are.
Hala.
Comment by Samarra Teacher — April 20, 2006 @ 8:35 pm
My deepest sympathies and sincerest condolences.
I am so sorry to see & hear stories like this - and am simply lost for more meaningful words. I just wish I could do more.
Comment by Richard — April 21, 2006 @ 4:27 pm
I am very sorry to hear of the loss of your friends.
Do you have a link to a story about them, or could you tell their story?
Comment by Susan — April 21, 2006 @ 5:15 pm
This hurt hard.
Comment by Salah — April 21, 2006 @ 6:13 pm
Mark,
My deepest sympathies go out to you and all whose lives have been touched by your friends.
Take care of yourself.
Comment by coriolanus — April 22, 2006 @ 6:04 am
Your Zahir and Battin are the same.
Comment by سلمان — April 22, 2006 @ 7:44 pm
I tried to think of something to say and there isn’t any damn thing I can say. If you can get messages to their families just please say that this American soldier and policeman is very sorry. I swallowed all the lies, I really believed we were going to do good. Well it was a pack of lies from beginning to end and they’re suffering for it. It’ll be a cold day in hell before I believe any politician from any party when they say we need to fight another country.
Pete in Texas.
Comment by pete tx — April 23, 2006 @ 2:06 pm
it is with great sadness that i read this post. for all the sweet and good people who’ve lives have been ruined and hearts savaged by this war, i am so sorry. and for your friends on this day, may they find peace and their spirit inspire others to find a way to suvive and prevail.
Comment by annie — April 24, 2006 @ 2:07 am
anger is the emotion i feel most at stories like these. sincere condolences, mark. you honor their memory by doing what you’re doing here.
Comment by chicago dyke — April 24, 2006 @ 3:10 pm
So so sorry. My thoughts are with you.
Comment by beq — April 24, 2006 @ 7:40 pm
sorry about your loss Mark - I seem to be saying that a lot these days.
Comment by grania — April 25, 2006 @ 1:44 am
Mark - I am sad, very sad that you have lost more good friends, though that is not the end of them forever. I also hope that Baghdad will one day soon be at real peace, and rise agin truly beautiful - with those who live there of all faiths and none at peace with each other. It seems to me that revenge seldom does any good - it just breeds more revenge; and causes arms manufacturers to grin.
Comment by Martin — July 30, 2006 @ 9:07 pm