Iraq
10 -
October 05 2003 -
We've spent three weeks going to 40 different
water and power sites in and around Baghdad. This
project will soon provide more power and water for the
4th largest city in the world (after Mexico City, Sao
Paulo, Delhi or Calcutta). We spent several days along
the Tigris River in some of the prettiest country you
could ever see. We then spent several days in slums
that simply defy description. The children come up to
us everywhere, to stare and to shake hands and to give
the very American, "thumbs up" sign. They are
delightful. We smile and shake hands and take pictures
of both young and old and I feel like I'm campaigning
again and, of course, we are. Traffic is very
interesting in Baghdad. It happens with a cheerful
anarchy that actually makes sense, after a while.
Generally, you may go anywhere that you wish. If a
one-way street doesn't go your way, you just carefully
make your way along it going the wrong way. Nobody
seems to mind and I prefer this to the high speed
chaos of very rich Kuwait. The food here is superb
and, driving along the river last evening, someone
remarked that it looked like Europe, a far cry from
the garbage pits you see on CNN. I'm going to start
spending at least half of my time here, maybe all, and
look forward to it. Kuwait is comfortable, but doesn't
have the deep culture and history of Iraq. When I
first went into southern Iraq, a very desolate place,
I told a friend that I was in trouble because
something in me said, "this is the place for you to
be".
I'm listening to my Muse and having a wonderful time.
I wish all of you could see this as I have.
Iraq
10 -
October 05 2003 -
We've spent three weeks going to 40 different
water and power sites in and around Baghdad. This
project will soon provide more power and water for the
4th largest city in the world (after Mexico City, Sao
Paulo, Delhi or Calcutta). We spent several days along
the Tigris River in some of the prettiest country you
could ever see. We then spent several days in slums
that simply defy description. The children come up to
us everywhere, to stare and to shake hands and to give
the very American, "thumbs up" sign. They are
delightful. We smile and shake hands and take pictures
of both young and old and I feel like I'm campaigning
again and, of course, we are. Traffic is very
interesting in Baghdad. It happens with a cheerful
anarchy that actually makes sense, after a while.
Generally, you may go anywhere that you wish. If a
one-way street doesn't go your way, you just carefully
make your way along it going the wrong way. Nobody
seems to mind and I prefer this to the high speed
chaos of very rich Kuwait. The food here is superb
and, driving along the river last evening, someone
remarked that it looked like Europe, a far cry from
the garbage pits you see on CNN. I'm going to start
spending at least half of my time here, maybe all, and
look forward to it. Kuwait is comfortable, but doesn't
have the deep culture and history of Iraq. When I
first went into southern Iraq, a very desolate place,
I told a friend that I was in trouble because
something in me said, "this is the place for you to
be". 