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"Kuwait
Series" - by Gaylan King
Contents:
Several nights ago, on CNN, I saw an American Senator, from somewhere in the Northeast, participating on a board of "experts" on Iraq. He said, "We need to teach the Iraqis about free markets. They've been under Saddam for 30 years and don't know anything about making money." Why do we elect such fools? In Iraq, if a kid has 3 cans of coke, he's got a little stand on the highway, selling them. I've never seen such a bunch of industrious people! Every possible type of individual effort to make some hard cash is readily evident here and I admire them for it. There are beggars, but darned few. I feed 2 kids everyday outside of my hotel, but I signed on for that and intent more permanent help for them. But please, America, don't send free-market experts to Iraq; send people who understand nation-building, if there are such people. While waiting for my driver this morning, I met a wonderful example of what intrigues me most about this very unusual country. This 20-something year-old boy walked by me and caught my eye. "U. S.?", he said. I nodded in the affirmative and he stopped to talk. This kid was movie-star handsome; fair skin, blue eyes, chiseled features, tall and trim and athletic, and sweet-spirited. He'd have been a hit anywhere. What's he doing today? He's looking for Americans to thank and tell them that he loves them! We started talking about every thing from George Bush to Arnold Whatamacallit in California. The absolutely wonderful thing was that he had this large plastic bag with him. At each new subject, he would pull out an American magazine (Time, Newsweek) and show me a picture of whatever it was that we were discussing; it was a truly unique conversation. He was well dressed and was a soccer player who spoke good English. What a great kid! Then my driver came and took me away. His name is Sammi and I'll see him again. More tomorrow,
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Iraq 11 -
October 25 2003 -
I've been back and forth to Baghdad twice in
the last week and a half and am taking a day off here
to rest, which always makes me want to write.
Therefore, you get 2 unedited vignettes.