Exile

I had dinner tonight with Lorenzo, Ana (his girlfriend), Ayub and an Iraqi blogger called Zeyad who is currently studying Journalism at City University of NY.

He writes a blog called "Healing Iraq". Here is his post from October 16, 2006:

"Another close friend of mine has been killed in Baghdad. We had lunch together in Baghdad just days before I left.

I can't concentrate on anything any more. I should not be here in New York running around a stupid neighbourhood, asking people about their 'issues'.

I now officially regret supporting this war back in 2003. The guilt is too much for me to handle."

What can you say after reading things like that? It's like when I hear Ayub, a Kurd who lived in Halabja for God's sake, mocking the Iraq war and US policy. If even those who suffered the worst under Saddam Hussein say Iraq is in an even worse state than before, you really know you've blundered.

By the way, you can hear both Ayub and Zeyad on a recent radio programme on National Public Radio about Iraqi journalists. Click here.

Good news: Borat comes out tomorrow! Here is a scene that didn't make the final cut to celebrate.