Ahmed: Art and War

Monday, August 25 2008 by | Send to a friend

Ahmed: Art and War

"Grieving Woman" statue and photo by Ahmed Fadaam

Ahmed recently visited the military base at Ft. Bragg, NC. He talks to Dick Gordon about the profound ambivalence he felt about meeting troops there: how it was both difficult on one level and yet humanizing on another. He also talks about returning to the art studio, after 5 years of not creating any sculpture. Despite wanting to escape the war through art, he finds that the war still haunts his imagination.

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Ahmed in New York

Thursday, July 10 2008 by | Send to a friend

Ahmed in New york

Ahmed's self portrait

When Ahmed Abdullah was last interviewed on the program, he told Dick Gordon that in Baghdad, the only Americans he knew were associated with the military. Now that he's here in the U.S., Ahmed is on a personal mission: to meet ordinary Americans. He tells Dick what he's learned so far from his time in North Carolina and New York City.

Ahmed is a visiting scholar at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

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Ahmed Out of Baghdad

Monday, May 19 2008 by | Send to a friend

Ahmed Out of Baghdad

Ahmed's self portrait

It's been months in the making, but Ahmed Abdullah has finally come to the U.S.  He's here as a visiting scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dick Gordon and Ahmed last saw one another in Baghdad five years ago. Now, they finally have a chance to catch up in person on everything that's happened in Ahmed's life: how his wife and children are faring in Damascus, how he nearly got caught in a cross-fire the day before he left Baghdad, and the death threat he received from a militia.

Ahmed tells Dick that his mission here is to meet ordinary Americans, and then tell his own people about what he learns. Ahmed has dreamed about coming to America for years, but as he tells Dick, he already misses his home.

April 14, 2008

Monday, April 14 2008 by | Send to a friend

Ahmed's Diary

The Iraqi government has fired nearly 1,300 police officers and soldiers who refused to engage with Shiite militias in Basra. The city has been the site of bloody infighting among Shiite factions for several days. In today's diary, Ahmed Abdullah (who is Sunni) talks about giving a ride home to a Shiite colleague, who was upset and embarrassed over the violence. But during the ride through Baghdad, both men realize that overcoming divisions is crucial to rebuilding a new Iraq.

March 19, 2008

Wednesday, March 19 2008 by | Send to a friend

Waiting for Justice

It's been five years since the U.S. invaded Iraq. Baghdad is quieter than it has been. Trials of war criminals have come and gone. But Ahmed Abdullah is still waiting for justice. In today's diary, Ahmed reveals just how deeply the Sunni-Shia divide goes. Even going to the hospital can get you killed if you find yourself on the wrong side of the divide.

February 4, 2008

Monday, February 04 2008 by | Send to a friend

Ahmed's Diary

Ahmed Abdullah is back with his latest audio diary.

How does an average person earn money these days in Iraq? Ask Ahmed. Ahmed has managed to earn a living but his own brother cannot find a job. And when a person does find a job, the danger may increase.

December 17, 2007

Monday, December 17 2007 by | Send to a friend

The Two Baghdads

Dick became friends with Ahmed Abdullah in 2003 when Ahmed was his interview "fixer" and translator. Since then, the two have remained friends, and Ahmed has been keeping an audio diary since The Story's inception.

Ahmed's latest entry is a study of the two Baghdads that he sees in Iraq. During the day, the city has become somewhat calmer, but at night, the city itself becomes the biggest fear weighing on its citizens' minds.