March 19, 2008

Wednesday, March 19 2008 | 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 | 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 | 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.

October 22, 2007

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Ahmed's Diary

People in Baghdad are still talking about what happened on September 16 - the day an incident involving the private security company Blackwater USA left at least 17 Iraqis dead. Ahmed Abdullah visited the scene in Nisour Square and talked to witnesses. One witness, an Iraqi soldier, told Ahmed that he tried to get Blackwater personnel to help the wounded. Instead, one of them took aim at the man and shot him in the chest.

October 3, 2007

Wednesday, October 03 2007 | Send to a friend

AHMED'S DIARY

Ahmed has gotten used to hearing about friends and colleagues who have been killed. But he is still shaken by the news. When a young friend, Khalid, was killed recently, Ahmed learned some new lessons about Iraq.

September 10, 2007

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Ahmed's Diary

Today, Gen. David Petraeus makes his report to a Congress hostile to the war in Iraq. 

Last time we heard from Ahmed, the war had made its way into his neighborhood in Baghdad. He had found spent bullet casings in his backyard. Now Ahmed's attention has shifted inside the house - his brother Ali and his family have moved in. If the neighborhood gets even more dangerous, Ahmed wonders what will become of all of them if they lose their home.

July 31, 2007

Tuesday, July 31 2007 | Send to a friend

AHMED'S DIARY

In Ahmed's last diary entry, he talked about the death of a Christian neighbor. Afterwards, Ahmed and his neighbors took turns guarding the Christian's house. Then one day coming home, Ahmed was told by a U.S. serviceman that American troops were going to occupy the vacated house. Ahmed feared that he and his family might face a crossfire between U.S. troops and insurgents - and that's just what happened on the first night.