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Left Baghdad for a rest. No power, 5 flights of stairs, other shields had l2 to l7 flights in the dark also. No water, no food, came to Amman to decide what to do. Baghdad people were wonderful - van loads of dead children - morgue too full to handle them. Est. l0,000 civilians purposely bombed to avoid military deaths.
Of course you are not getting the news of what we see. Baghdad is really suffering and they hold no malice toward me and not even toward the army. They just ask why why why? Call Bush, call him up, tell him to stop stop stop.
The war ended because of civilian deaths. The army fellows had to come home to care for their families and bury the mothers and children. Now after a peaceful entry into Baghdad the army and marines are paying imported thugs from Kuwait to burn all government buildings. The sky and air around us was black with smoke. Even those who did not want to lose are glad it is over because the senseless bombing has stopped.
I came up here to Jordan because I was weak from lack of food and I did not want to take a hospital bed from a child (all under l8). One of the shields came to the hotel begging for sheets for the hospital she is serving in. I was out of dollars to convert into Sadaams to pay for rides. I was offered board by Iraqi couple who were museum lovers after they first attacked me verbally saying why why - call bush call bush - do something do something, but I felt like I should not take food from Iraqis.
Remember the elder Bush was not reelected because of the body bags (I heard) and junior knew that he had to avoid military deaths to get reelected. I hear Billy Graham's son is coming here. Fooey on him. These people have more religion, more goodness, more character than he could ever. I just talked to a religious couple who came in here tonight. They went to Baghdad yesterday and sang on the streets, then came back tonight. She got sick and they can't wait to get home to Denver. 14 hrs by taxi over desert with one stop for midafternoon lunch. I saw in the desert only some abandoned WWI machine guns and some burnt cars and busses strafed and set afire by jets and burned to skeletons, an eerie sight.
Don't hesitate to tell anyone I am here now that I am safely across the sea. I have email from NPR, ABC, was interviewed by BBC and hundreds of European press yet snubbed by New York Times who can't quit asking me about Saddam. Beside the point, keep your focus John Burns. LA Times came last night and spent two hours. Most spent two minutes and then distorted the story. American press here in hordes sleeping in every kind of hotel lobby and shelter with their corporate media generators, tents, powerful search lights, their token black reporters and editors working for them. I heard John Burns of NY Times giving his embedded white and black [reporters] their job assignments for the day. He had heard something about a small village of people who, unarmed, attacked a tank the size of a two-bedroom house but don't bother with that, I heard him say. Then he jumped on one of the shields who was letting one of the soldiers have it. A young black marine [officer] told me he is getting out of the marines because it is rotten from head to toe. He gave me a vegetarian packaged dinner and said he had witnessed some officers using civilian peasants for target practice.
I have asked so many about Sadaam. He is kind of a folk hero like ....long story. They deny he ever gassed his own people and the city has libraries, very good roads but he did not provide for the hospitals with a war coming. I think he and George Bush are probably peas in a pod. I really love Iraq and its people. I was received by open arms and needed no introduction. Americans are loved here. But not after this unnecessary burning of buildings. Women have their legal status now, surprise - there is religious freedom.
This little hotel has 3 free computers. McDonalds was boycotted and turned into a sweet shop and what a sweet shop, teahouse, thriving. Damascus is not far, and hilly cool scenic and the LA Times reporter says I should not miss it. He lives there for the duration and is fed from two reporters in Baghdad. Two very famous writers have said to me, "Who is taking care of you?" but I actually have done my share of taking care of some 40 year olds by copy reading and correcting their spelling for them and by telling them the facts of the Gangsters Eight.
Well, have to get to bed. Love to all.