Self-Control

I'm finally making some progress with this healthy living-gym freak business. I can feel and see the difference. And how do the forces that be decide to repay me?

1. Today is 31 cent scoop night at Baskin Robbins, and it's for a good cause!

2. The Panera I study at several times a week is celebrating it's one year anniversary today. I was here the day they opened, doing the same thing I'm doing today, "studying" or not. They're celebrating with free cookies! No limit -the cashier gave me a paper bag to take some home with me!

If this isn't a test in self-control that I'm going to fail, I don't know what is.

At the same time, I can't complain: discounted ice cream and free cookies!

There is Palestinian Blood on Our Motorola Cell Phones

To whom it may concern:

I am deeply disappointed in Motorola’s response to the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre’s invitation to respond to the US Campaign to End the [Apartheid] Israeli Occupation allegations that Motorola’s products and services to Israel are in breach of international law and violate human rights.

Rather than refute any of their carefully documented allegations, outlined in a letter to CEO, Greg Brown (dated February 26, 2008), of your corporation’s profiteering from [apartheid] Israeli military occupation and human rights abuses, you choose to shroud yourself in empty, moralistic pieties of “ethical business conduct”. A corporation which is truly committed to human rights and ethical business conduct would take these allegations seriously, not sweep them under the rug as you did in your letter. You have made clear that your corporation has chosen to continue its morally bankrupt position of profiteering from and supporting Israel’s illegal military occupation and human rights abuses rather than acting to prevent future ill-gotten profits. Failure to act once a corporation becomes aware of immoral corporate practices and behavior in this case at the very least constitutes support for violence and at worst, complicity in practices of apartheid and military occupation, collective punishment of an entire group of people, and the destruction of any viable attempt for a sustained peace in Palestine.

I ask Motorola to respond to the allegations outlined below:

Fuses for aerial devices and munitions-Motorola [apartheid] Israel:
a fully-owned subsidiary of Motorola Incorporated—produces the 980 Low Altitude Proximity Fuse for the MK-80 series of high explosive bombs. On July 30, 2006, during its war on Lebanon, the [apartheid] Israeli Air Force dropped an MK-84 high-explosive bomb on an apartment building in Qana, Lebanon killing at least 28 civilians, many of whom were children.

Can you explain how this does not violate Motorola’s Human Rights policy?

Communication devices for military occupation:
The $100 million contract used to develop and supply the ‘Mountain Rose’ secure cell phone communication system to the [apartheid] Israeli military directly enhances the coordination and monitoring capabilities of the occupying forces in their illegal military operations in the Palestinian territories. [Apartheid] Israel routinely engages in gross patters of human rights violations in its military occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, including but not limited to the killing and injuring of civilians, torture, extra-judicial assassinations, the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure, acts of collective punishment and economic warfare.

Can you clarify how this does not violate Motorola’s own Code of Business Conduct www.motorola.com/code?

Radar detection devices for [apartheid] Israel’s illegal Wall:
Motorola Israel supplies Israel with the Wide Area Surveillance System (WAAS) to monitor and maintain the illegal wall/fence barrier it has constructed in violation of the July 2004 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion.

How does this honor the spirit of Motorola’s own Human Rights Policy www.motorola.com/humanrights policy?

Radar Detection devices for [apartheid] Israel’s Illegal Settlements:
Motorola Incorporated set up advanced radar detection devices and thermal cameras in 47 [apartheid] Israeli settlements. According to the Fourth Geneva Conventions, Article 49, it is considered a war crime for an Occupying Power to transfer its civilian population into an Occupied Territory. Motorola Incorporated provision of these systems helps to entrench Israel’s illegal settlements on expropriated Palestinian territory, in direct violation of international law.

Finally, can you describe how Motorola’s Code of Business Conduct Expectations for Suppliers Policy www.motorola.com/supplierexpectations- is not being violated?

It is clear from the US Campaign’s research and findings that Motorola [apartheid] Israel, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Motorola Inc, profits from human rights violations. And although we welcome Motorola’s proactive efforts to review policies for corporate responsibility and accountability, your company’s support for Israel’s human rights abuses negates attempts to establishing a just and lasting peace.

If Motorola is serious about serving as a responsible corporate citizen, then all of Motorola’s activities both in the United States and abroad, including [apartheid] Israel/Palestine, must adhere to a human rights policy that promotes human rights and international law, not contribute to their violations.

In your response, Motorola stated that your Code of Business Conduct is currently under review and the process includes studying internationally recognized human rights standards. Can you give us a specific date as to when you plan to complete your review?

Furthermore, how does your corporation plan to change your practices should your internal investigation reveal that your corporate practices enable the violation of internationally recognized human rights standards?

I request that Motorola respond substantively to allegations of war profiteering and financially benefiting from [apartheid] Israel’s illegal military occupation.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Zahra Billoo

Send your own letter ASAP: Democracy in Action

4,000 Students March on Sacramento

CONTACT:
Miles J Nevin, CSSA Director of University Affairs
Cell: 562-761-4109

March for Higher Education Brings 4,000 to the State Capital

Sacramento, CA, April 22, 2008 – On Monday the California State Student Association organized a major protest in response to the Governor’s proposed $386 million cut to the CSU system. CSSA was joined by students, parents, and teachers from the CSU, UC, and Community Colleges in marching from West Sacramento to the steps of the State Capitol. Over 4,000 protesters, mostly students, supported the historic March for Higher Education. A press conference on the capitol steps culminated the march.

As the passionate chants of over 4,000 people permeated the capitol building, many legislators were present to show their support. Lt. Governor Garamendi, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, Assembly Members Anthony Portantino and Julia Brownley, Senator Pro Tem Don Perata and Senator Pro Tem-elect Darrel Steinberg all spoke on behalf of the students’ message.

That message is simple, according to Dina Cervantes, chair of the California State Student Association and organizer of Monday’s March for Higher Education. “Slashing the budgets of California’s colleges and universities will deny access to qualified students, result in increased fees and greatly limit the state’s ability to maintain an educated workforce – a critical component in ensuring a healthy economy.” Cervantes noted that raising fees amounts to nothing more than taxing students, a tool used to balance the budget on the backs of those who can afford it the least. Cervantes continued that “our state is increasingly funding the corrections system and decreasingly funding higher education; we are on our way to having world class prisons and second class universities.”

For every $1 invested in a CSU student there is a $4.41 return to the state economy. The purpose of CSSA’s March for Higher Education is to send a message to the Governor and Legislature that funding higher education is not a wasted expense, but an investment in the future of California.

Additional Coverage: Golden Gate Press

21 Things You Didn't Know You Could Recycle

Recycling bottles and cans, is important but old news. Saving the world is going to require taking it to the next level. Check out the list below to see what else you can recycle.

1. Appliances: Goodwill accepts working appliances, or you can contact the Steel Recycling Institute to recycle them.


2. Batteries: Rechargeables and single-use at Battery Solutions


3. Cardboard boxes: Contact local nonprofits and women’s shelters to see if they can use them. Or, offer up used cardboard boxes at your local Freecycle listserv or on Craigslist for others who may need them for moving or storage. If your workplace collects at least 100 boxes or more each month, Used Cardboard Boxes accepts them for resale.

4. CDs/DVDs/Game Disks: Send scratched music or computer CDs, DVDs, and PlayStation or Nintendo video game disks to AuralTech for refinishing, and they’ll work like new.

5. Clothes: Wearable clothes can go to your local Goodwill outlet or shelter. Donate wearable women’s business clothing to Dress for Success, which gives them to low-income women as they search for jobs. Offer unwearable clothes and towels to local animal boarding and shelter facilities, which often use them as pet bedding. Consider holding a clothes swap at your office, school, faith congregation or community center. Swap clothes with friends and colleagues, and save money on a new fall wardrobe and back-to-school clothes.

6. Compact fluorescent bulbs: Take them to your local IKEA store for recycling.

7. Compostable bio-plastics: You probably won’t be able to compost these in your home compost bin or pile. Find a municipal composter to take them to at Find a Composter.

8. Computers and electronics: Find the most responsible recyclers, local and national, at www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html.

9. Exercise videos: Swap them with others at Video Fitness.

10. Eyeglasses: Your local Lion’s Club or eye care chain may collect these. Lenses are reground and given to people in need.

11. Foam packing: Your local pack-and-ship store will likely accept foam peanuts for reuse. Or, call the Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council to find a drop-off site: 800/828-2214. For places to drop off foam blocks for recycling, contact the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers.

12. Ink/toner cartridges: Recycle Place pays $1/each.

13. Miscellaneous: Get your unwanted items into the hands of people who can use them. Offer them up on your local Free Cycle or Craig's List listserv, or try giving them away at Throw Place or giving or selling them at iReuse. iReuse will also help you find a recycler, if possible, when your items have reached the end of their useful lifecycle.

14. Oil: Find Used Motor Oil Hotlines for each state by calling 202/682-8000.

15. Phones: Donate cell phones: Collective Good will refurbish your phone and sell it to someone in a developing country.. Call to Protect reprograms cell phones to dial 911 and gives them to domestic violence victims. Recycle single-line phones: Reclamere.
16. Sports equipment: Resell or trade it at your local Play It Again Sports outlet.

17. “Technotrash”: Project KOPEG offers an e-waste recycling program that can help you raise funds for your organization. Use Project KOPEG to recycle iPods, MP3 players, cell phones and chargers, digital cameras, PDAs, palm pilots, and more. Also, easily recycle all of your CDs, jewel cases, DVDs, audio and video tapes, pagers, rechargeable and single-use batteries, PDAs, and ink/toner cartridges with GreenDisk’s Technotrash program. For $30, GreenDisk will send you a cardboard box in which you can ship them up to 70 pounds of any of the above. Your fee covers the box as well as shipping and recycling fees.

18. Tennis shoes: Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooring. One World Running will send still-wearable shoes to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America, and Haiti.

19. Toothbrushes and razors: Buy a recycled plastic toothbrush or razor from Recycline, and the company will take it back to be recycled again into plastic lumber. Recycline products are made from used Stonyfield Farms’ yogurt cups.

20. Tyvek envelopes: Quantities less than 25: Send to Shirley Cimburke, Tyvek Recycling Specialist, 5401 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Spot 197, Room 231, Richmond, VA 23234. Quantities larger than 25, call 866/33-TYVEK.

21. Stuff you just can’t recycle: When practical, send such items back to the manufacturer and tell them they need to manufacture products that close the waste loop responsibly.

Source: Co-Op America

Happy Earth Day!

Questionable Priorities

(The subtitles are poorly done, but you'll get the picture.)



Aren't confused Muslims the best?

National Petition to End Sweatshops & Slavery in the Fields

WHEREAS, there is an ongoing human rights crisis in Florida's fields, including:

• poverty wages, rooted in an antiquated piece-rate pay system that hasn’t changed significantly in nearly 30 years;
• long hours without overtime pay when work is available, unemployment and transience when it is not;
• physical abuse and wage fraud by crew leaders, supervisors, and growers;
• damage to body and soul from back-breaking labor, with no employment benefits such as sick days, paid leave, health insurance, or pensions;
• retaliation against workers who protest or organize to alleviate these inhuman conditions;
• and, most shamefully, modern-day slavery, with six successful federal prosecutions of farm labor operations for servitude in Florida over the past decade, and a seventh just initiated, involving well over 1,000 workers and more than a dozen farm employers;
  

WHEREAS, by leveraging their high-volume purchasing power to extract the lowest prices possible, Burger King and other food industry leaders profit from and play an active role in creating the miserable conditions in Florida’s fields;

WHEREAS, Burger King and other food industry leaders have not only refused to join Yum! Brands and McDonald's in working with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to improve farm labor conditions, but have actually sought to reverse gains made by workers in agreements with those corporations;

WHEREAS, private equity firms including Goldman Sachs, Texas Pacific Group, Bain Capital and others, which are principal shareholders in Burger King and other food industry leaders, have made significant investments in the restaurant industry over the past decade, and have ignored calls by farmworkers and consumers for farm labor reform, while continuing to draw billions of dollars in private profits from their investments;

THEREFORE, I add my name and voice to those of countless consumers calling upon Burger King and other food industry leaders to immediately join with the CIW in efforts to end exploitation in the fields and modern-day slavery in the 21st century. I am also prepared to stop patronizing Burger King now, and other food industry leaders in the future, should they fail to do so.

Specifically, I call on Burger King and other food industry leaders to:

1. Pay a penny more per pound for tomatoes and ensure that the increase is passed on to tomato pickers in the form of increased wages; and
2. Work with the CIW to establish and enforce a human rights-based code of conduct, including zero tolerance for forced labor, to ensure fair and safe working conditions.
   

Sign the petition, NOW.

Customer Appreciation

It's Customer Appreciation Week at Coffee Bean!

There's a different cool deal everyday,
starting today and going thru Friday!

Monday's bargain: $1 off any large drink.

Laptop Update

ALHAMDULILLAH!

It came back from the shop, and there is good news and bad news:

The bad news is it seems the mother board just died or went kabloowy. It's still under warranty (Alhamdulillah) and so insha'Allah HP will take care of it.

The good news is all of my data was recovered. So it's three weeks before finals and I DO have my notes from this semester.

Jazaka'Allah khair to all of you who expressed sympathy, listened to me vent, and made dua this week!

WooHoo: California Supreme Court & Living Wages!

The California Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal aimed at overturning a city ordinance requiring hotels near Los Angeles International Airport to pay workers a so-called living wage.

The court announced Thursday that it won't consider the appeal by a group of hotel owners, effectively clearing the way for the ordinance to take effect within 30 days.

The ordinance requires 13 hotels to pay employees $9.39 an hour with health insurance, or $10.64 an hour without the benefits.

Ruben Gonzalez, executive director of the Hotel Association of Los Angeles, said the association was considering its options but declined to provide further details.

Los Angeles Alliance of a New Economy spokesman Danny Finegold said he hoped the hotels will abide by the ordinance but acknowledges they could seek a ballot referendum.

Source: SF Chronicle

Yay for living wages. Though it never surprises me, it does still sadden me that 1. any decent human being would fight for the right to pay another human being POVERTY wages and 2. that hundreds of people continue to patronize these abodes of oppression.

Random Update

Blogging is slow because I'm having some major laptop drama (it randomly died on me and won't even turn on!), amongst other things.

Please make dua.

No really, please take 20 seconds and make some dua.

Jazaka'Allah khair!

Be Vigilant - Of Yourself

Earth Hour 2008

Come on: turn off the lights and hug a tree!

I'll be at a bridal shower tomorrow night, but I've already put in a request with the hostesses that we turn off the lights in compliance with Earth Hour. Hopefully they agree. I even bought 100 tea lights in hopes of coaxing them. insha'Allah.



As the video description says: "Do Something!" to make a positive impact.

One of Those Happy Hijab Moments

The other afternoon I (as usual) spent a couple of hours at Panera attempting to read ahead. Randomly some man approached me and asked if I'd do him a favor. My usual response to that question is "it depends." He explained he needed to run to his office for 15 minutes and asked if I would watch his stuff.

In a moment of niceness I agreed and asked where his belongings were. (He was standing before me empty handed. He pointed to a booth about six feet away. He walked back to it, packed up his laptop and whatever else he had and brought it all back to me placing it on the floor next to my bags.

He left and two thoughts came to mind: 1. Gosh I hope I don't get an airport type question from one of the Panera staffers. You know the "did you pack your own bags" deal? 2. This man doesn't know me, did he really pick me out of a crowd to watch his valuables for him?

About 15 minutes later, he returned from his office. When he walked over to retrieve his bag from the floor and thank me he voluntarily quipped "I trusted you because you have a sign of righteousness," waving his finger around his face to indicate my hijab was the sign.

subhan'Allah!

Budget Cuts Means Less Students Admitted, Less Classes Available

I received the following email on some CSU alumni listserv today:

Dear Zahra,

The state budget proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger on January 10 reduces funding to the California State University by a total of $386.1 million. This reduction includes a direct cut $312.9 million and fails to fund $73.2 million necessary to avoid raising student fees by 10 percent for the 2008-09 academic year.

The proposed budget reduction – which comes in addition to $522 million in funding cuts between 2002 and 2005 – means that CSU will be unable to provide access to 10,000 qualified students. All CSU campuses have closed enrollment for first time freshmen as of March 1.

Considered the “economic engine” of California, the CSU returns $4.41 to the California economy for every $1.00 invested by the state. In addition, the CSU plays a major role in the state’s workforce in the areas of nursing, teaching, agriculture, business, public administration, and technology. It graduates 90,000 students each year, including 87 percent of education graduates, 64 percent of nurses, 65 percent of business professionals, 82 percent of those involved in public administration, and more than half of the state’s graduates in agriculture-related fields. As an example of the CSU’s impact, it is estimated that California will need 47,000 additional nurses by 2010 just to keep up with demand.

At the CSU’s current rate of economic return, the proposed budget cuts to CSU would remove more than $1 billion from the state’s economy as California leaders grapple with an ongoing budget deficit. The cuts would mean larger class sizes, less student support, and less course sections, resulting in students taking longer to graduate.

The negative impact on student access would fall disproportionately on students from underrepresented communities, erasing recent gains made in college enrollment by students from these communities. For 2008, freshman applications to CSU for Latinos are up by 21 percent and African Americans by 11 percent over previous years.

Although it is not yet known what the specific budget impact would be on CSU Long Beach, a 10 percent budget reduction would be $16 million to our current budget. This would affect every aspect of the campus from compensation to student rates of graduation. CSU Long Beach will be unable to accommodate 1000 qualified students in the 2008-09 academic year as a result of the proposed budget cuts.

CSU Long Beach provides an important contribution to the California economy, graduating over 8,066 students a year, including 668 teachers, 275 nurses 439 engineers and 375 scientists each year.

Locally, CSU Long Beach generates a total economic impact of $1.024 billion to the regional economy. This impact sustains 17,222 jobs in the region, and generates more than $64.8 million per year in tax revenue.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander
President

Conscientious Weddings

Planning that big day?

I obviously have very little experience in the area, but the one thing I will say is I've noticed we sometimes make sacrifices on big picture issues for the sake of one night.

We'll attempt to fulfull the sunnah of feeding others, but then waste so much food. We'll dress modestly but then miss prayer (or pray with a weak wudhu) because we were worried about messing up our makeup.

I don't have the answer and I know it's hard. I do pray though that if I ever make it to the alter, I don't have to trade in my conscience to do it. :-\

A suggestion might be to start small.

A friend of mine recently distributed her wedding invitations - they were printed on 100% recycled paper! Another redirected a portion of her gifts as a donation to an orpahanage (everybody's read the hadith about that which you give being given back to you tenfold by Allah (swt)?)) Yet another kicked off her wedding season with a Qur'an reading gathering.

In the end what matters is that we try.

Small steps you may want to research:

Fair Trade Weddings - (I just discovered this one (i.e. it was the inspiration for this post!)

Conflict Free Diamonds

Union Hotel Guide

May Allah (swt) shower the marriages of the world with his blessings and mercy. May he make your spouses the light of your eyes and a tool by which to bring you closer to him. Ameen!

On the Fence About Voting?

1. Voting means endorsing non-Muslim platforms and ideas.

"Choosing an option means that you endorse it only if there are better options offered. But if the other choice is worse, then actually you are endorsing the difference between this and the less harmful option. Take for example eating unslaughtered meat for a starving person. He is allowed or even obliged to do so, yet does it mean that he is endorsing eating unslaughtered meat? Rather, he is endorsing the difference between these options which in this case is saving his life. Saving his life by eating unslaughtered meat is good compared to starving to death."

2. Voting means integration which means eventually losing our Muslim identity.

"I agree that full political participations might lead to major problems for Muslims and we have to be very careful when stepping into this arena. However, ticking the box for one of the candidates does not mean full political participation."

3. We should focus on strengthening Muslim communities and establishing independent states.

"I think no one disagrees that the Muslim community needs to strengthen themselves and build their own organizations and schools etc. However, this is not an option that is incompatible with having party A,B or C in power. This is one matter and that is another, there is no contradiction between the two options. We can vote to select the best option while we are working for our community and our future."

4. Since voting isn't going to get us anywhere, we should abstain from it.

"...abstention from voting is actually indirect voting. Let me explain this by the following example. Imagine that 6 people were to vote for two parties named A and B. A says in his manifesto that he will legalise pornography, ban faith schools, kill 1000 Muslims, prevent Muslims from Hijab and other rights. While B said that he will legalise pornography but allow faith schools and kill 500 Muslims. 3 of us vote for A and 2 vote for B and Me as a Muslim believing that voting is kufr abstained from doing so. Then what will happen? A will win, however if I vote for B, then no one will win. So I participated in lessening the evil. Let us now say that we have 2 more people, either they vote for B or abstain. Abstention will not change the situation while encouraging them to vote for B, who will do all these filthy things, will mean that A will loose which means that we saved the life of 500 Muslims and had a chance to have faith schools and practice hijab!"

5. Voting will not bring Muslims to power.

"...who said that our aim in the near future is to bring a Muslim into power. Our realistic aim in the near future is to have a better person with a better system in power. It is impossible and impractical to think of having a true Muslim leader in the near future in most or even all the non-Muslim countries. Our ultimate aim is to help those who are better than their co-politicians into power."

6. Boycotting elections sends a message to politicians.

"...such boycotting will not be effective unless all Muslims do so. That is why, before we arrive at such conclusions a deep discussion with all Muslims involved in politics and other related fields should take place. It should not be an individual opinion of a single party or so. However, we should bear in mind that if a decision were taken to boycott elections, then we should be clear why we do so."

Full article: Islamic Awakening

Saudis to Retrain 40,000 Clerics

I'm not sure if I'm excited or worried:

Saudi Arabia is to retrain its 40,000 prayer leaders - also known as imams - in an effort to counter militant Islam.

Details of the plan were revealed in the influential Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat.

The plan is part of a wider programme launched by the Saudi monarch a few years ago to encourage moderation and tolerance in Saudi society.

The ministry of religious affairs and new centre for national dialogue will carry out the training, the paper said.

The centre was created five years ago to disseminate a moderate interpretation of Islamic tradition.

There is growing awareness in Saudi society that security measures alone are not enough to counter the threat of Islamic militancy.

Scepticism

Saudi clerics have long been accused of encouraging Saudi youth to join global jihad and of inciting hatred of non-Muslims.

Nearly 1,000 imams have already been sacked over the past few years.

The Saudi royal family has come under increasing pressure - mainly from Washington - to change religious textbooks and to rein in militant clerics.

But critics are sceptical about whether such initiatives would work as long as the powerful, and ultraconservative, religious establishment in Saudi Arabia continues to exert enormous influence over society.

Only last week, a prominent cleric called for the beheading of two liberal writers who had questioned the orthodox view that Muslims can not change their religion.

Source: BBC News
Hijab Tip: Mansur Wadalawala

Change

As a personal experiment, I'm going to try something new . . .

Current Favorite Site

Check it out: Muslim News

They Said It Wouldn't Last

Creative activism...

Happy anniversary, War! I can hardly believe we've been together for five years now ... that's a fifth of the way to our silver anniversary!

Traditionally, a fifth anniversary is marked with gifts of wood, symbolizing a "strong and lasting marriage." But I knew you wouldn't mind a gift of Kevlar -- I looked it up, and apparently it symbolizes "a strong and lasting insurgency." Somehow it just seemed more appropriate.

It's sooo sweet of you to take me out to dinner for our anniversary, War. I know it's not easy getting a reservation here in Baghdad, with so many of the local restaurants destroyed by suicide bombers. But eating in the Green Zone is fine. No, really! Concrete barriers and barbed wire can be extremely romantic.

Anniversaries make me so nostalgic. I have to confess, though, when we first met I wasn't all that sure about you. Remember those sweet nothings you used to whisper in my ear, about WMD and "shock and awe"? Did you think I was impressed by all that macho posturing? I never really fell for it, you know.

I have to say, you didn't make a great impression on my mother either. She always thought you were a bully and a liar. And I don't know if you noticed this, War, but even your friends were pretty appalled by some of your behavior. Right, wild oats. Whatever. Still, I wasn't surprised so few of your so-called friends showed up for the wedding, and fewer still stayed for the dancing. Some "coalition" that turned out to be!

But I don't want to dwell on the bad times, because we did have some good times, didn't we? Remember those peaceful days between "Mission Accomplished" -- I think that was May 1, 2003 -- and ... and ... well, July 2003 or so, when we could still stroll around Baghdad at dusk, interrupted only by occasional small-arms fire? Those were the days, before the car bombs and IEDs.

We were happy then, weren't we, War?

I really think we were. True, the parades and flowers never did materialize, but I'm not a romantic sap. For me, it was enough that hope was in the air. Children were going to school, political dissidents could speak openly, Iraq was full of a sense of freedom and possibility. So there were no WMD after all -- so what? All's fair in love and war, right? -- and all's well that ends well!

Except, I guess, that the whole thing hasn't exactly ended well.

Don't you wish we could go back to those halcyon days in the spring and summer of 2003, and have a do-over? This time, we'd do it all so differently, wouldn't we, War? We've learned, we've grown. Oh! If we could only do it all over again, we'd have more troops to start with, and we'd never have had that awful quarrel with nice General Shinseki. We wouldn't disband the Iraqi army, we wouldn't have done that whole de-Baathification thing, we'd have prevented the looting and infrastructure sabotage that helped the insurgency get off the ground. Right?

But you can't go back again, can you? If all that couples counseling has taught me anything, War, it's that we need to take responsibility for what's happened, because when relationships sour, there are always casualties.

In this case, a whole lot of casualties. Nearly 4,000 U.S. troops are dead, and more than 29,000 U.S. troops have been wounded. At least 82,000 Iraqi civilians have died violent deaths since the invasion, and some estimates suggest that as many as 600,000 other Iraqi civilians have died of causes indirectly related to the conflict. They say that nearly 20% of Iraqis have had to flee their homes.

Oh, I know, War, I know. In five years, every relationship is going to have its ups and downs! And you're right, you've been trying hard lately to turn things around. I do give you credit for that. Your surge brought violence down, even though it seems to be rising again. And you've tried so hard to listen, finally, and understand that an enduring relationship has to be about more than just brute force.

But, War, it's just not enough. It's too little, too late. "Political progress," "reconciliation" -- pretty words, but I just can't see it happening.

Anyway, War, I don't like to be a stick in the mud, but it kind of bothers me that these days we're jumping into bed with absolutely everyone: Sunni insurgents, Shiite insurgents, Kurds, God knows who else. It's like being inside Eliot Spitzer's marriage and James McGreevey's marriage and David Paterson's marriage, all at once.

Look, War, I don't quite know how to say this, on our anniversary and everything, but ...

I want a divorce.

Source: LA Times