Gates of Yusufiya

Typical Iraqi homes are surrounded by a gated courtyard.  Though the houses are a drab sand or concrete color often the gates are ornate and personalized.  On patrol I took pictures of several.  One door is spray-painted with a lament for an Islamic superhero, "Hussein was betrayed."

Mascot

The Iraqi news media covered the Democratic and the Republican national conventions.  I watched coverage from Iraqi anchors attending both.  At the bottom of the screen the party mascot was displayed along with the news ticker.

"What's the donkey?" asked Blade

"It's the Democratic Party mascot, their symbol."

He laughed, "why, man, donkey?!  They're stupid."

Sonic agreed, "Donkeys go crazy and kill themselves..."

"Suicide donkeys?"

"Insurgent donkeys," Blade laughed.

Sonic explained, "during the war [Iran/Iraq] donkeys carried supplies up mountains.  You teach a donkey the way two, three times it will walk by itself, man I'm serious.  But they never rested the donkeys so they just go crazy and walk off a cliff."

"Donkey is no good," agreed Blade.

Obama's picture came on the screen.

"Captain, you like Obama or McCain?"

I wanted to know their honest opinion so I said I was unsure.

"Obama no good," Blade and Sonic agreed.

I asked why.

"McCain is a soldier, he knows.  And he's friend with Bush."

"You like President Bush?"

"Bush capture Saddam... and help us kill Al Qaeda."

The Holidays

Right now the Arab Homeland is celebrating Ramadan.

"It's when the Prophet received the Qu'ran," said Ali. "When the angel Gabriel told him."

Muslims believe that Mohammed received the Qu'ran from the mouth of the angel Gabriel.  Although Ali doesn't normally pray 5 times a day--he does during Ramadan.  He also fasts from dawn to sunset.

"Because it's hard, it's discipline," he explains.  "In the past, Muslims used to fight wars and not eat for many days.  This tells you what it's like."

Another Iraqi on the patrol base told me that fasting, "reminds you of the poor, it reminds you what it is like to hunger.  Many people give away food during Ramadan."

"Not everyone fasts?"

"You can eat after sundown."

Often Muslims enjoy large feasts during Ramadan evenings.  It is a month of extremes.  Of hunger and satisfaction, of prayer and conversation, of solitude and companionship.

"Allah tells us to fast."

"In the Qu'ran?"

"Yes, and everything is good, like good points, you earn good points when you fast... forgiveness."

"You become holy?"

"Yes, even your breath it is holy."

Another Muslim on the patrol base asked me if we could give extra fabric to widows in our sewing class "as a present for Ramadan."  Mohammed asked if we could buy 100 sheep to give away poor families in the city.

"Where would we put them?  There'd be a riot."  I could see a mob of sheep and poor Iraqis swarming the front gate.

"Like Christmas," explained Mohammed.

"Riots?"

"No man, gifts... to celebrate."