I wonder if she's still alive.

Riverbend is an intelligent young Iraqi woman who lived in Baghdad. She kept a blog called "Baghdad Burning" about her thoughts on the invasion of her country. Before the invasion she was working in I.T., lived in a mixed Sunni/Shia neighbourhood and wore whatever clothes she liked. After the invasion she lost her job, had to comply with hardline Muslim dress code, was not allowed to travel unless accompanied by a male, and was eventually forced to leave Baghdad after her neighbourhood became too dangerous to live in. She and her family moved to Syria as refugees about twelve months ago. Her last post was from Syria in October last year.

In these days of electioneering and chestthumping about winning the supposed war on terror in Iraq, I find myself thinking of Riverbend more and more. I wonder if the chest thumpers ever do. After all, they're only doing it for her.

So they say.