"Alive in Baghdad" on "American Microphone"

I started to write and ask if anyone has heard from Riverbend, since it's now been 65 days since her last post.  But then I remembered Steven D and many of us all wondered the same thing just a couple of weeks ago.  Not that I know her or had any previous contact, but emailed her just to see if I happened to get any kind of a response...nope.  I still wonder and am concerned.  But as appropo as my title may be to her story, that's not the subject of this diary...just the gateway...

Follow me to see who is...

The gate was opened for me as I reread Riverbend's last post.  A comment popped out at me more abruptly this time:

Since the beginning of July, the men in our area have been patrolling the streets. Some of them patrol the rooftops and others sit quietly by the homemade road blocks we have on the major roads leading into the area. You cannot in any way rely on Americans or the government. You can only hope your family and friends will remain alive- not safe, not secure- just alive. That's good enough.

The reason I noticed this statement more this time was because of a video I recently watched over at Alive in Baghdad.  Here's how they describe their work:

Alive in Baghdad was formed to counter the sound-bite driven, `Live From' news model. Through the work of a team of Americans and Iraqi correspondents on the ground, Alive in Baghdad shows the occupation through the voices of Iraqis. Alive in Baghdad brings testimonies from individual Iraqis, footage of daily life in Iraq, and short news segments from Iraq to you.

I first heard about Alive in Baghdad on an interview with Brian Conley over at American Microphone.  In his conversation with Rob Millis, Brian talks of his journey to and life in Baghdad.  Brian is a fascinating guy with a very interesting story.  And now, he helps to bring to the world the news of Iraqis from Iraqis.  And the news they bring is not just in words, as powerful as those can be, but in the even more powerful video.

I've watched many of the segments now.  Although they don't all have the best sound or picture quality, considering they're risking their lives to bring us these stories, I'll most willingly forgive that.  I would most definitely encourage you to go see them for yourselves...and while you're there, feel free to drop something in the bucket to keep these important stories coming.

Then...if you're not done checking out interesting videos, be sure to hang around some more at

Rob has interviewed many people with a wide variety of perspectives around their lives, their political perspectives, and in particular, the debacle in Iraq...from our favorite author of Chasing Ghosts and the Executive Director of IAVA Paul Reickhoff to Air America's Rachel Maddow to lesbian folk icon Catie Curtis to the current guest, former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey.

It's definitely worth a viewing visit to both sites to watch these videos and leave a comment for them on either on American Microphone's individual show blog or at Alive In Baghdad's site blog...and tell 'em where you heard about them.

Then...let's send our prayers (if you're so inclined), thoughts, best wishes for a safe escape or homecoming to Riverbend, Alive In Baghdad's journalists, our brothers and sisters in uniform...and not the least of all, the Iraqi people.

•  Really...go watch.

  Hopefully this will stay around long enough to bring it to the attention of the morning crew and beyond, and this night owl post doesn't roll off...because these sites deserve your visit.

  by Heather in SFBay on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 01:17:20 AM PDT

  •  Thanks...

    For this and the links. Had heard about goth sites, but with everything else going on had forgotten to visit them and save, now have them and will use them to enhance the Reality!

    Here's 'Hoping' Riverbend is still with us, and that the other voices, out of Iraq, keep passing on what is happening while they are not controlled by the Propaganda Machines!

    Though those of us who served in Conflict Theaters understand All Too Well!

    by jimstaro on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 02:06:34 AM PDT

  •  Thank you! (n/t)

    by MediaRevolution on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 06:04:53 AM PDT

  •  Thanks

    I just checked out her website (bookmarked) before logging on here, and am relieved, if you will, that I hadn't missed a bad outcome for her. I recall there was a previous long hiatus when things were particularly bad in Baghdad (July?). We can only hope.
    The header on her blog is about the most touching thing I have found in all this war madness...'I'll meet you 'round the bend my friend, where hearts can heal and souls can mend.'

    by hold tight on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 09:12:40 PM PDT

•  This is the insight we need to speak

  that rare language of truth to power.

  Thank you,

  cb

  by craigb on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 08:35:23 PM PDT

•  Waiting for Riverbend

  Nice to have company.

  Thanks for the interesting links.

  by KateCrashes on Tue Oct 10, 2006 at 08:56:01 PM PDT

•  i check river's site daily hoping for

  news from her - i've emailed her as well and told her that americans DO care about her and her country - i have asked her forgiveness for the harm my country has done to hers.

  i was just there (bagdad burning) this evening - re-reading her heartrending accounts of her homeland - i hope we hear from her again - and that she can find it in her heart to forgive this nation for the grief visited on her.

  thank you for the diary and the reminder that all of us hold her in our thoughts and prayers.

  by edrie on Wed Oct 11, 2006 at 12:32:09 AM PDT

•  No news on Riverbend from a mutual friend to

  whom I wrote. (Khalid is the young man who was imprisoned by the Iraqi police that many Kossaks wrote about and finally his family was able to get him free)   His response:

  khalid jarrar to me    Sep 28
  Dear Elza:)

  thank you ery much for your email.

  the truth is that i have no idea where riverbend is. i dont have any special channels to contact her and we talk to each other by emails, which she didnt reply to since months.

  I am not worried though, she always does this, disappears with no prior notice, and its usually for the lack of electricity and also because she doesnt feel like writing, his hapened so many times that i stoped worrying now when she disappaers.

  Dad is here in jordan with us, the solar idea sounds great and i really dont know why dont we start working on it! i will talk to dad about it:) thanks alot:))

  have a nice day!
              Khalid Jarrar
  secretsinbaghdad.blogspot.com

  • Show quoted text -

  On 9/27/06, I wrote:

     Dear Khalid,
     . . . Now I am worried about Riverbend who hasn't posted since Aug. 5th. Do you have or can you get any information about her? Many of us on DailyKos are very concerned.  What is happening in Iraq is so horrible that I fear the worst. She doesn't have family who blog so there is no news.

     I don't know how long before this nightmare will be over but I am working for candidates everyday to get the republicans out of office and to try to put a brake on the messianic dictator who is running America.

     Also, is your father still in Iraq?  Why doesn't he or someone start selling solar panels for electricity for the rooftops of Iraqi houses (etc) so as not to have to depend on petrol powered generators for electricity?  Sounds like a winner to me.

     Hugs,

  by samddobermann on Wed Oct 11, 2006 at 02:31:16 AM PDT