I wanted to start bitching about Iraq and why everyone just needs to shut the fuck up, but then I got to the devastating story of the 17 year old girl that was stoned to death in Iraq last month. There's any number of things that bother me about this story (that some of the angry mob were Iraqi police, that she was crying for help throughout, that it happened at fucking all), but what I can't keep helping but think is how far apart our cultures are, and that all the democracy or stability or whatever we're trying to cram down their throats in the world isn't going to change the place that we're coming from very, very different places. this is sickening and I can't even imagine what this poor girls family must be going through. The world just gets scarier and scarier and I can't just help but think some progress is due.

oh and River, the author of the incredible Baghdad Burning, has moved from Iraq, pretty much removing the only voice coming out of that country that I can trust. I wish her the best.