First to the oasis. Amman is feeling more and more like an Oasis in this region, an appropriate term for a land of deserts. I have stayed in touch with my friend in Baghdad, chatting on the messenger. Now of course you all know things are bad there but the news just fails to cover all the elements. In her area people come knocking at the doors., whoever answers is grabbed and next seen dead in the street with tape over their mouthes and noses, this is how they were killed! She only has electricity at home for 45 minutes a day, so has to plan the cooking, ironing, washing etc. to exactly fit in, something which sounds simple until you try living with it, especially it means there is little to take your mind off or drown out the noises of tanks, helicopters and guns outside! It seems to me that now people are almost looking towards a full civil war because at least then you know who the parties are and who to negotiate with, especially in the humanitarian field!
Whilst chatting there have been two bombs go off near the office, one next to her nephew's school and two attepts at another colleague's daughters school! Of course you see it on the news but it is far more real when you know people!
Additionally no-one can trust anyone except v close friends and family, the enemy is unknown! In Iraq life is still serious, there are no jokes about the situation, except perhaps about me going to visit. My friend offered to get me a student discount on my ransom!
The most depressing thing is unlike in other war zones we have studied like Cambodia where the capacity needs to be built up Iraq has capacity, in the early 80s it had one of the best education systems in the world. Now people are leaving or unable to work. As my colleagues say "Iraq, the country of oil has no oil, the country with two rivers has no water, the country with some of the best doctors has little health service!" etc. Everything is there and yet it isn't!
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