Piece Comment

Review of Sara - An Iraqi Girl's Story


Sara tells her story over the phone from Jordan because Baghdad is not safe during the election. In Iraq, her father stays behind to watch the house so that it is not looted. There is no water because the main pipes have been bombed. It’s a glimpse into the actual day-to- day life there-- the fears and concerns. There’s a real cynicism that comes through when Sara talks, which is more than just disconcerting-- it’s depressing because it’s so understandable-- though much of what she prophecises about election day does not come to pass. She was hopeful at the beginning of the invasion, but now you can hear the resentment in her voice “What’s freedom,” she says. “I can’t leave my home. It’s hard. I’m just breathing. I’m not living.” It might be a bit tricky to figure out how to place this piece, because it talks about the Iraqi elections which have passed.