The destruction of a city, but hopefully not a culture.

This is, for now, the last edition of the Letters from Iraq series.

As my time in Baghdad comes to close, there are many images which will likely never leave my mind.

The young male officer from South Africa, armed to the teeth, a veteran of previous wars and conflicts, rarely phased by anything around him, but telling his mother he was not in Baghdad because he did not want her to worry.

The old Iraqi whom had run a cafe in the same location since mid 1970, the cafe a bombed out shell, the cooking stove bruised and battered, but still preparing tea and breakfast foods, serving me hot tea with the question "You want good tea today Mister?"

The probably 19 year old American Marine, sitting in a heavily armored vehicle, holding onto a machine gun turret which to me looks like could stop several tanks, eyes me with suspicion. I can't help but wonder if a look of concern, fear, wondering why a civilian is even here, wondering when or
if he will go home?

Speaking with a female officer telling me about the stress and fear she experiences on a nearly daily basis, but also basically unfazed by the car bomb which explodes while we talk, shaking the building and rattling the windows.

The bright, articulate, lady whom lived through her own war in her home country, to immigrate to the U.S. and now finds herself in another war in Iraq, how can she not wonder if the world will ever make sense. Me trying to send an email home to my daughter, but the gunfire was too loud and
getting too nervous to sit still, I opted to get up and pace around and find other souls with the same thoughts/concerns as I.

The barely teenage Iraqi, normally working the Baghdad version of a Kwik Trip, whom did not show up to open his store during the last two days I was there, and no one knew where he was at.

The U.S., British, Australian, Herzogovinians, Iraqi soldiers and civilians, living in a war but still going to "work" each day because it was the right thing to do the chaos and wondering of EVERY Iraqi citizen, American officer, "third world national", I spoke with: "What will happen to
us...when can we go home?"

Baghdad was in another world, I hope will find the city finds it's way back to the civilized world. I plan to go back. Hopefully, not naively but admittedly with a touch arrogant optimism, I can make a difference.