You could argue that all times are tough times in Iraq, but the past week has been particularly cruel to WHYS regular Lubna. She’s emailed us with news of the death of another friend. Earlier this week she was almost the victim, when she narrowly missed a roadside bomb. Here’s her email.
‘Hi. Ali is a 25 years old handsome young man. He’s my neighbour. Yesterday Ali had made the most fatal decision of his entire life. He decided to go to the barber to have his hair cut. And he was murdered.
Yes, Ali was one of the 55 people who lost their lives during yesterday’s two terrorist attacks which took place in my beloved district Al Karradah. 121 others were wounded. Well, so what?! This is normal, and it happens everyday in Iraq. So why should anyone bother him/herself about it. Innocent civilians are dying each day in Iraq. Well, what’s the news in that?!
With my love. Lubna.’
I’m sure she’d welcome your messages.
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BBC World Have Your Say 
If you think about what’s going on in Iraq, you’ll understand why the world does not need, and must get rid of religion. These people in Iraq are being killed over a 1400 year old conflict over the successor of someone who claims God (a fictional deity) spoke to him. People dying for that. That people get killed over religion, fiction, just shows how stupid human beings are. You may think a mouse is dumb, but at least they don’t kill other mice over what’s written in a fictional book.
Sad…
I wish you a lot of strength and I hope with all my hart this madness will stop as soon as possible.
This is not hurting anyone but regular people, I just can’t understand nor imagine such brutal violence.
Salaam/Peace
Lubna, I hear your deep sadness, and sence your growing feeling of futility. Please take strength from the rest of us – we are with you in spirit and share your concerns and sorrows as much as we can.
Only together can we provide the strength of common purpose necessary to reach beyond the senseless killing. Let us form clear visions of where we want to be, and then plan the intermediate steps and targets on how to get there. You took a courageous first step when you opened communication with Rabbi Rossem, and with WHYS.
What is your vision for your future, for Iraq’s future, for humanity? Please articulate it…
Salaam, Bill
I’m male and the traditional viewpoint in the world is that men are not supposed to show their emotions but sometimes when I see all these pictures of blown up limbs in Iraq, I can’t help but want to shed a tear.
It has become so normal that almost every single day, we get these pictures flashing on our television screens no matter which station you turn to.
If this is the price of freedom then maybe next time someone goes on to start a war, then they should first think about the consequences of their actions.
Hopefully, one day Iraq will be a stable and peaceful country again.
Best of wishes Lubna.
I pray the God intervenes in iraq to halt all there violence. I wil also pray the lord keeps you save. I wish u all the best lubna.
Hi Ros,
My heart goes out to the suffering people of Iraq and in particular precious Lubna. Lubna, please accept sincere condolences on behalf of my family and I know my fellow Jamaicans would also wish to express their condolences to the family of your friend who was brutally murdered.
What more can I say? I am left speechless. This does not happen very often. All type of emotions are warring with my being because of the injustice, wickness, man’s inhumanity to his fellowman etc etc. being played out in Iraq.
There is no better index of the worlds depravity and mans inhumanity to man than what is being played out in Iraq.
Lubna, please keep the faith. We here in Jamaica sympathise with you and feel your pain. What is happening is unnecessary becaus the war in Iraq is unjust. It is gratitious on the part of the USA but what can you expect from a President who was selected (the first time) instead of elected. People who earn promotion without merit in any sphere of endeavour usual create havoc.
You call God Allah but we both believe in a superior being. May Allah be your source of strenght and comfort and protection. The world needs multi more Lubnas. Please be careful, Iraq will need you compassion for humanity when the invaders are expelled or after they achieve hidden objective.
Carlos, Kingston- Jamaica
I blame USA for all that is happening in Iraq and middle east at large.
@ Steve: I think you are being unfair. Members of a particular religion habitually commit senseless murders and you indict all religions?
The significance of what’s happening in Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Somalia, Chechenya and Pakistan – to name only a few places – is this: why is it always Islam? Why are there, in the 21st century, no Jewish, Buddhist, Christian or Hindu suicide bombers and religiously inspired mass-murderers? Why was it – and this is part of the same problem – that people in Tehran and Gaza celebrated the recent murders of the Jewish seminarians, just as many of their co-religionists across the world literally danced for joy in the streets after 9-11? Why is it that no Muslim voice will be heard to condemn those celebrations, even though they feed into a mindset that finds murder acceptable and even praiseworthy, and an attitude that was originally expressed towards non-Muslims will undoubtedly in time come to include Muslims in its view that human life is not sacred and may be sacrificed to attain some earthly goal?
Islam is unlike any other religion in this respect. As long as Iraq is a Muslim country it will have this problem. Not because that is the nature of all or most Muslims, but because it is the nature of Islam and has been from its foundation.
The doctrine of the creed, not its truth or falsehood, is the real issue here. A people who worship Santa Claus and express their faith by giving presents all year round and a people who worship Satan and who honour him by committing as many rapes and murders as they can may both be equally mistaken; they aren’t equally blameworthy. You needn’t mind the one; you’d better be scared to death of the other.
Let’s be absolutely candid about this: there’s a problem with Islam, not with ‘religion’.
I agree somewhat with you VictorK, the main religious problem in the world with violence is from Islam, but is not limited to Islam, though the vast majority of religious violence is from Islam. Don’t forget Baruch Goldstein was a radical jew, the person who killed Yitzak Rabin was too, however those events are incredibly rare, while islamic violence happens every single day. The thing is, most christians and Jews don’t take religion literally like many Muslims do. In fact, I would think that most people who claim to be christians or Jews don’t really even believe in God. Christianity and Judaism grew out of their violent stages, but christianity back in the middle ages was far worse than Islam is today, but fortunately they didn’t have modern weaponry. Can you imagine if middle age christians had access to the weapons of today?
so long as muslims do not become secular this violence will go on forever.
Dear Lubna,
Please accept my most sincere condolences upon the loss of you friend Ali. I am the sadder, because I know my country’s lack of wisdom has caused this death, as well as many, many others in your country. Had I the power to have prevented its actions, I would have done. I feel ashamed even to ask your forgiveness; but I do.
Please survive. Please learn. Please lead.
g
Gary, as much as the deaths in Iraq sadden us, and how it affects Lubna, the actions of the US did not cause the death. It was religious intolerance and madness in the name of religion that caused the death. The conflict going on in Iraq now is 1100 years older than the USA is. The US didn’t cause the Sunni – Shiite schism.
Lubna, I grieve with you and everyone in Iraq..know that although there is a wide distance in many ways between our two countries, we here want a solution in the best interest of all concerned..Nicola, Jamaica
Dear Lubna,
I am sorry your neighbor was killed.
Lubna people do care about you and your neighbor.
People do care about the killing and the suffering you all are going through.
We care, but we do not have anything to do.
I have tried over and over to go work in public health in your country, my government rejected me again yesterday for the position.
But that is unusual, most people cannot even try.
Lubna you are not a combatant.
You have no reason to stay now if you can get out.
These terrible mass murders of your own friends affects you.
Please reconsider leaving for now to live and you can return later.
Leave so your mind is not wounded.
Many people are your friends.
We want to to live and be happy.
George
ps I hope you did well on the ob make up test.
From Rory
Dearest Lubna
My heart goes out to you. Such a loss – not only to you- to your country- to all of our common futures all over the world.
When I was a young man, growing up in Zimbabwe, I had a terrible experience. A young man thought he would get rid of a grenade to be safe for others. It blew up in his face and at the age of 23, this young man breathed his last in my arms.
My young man had adventure and good thoughts in his mind, and it saddens me that the suicide bombers are brainwashed into using these attitudes to kill innocent others.
Just like in the Yeshiva in Jerusalem today.
A young handsome man killed in a barber shop one day.
A religious student the next.
When will leaders understand they are there for the real people who are suffering.
I often think that if there is a God, man turned it into a primitive religion
Just a reminder that these kinds of murders result from hatred which stands alone with no need for justification. Throw out hatred and all of these kinds of murders will stop. Hatred is not the answer; it is the problem. Exulting because someone you don’t even know is killed is a result of hatred, not a result of justice being done.
Lubna:
i hope you are safe and sound….
Dear Sweet Lubna…how exhausted you must be….from anger, fear, sorrow.
I’m so sorry for what you and your good people have endured…please tell us
more about Ron….I will continue to pray for this fragile world of ours, you and
now Ron.
all what is happening in Iraq is the responsibility of the US.
i live in Iraq and i can prove you that: we have a daily curfew from 10 pm to 5 am. no one can walk in the street(on feet or by car) only the Americans. so who puts the bombs and bomb cars on the road to blown up and kill the innocents in the morning???
another thing, whenever the Americans block any area (such as what always happens in Sadr City) No one can enter or exit from this region. And as soon as the Americans leave, there is a bomb car that explodes.
who puts this car, (if a terrorist, who allows him to enter this area) is it the people of the city to kill themselves???!!!
And Islam or any religion has nothing to do with what is happening in the world. people are good and bad, it is their instinct.
dear lubna ,
condolence for your bestfriends tragic death .the world has become a dangerous place to live .all this democracy setting by allied forces and geographical alteration of existing maps for the agressors own benefit has lead to this catastrophic situation were in common people are at risk of losing their precious life as they are the most exposed to all agressions in which ali became the latest victim.
lubna i am from kannur which is in northern part of kerala,india and my district kannur is known for its political violence and for the last 3 days another bout of violence has started between the marxists and hinduvaitha forces just 21 kms from kannur and till today 7 people of either side has lost their lives and scores injured .this political violence is of 3decade old rivalry and has taken over 350 lives over here and today also eagerly awaiting to hear news were calamity has erupted .here its on the basis of so called ideology but not as dangerous as iraq but in the long run it will be one for sure .
lubna take special care and i will surely pray for you and your dear and near and your countrymen ..
lubna while studying llm in cochinuniversity during debates i repeatedly raised iraq issue and american transgression which will lead to catastrophic effect if left unchecked what it is today .and the year was 2000-2001 and till date its unsolved due to weak handling by world body .
lubna its people like your ilk can save iraq and its citizens with visionary thoughts and i dread any moment usa backoff leaving iraq at the hands of this fragile puppet government ..
once more take special care hope you reply.
lovinglydevadas.v
jyothinivas
talap
kannur
kerala
Hi! I live in Iraq and have lost a college mate in a most brutal murder just when law enforcement started in Baghdad! People think u get used to hearing such shocking news, but the truth is that it hurts u everytime. it is important that people from other religions realize that Islam is not about killing or intimidating others, Islam believes in co-living with people from other religions and races and what happens in Iraq and other places is extremists’ mutation of the principles of Islam; these terrorists kill Muslims too, they dont represent or defend anything but their irrational absolutely non-Islamic beliefs. I, as a Muslim believe that people are free to espouse and parctice any kind of belief so long as they don’t cause harm to others.
Will the “real Islam” please stand up?
I believe people should know about any religion before issuing any knid of judgment. No religion whatsoever teaches people to kill each other, and that’s y they call such people “extremists”!!!
Hi Lubna,
Sorry to hear about the continuing cruelty and senseless violence which you experince in Iraq day in and day out. It seems the so called international community is helpless just like the Iraqi government in helping to achieve social harmony. The life there after Saddam could be like jumbing from frying pan to fire.
I also note with regret that the international community and also the mainstream media are showing a deaf ear on the violence in Iraq. I was surprised to hear that 8 deaths at an Israeli Seminari on the same day got more attention and found headlines while the death of over 50 Iraqis was a small news item, which clearly shows the bias against misery and pain of Iraqis.
I have been closely following the Iraq war and was shocked to see how people justify all these horrors just because George W. Bush wanted to enter the history book and promote his utopian ideas.
My only prayer is that Barrack Obama will win the US election later this year and will keep his promise of pulling out the American forces- and help to calm the situation using the UN and other peaceful means. I hope you will also pray that another war monger will not succeed George W. Bush to perpetuate the misery for the Iraqis, who are caught up in this big mess.
I
Al Salaam Aleikum to all of you my Precious friends. No matter I said, I won’t be able to thank each one of you for taking the time to write a message of support to Ali and to my Iraq’s cause. Now I’m totally sure that I’m not alone, and that my big global family will always take care of me. Reading the comments of each one of you really touched my heart and made me believe that PEOPLE WHO CARE do actually exist out there. If you were a bad person by nature and by instinct, then surely you’ll exploit the word of God and use the faulty interpretation of the holy texts in order to justify your wrong actions against yourself and the others. It’s not about the holy text itself, it’s about how you see it and how you interpret it. And to all my amazing friends at the WHYS team I say : What am I gonna do without you guys ?! I owe each of you alot, really alot. With my love. Yours forever, Lubna.
Hello am from iraq and i just want to comment on what Steve is saying, well you people like steve always blame islam coz they cannot admit the fact that the Americans didnot bring peace with them but they brought destruction and chaos, they brought death with them.Every day, sice they came, tens if not hundereds are getting killed and the river of blood is getting bigger and bigger. So dont stand there blaming islam. Just think of the matter and you will now that niether islam nor any other religion have anything to do with it. IT IS A MATTER OF POLICIES AND INTEREST..
Lubna:
i grieve for you and your country…..
Dennis~Madrid, United States of America