Our Ali

Saadallah Al Fathi, via Free Iraq

Yesterday, I received an Email from a friend citing a very touching obituary for a young Iraqi boy by the name of Ali who died of leukemia in his family’s self imposed exile in Jordan. It was written by one of his teachers and published in Al Rai newspaper. I wrote back to my friend to express my sympathy and told him that I wonder how many Iraqi Alis are dying without a word said about them. I did not know then that only few hours later I would have my Ali to mourn. Ali is the nephew of my wife, the son of her sister, the son of her cousin and my friend Dhia and the brother of my son in law Mohammad. But he was much more than that to me. He was like my own son who kept my company for eight years in Baghdad when my own sons were away. He was indeed a son, a friend, assistant and a delight to be with (...) Ali was killed in Baghdad on Thursday, November 7 by the Americans or their protégés, the national guards who were manning a close check point. He was returning home on his bicycle from my house which he often did due to the proximity of both locations. No one will ever determine why he was shot because there was no apparent reason except that those who shot him were always seen as trigger happy...

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