I have always been interested with the war in Iraq, and the issues and problems the people face over there. As I was reading through today’s paper one article caught my attention. Baghdad Bridge Reopens, Restitching a Divided Area, this article discusses the reopening of a bridge in Baghdad that connects a community of Shiites and of Sunnis.
I found the lead to be very effective. It really grabbed my attention, and it brings up what the article is about. The reporter painted the a picture of what was happening on this day as people from two opposing communities came together. It is very poignant and automatically grabs your attention.
The article then begins to discuss the history of the bridge and the two communities. The bridge was closed in 2005 after rumors of a suicide bomber provoked a stampede of people. There were almost 1,000 deaths due to being crushed or drowning in the Tigris River. The Shiites live in Kadhimiya and the Sunnis live in Adhamiya, both on opposite sides of the bridge.
After this brief historical background of the bridge, the article delves in to the actual process of reopening the bridge. This event could not be taken lightly and there were many Iraqi military commanders and American officers there to manage the crowds. This fact made me realize how there is still so much animosity within different groups in Iraq that they need to be heavily guarded or watched over.
The article does a good job at painting the picture of this landmark day. The bridge was covered in with a tarmac with the Iraqi flag painted on it. There was slaughtering of sheep in celebration of this crossing. The article really touches the reader with it recounts of the day.
Even though this is seen as a positive action, the article also brings about people’s concerns. The article briefly discusses how even though the bridge is reopening; there is still tension between the Shiites and the Sunnis.
The article started off on a positive note, and ends on a positive note. The article concludes with a military adviser commenting on how it was a good day, and that there is hope for some balance within the two communities.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
When you fix the hypertext, be sure also to read through the blog entry looking for extra words or sentences that are awkward to read. There are still several of them.
Post a Comment