Babylonian Sand Storms

Mention the places 'Mesopotamia'... or try 'Babylon', and most people will look at you like either A) your way too into a 101 course in the Classics, Arab style, or B) your really into the Brit musician David Gray.

You know the song 'Babylon' by David Gray? You may recognize the refrain:

If you want it
Come and get it
Crying out loud
The love that I was
Giving you was
Never in doubt
Let go your heart
Let go your head
And feel it now

Babylon, Babylon
Babylon

Great song. YouTube it and give it a listen. Wiki says that supposedly its on the US Military Torture list. When played, it can be used to create an uncomfortable living environment for detainees. I'm sure David Gray is thrilled.

I'm off on a tangent.

The purpose of this post: My brother J, a Combat Engineer in Iraq, sent me the picture above. Its a sandstorm, Iraq style. A wondrous (he would say Satanic) wave of sand whips across the region with little warning making visibility almost nothing. You know when your at the beach and the wind blows bits of sand on your skin...the tingeling sting on your arms and face? Yea, well this would probably feel more like a dermabrasion procedure. On a flesh wound. A dermabraised, sun-burnt, flesh wound. Ah, thus is War.

When I was in Jordan I was very close to Southern Iraq- in fact, according to the Bedouins I was traveling with, I was right at the Jordan-Iraq line. I remember the day Noor pointed across the desert and said "Irraaa Qa". I stared in sheer astonishment. First because how the hell could she tell? It looked like the same mesmorizing, thousand acre sand dune that had been stretching out before us for the past two weeks. Secondly...well, underneath all my trekking bravado I'm a RedWhite&Blue pansy ass. At that moment it became painfully obvious that I had wandered a little too far off the beaten path even for me. I squelched my "Mommy!" scream and plastered on the most impassive expression I could muster. Afterall- I'm American: my Shield of Superiority helps to keep me at the top of the food chain.

The emotion of that moment was unique. It would take several lofty, rarely used words in a barely intelligible string to describe what I felt. I know there is nothing that can ever reproduce that feeling. This picture my brother sent to me has come as close as I think anything ever will.

I love you Bro. Allama'ak.