UO Sophomore Spreads Awareness of War Realities in Iraq

EUGENE, Ore. — What may becoming America’s "forgotten war" was Awab Alrawe's reality while living in downtown Baghdad. "When I did not hear gunshots, I thought something was wrong," he recalled. Nineteen-year-old Awab Alrawe came to Eugene last September through the Iraqi Student Project (ISP), a nonprofit organization aimed at getting Iraqi students into American universities. As part of this project, Alrawe must complete eighty hours of cultural exchange education each year. This includes giving talks about the Iraq War and the realities of being raised in a war-zone. "I get to tell people part of the truth they don't know about," said Alrawe. "I get to tell them things they wouldn't [otherwise] hear." Once the war began, Alrawe, his parents and his younger sister decided to leave their home country. The American military had bombed his town, destroying his aunt's house. Additionally, his high school was converted into an Iraqi military base and he was forced to stop attending because of the danger. In late 2006, during the Bush administration, terrorists ruled Alrawe's neighborhood, kidnapping or killing many of his friends and neighbors. He tried to get his father to buy weapons, which were accessible and cheap, but his father resisted, saying, "If terrorists are going to get us, one rifle won't do anything." The following year, Alrawe's family fled to Syria, where they remained until 2009. His sister, Danya, currently attends college in Victoria, Canada. His parents ...

Channel: YouTube Video Length: 2m 55s Date Found: Fri, Jan 14 2011 5:41 PM Category: Home Video Date Produced: Fri, Jan 14 2011 5:20 PM View Count: 0