The Year in Review

March 22nd marked the first anniversary of my blog…I CREATED my blog on August 2004 but I did not start blogging seriously until March, 2005 (hence I am considering March the one year anniversary). The year has passed by so quickly. I decided to look over all of my posts for the past year, and below I have listed the top 10 posts that I personally think were the best (you can certainly disagree) :

1. Flag Symbolism 3/29/2005
(I think this is the post that means the most to me)
2. We have a president... 4/7/2005
(yeah I was too optimistic a year ago, I am NOT anymore!)
3. Prejudice is in all of us… 4/23/2005
4. Seeking Democracy or… 5/21/2005
5. The Freedom tower age 6/29/2005
(I really love this post)
6. ChaldoAssyrians making us proud 7/28/2005
7. The Four Candles 8/13/2005
8. Saddam: your time has come… 10/19/2005
9. Caricature drama 2/3/2006
10. Memory Lane 2/22/2006

I never realized that my blog was created on the same month as the Iraq war anniversary until now…hmmm, so with the 3rd anniversary of the war just a few days ago I have had very mixed feelings. The country is still in shambles; the violence continues and at times escalates; people’s lives are still far from being normal. To me a positive end does not seem to be coming anytime soon, and that really saddens me.

However, people who are using the 3rd anniversary to keep protesting the troops’ presence in Iraq are really getting on my nerves...for example, one demonstration that is supposed to take place in Atlanta on April 1st have flyers that are using “peace in Iraq” and “bring our troops home now” in the same sentence. Who are they kidding? Do these people honestly believe that pulling out the American troops now would bring peace to Iraq? That is the craziest thing I have heard. The troops leaving Iraq now would mean complete destruction to Iraq and whatever minimal idea of Democracy that is already in the making there. It would mean the Islamic parties (who have already regrettably won the majority of seats in the new parliament) cutting loose and ruling the country under the Islamic Sharia. This is the thought that scares me the most, in my mind the American troops leaving now before stability is ensured and a good secular leader coming to power makes me wonder if Iraq would turn into another Iran. Thankfully, President Bush seems to be sticking by his plan to stay in Iraq as long as needed. Then again, President Bush is going to be in power for only 2 more years, who knows what the next president will do and where Iraq will be at that point.

Anyways, I have to say that I don’t know if my blog will get to celebrate its 2nd anniversary. I am starting medical school in August and as many of you can guess that will basically take over my life. Yeah for those interested, I got accepted and I am just really thrilled but at the same time scared of what is to come. So in about 7 or so years you can look me up when you need a doctor (probably for your children since I am planning on becoming a pediatrician:))-and yes it is 7+ years: 4 years medical school and 3+ years residency depending on what specialty one chooses.