This travel warning from the State Department recommends no travel by US citizens in Iraq. Increasing security concerns even in relatively quiet areas overide any guarantees of safety. I continue to hope that Eva, Salih, Bilal, and Mu'min return home soon.

In the meantime, I've been reading up on Malaria*. Sounds nasty. Hope they're feeling better by now, or at least getting necessary treatment...

* This link at the World Health Organization explains that Iraq definitely has had major problems with Malaria in the past and still does. Programs to control it were becoming successfull through the 1990's, but now with the war, they have been interrupted. One of the areas with the highest outbreaks is in the area of Duhok, which is not far from where Eva and Meran are. Time of year also makes a difference. It is the rainy season now, which increases the host populations (mosquitos) which carry the parasite that causes the disease...