Michael Yon

Even the kids love to show off babies

Mosul

I have never seen a people in any land who show off their kids more than the Iraqis. Every time I go downtown, someone asks that I photograph a baby. Often I pretend to snap a photo, and the people smile and walk away.

This girl saw the camera and chased half a block, insisting I photograph her little sister

Crazy Iraqi Kids. Always up to something. This time they just make faces at men with machine guns. The soldiers laugh.

In places where the soldiers have given children too much candy and treats, the kids usually become annoying brat-packs. I have heard numerous stories of kids throwing rocks at soldiers, but have yet to see this myself. In my travels, I have seen the prototypical Iraqi kid as well-mannered, curious, and highly friendly toward Americans.

This man said he voted for his daughter

Proud Dad, Scared Son

Baquba Baby

School

The teachers make these kids study. The classrooms are always clean and the students well-behaved. I have come into classrooms where the kids are studying English. Hard to get out of those rooms; they all want to say “hello!”

Someday this war will end.

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