By Cathy Breen
Amman, Jordan
Feb. 18th, Friday

It was nighttime in Amman. The setting was a hotel coffee shop where Kathy Kelly, myself and two others were to meet with two doctors (psychiatrists) from Baghdad. They were coming for a workshop on how to deal with traumatized children. They were late in arriving due to shooting on the road from Baghdad to Amman. The project involves the training of primary school teachers, many of whom come from conflict areas outside of Baghdad, to help them alleviate the stress of war for the children.

The shooting incident on the road led to other stories about recent killings of their friends and other civilians by U.S. soldiers on the highways and at the checkpoints in and around Baghdad. Some of the survivors are now in their care as patients.