River is in Syria

At Baghdad Burning River tells us the story of her leaving Baghdad forever and the trip to Syria.

There was one point, during the final days of June, where I simply sat on my packed suitcase and cried. By early July, I was convinced we would never leave. I was sure the Iraqi border was as far away, for me, as the borders of Alaska. It had taken us well over two months to decide to leave by car instead of by plane. It had taken us yet another month to settle on Syria as opposed to Jordan. How long would it take us to reschedule leaving?

I'm glad she and her brother escaped, I ache for the pain she feels at leaving ... and I'm so, so sorry my government has done what it has done.