Iraq Unfiltered: Farnaz Fassihi, a Wall Street Journal reporter in Iraq, sent a personal email to friends describing the frustrating conditions in Iraq (like being on house arrest, she writes). It ended up getting emailed around the world. It's incredibly honest and blunt, which is probably why neocons are calling for her head: they say she's part of the "liberal media" (the conservative Wall Street Journal? Right.), she's a Kerry supporter, she's unfit to continue writing. She's been sent on "vacation" til after the election as a response to her bold portrayal of the havoc we've wreaked on Iraq. Her last paragraph:

I asked a 28-year-old engineer if he and his family would participate in the Iraqi elections since it was the first time Iraqis could to some degree elect a leadership. His response summed it all: "Go and vote and risk being blown into pieces or followed by the insurgents and murdered for cooperating with the Americans? For what? To practice democracy? Are you joking?"

And: The literary and journalistic context of Farssihi's work.

(Thanks, Kemi.)