HW#34 Repsonse to Riverbend

After reading this weeks assigned pages in Riverbend's "Baghdad Burning" we were asked to pick 2 questions and write about them. The first question I chose was to talk about the role of gold in family savings in Iraq. Riverbend states “Gold is a part of our culture and the role it plays in “family savings” has increased since 1990 when the Iraqi Dinar (which was $3) began fluctuating crazily. People began converting their money to gold-earrings, bracelets, necklaces-because the value of gold didn’t change. People pulled their money out of banks before the war, and bought gold instead” (Riverbend 100). I think what Riverbend is trying to tell us is that the value of gold is not changing, while on the other hand the value of a Dinar is. And it really is a big part of the Iraqi culture. So by pulling their money out of the banks they are less likely to be losing profit.

The other question I chose to talk about was the importance of date palms. "In the winter months, they act as 'resorts' for the exotic birds that flock to Iraq. We often see various species of birds roosting between the leaves, picking on the sweet dates and taunting the small boys below who can't reach the nests" (Riverbend, 103). They produce many products and it is a hope for the Iraqi people that they still have a way of life and productivity.