The War Comes Home to Air America

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shelley-lewis/the-war-comes-home-to-air_b_39046.html

Thursday morning the war in Iraq came crashing home for the staffers and former staffers of AIr America Radio. We learned that a wonderful friend and much loved colleague, Andi Parhamovich, was killed in Baghdad.

She was 28 years old, whip smart, funny and beautiful inside and out. Until a few months ago she was a spokeswoman for Air America, a challenging and often thankless job that she did with great skill and good humor.

I was lucky enough to work with her for more than a year, but I had no idea how gutsy and determined she was until she announced her plan to go to Iraq...


Comments :
Perhaps it should be mentioned that NDI and IRI are not "non profits" but quasi-governmental agencies linked with NED, legendary for doing what the CIA used to do. This does not at all justify this tragedy, but it should show that if one wants to make a difference anywhere, it should not be through working for US government think tanks,regardless of how well meaning they seem. They put their workers, as seen here, in danger by their government affilation.
By: jcummings on January 19, 2007 at 10:08am
Flag: ...



Family: Slain Ohio woman worked to improve lives of Iraqis

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-29/1169193603227450.xml&storylist=cleveland

1/19/2007, 2:10 a.m. ET
By JOE MILICIA
The Associated Press

PERRY, Ohio (AP) — The family of an Ohio woman killed while helping to promote democracy in Iraq said she embraced challenges and was led to the war-torn country by a commitment to make a difference.

Andrea Parhamovich, 28, a native of this town about 35 miles east of Cleveland, died Wednesday in an ambush on a convoy of the Washington-based National Democratic Institute.

"Andi's desire to help strangers in such a dangerous environment thousands of miles away might be difficult for others to understand, but to us, it epitomized Andi's natural curiosity and unwavering commitment," her family said in a statement released Thursday. "She was passionate, bold and caring, as exemplified by her work to improve the lives of all Iraqis."

Also killed in the attack were three security contractors from Hungary, Croatia and Iraq, and two other people were wounded, one seriously. An al-Qaida-linked coalition of Iraqi Sunni insurgents has claimed responsibility...

...yesterday when they reported the news. Al Franken was on the air and could hardly get the words out between his tears. Randi Rhodes gave a lovely tribute to "Andi" and the work she was doing in Iraq.