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As the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq passes, the country continues to face challenges in overcoming political instability, rampant violence, and persistent water and power outages

An Iraqi-American man Sami Rasouli, who just got back from the Iraq War, says most Iraqi people are in terrible shape after three years of occupation. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. There’s less electricity than before the war. The water is filthy.  The sanitation is terrible. Many suffer from hepatitis.  And it takes more than a day, usually,  waiting in line, to get gasoline for the car. Rasouli thinks the American occupiers have destabilized Iraq, while the country degenerates into pillage, plunder, and mayhem.  During March 2006 Sami Rasouli explained this to students at Nicolet College in Rhinelander, after spending a peaceful night recuperating at a home in Lincoln County. Nick Vander Puy from the Superior Broadcast Network has the story.

Living in a hand hewn, turn of the last century, tamarack log cabin, Paul and Susannah Gilk near Tomahawk showed hospitality to guest Sami Rasouli.

“Oh, I had really nice breakfast with Paul and Susan.”

Paul and Susannah Gilk heat their home and cook with wood. They live off the electric grid.

“I was really enjoying every moment I spent with them, by the way, in that nice Iraqi atmosphere, no electricity We spent the night having candles.”

Rasouli appreciates the Gilk’s outhouse.  The Gilk’s shun the five gallon flush.  They recycle their human waste for manure.

“The compost. Yeah, that’s something I really cherished and admired the people who live on the farms and adopt the old fashioned way of living without getting this Bush addiction of oil.”

There’s a tranquil atmosphere around the Gilk homestead. They don't have a TV or use computers.

“They have their sanity. They are serene. And deep in thought.  And very appreciative of other people, paying respect, and the love is unlimited. I couldn’t believe. So they made me some mushrooms and eggs this morning, with fruit salad, and fresh coffee and cream. And the water UHM was so good, I never find such water in Iraq today.”

Paul and Susannah perform with the violin and guitar..  They stayed up until two in the morning playing music for Sami Rasouli.

“And it was very enjoyable.  I enjoyed it.  And they left an historic print of their action upon my life.  Paul and Susan, Gilk? Gilk.  In Arabic we say “Wehnan” “Wehnan?” It means the best, ever.”

After talking in Rhinelander Rasouli and his colleague Mike Miles headed up to Duluth and Grand Rapids, Minnesota.  Rasouli is traveling back to Iraq in May to continue helping his people.

I’m Nick Vander Puy for the Superior Broadcast Network