"Father." "Have some tea." "Tea?" "Fool!" "Why would I want tea?" "Get out of here!" "That idiot and his tea." " You want a letter written?" " Yes." "I would like to send a letter to my brother." "Thanks, Tariq." "Well." "Go ahead." "My dear brother..." "We've been down here for such a long time." "People down here are very different." "Some have long beards, others have short ones." "Hang on..." "There are many different types." "Are you still doing that to your ear?" " Yes." " Go on." "We aren't dying of hunger down here." "We have a little food and water." "But we can't really relax." "And we don't know when this will be over." " Is that it?" " You don't have more to say?" "Yes Write "from your brother Aied"." "Fine." "Where is the letter to be sent?" " To Sweden." " Sweden..." " What's your brother's name?" " Hamed." "Hamed, Sweden." "Listen..." "It's important that you come to me to have your letters written." "We have to keep in touch." "One day we will all return home." "Understand?" "Mother." "I love you." "I miss you." "I'm tired of this." "Tariq." "I'm glad you're here." "Come." "I have something to show you." "Sit down." "I want to show you some pictures." "Look." "That is from southern Iraq, from Basra." "You've never experienced it." "Tariq!" "Come here." "Give your father some tea." "Father..." "Drink some tea, father." "Now the letter is finished." "Anything else?" "Listen." "I haven't been to bed with a woman for nine years." "Nine years!" "I need a woman." "The pain in my shoulders is just getting worse and worse." "And my hands" "I can't even carry small things anymore." "Oh God..." "Dear God." "Who is the letter to?" "My sister." "Send it to my sister." "Where does she live?" "California." "What does it say?" "They sent a bag of lentils, some paper and batteries." "There are two bags of lentils." "We're lucky." "Sometimes they make mistakes up there." "Come and sit here." "Write your name." "T-A-R-l-Q." "Try again." "Good boy." "Hurry up!" "Get moving!" "What's going on?" "Hurry up now." "I ask with my lips I ask with my eyes" "About a land that was drowned in fear and in darkness" "I ask with my lips I ask with my eyes" "About a land that was drowned in fear and in darkness" "What happened to you, my country?" "The beast of longing" "Where are the children's laughter and the dreams of youth?" "What happened to you, my country?" "The beast of longing" "Where are the children's laughter and the dreams of youth?" "Only your clear water can quench my thirst" "The loss and longing burn within me" "But my love for you goes on" "I ask with my lips I ask with my eyes" "Who forwards the letters?" "Who sends food and paper down to us?" "No one knows." " Then what is up there?" " Up there?" "Nothing." "Come." "Dear friends." "Dear friends, today I have joyous news." "Aied, a letter has come from your brother Hamed." "I will read it aloud to you." ""My dear brother Aied."" ""Where should I start?"" ""You have no idea how glad I am to hear that you're still alive."" ""I live here in Sweden with my wife and my three children."" ""Now I can tell them that their uncle might come  and stay with us here in Sweden one day."" ""My dear brother, write to us again."" ""As it is today, no one can go to Iraq."" ""But we await the day when we can come   and get you out of there."" ""You must be patient and stay where you are."" ""That's the only way you will be safe."" ""Your devoted brother Hamed."" "Who wrote that letter?" "Are you sure that it's from my brother?" "Listen." "I don't have any relatives left." "They are all dead." "My brother Hamed died in Suwaira in 2003." "Where did you get that letter?" "Tell me." "Tell me." "I know now, but we'll do as we've always done." " Do you want a letter written?" " Yes, let's write a letter." "My dear Hamid." "I'm tired of this life." "I can't live like this anymore." "I wish you would come down here   so we could share the last bit of rice like we used to." "Come down to me and put your hand in mine." "Hamid." "I can tell that the end is near." " Is that all?" " Yes, that's all." "Where shall it be sent?" " As if you didn't know." "The same place as always." "To Hamid Sakarchi." " Beirut..." " Beirut, Lebanon." "Mother, I'm leaving now." "I love you." "But I have to get out of here."