text:
(CNN) -- The e-mail arrived from Uzbekistan on February 26. It was titled "Bad News."

Abdul Dadahanov had intended to study business, but changed his mind after 9/11, his academic adviser said.

"Dear Mama Judy," a young woman named Aziza Dadahanov wrote in shaky English. "Very very bad news!!! Abdul is given 8 years of prison. Today was the verdict. Now i feel myself very bad. And i can't write now. I am shocked."

"It was like being kicked in the stomach," recalled Judy Skartvedt, a retired flight attendant living in Easton, Connecticut.

She knew Dadahanov's husband, Abdul Dadahanov, as an Uzbek exchange student who had wanted to help heal people after the 9/11 attacks. She thought of him as an open-minded Muslim whom her family had hosted when he came on a scholarship to study at Fairfield University in 2001.

"We were totally shocked that someone like Abdul could be arrested for anything," Skartvedt said. "We haven't stopped worrying about his safety."

The 32-year-old faces eight years in a labor camp for participation in what the Uzbekistan government says is an extremist religious organization, according to Forum 18, a religious freedom watchdog organization

The group says that Uzbek security forces arrested Dadahanov and four other men -- Bakhrom Ibrahimov, Davron Kabilov, Rovshanbek Favoyev and Botyrbek Eshkuziyev -- last summer after the men had written for an Islamic journal called Irmoq. The National Security Service reportedly claimed the magazine was "sponsored by a Turkish radical religious movement."

Officials from the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington have refused to comment on the case.

Forum 18 says Dadahanov and the four other Uzbek men were convicted of "dissemination of information and materials containing ideas of religious extremism, separatism and fundamentalism, calls for pogroms or violent eviction of individuals aimed at creating panic among the population."

Human rights organizations say the convictions appear to be part of a broader crackdown in the former Soviet republic, targeting members of "Nurchilar," a moderate Muslim movement of Turkish origin, which follows the writing of a 19th-century Sufi Muslim theologian.

"Unfortunately this is not an unusual case," said Igor Vorontsov, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in St. Petersburg. "The [Uzbek] government has persisted in its persecution of independent Muslims."

Thousands of miles from the Republic of Uzbekistan, news of Dadahanov's jail sentence has stunned academics and Christian community leaders in Connecticut. They fondly describe a committed social activist and observant Muslim, who rode between work and classes on a secondhand bicycle and spent more than a year distributing food to soup kitchens in one of America's poorer cities.

"He had a naive trust in the goodness of human beings," said Patty Jenson, an administrator at the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. "I am shocked. I know he is there [in prison] unjustly. What is happening is unjust."

"He was a man of his word, he was gentle and kind," said Charlene Chambers, the director of King's Pantry, a nonprofit organization that distributes food to homeless people in Bridgeport. "Our common bond was feeding people who can't feed themselves and clothing those people who can't clothe themselves."

Dadahanov's academic adviser, Katherine Kidd, said the young Uzbek originally intended to study business when he arrived at Fairfield University on a scholarship from the Open Society Institute of the Soros Foundation. That changed September 11, 2001.

Kidd choked up as she recalled his visit to her office, hours after the terrorist attacks.

"He said, 'Dr. Kidd, I have to do something to tell people that this is not what Islam is about.' He said, 'I want to be part of things that are done here to bring healing to people after 9/11.' "

Dadahanov began working closely with Kidd's husband, Pastor John Kidd, who was a Lutheran minister and the executive director of the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. Pastor Kidd helped Dadahanov tour churches and work with synagogues, giving lectures on his interpretation of Islam. Dadahanov also appeared before audiences dressed in traditional Central Asian attire, in an effort to spread cultural awareness about Uzbekistan.

Advisers say the young Uzbek was inspired by his interaction with church and community groups. Gradually, he shifted his academic focus from business to grassroots community service and education reform.

"He would regularly say 'Wow, how can I do this in Uzbekistan, and make my country and my community better and stronger?'" Katherine Kidd explained.

Dadahanov helped establish a small prayer room for Muslim students at Fairfield University. He also launched a book drive, shipping secondhand books to Uzbekistan to help teach English in his home country. And he was eventually hired at the Council of Churches, and tasked with distributing Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to 26 feeding programs across Bridgeport.

"He wanted to be involved in the frontline programs," John Kidd said. "Ultimately, it's sad that all these things he came to see in terms of how you build a community, how you take responsibility for the life of a community, is at least in part what put him at odds with the authorities in Uzbekistan."

When he returned to Uzbekistan in 2004 after two and a half years in Connecticut, Dadahanov set up an English-language school with friends. The school offered English lessons to young Uzbeks at an affordable price -- a remarkable achievement in a society in which the government controls almost all facets of the economy.

There is little tolerance for independent grassroots activism in Uzbekistan. The country has had the same authoritarian president, Islam Karimov, since it won independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The State Department's recently published 2008 human rights report states "torture remain systemic in [Uzbekistan's] law enforcement ... human rights activists and journalists who criticized the government continued to be subjected to harassment, arbitrary arrest, politically motivated prosecution, forced psychiatric treatment and physical attack."

Uzbek security forces frequently target religious activists.

"The government has almost a paranoia of any independent religious activity, particularly those related to Islam," said Sean Roberts, a Central Asia expert at George Washington University.

"The Uzbek government tries to control the religious sector very similar to the way the Soviets did. They have a state Muslim board that oversees what is proper Islam - anything that falls out of that scope is seen as threatening and seditious."

The Uzbek government says it "views the ensuring of human rights and freedoms of its citizens as its highest priority." A statement posted on the Web site of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Washington cited the passage of more then 120 laws and 60 international treaties aimed at improving the country's human rights record. The Uzbek government says it is making reforms of its judicial and penitentiary system, aimed at "prosecuting and punishing for the use of torture and other forms of ill-treatment."

Dadahanov's former professors invited him to return on a scholarship to the United States after his arrest, and two families offered to house Dadahanov, his wife Aziza and young son Abdulrahman.

Dr. Orin Grossman, Fairfield University's academic vice president, hoped the graduate school offer would allow Uzbek authorities to release Dadahanov. "It obviously didn't work," he wrote in an e-mail to CNN.

Accounts of appalling conditions in Uzbek prisons have worried Dadahanov's American friends, who remember how the slim Uzbek rode to barbecues on his bicycle, carrying a giant watermelon in a backpack as a gift.

The hardest part has been trying to get information from Dadahanov's family in Tashkent.

"The government is tapping their phone and tracking their e-mail," Katherine Kidd said. "We're pretty much sure neither of those is secure from the government."

text: CNN

text: The

text: e

text: mail

text: arrived

text: from

text: Uzbekistan

text: on

text: February

text: It

text: was

text: titled

text: Bad

text: News

text: Abdul

text: Dadahanov

text: had

text: intended

text: to

text: study

text: business

text: but

text: changed

text: his

text: mind

text: after

text: his

text: academic

text: adviser

text: said

text: Dear

text: Mama

text: Judy

text: a

text: young

text: woman

text: named

text: Aziza

text: Dadahanov

text: wrote

text: in

text: shaky

text: English

text: Very

text: very

text: bad

text: news

text: Abdul

text: is

text: given

text: years

text: of

text: prison

text: Today

text: was

text: the

text: verdict

text: Now

text: i

text: feel

text: myself

text: very

text: bad

text: And

text: i

text: ca

text: n't

text: write

text: now

text: I

text: am

text: shocked

text: It

text: was

text: like

text: being

text: kicked

text: in

text: the

text: stomach

text: recalled

text: Judy

text: Skartvedt

text: a

text: retired

text: flight

text: attendant

text: living

text: in

text: Easton

text: Connecticut

text: She

text: knew

text: Dadahanov

text: 's

text: husband

text: Abdul

text: Dadahanov

text: as

text: an

text: Uzbek

text: exchange

text: student

text: who

text: had

text: wanted

text: to

text: help

text: heal

text: people

text: after

text: the

text: attacks

text: She

text: thought

text: of

text: him

text: as

text: an

text: open

text: minded

text: Muslim

text: whom

text: her

text: family

text: had

text: hosted

text: when

text: he

text: came

text: on

text: a

text: scholarship

text: to

text: study

text: at

text: Fairfield

text: University

text: in

text: We

text: were

text: totally

text: shocked

text: that

text: someone

text: like

text: Abdul

text: could

text: be

text: arrested

text: for

text: anything

text: Skartvedt

text: said

text: We

text: have

text: n't

text: stopped

text: worrying

text: about

text: his

text: safety

text: The

text: old

text: faces

text: eight

text: years

text: in

text: a

text: labor

text: camp

text: for

text: participation

text: in

text: what

text: the

text: Uzbekistan

text: government

text: says

text: is

text: an

text: extremist

text: religious

text: organization

text: according

text: to

text: Forum

text: a

text: religious

text: freedom

text: watchdog

text: organization

text: The

text: group

text: says

text: that

text: Uzbek

text: security

text: forces

text: arrested

text: Dadahanov

text: and

text: four

text: other

text: men

text: Bakhrom

text: Ibrahimov

text: Davron

text: Kabilov

text: Rovshanbek

text: Favoyev

text: and

text: Botyrbek

text: Eshkuziyev

text: last

text: summer

text: after

text: the

text: men

text: had

text: written

text: for

text: an

text: Islamic

text: journal

text: called

text: Irmoq

text: The

text: National

text: Security

text: Service

text: reportedly

text: claimed

text: the

text: magazine

text: was

text: sponsored

text: by

text: a

text: Turkish

text: radical

text: religious

text: movement

text: Officials

text: from

text: the

text: Embassy

text: of

text: Uzbekistan

text: in

text: Washington

text: have

text: refused

text: to

text: comment

text: on

text: the

text: case

text: Forum

text: says

text: Dadahanov

text: and

text: the

text: four

text: other

text: Uzbek

text: men

text: were

text: convicted

text: of

text: dissemination

text: of

text: information

text: and

text: materials

text: containing

text: ideas

text: of

text: religious

text: extremism

text: separatism

text: and

text: fundamentalism

text: calls

text: for

text: pogroms

text: or

text: violent

text: eviction

text: of

text: individuals

text: aimed

text: at

text: creating

text: panic

text: among

text: the

text: population

text: Human

text: rights

text: organizations

text: say

text: the

text: convictions

text: appear

text: to

text: be

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: broader

text: crackdown

text: in

text: the

text: former

text: Soviet

text: republic

text: targeting

text: members

text: of

text: Nurchilar

text: a

text: moderate

text: Muslim

text: movement

text: of

text: Turkish

text: origin

text: which

text: follows

text: the

text: writing

text: of

text: a

text: century

text: Sufi

text: Muslim

text: theologian

text: Unfortunately

text: this

text: is

text: not

text: an

text: unusual

text: case

text: said

text: Igor

text: Vorontsov

text: a

text: researcher

text: with

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Watch

text: in

text: St.

text: Petersburg

text: The

text: Uzbek

text: government

text: has

text: persisted

text: in

text: its

text: persecution

text: of

text: independent

text: Muslims

text: Thousands

text: of

text: miles

text: from

text: the

text: Republic

text: of

text: Uzbekistan

text: news

text: of

text: Dadahanov

text: 's

text: jail

text: sentence

text: has

text: stunned

text: academics

text: and

text: Christian

text: community

text: leaders

text: in

text: Connecticut

text: They

text: fondly

text: describe

text: a

text: committed

text: social

text: activist

text: and

text: observant

text: Muslim

text: who

text: rode

text: between

text: work

text: and

text: classes

text: on

text: a

text: secondhand

text: bicycle

text: and

text: spent

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: year

text: distributing

text: food

text: to

text: soup

text: kitchens

text: in

text: one

text: of

text: America

text: 's

text: poorer

text: cities

text: He

text: had

text: a

text: naive

text: trust

text: in

text: the

text: goodness

text: of

text: human

text: beings

text: said

text: Patty

text: Jenson

text: an

text: administrator

text: at

text: the

text: Council

text: of

text: Churches

text: of

text: Greater

text: Bridgeport

text: I

text: am

text: shocked

text: I

text: know

text: he

text: is

text: there

text: in

text: prison

text: unjustly

text: What

text: is

text: happening

text: is

text: unjust

text: He

text: was

text: a

text: man

text: of

text: his

text: word

text: he

text: was

text: gentle

text: and

text: kind

text: said

text: Charlene

text: Chambers

text: the

text: director

text: of

text: King

text: 's

text: Pantry

text: a

text: nonprofit

text: organization

text: that

text: distributes

text: food

text: to

text: homeless

text: people

text: in

text: Bridgeport

text: Our

text: common

text: bond

text: was

text: feeding

text: people

text: who

text: ca

text: n't

text: feed

text: themselves

text: and

text: clothing

text: those

text: people

text: who

text: ca

text: n't

text: clothe

text: themselves

text: Dadahanov

text: 's

text: academic

text: adviser

text: Katherine

text: Kidd

text: said

text: the

text: young

text: Uzbek

text: originally

text: intended

text: to

text: study

text: business

text: when

text: he

text: arrived

text: at

text: Fairfield

text: University

text: on

text: a

text: scholarship

text: from

text: the

text: Open

text: Society

text: Institute

text: of

text: the

text: Soros

text: Foundation

text: That

text: changed

text: September

text: Kidd

text: choked

text: up

text: as

text: she

text: recalled

text: his

text: visit

text: to

text: her

text: office

text: hours

text: after

text: the

text: terrorist

text: attacks

text: He

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Kidd

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: to

text: tell

text: people

text: that

text: this

text: is

text: not

text: what

text: Islam

text: is

text: about

text: He

text: said

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: be

text: part

text: of

text: things

text: that

text: are

text: done

text: here

text: to

text: bring

text: healing

text: to

text: people

text: after

text: Dadahanov

text: began

text: working

text: closely

text: with

text: Kidd

text: 's

text: husband

text: Pastor

text: John

text: Kidd

text: who

text: was

text: a

text: Lutheran

text: minister

text: and

text: the

text: executive

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: Council

text: of

text: Churches

text: of

text: Greater

text: Bridgeport

text: Pastor

text: Kidd

text: helped

text: Dadahanov

text: tour

text: churches

text: and

text: work

text: with

text: synagogues

text: giving

text: lectures

text: on

text: his

text: interpretation

text: of

text: Islam

text: Dadahanov

text: also

text: appeared

text: before

text: audiences

text: dressed

text: in

text: traditional

text: Central

text: Asian

text: attire

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: spread

text: cultural

text: awareness

text: about

text: Uzbekistan

text: Advisers

text: say

text: the

text: young

text: Uzbek

text: was

text: inspired

text: by

text: his

text: interaction

text: with

text: church

text: and

text: community

text: groups

text: Gradually

text: he

text: shifted

text: his

text: academic

text: focus

text: from

text: business

text: to

text: grassroots

text: community

text: service

text: and

text: education

text: reform

text: He

text: would

text: regularly

text: say

text: Wow

text: how

text: can

text: I

text: do

text: this

text: in

text: Uzbekistan

text: and

text: make

text: my

text: country

text: and

text: my

text: community

text: better

text: and

text: stronger

text: Katherine

text: Kidd

text: explained

text: Dadahanov

text: helped

text: establish

text: a

text: small

text: prayer

text: room

text: for

text: Muslim

text: students

text: at

text: Fairfield

text: University

text: He

text: also

text: launched

text: a

text: book

text: drive

text: shipping

text: secondhand

text: books

text: to

text: Uzbekistan

text: to

text: help

text: teach

text: English

text: in

text: his

text: home

text: country

text: And

text: he

text: was

text: eventually

text: hired

text: at

text: the

text: Council

text: of

text: Churches

text: and

text: tasked

text: with

text: distributing

text: Federal

text: Emergency

text: Management

text: Agency

text: funds

text: to

text: feeding

text: programs

text: across

text: Bridgeport

text: He

text: wanted

text: to

text: be

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: frontline

text: programs

text: John

text: Kidd

text: said

text: Ultimately

text: it

text: 's

text: sad

text: that

text: all

text: these

text: things

text: he

text: came

text: to

text: see

text: in

text: terms

text: of

text: how

text: you

text: build

text: a

text: community

text: how

text: you

text: take

text: responsibility

text: for

text: the

text: life

text: of

text: a

text: community

text: is

text: at

text: least

text: in

text: part

text: what

text: put

text: him

text: at

text: odds

text: with

text: the

text: authorities

text: in

text: Uzbekistan

text: When

text: he

text: returned

text: to

text: Uzbekistan

text: in

text: after

text: two

text: and

text: a

text: half

text: years

text: in

text: Connecticut

text: Dadahanov

text: set

text: up

text: an

text: English

text: language

text: school

text: with

text: friends

text: The

text: school

text: offered

text: English

text: lessons

text: to

text: young

text: Uzbeks

text: at

text: an

text: affordable

text: price

text: a

text: remarkable

text: achievement

text: in

text: a

text: society

text: in

text: which

text: the

text: government

text: controls

text: almost

text: all

text: facets

text: of

text: the

text: economy

text: There

text: is

text: little

text: tolerance

text: for

text: independent

text: grassroots

text: activism

text: in

text: Uzbekistan

text: The

text: country

text: has

text: had

text: the

text: same

text: authoritarian

text: president

text: Islam

text: Karimov

text: since

text: it

text: won

text: independence

text: from

text: the

text: Soviet

text: Union

text: in

text: The

text: State

text: Department

text: 's

text: recently

text: published

text: human

text: rights

text: report

text: states

text: torture

text: remain

text: systemic

text: in

text: Uzbekistan

text: 's

text: law

text: enforcement

text: human

text: rights

text: activists

text: and

text: journalists

text: who

text: criticized

text: the

text: government

text: continued

text: to

text: be

text: subjected

text: to

text: harassment

text: arbitrary

text: arrest

text: politically

text: motivated

text: prosecution

text: forced

text: psychiatric

text: treatment

text: and

text: physical

text: attack

text: Uzbek

text: security

text: forces

text: frequently

text: target

text: religious

text: activists

text: The

text: government

text: has

text: almost

text: a

text: paranoia

text: of

text: any

text: independent

text: religious

text: activity

text: particularly

text: those

text: related

text: to

text: Islam

text: said

text: Sean

text: Roberts

text: a

text: Central

text: Asia

text: expert

text: at

text: George

text: Washington

text: University

text: The

text: Uzbek

text: government

text: tries

text: to

text: control

text: the

text: religious

text: sector

text: very

text: similar

text: to

text: the

text: way

text: the

text: Soviets

text: did

text: They

text: have

text: a

text: state

text: Muslim

text: board

text: that

text: oversees

text: what

text: is

text: proper

text: Islam

text: anything

text: that

text: falls

text: out

text: of

text: that

text: scope

text: is

text: seen

text: as

text: threatening

text: and

text: seditious

text: The

text: Uzbek

text: government

text: says

text: it

text: views

text: the

text: ensuring

text: of

text: human

text: rights

text: and

text: freedoms

text: of

text: its

text: citizens

text: as

text: its

text: highest

text: priority

text: A

text: statement

text: posted

text: on

text: the

text: Web

text: site

text: of

text: the

text: Embassy

text: of

text: Uzbekistan

text: in

text: Washington

text: cited

text: the

text: passage

text: of

text: more

text: then

text: laws

text: and

text: international

text: treaties

text: aimed

text: at

text: improving

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: human

text: rights

text: record

text: The

text: Uzbek

text: government

text: says

text: it

text: is

text: making

text: reforms

text: of

text: its

text: judicial

text: and

text: penitentiary

text: system

text: aimed

text: at

text: prosecuting

text: and

text: punishing

text: for

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: torture

text: and

text: other

text: forms

text: of

text: ill

text: treatment

text: Dadahanov

text: 's

text: former

text: professors

text: invited

text: him

text: to

text: return

text: on

text: a

text: scholarship

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: after

text: his

text: arrest

text: and

text: two

text: families

text: offered

text: to

text: house

text: Dadahanov

text: his

text: wife

text: Aziza

text: and

text: young

text: son

text: Abdulrahman

text: Dr.

text: Orin

text: Grossman

text: Fairfield

text: University

text: 's

text: academic

text: vice

text: president

text: hoped

text: the

text: graduate

text: school

text: offer

text: would

text: allow

text: Uzbek

text: authorities

text: to

text: release

text: Dadahanov

text: It

text: obviously

text: did

text: n't

text: work

text: he

text: wrote

text: in

text: an

text: e

text: mail

text: to

text: CNN

text: Accounts

text: of

text: appalling

text: conditions

text: in

text: Uzbek

text: prisons

text: have

text: worried

text: Dadahanov

text: 's

text: American

text: friends

text: who

text: remember

text: how

text: the

text: slim

text: Uzbek

text: rode

text: to

text: barbecues

text: on

text: his

text: bicycle

text: carrying

text: a

text: giant

text: watermelon

text: in

text: a

text: backpack

text: as

text: a

text: gift

text: The

text: hardest

text: part

text: has

text: been

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: information

text: from

text: Dadahanov

text: 's

text: family

text: in

text: Tashkent

text: The

text: government

text: is

text: tapping

text: their

text: phone

text: and

text: tracking

text: their

text: e

text: mail

text: Katherine

text: Kidd

text: said

text: We

text: 're

text: pretty

text: much

text: sure

text: neither

text: of

text: those

text: is

text: secure

text: from

text: the

text: government

question: When was Dadahanov jailed?

answer: February 26.

text: February 26.

question: Where are the friends of the "gentle, kind" man?

answer: Uzbekistan

text: Uzbekistan

question: What is Dadahanov a victim of?

answer: 9/11,

question: What activities is he accused of?

answer: extremist religious organization,

text: extremist religious organization,

question: Where is Dadahanov  jailed?

answer: Republic of Uzbekistan,

text: Republic of Uzbekistan,

question: What is his age?

answer: 32-year-old


text:
Paris (CNN) -- When you're in love in Paris, you show it with a lock.

A combination lock, a bicycle lock or, most commonly, a simple padlock -- hundreds of them -- all inscribed with the names of lovers and clinging to the chain link railing of the Pont des Arts, the Bridge of Arts, the keys romantically tossed into the Seine flowing below.

"Without you, my life doesn't make sense," one of the locks reads in French.

"Walter and Tammy engaged," another announces to the world in English.

You might easily miss the modest pedestrian bridge with the shiny accessories in the tourist rush to find historic Pont Neuf or the ornate Pont Alexandre III, but I am taking it slow on my second visit to Paris.

There are no museums on my itinerary and no mad scrambles to fit in all of the city's famous sites. I've already seen the Mona Lisa, been to the top of the Eiffel Tower, gazed down on Napoleon's tomb and admired Notre Dame.

This visit is for savoring Paris: walking to wherever fancy strikes, sitting in any park or cafÃ© that looks inviting and eating as many baguettes, pastries and other delectable things as my budget (and figure) will allow.

"Sleepless Night"

When I arrive, "Purple Rain" is the talk of the town. It's the first weekend of October, so the streets of Paris are extra crowded for the annual Nuit Blanche -- White Night or Sleepless Night -- when museums stay open until dawn and organizers promise "surprising and unusual" art installations all over the city.

One of them invites visitors to pick up a clear plastic umbrella and walk through a courtyard as rain machines and mauve lights make it look like they've stepped into Prince's hit song.

I start each of my few days in Paris with champagne. It's right there, chilling in an ice bucket in the corner of my hotel's breakfast buffet every morning, not far from a pitcher of milk.

Guests sip from their champagne flutes as casually as from their coffee cups as they fill up on cold cuts, cheeses and buttery croissants spread liberally with Nutella.

An unexpected heat wave bathes Paris in summer light, so I take in the stunning views of the city from Sacre Coeur Basilica and go explore hilly, bohemian Montmartre.

Who knew grapes grow in Paris? They bask in the sun on a slope on Rue des Saules in Clos Montmartre, the city's only vineyard. Not far away, you can feast on sea bass in butter sauce in Le Moulin de la Galette, a restaurant topped by a little 18th-century windmill -- one of only two that remain in the area.

A poster quest

I take alarmingly frequent boulangerie and patisserie breaks.

The bakery near my hotel, just off the Champs ElysÃ©es, has baskets of warm crunchy-soft baguettes and display cases full of elaborate sweets that you can't ignore.

My favorite: a raspberry pistachio gateau, with the tart ruby fruit nestled in sweet clouds of pale green cream in between layers of flaky puff pastry. Heaven.

Haunted by a poster of the Le Monde des ChimÃ¨res restaurant that I've owned for years, I set out for Ãle Saint-Louis -- one of two islands in the Seine -- where the photo was taken.

The restaurant now has a new name, Mon Vieil Ami, but I'm not disappointed. The peaceful little island, with its boutique-lined center street, is a charmer, and food temptations are all around: "lapin Ã  la moutarde" (rabbit with mustard sauce), "chocolat noir" ice cream, "rhubarbe" sorbet.

Close calls at Place de l'Ãtoile

For entertainment, I watch the crazy traffic around the Arc de Triomphe.

There are no lanes and no traffic cops. Cars entering the circle have the right of way, and they roar into the giant roundabout as the other cars already in it (and going alarmingly fast) squeal to a stop, sometimes with just inches to spare.

There are honks and angry hand gestures as vehicles of every imaginable size -- from tiny Smart cars to giant tour buses -- negotiate the circle with equal zeal.

Want to exit the roundabout into one of the 12 avenues fanning out of it? Just cut diagonally in front of all the other traffic. It's both terrifying and fascinating to watch.

When I ask the concierge at my hotel whether she drives around the arch, she smiles and shrugs her shoulders, "Sure, you just do it. You just keep going; otherwise the other cars will just" -- here she's at a loss for words and mimes what looks like vehicles swerving wildly around her.

Her colleague at the front desk then confesses that when her husband goes around the arch, "I just close my eyes."

They tell me that when there is an accident at the Place de l'Ãtoile, the insurance companies of both drivers always split the bill 50/50. It's just too difficult to ever determine who is at fault. "But there are no accidents," one of the women insists.

Cheese heaven

For a traffic-free experience, I head to Rue Cler, a pedestrian market street not far from the Eiffel Tower where Julia Child used to shop. You can sit down for a meal or assemble a moveable feast at the fruit, produce and specialty food shops that dot the area.

The fromagerie itself is worthy of the trip: There are hundreds of varieties of cheeses for sale, their collective aroma wafting out into the street. You could make it your mission to try one cheese each day of the year and still not go through them all.

For now, my time is running out.

I watch one more time as the Eiffel Tower sparkles like a champagne glass at night, with the hourly evening light show eliciting oohs, aahs and applause from the crowd on the Champ de Mars.

Then I give in and buy a souvenir: a "J'adore Paris" T-shirt. I will wear it often.

text: Paris

text: CNN

text: When

text: you

text: 're

text: in

text: love

text: in

text: Paris

text: you

text: show

text: it

text: with

text: a

text: lock

text: A

text: combination

text: lock

text: a

text: bicycle

text: lock

text: or

text: most

text: commonly

text: a

text: simple

text: padlock

text: hundreds

text: of

text: them

text: all

text: inscribed

text: with

text: the

text: names

text: of

text: lovers

text: and

text: clinging

text: to

text: the

text: chain

text: link

text: railing

text: of

text: the

text: Pont

text: des

text: Arts

text: the

text: Bridge

text: of

text: Arts

text: the

text: keys

text: romantically

text: tossed

text: into

text: the

text: Seine

text: flowing

text: below

text: Without

text: you

text: my

text: life

text: does

text: n't

text: make

text: sense

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: locks

text: reads

text: in

text: French

text: Walter

text: and

text: Tammy

text: engaged

text: another

text: announces

text: to

text: the

text: world

text: in

text: English

text: You

text: might

text: easily

text: miss

text: the

text: modest

text: pedestrian

text: bridge

text: with

text: the

text: shiny

text: accessories

text: in

text: the

text: tourist

text: rush

text: to

text: find

text: historic

text: Pont

text: Neuf

text: or

text: the

text: ornate

text: Pont

text: Alexandre

text: III

text: but

text: I

text: am

text: taking

text: it

text: slow

text: on

text: my

text: second

text: visit

text: to

text: Paris

text: There

text: are

text: no

text: museums

text: on

text: my

text: itinerary

text: and

text: no

text: mad

text: scrambles

text: to

text: fit

text: in

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: 's

text: famous

text: sites

text: I

text: 've

text: already

text: seen

text: the

text: Mona

text: Lisa

text: been

text: to

text: the

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: Eiffel

text: Tower

text: gazed

text: down

text: on

text: Napoleon

text: 's

text: tomb

text: and

text: admired

text: Notre

text: Dame

text: This

text: visit

text: is

text: for

text: savoring

text: Paris

text: walking

text: to

text: wherever

text: fancy

text: strikes

text: sitting

text: in

text: any

text: park

text: or

text: cafÃ

text: that

text: looks

text: inviting

text: and

text: eating

text: as

text: many

text: baguettes

text: pastries

text: and

text: other

text: delectable

text: things

text: as

text: my

text: budget

text: and

text: figure

text: will

text: allow

text: Sleepless

text: Night

text: When

text: I

text: arrive

text: Purple

text: Rain

text: is

text: the

text: talk

text: of

text: the

text: town

text: It

text: 's

text: the

text: first

text: weekend

text: of

text: October

text: so

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Paris

text: are

text: extra

text: crowded

text: for

text: the

text: annual

text: Nuit

text: Blanche

text: White

text: Night

text: or

text: Sleepless

text: Night

text: when

text: museums

text: stay

text: open

text: until

text: dawn

text: and

text: organizers

text: promise

text: surprising

text: and

text: unusual

text: art

text: installations

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: city

text: One

text: of

text: them

text: invites

text: visitors

text: to

text: pick

text: up

text: a

text: clear

text: plastic

text: umbrella

text: and

text: walk

text: through

text: a

text: courtyard

text: as

text: rain

text: machines

text: and

text: mauve

text: lights

text: make

text: it

text: look

text: like

text: they

text: 've

text: stepped

text: into

text: Prince

text: 's

text: hit

text: song

text: I

text: start

text: each

text: of

text: my

text: few

text: days

text: in

text: Paris

text: with

text: champagne

text: It

text: 's

text: right

text: there

text: chilling

text: in

text: an

text: ice

text: bucket

text: in

text: the

text: corner

text: of

text: my

text: hotel

text: 's

text: breakfast

text: buffet

text: every

text: morning

text: not

text: far

text: from

text: a

text: pitcher

text: of

text: milk

text: Guests

text: sip

text: from

text: their

text: champagne

text: flutes

text: as

text: casually

text: as

text: from

text: their

text: coffee

text: cups

text: as

text: they

text: fill

text: up

text: on

text: cold

text: cuts

text: cheeses

text: and

text: buttery

text: croissants

text: spread

text: liberally

text: with

text: Nutella

text: An

text: unexpected

text: heat

text: wave

text: bathes

text: Paris

text: in

text: summer

text: light

text: so

text: I

text: take

text: in

text: the

text: stunning

text: views

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: from

text: Sacre

text: Coeur

text: Basilica

text: and

text: go

text: explore

text: hilly

text: bohemian

text: Montmartre

text: Who

text: knew

text: grapes

text: grow

text: in

text: Paris

text: They

text: bask

text: in

text: the

text: sun

text: on

text: a

text: slope

text: on

text: Rue

text: des

text: Saules

text: in

text: Clos

text: Montmartre

text: the

text: city

text: 's

text: only

text: vineyard

text: Not

text: far

text: away

text: you

text: can

text: feast

text: on

text: sea

text: bass

text: in

text: butter

text: sauce

text: in

text: Le

text: Moulin

text: de

text: la

text: Galette

text: a

text: restaurant

text: topped

text: by

text: a

text: little

text: century

text: windmill

text: one

text: of

text: only

text: two

text: that

text: remain

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: A

text: poster

text: quest

text: I

text: take

text: alarmingly

text: frequent

text: boulangerie

text: and

text: patisserie

text: breaks

text: The

text: bakery

text: near

text: my

text: hotel

text: just

text: off

text: the

text: Champs

text: ElysÃ

text: es

text: has

text: baskets

text: of

text: warm

text: crunchy

text: soft

text: baguettes

text: and

text: display

text: cases

text: full

text: of

text: elaborate

text: sweets

text: that

text: you

text: ca

text: n't

text: ignore

text: My

text: favorite

text: a

text: raspberry

text: pistachio

text: gateau

text: with

text: the

text: tart

text: ruby

text: fruit

text: nestled

text: in

text: sweet

text: clouds

text: of

text: pale

text: green

text: cream

text: in

text: between

text: layers

text: of

text: flaky

text: puff

text: pastry

text: Heaven

text: Haunted

text: by

text: a

text: poster

text: of

text: the

text: Le

text: Monde

text: des

text: ChimÃ¨res

text: restaurant

text: that

text: I

text: 've

text: owned

text: for

text: years

text: I

text: set

text: out

text: for

text: Ãle

text: Saint

text: Louis

text: one

text: of

text: two

text: islands

text: in

text: the

text: Seine

text: where

text: the

text: photo

text: was

text: taken

text: The

text: restaurant

text: now

text: has

text: a

text: new

text: name

text: Mon

text: Vieil

text: Ami

text: but

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: disappointed

text: The

text: peaceful

text: little

text: island

text: with

text: its

text: boutique

text: lined

text: center

text: street

text: is

text: a

text: charmer

text: and

text: food

text: temptations

text: are

text: all

text: around

text: lapin

text: Ã

text: la

text: moutarde

text: rabbit

text: with

text: mustard

text: sauce

text: chocolat

text: noir

text: ice

text: cream

text: rhubarbe

text: sorbet

text: Close

text: calls

text: at

text: Place

text: de

text: l'Ãtoile

text: For

text: entertainment

text: I

text: watch

text: the

text: crazy

text: traffic

text: around

text: the

text: Arc

text: de

text: Triomphe

text: There

text: are

text: no

text: lanes

text: and

text: no

text: traffic

text: cops

text: Cars

text: entering

text: the

text: circle

text: have

text: the

text: right

text: of

text: way

text: and

text: they

text: roar

text: into

text: the

text: giant

text: roundabout

text: as

text: the

text: other

text: cars

text: already

text: in

text: it

text: and

text: going

text: alarmingly

text: fast

text: squeal

text: to

text: a

text: stop

text: sometimes

text: with

text: just

text: inches

text: to

text: spare

text: There

text: are

text: honks

text: and

text: angry

text: hand

text: gestures

text: as

text: vehicles

text: of

text: every

text: imaginable

text: size

text: from

text: tiny

text: Smart

text: cars

text: to

text: giant

text: tour

text: buses

text: negotiate

text: the

text: circle

text: with

text: equal

text: zeal

text: Want

text: to

text: exit

text: the

text: roundabout

text: into

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: avenues

text: fanning

text: out

text: of

text: it

text: Just

text: cut

text: diagonally

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: all

text: the

text: other

text: traffic

text: It

text: 's

text: both

text: terrifying

text: and

text: fascinating

text: to

text: watch

text: When

text: I

text: ask

text: the

text: concierge

text: at

text: my

text: hotel

text: whether

text: she

text: drives

text: around

text: the

text: arch

text: she

text: smiles

text: and

text: shrugs

text: her

text: shoulders

text: Sure

text: you

text: just

text: do

text: it

text: You

text: just

text: keep

text: going

text: otherwise

text: the

text: other

text: cars

text: will

text: just

text: here

text: she

text: 's

text: at

text: a

text: loss

text: for

text: words

text: and

text: mimes

text: what

text: looks

text: like

text: vehicles

text: swerving

text: wildly

text: around

text: her

text: Her

text: colleague

text: at

text: the

text: front

text: desk

text: then

text: confesses

text: that

text: when

text: her

text: husband

text: goes

text: around

text: the

text: arch

text: I

text: just

text: close

text: my

text: eyes

text: They

text: tell

text: me

text: that

text: when

text: there

text: is

text: an

text: accident

text: at

text: the

text: Place

text: de

text: l'Ãtoile

text: the

text: insurance

text: companies

text: of

text: both

text: drivers

text: always

text: split

text: the

text: bill

text: It

text: 's

text: just

text: too

text: difficult

text: to

text: ever

text: determine

text: who

text: is

text: at

text: fault

text: But

text: there

text: are

text: no

text: accidents

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: women

text: insists

text: Cheese

text: heaven

text: For

text: a

text: traffic

text: free

text: experience

text: I

text: head

text: to

text: Rue

text: Cler

text: a

text: pedestrian

text: market

text: street

text: not

text: far

text: from

text: the

text: Eiffel

text: Tower

text: where

text: Julia

text: Child

text: used

text: to

text: shop

text: You

text: can

text: sit

text: down

text: for

text: a

text: meal

text: or

text: assemble

text: a

text: moveable

text: feast

text: at

text: the

text: fruit

text: produce

text: and

text: specialty

text: food

text: shops

text: that

text: dot

text: the

text: area

text: The

text: fromagerie

text: itself

text: is

text: worthy

text: of

text: the

text: trip

text: There

text: are

text: hundreds

text: of

text: varieties

text: of

text: cheeses

text: for

text: sale

text: their

text: collective

text: aroma

text: wafting

text: out

text: into

text: the

text: street

text: You

text: could

text: make

text: it

text: your

text: mission

text: to

text: try

text: one

text: cheese

text: each

text: day

text: of

text: the

text: year

text: and

text: still

text: not

text: go

text: through

text: them

text: all

text: For

text: now

text: my

text: time

text: is

text: running

text: out

text: I

text: watch

text: one

text: more

text: time

text: as

text: the

text: Eiffel

text: Tower

text: sparkles

text: like

text: a

text: champagne

text: glass

text: at

text: night

text: with

text: the

text: hourly

text: evening

text: light

text: show

text: eliciting

text: oohs

text: aahs

text: and

text: applause

text: from

text: the

text: crowd

text: on

text: the

text: Champ

text: de

text: Mars

text: Then

text: I

text: give

text: in

text: and

text: buy

text: a

text: souvenir

text: a

text: J'adore

text: Paris

text: T

text: shirt

text: I

text: will

text: wear

text: it

text: often

question: What kind of specialty shops are there on Rue Cler?

answer: cialt

text: cialt

question: Where is there crazy traffic?

answer: d the Arc de Trio

text: d the Arc de Trio

question: What can you watch around the Arc de Triomphe?

answer: h the crazy tr

text: h the crazy tr

question: What does the visit focuses on?

answer: savoring Paris:

text: savoring Paris:


text:
(CNN) -- Taliban militants, who implemented Islamic law in Pakistan's violence-plagued Swat Valley last week, have now taken control of a neighboring district.

Protests in Karachi against the creation of sharia courts in Swat Valley.

Here are some answers about the Swat Valley, its history and what's taking place there.

What is Swat Valley? Swat Valley is located in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, near the border with Afghanistan and about 185 miles (300 kilometers) from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

The alpine region once was one of Pakistan's premier tourist destinations, boasting the nation's only ski resort until it was shut down after Taliban militants overran the area. It also was a draw for trout-fishing enthusiasts and those wishing to visit the ancient Buddhist ruins in the area.

What's happening in Swat Valley? In recent years Taliban militants unleashed a wave of violence that claimed hundreds of lives in the province. The militants wanted sharia law -- or Islamic law -- imposed in the region. They took over the valley in 2008.

The central government of Pakistan, which long exerted little control in the area, launched an intense military offensive in late July to flush out the militants. In retaliation, the Taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks and began gaining ground, setting up checkpoints in the area.

Has the government intervened? The militants and the Pakistani government reached a peace deal earlier this year, which was recently signed into law by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

Under the deal, sharia law was imposed in the region. While the peace deal drew criticism for the Pakistani government, some analysts and political observers say the government had little choice but to capitulate, as militants have terrorized the region with beheadings, kidnappings and the destruction of schools.

What's happening now? This week, the Taliban moved to seize control of the neighboring Buner district, bringing it closer to Islamabad than it has been since Taliban insurgency began.

What is sharia law? Sharia law is Islamic law. While there are different interpretations of it, the Taliban's strict interpretation forbids women from being seen in public without their husbands and fathers, requires veils for women and beards for men, and bans music and television.

Consequences are severe; during the Taliban struggle to impose sharia law, anyone found disobeying was pinned to the ground and lashed. Others were beheaded and hung from poles, with notices attached to their bodies that anyone daring to remove the corpse before 48 hours had passed would also be beheaded and hanged.

text: CNN

text: Taliban

text: militants

text: who

text: implemented

text: Islamic

text: law

text: in

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: violence

text: plagued

text: Swat

text: Valley

text: last

text: week

text: have

text: now

text: taken

text: control

text: of

text: a

text: neighboring

text: district

text: Protests

text: in

text: Karachi

text: against

text: the

text: creation

text: of

text: sharia

text: courts

text: in

text: Swat

text: Valley

text: Here

text: are

text: some

text: answers

text: about

text: the

text: Swat

text: Valley

text: its

text: history

text: and

text: what

text: 's

text: taking

text: place

text: there

text: What

text: is

text: Swat

text: Valley

text: Swat

text: Valley

text: is

text: located

text: in

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: North

text: West

text: Frontier

text: Province

text: near

text: the

text: border

text: with

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: about

text: miles

text: kilometers

text: from

text: the

text: Pakistani

text: capital

text: of

text: Islamabad

text: The

text: alpine

text: region

text: once

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: premier

text: tourist

text: destinations

text: boasting

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: only

text: ski

text: resort

text: until

text: it

text: was

text: shut

text: down

text: after

text: Taliban

text: militants

text: overran

text: the

text: area

text: It

text: also

text: was

text: a

text: draw

text: for

text: trout

text: fishing

text: enthusiasts

text: and

text: those

text: wishing

text: to

text: visit

text: the

text: ancient

text: Buddhist

text: ruins

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: What

text: 's

text: happening

text: in

text: Swat

text: Valley

text: In

text: recent

text: years

text: Taliban

text: militants

text: unleashed

text: a

text: wave

text: of

text: violence

text: that

text: claimed

text: hundreds

text: of

text: lives

text: in

text: the

text: province

text: The

text: militants

text: wanted

text: sharia

text: law

text: or

text: Islamic

text: law

text: imposed

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: They

text: took

text: over

text: the

text: valley

text: in

text: The

text: central

text: government

text: of

text: Pakistan

text: which

text: long

text: exerted

text: little

text: control

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: launched

text: an

text: intense

text: military

text: offensive

text: in

text: late

text: July

text: to

text: flush

text: out

text: the

text: militants

text: In

text: retaliation

text: the

text: Taliban

text: carried

text: out

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: deadly

text: attacks

text: and

text: began

text: gaining

text: ground

text: setting

text: up

text: checkpoints

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: Has

text: the

text: government

text: intervened

text: The

text: militants

text: and

text: the

text: Pakistani

text: government

text: reached

text: a

text: peace

text: deal

text: earlier

text: this

text: year

text: which

text: was

text: recently

text: signed

text: into

text: law

text: by

text: Pakistani

text: President

text: Asif

text: Ali

text: Zardari

text: Under

text: the

text: deal

text: sharia

text: law

text: was

text: imposed

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: While

text: the

text: peace

text: deal

text: drew

text: criticism

text: for

text: the

text: Pakistani

text: government

text: some

text: analysts

text: and

text: political

text: observers

text: say

text: the

text: government

text: had

text: little

text: choice

text: but

text: to

text: capitulate

text: as

text: militants

text: have

text: terrorized

text: the

text: region

text: with

text: beheadings

text: kidnappings

text: and

text: the

text: destruction

text: of

text: schools

text: What

text: 's

text: happening

text: now

text: This

text: week

text: the

text: Taliban

text: moved

text: to

text: seize

text: control

text: of

text: the

text: neighboring

text: Buner

text: district

text: bringing

text: it

text: closer

text: to

text: Islamabad

text: than

text: it

text: has

text: been

text: since

text: Taliban

text: insurgency

text: began

text: What

text: is

text: sharia

text: law

text: Sharia

text: law

text: is

text: Islamic

text: law

text: While

text: there

text: are

text: different

text: interpretations

text: of

text: it

text: the

text: Taliban

text: 's

text: strict

text: interpretation

text: forbids

text: women

text: from

text: being

text: seen

text: in

text: public

text: without

text: their

text: husbands

text: and

text: fathers

text: requires

text: veils

text: for

text: women

text: and

text: beards

text: for

text: men

text: and

text: bans

text: music

text: and

text: television

text: Consequences

text: are

text: severe

text: during

text: the

text: Taliban

text: struggle

text: to

text: impose

text: sharia

text: law

text: anyone

text: found

text: disobeying

text: was

text: pinned

text: to

text: the

text: ground

text: and

text: lashed

text: Others

text: were

text: beheaded

text: and

text: hung

text: from

text: poles

text: with

text: notices

text: attached

text: to

text: their

text: bodies

text: that

text: anyone

text: daring

text: to

text: remove

text: the

text: corpse

text: before

text: hours

text: had

text: passed

text: would

text: also

text: be

text: beheaded

text: and

text: hanged

question: What made it a top tourist attraction?

answer: boasting the nation's only ski resort

text: boasting the nation's only ski resort

question: What was once Pakistan's top tourist attraction?

answer: Swat Valley?

text: Swat Valley?

question: What are militants now closer to?

answer: Islamabad

text: Islamabad

question: What is the militants doing?

answer: have now taken control of a neighboring district.

text: have now taken control of a neighboring district.

question: What was once one of Pakistan's top tourist attractions?

answer: The alpine region

text: The alpine region

question: Who took control of neighboring Buner district?

answer: militants,

text: militants,


text:
DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNN)  -- Bob Konrardy carried the guilt with him for more than 40 years. A platoon commander in Vietnam, Konrardy was wounded when shrapnel tore through his body. Four comrades carried him to safety in a poncho for more than an hour while the firefight raged.

Bob Konrardy says the fallen soldier monument outside his home honors soldiers killed in Iraq like Dave Behrle.

"These four guys went back to help the platoon because they were still fighting, and all four of those guys got killed," Konrardy says. "I felt guilty for 40-something years."

Two years ago, Konrardy got to thinking: He'd be a Santa of sorts for soldiers in Iraq as a way to help him deal with his conscience.

He would collect autographed college and pro footballs, letters from local kids and other mementoes from home to help inspire the troops in Iraq. Then, he would have the goods delivered to his old platoon serving in Iraq, the First Cavalry Division.

He initially thought he'd have the material shipped. But his plan changed when the military signed off for Konrardy to deliver the goods in person and work as an embedded journalist for a local paper.

The 65-year-old grandpa was about to head to one of the world's most dangerous places.  Watch "I could have been killed" Â»

"I wanted to maybe bury some Vietnam demons and just make a difference with this platoon and maybe make up for what I didn't do with my old platoon," he says. "I thought it was going to go one way. It went the other. It made me worse."

He adds, "I couldn't sleep before, but now it's worse. I hate to see it get dark. I get extremely nervous. I get uptight. I just don't like to see it get dark. And once it is dark, I'm on edge until it gets dawn."

Konrardy's story is one of patriotism, heroism and torment -- a war veteran unable to escape what happened in 1965, when he was just 23.

"Here's a guy who is a true American hero in his own right. He was wounded in action in the Iadrang Valley, and he comes into a combat zone 40 years later," says Maj. Chris Rogers, the operations officer of the 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, when Konrardy embedded with them.

"In my opinion, he's a guy who has done it all -- bled for his own country -- and he's more interested in telling the story of today's generation of young heroes than trumpeting his own horn."

Konrardy was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder shortly after he retired from John Deere in 2002, when he says his disorder really kicked in. He once sleep-drove to a Wal-Mart about 20 minutes from his home at 3 a.m. He doesn't recall how he got there or how he got home. He only remembers a guy mopping the floor asking if he could be helped.

Other times, he'd patrol the neighborhood in the wee hours of the night with his loaded 9-mm pistol on his hip. His counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs once asked what he would do if the police ever stopped him.

"I said, 'I'll just shoot out his windows and escape and evade back to the house. I think it'd be fun.' She didn't like that answer," he says with a laugh. "So I'm lucky because that's probably what I would've tried to do."

Konrardy checked himself into a VA facility in Des Moines, Iowa, to get help for his PTSD. He chuckles more when he recounts trying to escape from the place and police approached him. "I rolled down a hill and started running so they couldn't catch me. They said that was the wrong thing to do."  Learn about PTSD and how to get help Â»

He says he was then put in an isolation ward for 11 days and nights, and eventually released. It was August 2005.

Fast forward to the fall of 2006. That's when Konrardy spoke to his grandson's eighth-grade class about his war experience. They thanked him for serving his country. "Nobody had ever done that before, for serving in Vietnam," he says.

He started e-mailing members of the Army's First Cavalry Division as part of his grandson's "adopt a platoon" project. He got autographed footballs from the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts, as well as from the University of Tennessee and University of Georgia.

Even the players at local St. Ambrose University chipped in with a football of their own: the game ball from their championship game. "I just wanted to do something and make up for what I didn't do for my guys," Konrardy says.

His family gathered for Christmas that year and he told of his plans to travel to Iraq. "Everybody cried," he says. "I said, 'Hey, this is a chance of a lifetime. I have to go.' "

Quizzed about why a man who was held in a VA facility a couple years earlier was cleared to travel to Iraq, Konrardy laughs. He says CNN is the first to ask  that question.

But he adds the original plan was for him to not go into combat. "On the way over, I didn't think I'd be going out."

By March 2007, the old warrior's boots were on the ground in Baghdad. His plan was to hand out the 95 pounds of goods and kick back with the soldiers at base camp, collecting their stories and gathering video to give to their families back home. Konrardy handed the St. Ambrose football to a soldier named David W. Behrle, a 20-year-old from Tipton, Iowa. He scooped it up and cherished it.

Konrardy was officially in Iraq as an embedded journalist to file blog posts for "The Quad-City Times." He had not intended to go into combat, but that quickly changed. He says the commander said if he wanted to get to know the troops "you've gotta be proactive."

Konrardy says he hopped into a Humvee and began patrolling the tight streets of Baghdad with the unit. He was assigned the back right seat for four days.

His Humvee once struck a dud of a roadside bomb that blew the tire out underneath where he was sitting. Gunfire erupted. "Looking back, I'm thinking, 'Wow, I could have been killed,' " he says.

He's still haunted by another time in Iraq -- not because of what happened, but because of what he didn't do.

"I'm going to the bathroom and I hear somebody crying. My first instinct was to be a grandpa: I'm going to go in and I'm going to hold this young kid whoever it is and just say, 'I know where you're coming from. I've been there. Let's just talk.' "

He adds, "But I chickened out. I didn't do that. Now, I wish I would have."

A few weeks after he left Iraq, soldiers he befriended were riding in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle on patrol around Baghdad. He says the soldiers had recently saved a young Iraqi girl who had been shot in the head from insurgent crossfire. But on this day, May 19, 2007, a roadside bomb went off, killing all six soldiers inside.

One of those killed was Spc. David Behrle, the soldier who loved the football hand-delivered by Konrardy.

"I took that hard. It still bothers me," Konrardy says.

Outside his Iowa home, a flagpole stands on Konrardy's lawn. A fallen soldier monument sits at its base with a pair of boots, rifle facing down and helmet with the name "Behrle" on it.

Behrle's family was so moved by Konrardy they had it built for him. Kneeling next to the monument, Konrardy says, "It reminds me of Dave. But it also reminds me of the Behrle family and how close we've gotten with them and how great they've been in my grieving for Dave and helping me ... try to readjust to the things I went through in Iraq."

"They say I helped them; I say they helped me."

The lifelong Republican recently did something he thought he'd never do: He says he voted for a Democrat for the president of the United States. Thousands of American troops will soon be returning home in need of help just like him.

Konrardy, who is still getting PTSD treatment, wishes the rest of the nation could better understand what that's like.

"I just want them to realize the life of a soldier is not what you think," he says. "It changes you for the rest of your life."

text: DAVENPORT

text: Iowa

text: CNN

text: Bob

text: Konrardy

text: carried

text: the

text: guilt

text: with

text: him

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: years

text: A

text: platoon

text: commander

text: in

text: Vietnam

text: Konrardy

text: was

text: wounded

text: when

text: shrapnel

text: tore

text: through

text: his

text: body

text: Four

text: comrades

text: carried

text: him

text: to

text: safety

text: in

text: a

text: poncho

text: for

text: more

text: than

text: an

text: hour

text: while

text: the

text: firefight

text: raged

text: Bob

text: Konrardy

text: says

text: the

text: fallen

text: soldier

text: monument

text: outside

text: his

text: home

text: honors

text: soldiers

text: killed

text: in

text: Iraq

text: like

text: Dave

text: Behrle

text: These

text: four

text: guys

text: went

text: back

text: to

text: help

text: the

text: platoon

text: because

text: they

text: were

text: still

text: fighting

text: and

text: all

text: four

text: of

text: those

text: guys

text: got

text: killed

text: Konrardy

text: says

text: I

text: felt

text: guilty

text: for

text: years

text: Two

text: years

text: ago

text: Konrardy

text: got

text: to

text: thinking

text: He

text: 'd

text: be

text: a

text: Santa

text: of

text: sorts

text: for

text: soldiers

text: in

text: Iraq

text: as

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: help

text: him

text: deal

text: with

text: his

text: conscience

text: He

text: would

text: collect

text: autographed

text: college

text: and

text: pro

text: footballs

text: letters

text: from

text: local

text: kids

text: and

text: other

text: mementoes

text: from

text: home

text: to

text: help

text: inspire

text: the

text: troops

text: in

text: Iraq

text: Then

text: he

text: would

text: have

text: the

text: goods

text: delivered

text: to

text: his

text: old

text: platoon

text: serving

text: in

text: Iraq

text: the

text: First

text: Cavalry

text: Division

text: He

text: initially

text: thought

text: he

text: 'd

text: have

text: the

text: material

text: shipped

text: But

text: his

text: plan

text: changed

text: when

text: the

text: military

text: signed

text: off

text: for

text: Konrardy

text: to

text: deliver

text: the

text: goods

text: in

text: person

text: and

text: work

text: as

text: an

text: embedded

text: journalist

text: for

text: a

text: local

text: paper

text: The

text: old

text: grandpa

text: was

text: about

text: to

text: head

text: to

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: most

text: dangerous

text: places

text: Watch

text: I

text: could

text: have

text: been

text: killed

text: Â

text: I

text: wanted

text: to

text: maybe

text: bury

text: some

text: Vietnam

text: demons

text: and

text: just

text: make

text: a

text: difference

text: with

text: this

text: platoon

text: and

text: maybe

text: make

text: up

text: for

text: what

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: do

text: with

text: my

text: old

text: platoon

text: he

text: says

text: I

text: thought

text: it

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: go

text: one

text: way

text: It

text: went

text: the

text: other

text: It

text: made

text: me

text: worse

text: He

text: adds

text: I

text: could

text: n't

text: sleep

text: before

text: but

text: now

text: it

text: 's

text: worse

text: I

text: hate

text: to

text: see

text: it

text: get

text: dark

text: I

text: get

text: extremely

text: nervous

text: I

text: get

text: uptight

text: I

text: just

text: do

text: n't

text: like

text: to

text: see

text: it

text: get

text: dark

text: And

text: once

text: it

text: is

text: dark

text: I

text: 'm

text: on

text: edge

text: until

text: it

text: gets

text: dawn

text: Konrardy

text: 's

text: story

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: patriotism

text: heroism

text: and

text: torment

text: a

text: war

text: veteran

text: unable

text: to

text: escape

text: what

text: happened

text: in

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: just

text: Here

text: 's

text: a

text: guy

text: who

text: is

text: a

text: true

text: American

text: hero

text: in

text: his

text: own

text: right

text: He

text: was

text: wounded

text: in

text: action

text: in

text: the

text: Iadrang

text: Valley

text: and

text: he

text: comes

text: into

text: a

text: combat

text: zone

text: years

text: later

text: says

text: Maj

text: Chris

text: Rogers

text: the

text: operations

text: officer

text: of

text: the

text: Battalion

text: Cavalry

text: when

text: Konrardy

text: embedded

text: with

text: them

text: In

text: my

text: opinion

text: he

text: 's

text: a

text: guy

text: who

text: has

text: done

text: it

text: all

text: bled

text: for

text: his

text: own

text: country

text: and

text: he

text: 's

text: more

text: interested

text: in

text: telling

text: the

text: story

text: of

text: today

text: 's

text: generation

text: of

text: young

text: heroes

text: than

text: trumpeting

text: his

text: own

text: horn

text: Konrardy

text: was

text: diagnosed

text: with

text: post

text: traumatic

text: stress

text: disorder

text: shortly

text: after

text: he

text: retired

text: from

text: John

text: Deere

text: in

text: when

text: he

text: says

text: his

text: disorder

text: really

text: kicked

text: in

text: He

text: once

text: sleep

text: drove

text: to

text: a

text: Wal

text: Mart

text: about

text: minutes

text: from

text: his

text: home

text: at

text: a.m.

text: He

text: does

text: n't

text: recall

text: how

text: he

text: got

text: there

text: or

text: how

text: he

text: got

text: home

text: He

text: only

text: remembers

text: a

text: guy

text: mopping

text: the

text: floor

text: asking

text: if

text: he

text: could

text: be

text: helped

text: Other

text: times

text: he

text: 'd

text: patrol

text: the

text: neighborhood

text: in

text: the

text: wee

text: hours

text: of

text: the

text: night

text: with

text: his

text: loaded

text: pistol

text: on

text: his

text: hip

text: His

text: counselor

text: with

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: once

text: asked

text: what

text: he

text: would

text: do

text: if

text: the

text: police

text: ever

text: stopped

text: him

text: I

text: said

text: I

text: 'll

text: just

text: shoot

text: out

text: his

text: windows

text: and

text: escape

text: and

text: evade

text: back

text: to

text: the

text: house

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 'd

text: be

text: fun

text: She

text: did

text: n't

text: like

text: that

text: answer

text: he

text: says

text: with

text: a

text: laugh

text: So

text: I

text: 'm

text: lucky

text: because

text: that

text: 's

text: probably

text: what

text: I

text: would

text: 've

text: tried

text: to

text: do

text: Konrardy

text: checked

text: himself

text: into

text: a

text: VA

text: facility

text: in

text: Des

text: Moines

text: Iowa

text: to

text: get

text: help

text: for

text: his

text: PTSD

text: He

text: chuckles

text: more

text: when

text: he

text: recounts

text: trying

text: to

text: escape

text: from

text: the

text: place

text: and

text: police

text: approached

text: him

text: I

text: rolled

text: down

text: a

text: hill

text: and

text: started

text: running

text: so

text: they

text: could

text: n't

text: catch

text: me

text: They

text: said

text: that

text: was

text: the

text: wrong

text: thing

text: to

text: do

text: Learn

text: about

text: PTSD

text: and

text: how

text: to

text: get

text: help

text: Â

text: He

text: says

text: he

text: was

text: then

text: put

text: in

text: an

text: isolation

text: ward

text: for

text: days

text: and

text: nights

text: and

text: eventually

text: released

text: It

text: was

text: August

text: Fast

text: forward

text: to

text: the

text: fall

text: of

text: That

text: 's

text: when

text: Konrardy

text: spoke

text: to

text: his

text: grandson

text: 's

text: eighth

text: grade

text: class

text: about

text: his

text: war

text: experience

text: They

text: thanked

text: him

text: for

text: serving

text: his

text: country

text: Nobody

text: had

text: ever

text: done

text: that

text: before

text: for

text: serving

text: in

text: Vietnam

text: he

text: says

text: He

text: started

text: e

text: mailing

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Army

text: 's

text: First

text: Cavalry

text: Division

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: his

text: grandson

text: 's

text: adopt

text: a

text: platoon

text: project

text: He

text: got

text: autographed

text: footballs

text: from

text: the

text: Green

text: Bay

text: Packers

text: and

text: Indianapolis

text: Colts

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: from

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Tennessee

text: and

text: University

text: of

text: Georgia

text: Even

text: the

text: players

text: at

text: local

text: St.

text: Ambrose

text: University

text: chipped

text: in

text: with

text: a

text: football

text: of

text: their

text: own

text: the

text: game

text: ball

text: from

text: their

text: championship

text: game

text: I

text: just

text: wanted

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: and

text: make

text: up

text: for

text: what

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: do

text: for

text: my

text: guys

text: Konrardy

text: says

text: His

text: family

text: gathered

text: for

text: Christmas

text: that

text: year

text: and

text: he

text: told

text: of

text: his

text: plans

text: to

text: travel

text: to

text: Iraq

text: Everybody

text: cried

text: he

text: says

text: I

text: said

text: Hey

text: this

text: is

text: a

text: chance

text: of

text: a

text: lifetime

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: go

text: Quizzed

text: about

text: why

text: a

text: man

text: who

text: was

text: held

text: in

text: a

text: VA

text: facility

text: a

text: couple

text: years

text: earlier

text: was

text: cleared

text: to

text: travel

text: to

text: Iraq

text: Konrardy

text: laughs

text: He

text: says

text: CNN

text: is

text: the

text: first

text: to

text: ask

text: that

text: question

text: But

text: he

text: adds

text: the

text: original

text: plan

text: was

text: for

text: him

text: to

text: not

text: go

text: into

text: combat

text: On

text: the

text: way

text: over

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: think

text: I

text: 'd

text: be

text: going

text: out

text: By

text: March

text: the

text: old

text: warrior

text: 's

text: boots

text: were

text: on

text: the

text: ground

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: His

text: plan

text: was

text: to

text: hand

text: out

text: the

text: pounds

text: of

text: goods

text: and

text: kick

text: back

text: with

text: the

text: soldiers

text: at

text: base

text: camp

text: collecting

text: their

text: stories

text: and

text: gathering

text: video

text: to

text: give

text: to

text: their

text: families

text: back

text: home

text: Konrardy

text: handed

text: the

text: St.

text: Ambrose

text: football

text: to

text: a

text: soldier

text: named

text: David

text: W.

text: Behrle

text: a

text: old

text: from

text: Tipton

text: Iowa

text: He

text: scooped

text: it

text: up

text: and

text: cherished

text: it

text: Konrardy

text: was

text: officially

text: in

text: Iraq

text: as

text: an

text: embedded

text: journalist

text: to

text: file

text: blog

text: posts

text: for

text: The

text: Quad

text: City

text: Times

text: He

text: had

text: not

text: intended

text: to

text: go

text: into

text: combat

text: but

text: that

text: quickly

text: changed

text: He

text: says

text: the

text: commander

text: said

text: if

text: he

text: wanted

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: know

text: the

text: troops

text: you

text: 've

text: got

text: ta

text: be

text: proactive

text: Konrardy

text: says

text: he

text: hopped

text: into

text: a

text: Humvee

text: and

text: began

text: patrolling

text: the

text: tight

text: streets

text: of

text: Baghdad

text: with

text: the

text: unit

text: He

text: was

text: assigned

text: the

text: back

text: right

text: seat

text: for

text: four

text: days

text: His

text: Humvee

text: once

text: struck

text: a

text: dud

text: of

text: a

text: roadside

text: bomb

text: that

text: blew

text: the

text: tire

text: out

text: underneath

text: where

text: he

text: was

text: sitting

text: Gunfire

text: erupted

text: Looking

text: back

text: I

text: 'm

text: thinking

text: Wow

text: I

text: could

text: have

text: been

text: killed

text: he

text: says

text: He

text: 's

text: still

text: haunted

text: by

text: another

text: time

text: in

text: Iraq

text: not

text: because

text: of

text: what

text: happened

text: but

text: because

text: of

text: what

text: he

text: did

text: n't

text: do

text: I

text: 'm

text: going

text: to

text: the

text: bathroom

text: and

text: I

text: hear

text: somebody

text: crying

text: My

text: first

text: instinct

text: was

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: grandpa

text: I

text: 'm

text: going

text: to

text: go

text: in

text: and

text: I

text: 'm

text: going

text: to

text: hold

text: this

text: young

text: kid

text: whoever

text: it

text: is

text: and

text: just

text: say

text: I

text: know

text: where

text: you

text: 're

text: coming

text: from

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: there

text: Let

text: 's

text: just

text: talk

text: He

text: adds

text: But

text: I

text: chickened

text: out

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: do

text: that

text: Now

text: I

text: wish

text: I

text: would

text: have

text: A

text: few

text: weeks

text: after

text: he

text: left

text: Iraq

text: soldiers

text: he

text: befriended

text: were

text: riding

text: in

text: a

text: Bradley

text: Fighting

text: Vehicle

text: on

text: patrol

text: around

text: Baghdad

text: He

text: says

text: the

text: soldiers

text: had

text: recently

text: saved

text: a

text: young

text: Iraqi

text: girl

text: who

text: had

text: been

text: shot

text: in

text: the

text: head

text: from

text: insurgent

text: crossfire

text: But

text: on

text: this

text: day

text: May

text: a

text: roadside

text: bomb

text: went

text: off

text: killing

text: all

text: six

text: soldiers

text: inside

text: One

text: of

text: those

text: killed

text: was

text: Spc

text: David

text: Behrle

text: the

text: soldier

text: who

text: loved

text: the

text: football

text: hand

text: delivered

text: by

text: Konrardy

text: I

text: took

text: that

text: hard

text: It

text: still

text: bothers

text: me

text: Konrardy

text: says

text: Outside

text: his

text: Iowa

text: home

text: a

text: flagpole

text: stands

text: on

text: Konrardy

text: 's

text: lawn

text: A

text: fallen

text: soldier

text: monument

text: sits

text: at

text: its

text: base

text: with

text: a

text: pair

text: of

text: boots

text: rifle

text: facing

text: down

text: and

text: helmet

text: with

text: the

text: name

text: Behrle

text: on

text: it

text: Behrle

text: 's

text: family

text: was

text: so

text: moved

text: by

text: Konrardy

text: they

text: had

text: it

text: built

text: for

text: him

text: Kneeling

text: next

text: to

text: the

text: monument

text: Konrardy

text: says

text: It

text: reminds

text: me

text: of

text: Dave

text: But

text: it

text: also

text: reminds

text: me

text: of

text: the

text: Behrle

text: family

text: and

text: how

text: close

text: we

text: 've

text: gotten

text: with

text: them

text: and

text: how

text: great

text: they

text: 've

text: been

text: in

text: my

text: grieving

text: for

text: Dave

text: and

text: helping

text: me

text: try

text: to

text: readjust

text: to

text: the

text: things

text: I

text: went

text: through

text: in

text: Iraq

text: They

text: say

text: I

text: helped

text: them

text: I

text: say

text: they

text: helped

text: me

text: The

text: lifelong

text: Republican

text: recently

text: did

text: something

text: he

text: thought

text: he

text: 'd

text: never

text: do

text: He

text: says

text: he

text: voted

text: for

text: a

text: Democrat

text: for

text: the

text: president

text: of

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Thousands

text: of

text: American

text: troops

text: will

text: soon

text: be

text: returning

text: home

text: in

text: need

text: of

text: help

text: just

text: like

text: him

text: Konrardy

text: who

text: is

text: still

text: getting

text: PTSD

text: treatment

text: wishes

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: could

text: better

text: understand

text: what

text: that

text: 's

text: like

text: I

text: just

text: want

text: them

text: to

text: realize

text: the

text: life

text: of

text: a

text: soldier

text: is

text: not

text: what

text: you

text: think

text: he

text: says

text: It

text: changes

text: you

text: for

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: your

text: life

question: What did the Army veteran do?

answer: checked himself into a VA facility

text: checked himself into a VA facility

question: What sould the nation be ready for when troubled soldiers return from Iraq?

answer: post-traumatic stress disorder

text: post-traumatic stress disorder

question: What was the army veteran trying to expunge by going to Iraq?

answer: guilt

text: guilt

question: Who spent four days on patrol in March 2007 as a journalist?

answer: Bob Konrardy

text: Bob Konrardy

question: What was Konrardy's role in March 2007?

answer: s to hand out the 95 pounds of goods and kick back with the soldiers at base camp, collecting their stories and gathering video to give to their families back home

text: s to hand out the 95 pounds of goods and kick back with the soldiers at base camp, collecting their stories and gathering video to give to their families back home

question: How many days did Bob Konrardy spend on patrol in March 2007?

answer: r 1

text: r 1

question: Where did the army veteran go?

answer: Iraq.

text: Iraq.

question: What did Bob Kennedy do?

answer: He would collect autographed college and pro footballs, letters from local kids and other mementoes from home to help inspire the troops in Iraq.

text: He would collect autographed college and pro footballs, letters from local kids and other mementoes from home to help inspire the troops in Iraq.