Iraqi Freedom, 40"(L) x 48"(W), 2004

Embroidery, and stitching on silk and satin, heat transfers of ancient Iraq and maps, photos from Daley Plaza (Chicago) war protest, and other historic photos. Embroidered on the outside border is a letter I received from George W Bush. It is hand and machine stitched.  

Text of embroidery on borders:
Dear Ms. Peterson, Thank you for your letter about the war in Iraq. American and coalition forces are engaged in efforts to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to free the Iraqi people... Coalition forces will make every effort to spare innocent civilians from harm. We come to Iraq with respect for its citizens, civilization, and religious faiths. We have no ambition in Iraq except to remove a threat and restore control of that country to its own people. Best wishes. Sincerely, George W. Bush

This work is a collage of images, ancient Iraq and Middle East maps, and text embroidery. The images include references to British colonial power and Britian's role in the current Iraq War: an old map of England, a photo of the British monarchy (after WW1, from 1921-32 Britian ruled Iraq). A reference to US power is in the image of the US school children lined up in front of the US Capitol; it was my own 8th grade class trip. References to the peace movement are in photos of my children at the first Daley Plaza, Chicago anti war protest held just prior to the first US air strike.

Before the Iraq invasion, I wrote George Bush a letter asking that our country not invade Iraq. He sent me the embroidered letter in response; it was written after the invasion. This was the last letter I received from Bush, although I continued to write letters to him protesting the war. Ironically, he mentions WMD as a reason to invade. Even before the invasion, the news sources I listened to disputed the WMD 'excuse'.