Two Shallow Graves and We Are Orphans Here

Both of these essays are along the lines of our final formal writing assignment. They are a personal response to a public issue. By personal, I don't mean that the authors have an opinion--everybody has one of those. What I mean is that in order to write their essays they had to go out into the world and experience things. They couldn't just write based on things they read about in the library or online. How did their personal experiences make you see these two historical events (the war in Iraq and the Palestinian crisis) in a new or different light? Other questions:

• What impression did you get of the author as a character in his/her own story (i.e. What is his/her authority (ethos) as a writer?)
• What is the significance of the title for each?
• Both essays are pretty bleak. Did you find moments of lightness or humor in either? Where and what do these moments do for your reading experience? 
• What is bureaucracy?  What role does bureaucracy play in both of these essays? Does it serve a purpose for good, bad, or is it more indeterminate?
• Both of these essays take place in the Middle East. Can you make connections between them? Do they have similar messages or do they overlap in any way?