a glimpse of Iraq (reaaalllyyy loooong)

[fourlofirst]

This is a letter forwarded to me by a friend. It's long, but I found it interesting. He's due home this month.

Hot August Nights

I do not want to talk about the heat again however; I wanted to note August is the hottest month of the year (130 High). As for those cool breezes they are more like the converse of wind chill, it acts like a convection oven. As acclimatized as I have become, it’s damn hot, both from the sun and the current sectarian violence inside Baghdad . This is my last full month in this country and while I will try not to get to preachy this email will not have as many trips as the past so I might fill some of the space up with thoughts and feelings as this adventure comes to a close.

I have logged a lifetime of helicopter flights since I’ve been here, whether it was a Marine CH 46 ( Vietnam era, Frog) or the Army Blackhawk I must admit I enjoyed helicopter flying immensely. Although the CH 53 Super Stallion (aka the super shitter) was not my favorite ride, something about the continuous leaking of hydraulic fluid. As the crew chief will always point out “Sir, if it’s leaking your good to go…if it’s not your in trouble”. Folks always know when you went out on 53 because your uniform is stained with hydraulic fluid. Speaking of leaking when you learn how to take a quick pee break from a landed helicopter with out making a mess in the rotor wash you know you been flying to much.
You really get a feeling for Iraq and its rich past when flying, Iraq is not Saudi Arabia this country is ¼ desert and ¾ fertile lands. It is a biblical land with biblical sized problems. We should be opening it up to venture capital, with some modern technology aka refrigeration and agricultural machinery this place could feed the entire Middle East . Between the oil and the agriculture it would be one of the richest countries in the world.
While in the Blackhawk you’re flying in one of the most modern flying machines in the world going over the top of biblical mud huts, Bedouin tents and donkey carts with peasants hand cutting and carrying crops past irrigation systems as old as the Mesopotamia itself. Flying over a herd of camels or an ancient ruin, it is a surreal almost like an out of body experience.

Probably my last mission was to the city of Iskandariya and the Hateem complex. This would be the equivalent of going to Detroit and visiting the Big Three Automotive makers. Of course the majority of factories were used to supply the war machine so they were blown up in the early stages of OIF 1.
As I’m coming close to the end of my tour here there are some feelings of “do I really need to go outside the wire?” Going to bed that night I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to go but just like when you get thrown from a horse you need to keep riding. That morning I was woken up by a series of indirect fire attacks (3) and if I could have gone back to sleep the “duck and cover” sirens insured I was up for good. The message was clear in the FOB or out, if it’s got your name on it there is not a lot you can do about it. At the end of the day I was glad I went, it was a rewarding trip, we were going to work on contracts with the Bus factory. I must admit I felt like I should see Mr. Rogers in his cardigan sweater as we walked through the factory seeing cold steel transformed in to real honest to goodness civilian busses. Of course we were contracting them to build armored buses so between that and all the weapons it was sort of Mr. Rogers meets Mad Max. Yet to see the Iraqis building something and creating jobs was very good. The factory director was a very capable Engineer and a very personable guy. He told a story when Saddam’s thugs came into his house at midnight and took him to see Saddam. Saddam wanted him to build a restaurant in Baghdad reminiscent of the Space Needle in Seattle . This guy built busses but he had 24 hours to come up with a design, he went home and took the lazy susan out and designed the restaurant based on it. It currently operates in Baghdad .

One of the more interesting things at the factory was Saddam’s super gun. An artillery piece that could hit Israel from Iraq , that’s one BIG GUN. It was taken apart in segments but the original length was 512 feet, the gun was capable of firing a 600kg projectile to a range of a 1000 kilometers or a rocket assisted projectile into orbit. I could sit in the barrel with plenty of room.
On the convoy through the city we passed a lot of local stores and shops, one of the checkpoints is called check point Tea Pot, you guessed it there is a huge Tea Pot statue. There were plenty of Muqtada Al-Sadr propaganda posters with this supposed man of Allah (Shia) framed by mortar men with their faces covered. This just emphasized the internal culture war inside Islam; on one hand the more modern branches want tolerance and westernization while the fundamentalist want death and bondage.

I also got to see a couple of CROWS and Flamingos. Crows is a very cool system which allows an armored humvee to stay buttoned up while the weapons operator can engage targets with the weapons systems on the roof staying safely inside the hummer. It’s applying fighter pilot technology to the grunt. It’s very similar to an Xbox game. The gunner has a heads up display and a joy stick, the neat thing is the computers allow for precision aiming which lessons the collateral damage and insures you get the bad guy.
The Flamingos on the other hand are a clear indication that the Polish have a sense of humor. At their base in Diwaniyah they have put out a few pink flamingos in and amongst the palm trees and bunkers… pretty funny.

After flying back to the IZ I got the word that the Italian Embassy was having a pizza party. Lets see go back to work or go eat Pizza with the Italians, you guessed it I had the first real pizza since leaving the states. You couldn’t argue, it was better then stateside pizza, the Italians built a full blown wood burning pizza oven at their embassy (very cool). For all you ladies there was the typical VERY fashion conscious Italian males making pizzas as fast as they could. During the course of the festivities I learned that four civilians were killed in the morning attack.

Life in a combat zone is a magnifying glass, emotions run high and low. Laughter is sweeter and sadness is more tearful and the loneliness is emptier. Sunday night we get to eat on ceramic plates and metal flat ware. If you would have told me in the States that would be significant I would have laughed at you. Yet it is very significant, it’s Sunday night and I have grown to look forward to it, of course it’s also the night I allow my self desert. This is an exercise in discipline because the chow halls have some form of desert 3 meals a day 7 days a week. Of course there is nothing like Sunday service in Baghdad . We got every corner of the world represented and to hear the Gospel Choir “ROCK” the house is indescribably, it’s like the electricity the first time you kissed your spouse…The whole place is just buzzing!

Time is starting to get excruciatingly slow I keep seeing a Salvador Dali exploding/melting clock every time I look at the time on the wall.

entry: I’m looking forward to seeing clouds when I get home, I haven’t seen any since March. Two days after writing that I wanted to see clouds the sky was mildly overcast with clouds (not dust) you would have thought we were crazy, everyone noticed it and said how great it was.

Things I have grown to hate, the smell of the chow hall in the morning, porta potties, politicians, both Iraqi and US and of course the media. Duplicity is the common speak of politicians in both countries. In Iraq it is in some ways understandable as they need to appeal to the west while also the ignorant masses. Understanding the ignorance is an important first step and the local media helps make matters worse by their movies and news. To give you an example there is a popular movie in the Middle East , “Valley of the Wolves” about the American and Israelis harvesting prisoner’s organs from the Abu Ghraib prison. Fictional obviously but in Oliver Stone / Michael Moore fashion it’s presented as a real life drama.

The latest media joke is the CBS interview with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with Mike Wallace. First let’s understand one of the preambles of the Iranians is to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. Next if we read the entire 18 page letter Ahmadinejad sent to the United States President “just like Osama’s Bin Laden’s propaganda the end desire is to convert the world to Islam… This would be the equivalent of interviewing Hitler and his desire to make everyone Nazis… The noted Arab Muslim Scholar Bernard Lewis believes if Iran gets a nuke they will undoubtedly use it on Israel because the old policy of Mutually Assured Destruction is mute on the Iranian Shia as they would simple go to paradise (this opinion was printed in the WSJ) …Of course lets quickly forget the Hezbollah (Iranian segregate) is directly responsible for driving suicide vehicles and killing 241 US Marines and Sailors, or that Iranian Government and possibly President Ahmadinejad were directly involved in the siege of the American embassy in Iran. The Lebanese cease fire, gives us pause to look at the great media machine Reuters who knowingly released doctored pictures and tolerated staged photo-ops in favor of Hezbollah.

Check out this site. http://www.aish.com/movies/PhotoFraud.asp In case you doubt these, when was the last time you saw a clean stuffed animal after being blow up in explosion? Educators, you should show this to your students.

OK I’m done on my negative rant. There are positives like the Coalition, men and women from around the world dedicated to giving Iraq a chance. Interesting how the countries are ones either just out from the oppression of the USSR or ones that fought the good fight in WWII.
I learned my patron Saint is Saint Jude, Patron Saint of desperate or lost causes. I used to think the Honor, Courage and Commitment were lost causes but seeing everyone’s collective effort here gives me a new found confidence that they are not lost. Of course there are not a lot of us, only 4-tenths of the 1% of citizens in the US wear the uniform of the US Military (Newsweek).

I went out for an early morning (5:45) run around the T Walls and wire. Well, there is nothing like a little Indirect Fire to get your heart rate up and motivate your feet just a little faster...I'm chugging along like you do at stupid dark thirty (still dark) and BOOOOM! I didn't see the impact but it was close...Like HELLO I'm here to RUN! I think my splits went up by at least a minute.

The oo-shit sirens have been going off frequently, which when your living can is next to the siren it has a tendency to shake your fillings out… They can be funny, like the M.A.S.H 4007 announcements… We had a controlled detonation of a big bomb. The announcement starts 30 minutes out and goes down to a 10, 5 and finally a 1 minute warning. “Attention in the embassy compound there will be a controlled detonation in 5 mi “KAAABOOOOOMMMM” minute… you know the Explosive guys were cracking up…

It turns out the last mission was not my last mission. I went back to Hateem, this time Mr. Rogers showed us how he could build Oil Refineries. We flew over Taq Kisra Gate (224-642 BC) it’s a great open vault which spans 75 feet, is 90 feet high and nearly 150 feet deep, and considered one of the most splendid palaces of Sasanian period (Persians), Famous for being the largest vaulted space ever built. All I could think about was Gates of Fire, the story of an invading Persian army, two-million strong, who had to go through a the mountain pass of Thermopylae in eastern Greece. They were met by three hundred Spartan Warriors who held the Persians for a week before the Spartans were eventually destroyed.

Landing in Kalsu we departed ground convoy for Hateem. At one point going through a very busy village where we got stuck in dead stop traffic which is good to see the sites but really bad when the enemy is all around. Finally in Hateem it was intensely HOT and with all the battle gear I was leaking like a sieve. After two plus hours of humping around in 120 degrees I was starting to waver. The funny thing about walking around factors in Third world countries is OSHA doesn’t exist, of course the State Department is trying to apply OSHA standards… they didn’t tell the guys working the metal laths in sandals. Finally we got back in the humvees and started heading back, we got an emergency call, an American Contractor got hit up ahead of us. When we got there the Reva (Armored vehicle 1 ½ times the biggest Suburban) was 90 degrees off the road on it’s side and engulfed in fire. They had already begun working on the causalities; we took up a defensive posture why the unit escorting us coordinated the Medivac. One of the Americans died and the other most likely made it.
By the time we got back to the base I was fried and drank a whole lot of Gatorade, at the time I had consumed 4 liters of water and 4 Gatorades with no trips to the bathroom. Flying back to the IZ we flew over a country wedding…. Which was interesting, luckily they hadn’t started the celebratory fire.

Funny how we imagine things and they end up being so different. I have told people who ask, that service is about Love, love of country, freedom, family, Corps, friends and your buddies. Since I’ve been here I’ve concluded it’s even more about love. A friend gave me a medallion, Proverbs 3:3 he told me it reminded him of my relationship with Nickey. Initially I associated it with Nickey and the kids...but my time here has expanded my comprehension of it...

Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart

I came thinking I was going to kick ass and take names...not what God had in store... Instead I gave out books and tried to win friends and influence enemies...through...you guessed it Love. There is a need for swords; no doubt there is even love in that very struggle.
The I MEF battle cry is “No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy” In my case my path was “No Better Friend”. Amazing how the Military is involved in more humanitarian relief then actual combat. We raised $20,000 in camping gear for the Iraqi scouts and a whole lot more for all kid related organizations. In the end that is where this battle will be won with the upcoming generations.
I could never have done that without all your help, you should feel REALLY GOOD because without you there wouldn’t have been the funds available for books, sewing machines you name it. It’s important to note that this isn’t about financial poverty it’s about mental poverty.

Valuable lesson learned: Whether it’s here in Iraq or in your own lives, hope is an action verb… If your hopeful but don’t act to help realize your hopes, you’re wrong.

Saying goodbye to the Iraqi people is proven difficult. Noha who I have told you about before is starting to loose her positive attitude, her daughter almost got blown up the other day and her husbands factory and their personal farm have been confiscated by the Government. The fact that the Shia are trying to make here wear the black Burka and scarf aren’t helping either. They are becoming desperate and without American help the only way is to leave the country, unfortunately there are zero visas’s being granted. In parting she said that I was like a brother and would always have a home in Iraq .
The street urchins now see me coming and I get the big happy greetings from the kids…probably because there is always food and candy nearby J. Ask an Iraqi youth what their goals are and the usual response is to see the next sun rise.

The big question everyone asks is, Is it worth it, are we doing the right thing? You bet your ass we are. On so many levels this is where the current battle of the fight against Islamic Fascism is. It is a global conflict. The enemy understands the media machine better then are own politicians and they feed you accordingly. There is only two true answers to the fundamentalist Muslim, the utter destruction of Israel and either the death or subjugation of all non Muslims, in the world.
This is a tough tough fight that will not go away, you can wish it would but that’s about the time a Dirty bomb will blow up in downtown San Francisco . The war on terrorism aside just like our grandfathers who rebuilt Japan and Germany we are obligated to help the Iraqis because we are Americans (From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.) Luke 12:48

I achieved two goals I set when I got here. Be awarded a Command Coin from a Three Star General, and bench press two 100 lb dumbbells. First I had never been in the same room as three star before this assignment so to get a coin for a good job is a big deal. Next I figured if I was going to take a year of my life away from my family I could get a year or two back in physical fitness. Both goals were achieved. One undesired goal was using a lifetimes worth of moleskin, for the uninitiated that’s a second skin you put on for blisters. I’ve been fighting a bad pair of boots the entire time in Iraq . At this point like the character in Dr Seuss One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish I have eleven toes.

The fact is to be a Marine there is a certain part of you that never grows up. How else could someone of my age say sleeping in the mud is fun or flying nap of the earth is a kick. I had one more mission left, like the gladiators’ of Rome or the Americans spraying killroy on a wall. Like a dog we feel the need to mark our spot. The Taji National Depot has a huge moth ball fleet of military hardware, tanks, scuds you name it. This is definitely one for Fordor’s see Iraq points of interest, so much so the base PX sells desert brown paint so you cover up someone else’s tagging and do your own. All in all it was very childish trip but fun.

So the coming home process starts in September. It is a process and like anything related to the Government it is fraught with opportunities for delays and screw ups. That said when I’m back in the good ole USA I will send out “the Eagle has landed” message or Saad Asad has landed.

In closing I’ve read a few books since I’ve been here and one sort of sums it up

From book: Ultra Marathon Man

You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough. Joe Louis

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: “WOW!!! What a ride!”

Peace in Christ,

Jim

Warning the below link requires Kleenex.
http://www.pcsuccess.us/yrg/farewell.html

[tacoma73]

Man.....


That was.. great to read that.

[Roc Doc]

This is something that all of those "We should just nuke the whole Middle East" folks should read. Word-for-word!

Stay safe and thanks for your service.

[fourlofirst]

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: “WOW!!! What a ride!”

I thought this applied to the PBB mentality!

[Hooper]

Wow, very literate... I'm impressed, and moved...

[aloharover]

Awsome. Brings back some cool memories. Wish I was as skilled a writer.

[ErikB]

Good read.

I wondered about that aish.com link and the photo fraud (which looks to be orchestrated by Hezbolla). I found another good link about that stuff. Its very long and very detailed though:
http://www.zombietime.com/reuters_photo_fraud/
And there are many others if you search. Interesting how we've heard little or nothing about this.