Combat Tourist

Well I’m back from my little tour of Iraq. As you know I had to go to a trial in Baghdad and put the Super Mario Brothers away for 6 years each for their possession of an RPG. It was good to see our work finally pay off and see these two go away for a few years. Life expectancy in an Iraqi prison is only seven years so we will see just how tough they really are.

After spending 5 days in the “International Zone” or IZ as the cool kids call it, I am convinced that there are way too many politicians here. In what is one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq, I was surrounded by men and women in suits and ties skirts and heels hustling around talking on their cell phones. I am convinced that these people don’t really understand that there is a war going on about 5 miles away. I stayed at one of Saddam’s former palaces and it was very awesome, too bad they don’t allow photography inside. I ate Burger King and Pizza Hut and got coffee from the Green Bean Coffee Shop every morning. At night we watched movies off the side of the cabaña next to Saddam’s former palace pool. We went site seeing and saw the Al Rasheed Hotel where all the press stays; I saw the “Cross Sabers” and the Iraqi Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and many other sites as well.

It will probably be the only trip that I will ever make to Baghdad, so I made the best of it. It was almost like an early R&R and a very much needed break. But now I am back here at my little FOB up here. I did miss this place, it’s got everything we need and there are to many ways to get in trouble and spend money down there so it’s best I stay out of there.

Unfortunately, while I was gone the battalion I am attached too lost 6 guys in a very bad attack. One gun truck was hit with and IED and exploded into flames. The guys in the truck behind them saw their injured buddies trapped inside and got out and started running up to the truck to save their comrades when a second IED detonated on them killing 3 of them. Yesterday was the memorial service for them and it was one of the saddest ones I have been to. I hate going to them, and hopefully I won’t have to go to any more. It was hard to hear as they told each soldiers story and how young some of them where. Some of these guys were born in 1987 and 1988. That’s nearly my little sister’s age, and that’s awful that this happened to these guys that were just barely out of high school. Its just one of the harsh realities of this place I guess.

"Cross Sabers"

"The Palace Pool"

"Saddams Former Palace, now the US Embassy"