Blogs from Iraq, Middle East - page 8

Back With a Bang Well, I made it back to FOB Iskan after cooling my heels for a few days at DFW and Camp Ali Al Salem, Kuwait. I sat out for a couple missions, and then got right back into it and helped capture some bad guys on my first mission back. We raided a bunch of houses, and the funnest part of that mission was that I got to breech several doors and a car window with my shotgun. (By breech, I mean that I shot the lock with the shotgun to weaken it. Then I kicked it open.) Believe or not it's even more fun than it looks like on TV. Guys just like to break and blow things up. Especially when those things belong to a bad person. Funny story: we needed ... read more

I have just reached my official halfway point on my tour, unless they extend me, and I must say that the time has been flying, and soon I should be gazing upon the green fields of England. But until then, let me share more of my good times here. Yesterday I went to visit the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian city of Ur which is right outside our location. The site of the Ziggurat is incredible, over 4000 years old, and still standing as majestic as when the Sumerian kings worshipped on top of its layers. Of course, the top portion is gone over the centuries, but the main structure is still impressive. This is not the first time I have been priviledged to visit this ancient site, in fact, I had been here 4 years ... read more

Here I am the morning of Father's Day in front of a Mosque that is off limits. It is across the street from my HQ's. I'm scheduled to take a flight out to another base tonight or tomorrow. I'll have some pictures and the location after I return. I'm sure it will be interesting.... read more

Erbil - Dohuk - Suleimaniah - Erbil Eight o'clock in the morning, I've just stepped out of the shower. There is a massive blast outside & our rustic hotel room starts to shake. I climb onto my bed & from the small window high up on the wall I can see a huge plume of black smoke starting to fill the sky. Just a few miles away from us a suicide truck bomb has exploded outside a government office. Five days earlier; The first lasting impression I have of this country is of a framed photograph in our hotel of US president George W. Bush standing side by side with Iraqi Kurdistan leader Massoud Barzani. For the past few months in the Middle East (actually everywhere else we've ever been too) we've had the same conversations ... read more

It’s been over 2 years since we made our first transfer through Baghdad International airport. It reminded us of an old movie set that had been filmed many years ago and now was rarely used. After many trips that have filled our passports with Entry & Exit stamps, very little has changed. Small things such as the tiny Duty Free shop opening, electricity being restored and a few more Iraqi civilians spotted here and there. Still, very little when you consider it’s been over 4 years since the airport, and most of the country, came to a crashing stop. So after 2 years, 3months and 12 days, we will say good-bye to this place. Good-bye to the long, hot dusty days; the 14 hour work days, 7 days a week. Soon this place will become ... read more