Another three day shift at the JSS is over and without any mishaps. I filled the time mostly with reading and sleeping, although there was some work. We had to fill hesco barriers outside the larger concrete barriers which surround the compound. Although a bulldozer filled the large wire mesh containers, it took human hands to put them in place. They came folded up on the backs of trucks and took as many as ten men to move them, stand them up and unfold them like accordians. Much is being done to fortify our position and maximize safety, although I think 15 foot high concrete barriers are enough. We did all the work under the cover of night. Occasionally convoys would pass and light us up with their headlights and the sergeants would yell in protest. Right outside the barriers is a good place to get shot.
There is a dog that follows us around and hangs out by the front door. We have given him the name rusty due to his reddish color. Most of the dogs are strays of a mixed breed, but this one appears to have been a pet. The Iraqi police don't like the dog, they say it's dirty and see it as a pest. I agree and won't touch it, however most of the guys like him.
One day a man had a heart attack in the village across the way and they brought him over for treatment. Our medics are clearly more qualified and have more equipment than any doctor in the area so sometimes they bring sick people to see us in emergencies. They brought him in on a stretcher and saved his life.
The Iraqi police are beginning to seem more like normal people as we learn their customs and vice versa. We share magazines like Maxim with pictures of women and new cars and watches and comment on them. Some of them know English words so we can piece together conversations. They aren't trained very well and it shows in the way they carry their weapons and conduct themselves. Their are military police from Fort Drum stationed at the compound as well, training them to be policemen.
Welcome!
17 July 2007
05 July 2007
Day 89
There's not much action outside the wire for my squad. A lot of sitting around and waiting. One day we fired four mortar rounds at an unspecified target. The next night we fired illumination rounds (flairs that burn for 30 seconds or so) in order to see what effect it would have. There is a curfew in place and anyone prowling around at night will be shot.
The joint security site was attacked by bombers this past week. A man in a dumptruck full of explosives drove right up to the gate and blew up. I was in the stryker when it happened. You could only have seen it from the second story roof because of the large concrete barriers surrounding the building. I felt the wave of the explosion though. No one was hurt, but it left a crater ten feet deep. The next day there was another bombing at the train station across the road. The whole side of the building was blown out. Apparently whoever occupies the 'train station' these days sympathizes with the Iraqi army.
I talked with an Iraqi interpreter who shed some light on the conflict brewing in the country. He said that there are different factions, not necessarily divided by religion but by region or political interest. The Iraqi parliament is in disarray and there is constant fighting between the members. Representatives are killed, threatened and disobeyed. It seems there is no way to take control besides military action. There is no telling whose side the bands of unofficial Iraqi police are on. The people in the villages and communities are caught between taking action and supporting their leader and obeying the threats of terrorists that threaten their lives. In fact, many of the people that attack our compound are not criminals themselves, but are forced into service by threats to their families. Many of the suicide bombers have their hands taped to the steering wheel. The bombs are then detonated with a remote device, or once in place the explosives are shot from afar.
The joint security site was attacked by bombers this past week. A man in a dumptruck full of explosives drove right up to the gate and blew up. I was in the stryker when it happened. You could only have seen it from the second story roof because of the large concrete barriers surrounding the building. I felt the wave of the explosion though. No one was hurt, but it left a crater ten feet deep. The next day there was another bombing at the train station across the road. The whole side of the building was blown out. Apparently whoever occupies the 'train station' these days sympathizes with the Iraqi army.
I talked with an Iraqi interpreter who shed some light on the conflict brewing in the country. He said that there are different factions, not necessarily divided by religion but by region or political interest. The Iraqi parliament is in disarray and there is constant fighting between the members. Representatives are killed, threatened and disobeyed. It seems there is no way to take control besides military action. There is no telling whose side the bands of unofficial Iraqi police are on. The people in the villages and communities are caught between taking action and supporting their leader and obeying the threats of terrorists that threaten their lives. In fact, many of the people that attack our compound are not criminals themselves, but are forced into service by threats to their families. Many of the suicide bombers have their hands taped to the steering wheel. The bombs are then detonated with a remote device, or once in place the explosives are shot from afar.
There was a small 4th of July celebration yesterday at the barracks. We played volleyball and ate hamburgers and hot dogs. All of the commanding officers were there. It was uncomfortable because of the heat and the situation we're in. I forced down some food and talked with a few people I hadn't seen in a while.
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