DAY 86 / FEB 23
I woke up still under the blackout restrictions and so, didn't have a whole lot to do. The weather is nice. Today it was in the 70s and felt good outside. For some reason, the other people in my office don't like the warmth so much and so keep the AC on more than I'd like. Well, it does get me out of the office more often.
Its too quiet here… I have some songs on my computer, but those only provide a temporary oasis from the ambient noises – the helicopters, the UAV buzz, the 24 hour semi-roar of the generators that power everything. I miss the sounds of home – the birds in the morning, the dogs barking, the cars going by on the highway, the TV in the background not playing anything in particular, just whatever is on. The sounds of people moving in the house, upstairs, in the kitchen, and everywhere else. It's lonely here with all these people. You aren't alone, but then again, there is no one that is really a friend, no one to talk to. Ok, if things get real bad, there are the "combat stress" people, but that's not what I mean. Its like being at work ALL the time. I guess that's what it is really, at work all the time. There are no weekends, no holidays, no days off. The only thing that separates one day from another is whether or not there is a meeting to go to. The Army has meaning here, but the individual is meaningless.
So, the Brigade cancelled all the patrols today due in part to the greatly increased level of activity following the attack on the Golden Dome Mosque. As of this morning, more than 10 mosques had been hit during the ensuring riots. The Sunnis and the Shias are waging what amounts to a religious civil war (the stupid thing is, they are the same religion – like Protestants and Baptists they just have different view points on some issues). The question for the United States is: are we going to be involved in a civil war here? Is it our place to choose a side? We don't want that, we don't want to choose a side, we have done everything in our power to make this a country where democracy has a chance and religion isn't the overriding factor in who is in charge. If this truly does escalate into a civil war, it could dramatically change our mission here. Once it is clear that the Sunnis and the Shias will not be able to form a government together… where do we stand?
Turned out to be another uneventful day… go figure. Its 2213 and the blackout is still on, so… I'll probably go to be soon and hope for better in the morning. But, I just realized that my keys are in my CHU so I have to wait until my room mate gets there first. Damn!
Blackout Update: It wasn't two that were killed in the IED attack last night – it was three. One managed to get out of his armored track vehicle but died of his wounds while the MEDEVAC was one its way. This is the most we've had killed since we've been here. The insurgents used an IED to disable the vehicle, then had a second IED waiting for when someone came to help the first. The second was not only an explosive, but also contained an accelerant like diesel to start the fire. That brings the total for our Brigade up to five in the three months we've been here. That isn't good, but it's about average for the casualty rate here. At 2323 we are still under blackout.
4 comments:
Just had an odd thought. If they (Iraq) were able to come to a peaceful solution, would have they have Sunni's and Shia's similarly to the Americans Republicans and Democrats?
You need to know the history of Iraq (modern Term)To truely understand what is going on over there now.
Iraq will never be at peace, it has never seen it as a area, an empire, or a country.
Take a look at the area that we now referr to as Iraq.... historically, and biblically.
Read "A peace to End All Peace" and MAYBE you will understand...
Each faction in itself is not bad per se... Both have an equal right to be at war with the other. Neither is wrong with their beliefs. The wounds go centuries deep. It will take much more than any puney little bandaid that we can offer to fix the problem.
That is so true.... all we can offer them is a band aid because we cannot begin to understand (or for many they chose not to understand) what is at stake for these people. I may not agree with how they go about showing their faith but it is their faith. They have been fighting and killing each other since around the 8th century... who are we to think that we can fix it by shoving our form of government down their throats? I support all of our soldiers that are over there 100% but I do think we are fooling ourselves in thinking that we are the cure to the problem... who knows? we may be a huge part of the problem.
SOOOOOO TRUE THERESA!!!!!
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