Hillah, Iraq. Five minutes to midnight. Five minutes until we roll out the gate to take down five high value targets: a former Ba’ath party colonel who is the supervisor of an insurgent training camp, three instructors, and the financier. Plus all the insurgents in training. And their IED making training area, with all its […]

Hillah, Iraq. I don’t mind wasted days so much as I regret the days that I intentionally wish by quickly. We spent the day sitting around ‘just in case’ something happens. The team as a whole, while on good terms and of good spirits, has taken to spending down time in solitude. Sometimes you are even tired of […]

Hillah, Iraq. The Green Berets went to visit the local police at the SWAT compound to discuss concerns with the growing presence of the anti-Coalition demonstrations. The fliers distributed around town called for a rally at town hall tomorrow, so we are going to be standing by at the nearby SWAT compound. I am not […]

Hillah, Iraq. The chanting rolled over the walls of the SWAT compound like a fog, thick and chilling. I had never appreciated the power of a mob until that point. Few things compare to a large group united only in their common discontent. The mob is power with few if any safeties, under the control […]

Hillah, Iraq. I happily received a package from my friends, Tom and Lecia. It contained the first season of Deadwood. My Beautiful Bride and I do not have cable or satellite by choice, but occasionally some program comes along that clearly shows why cable should be ordered a la carte. I have no need for […]

Hillah, Iraq. Camp Charlie has missed its resupply convoys for a few weeks now, meaning that the chow hall can only serve fried chicken, steak, pizza, and rice, which is apparently all that we have left. Breakfast is your choice: scrambled eggs or pancakes. No butter or syrup for those pancakes. The KBR cooks put […]

Hillah, Iraq. We had a trip to Baghdad this afternoon, so we went to lunch early. The chowhall opens at 1130, and the line was already substantial at 1120. As we waited, we noticed KBR employees bypassing the line as they headed to the rear of the chow hall. After a moment, we saw these […]

Hillah, Iraq. Enough said.