Iraq

At first, I had thought I was going here to help find and round up bad-guys, …but then I realized who the bad-guys really were, and that I was actually here to be exposed to some really great beings, which worked well.

 

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Table of Contents:

  1. Introduction
  2. Introductory Images
  3. Google Earth
  4. Patrols
  5. Patrols, photos group 2
  6. Patrols, photos group 3
  7. Yearbook

 

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Introduction:

I had two trips here during Phase 1, both of course in the middle of a massive and lasting war.  Knowing how many ancient ruins and other wonders I was practically right on top of, while not being able to go off base, or even too far away from my room or vehicle, was more than a little frustrating.  Still, I’m glad I got to see the hints at how beautiful so many Iraqi cities were before the Gulf War and arrival of the Mongols.  As this experience and phase wound down, I got the rare privilege of working alongside hundreds of Iraqi-Americans back in California as we helped prepare thousands of other Marines for their own upcoming deployments; it was such a relief to have finally become teammates with even former Republican Guardsmen, no longer having to challenge them and their units to the death.

My returns during 2nd and 3rd phase will be to orient to all the rest, well beyond the Al Anbar province; I’ll be looking to make friends with many more locals than I did during my combat deployments, and will try much more of their food and drinks.  I’ve already had one girlfriend from Iraq.  Will I have one in Iraq?  Time will tell.

Did you know that Iraq was once powerful, brilliant, prosperous, and beautiful?  Before the Mongols rolled through, it was perhaps the most successful, peaceful, and wondrous kingdom on Earth.  Today, it is the shadow of its former self, and is struggling to make its return.  I hope to help, and know my later visits here will be far less stressful –mostly because I will no longer have to be babysitting substandard American Marines.

 

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Introductory Images:

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Google Earth:

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Patrols:

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Patrols, photos group 2:

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Patrols, photos group 3:

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Yearbook:

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