How do you know you are winning?

I propose that there is not a proper in progress measurement for true lasting success in Iraq while fully engaged, especially during a this surge of American troops. This is like attempting to get your car’s tire pressure while moving on the highway at 65 mph. But it is possible to know you are “winning”; the key is not just knowing, but then doing something about it; not the necessary the same thing.

There has been experiment after experiment in the US that has shown an increase in policemen in an area appears to have no significant effect on the actual rate of violent crime, and a roughly proportionate negative effect on the actual rate of property crime. The same could be said in parts of Iraq where the surge has found more “crime” and caused panic attacks from the anti-Iraq forces (similar to attempting to catch a cat and during the chase, trapping him in a corner causing a panic attack directly at you). But recently, the numbers of events have actually gone down (lowest in eight months); markets have gone from practically dead to hundreds of stores, filled with merchandise; schools open (also allowing female children); hospitals and emergency services able to respond; and essential services coming on-line (by the government or private enterprise). I propose this the key indicator that we are winning and that we can start removing our Soldiers now from living with the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).

The irony is that as more intertwined we become with the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) with the co-habitation surge and in the Joint Security Stations (JSS), the more [not less] dependent the ISF is to us. The American Soldiers is a great example to follow, but also has the habit of taking on too much responsibility and leadership (taking assuming on the role of the alpha male). It is time to start pulling back and give the opportunity for the ISF and the government to fail and learn from mistakes and learn to succeed.

We should take our cue from nature: during the time of training young eagles to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest and because they are scared, they jump into the nest again. Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving thorns. When the scared eaglets jump into the nest again, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and picks them upon his back before they fall, and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for some time until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this newfound knowledge that they can fly and not fall at such a fast rate...alone.

We have given and demonstrated to the ISF and GoI the proper tools needed for success with security; our job now is to move to a close over-watch position and allow the incubation of this infant democracy develop into the type of free government that matches the culture and in turn become both permanent and contagious in the region. The situation is some areas will get worse, like the thorns, but is will be part of the growing pain. I recommend we do this soon, and under the leadership of the military commanders on the ground before our leaders 6211 miles away take this decision away from us.

The point of measurement of lasting success will start after the removal of American Soldiers in the JSSs and concentrate on the avenues into the city and the borders of Iraq. I would expect there would be an initial increase of negative events, but like the young eaglet, the panic of new found freedom of flight will eventually have Iraq flying on their own.

There will be issues in Iraq for many years – but that is to be expected. The American experiment with democracy and capitalism for 231 years has had many ups and downs… many of the downs have been nothing to be proud of, but the final product is. I expect Iraq will have many of the same experiences, but now that the people of Iraq have tasted freedom, they will never let go.


GEORGE

Sad day in Iraq...

Iraq's parliament adjourned today (31 July) for over a month (until 4 September), as key lawmakers declared there was no point waiting any longer for the prime minister to deliver Washington-demanded benchmark legislation for their vote.

The Iraqi Security Forces are improving – but the government is stubborn and is getting very little done. They were elected by the people and for the people of Iraq, but they have forgotten that (or never cared); but I guess the government of Iraq has learned this from many of our own politicians (who are also taking the month off with almost all of the US budget issues still on the table).

While the Iraq government is on vacation, our Soldiers will still be on guard next to the Iraqi Security Forces... it was over 140 degrees today.

Is Soccer the Answer?

Iraq delivered an inspirational soccer victory Sunday by winning for the first time ever the Asian Cup with a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, a beacon of hope for a nation divided by war.

It was an extraordinary triumph for a team drawn together from all parts of the Gulf and with its players straddling bitter and violent ethnic divides.

The jubilation over the team known as the "Lions of the Two Rivers" gave Iraqis a rare respite from the daily violence. The victorious run sent men of all ages cheering and dancing in Baghdad*.

Iraqis welcomed the victory as a chance to show the world they can come together and expressed frustration that their politicians couldn't do the same.


*One sad note - the traditional firing of weapons in the air was discouraged by both the government and from the speakers of the mosques; yet several people were killed when the bullets came back to earth.

They are Amazing…

What is life like for our Soldiers living in the middle of Bagdad?

A week of this could scar the average person for life – yet for over 65 weeks day in and day out, our Soldiers are expected to do this, mistake free, return home for a year or less*, and then do it again:

It is ungodly hot (over 130 today in the shade); Soldiers wear full battle gear to include heavy plates all over their body; walk the streets filled with stench looking for an enemy- an adversary that often get the first round (or Improvised Explosive Device – IED) off before being seen; our Soldiers respond with the unnatural act of killing; then go back to a crowded area to get just a few hours of sleep- never alone; always thinking about that unpredictable indirect round or rocket that may or may not land too close this time; or thinking about a buddy he/she saw die; going several days without a shower; and even longer before checking email from home (phone calls are even more rare).

The Soldiers know of the support America has for them – but they also know how much America have begun to hate the war and have started to give up. The Soldiers still have pride in what they do because of the common Iraqi people. The only natural thing our Soldiers do here is the act of helping another person… should that not be enough?

We will never free Iraq of all evil (we can not even do that at home), but we should only depart when the situation is stable and leave as friends.

George

* Units are now required to wait one year before deploying again, but when a unit returns, many of the Soldiers are required to move to another unit after 90 days – this other unit could be leaving in less than six months for Iraq or Afghanistan. During this time, training may (and often does) take the Soldier away from the family for weeks at a time.

What the news does not tell you...

This is what the news does not show or tell you enough of:

I have had the opportunity to talk to hundreds ordinary citizens of Baghdad and many dozens of senior politicians… not one, not a single one has said that they want the Americans to leave. They say we are neutral to the sectarian violence and protector from the insurgents for the neighboring countries. I guess this is not controversial enough; popular enough; or spectacular enough to make the news.

Did you know that news agencies pay Iraqis to photo or video insurgents attacking Americans? Our own American news agencies pay money for video/photos of insurgents killing… so the “stringer” needs to find an event to get paid – so to be at the right place at the right time this “stringer” most likely has to be “in” with the insurgents or giving up part of his money to fund events to capture on film. Our own American news agencies are funding the killing of Americans…

The change here has been difficult and complex – but the freedoms now enjoyed are appreciated by all. With these freedoms have come decisions… and more and more are starting to pick the choice of supporting the stability of their own country.

It is interesting to me that the three countries that have most likely killed the most Americans are today our best friends… The UK, Germany and Japan. During WWII, few could comprehend the idea of a “Marshall Plan” (perhaps should have been called the Truman Plan) and how pouring in so much money into a country that we were just at war with could be so beneficial to both countries in the long run. But it takes so much time that the rest of our fast paced world no longer has patience for.

George

15 Months in Iraq

It is important to stay the course – but it is in my opinion we do a better job here with fresh troops. 12, and especially 15 month tours are just too long – I think we are asking the Soldiers AND their families for too much…

It is difficult to explain what it is really like here in Iraq. As much as I support the reason for the mission, I must admit that each and every day here is difficult; I always thought one year is too long to send someone away to this place… and now the active duty Army Soldiers have been extend an extra three months, on top of the year. 15 months is such a lengthy amount of time, and causes everyone to miss two of some important date… two birthdays, two wedding anniversaries, two Thanksgivings, etc

It is difficult to maintain a positive attitude for so many months when the progress moves so very, very slow (at least there is some progress). Also, there is not a day that goes by that explosions are not heard- in the distance, and often times not so far away… this, and just moving from base to base rubs on the anxiety until the nerves are about raw. The heat does not help the situation one bit.

The US military policy in Baghdad has changed over the last few months- the original plan was to have US Soldiers position around the city in support of the Iraqi Security Forces. But today, the surge has given many thousands of extra US Soldiers to live with the Iraqis in the middle of the city… often times in the worst areas. This technique is working to control much of the violence- but at a cost. Soldiers are now living on the streets they patrol, with the Iraqi Security Forces… so when the Soldier comes in to rest, they are in a location of limited security that requires them to also guard where they sleep. So not only has the time here increased, but also the time the Soldier spends in the danger zone.

The insurgents are losing the battles; they are hated by ordinary citizens; even their own tribes are tuning on them. Their fight to tear apart Iraq is now one of desperation- but still supported by Iran and often our own media (who loves bad news). But we need to win control of this while losing as few Soldiers as possible. There must be a balance... BUT we CANNOT leave the Middle East in disarray, and allow the troubles to follow us home.

George

Fire Ants...

I have said this numerous times - we are fighting a group unlike anything we have ever seen... but the concept is familiar: When fighting fire ants* in your own yard, you take out each cell/mound as soon as you find it... if not, you will get overrun. You can not burn the entire yard just because one ant bites you... but you know it will happen. I have also been told to just leave the ant hill alone; that “kicking” the ant hill only stirs up trouble. Do you honestly believe that? Do you think by just ignoring the situation, it will go away?

We do what we can, when we can. The optimal solution is to look for the ant mounds beyond our own yard.

The enemies we face are not interested in agreements or treaties - only that if we are not exactly like them, we should die. They also have no issue with killing themselves to kill us... With this, I have no idea why so many people in the world (including the majority of Americans) hate what we are doing. Would they or you rather see us doing nothing just waiting to be attacked again?

We taught the terrorist that their techniques can work – America, possibility the weakest pre-nation on the earth in 1776, defeated one of the greatest militaries of all time by using many of these same methods. In Vietnam, we lost because of this (this and our own media) - but all we lost was one foreign country… We could lose this as well, but the consequences will be significant world wide and right at home.

* The ant analogy is an interesting one because it is only ants and humans that go to war with each other.

George

4th of July

There is no holiday in Iraq; no weekends; no day off; no rest for the tired; while standing tall for freedom and peace – there is none for the Soldier… I could not be more proud of those I serve with: I have had several tell me “happy Independence Day” with not a single hint of sorrow or disappointment for missing the events at home. I know where they would rather be, but all understand where they need to be.

George

I have been told...

I have been told that in the Army the only thing you can count on is change…

I have been told that I’m here now for 265 days; and using the new timeline, I should have 170 days to go… I’m over 60% done! I have started to allow myself to initiate thoughts about what is going to happen when I depart Iraq.

I have been told that we could be back in Texas before Christmas… This will put the deployment at 14 and one half months. I could not even comprehend being away for that long when I first left – but now I can almost see a light at the end of this ever growing tunnel.

I have been told that my next assignment will be going to the Command and General Staff College in Ft Leavenworth, KS and that I will need to be there by mid-January of next year – there will be a slight issue to deal with because of the time it will take for me to “clear” or check-out of Ft Hood, and then move everything to Kansas; it’ll be a bit of a time crunch.

Only to complicate matters, I will also apply to have the Army consider me as an exchange student for this same course with Ireland (Irish Defense Forces). I should learn about the decision in November – I have been told that only one Officer a year is chosen for this, so my chances are extremely slim. Both courses are just under one year, but the school in Ireland would start a few months later than the one in Kansas.

I have been told that my assignment after the school will be in Europe, most likely in Germany.

I have been told that in the Army the only thing you can count on is change…

George

Democracy

Soldiers are Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives, men, women, single, married, black, white, Hispanic... We volunteer from the American population at large, so we mirror it. Some hold strong political opinions and argue vehemently with one another, and some are apathetic towards all things political. We are the salad bowl mix that is America.

When candidates for President claim that opponents’ opinions demoralize the troops, they’re telling us that we’re too ignorant to understand the right to disagree is inherent to democracy, that we’re too stupid to separate political views from our jobs, and that we’re too fragile and sensitive to hear all sides. The reality is that most politicians will tell the public whatever they want to hear to get elected.

Protest – for or against the war… at least we are not forgotten. I support your educated views and right to express yourself, if you so desire.

Public Perception

Please share my blog with as many people as you can, if you feel it will help public perception... but I think that that the US public, and most of the world, has lost hope in Iraq and this war, and it is now next to impossible to recover support. What has to be remembered is that most wars are not popular DURING the war... did you know that only 1/3 of the people living in America supported the Revolutionary War; 1/3 supported the United Kingdom; and 1/3 just did not care? Good thing our leaders back then did not make decisions on public opinion... public support for our national independence in 1775 was about the same as our support now for the support of Iraqi independence. And on another familiar note - we would have never achieved victory without support form another country (France).

This is truly "God's Country" - I can stand in the dusty footprints of all the Greats of the Bible and see the world close to how they would have seen it. Many of the stories of the Bible repeat themselves over and over here in Iraq - it is not the Muslim faithful that cause the issues, but the Judiths that use the scripture to their own advantage for power, prestige and/or money. This place is worth saving, the common person here is true to the belief of goodness common to both of our religions.

But this goes well beyond giving freedom and security to Iraq… We are in a war- it would not matter if we were not in Iraq now, we would still be at war. We were not fighting in the Middle East when attacked on 9/11 or the many attacks before that… This war is also sponsored countries, not just a few rouge groups, with the goal to rid the world of “western” influence. Why is it that the same people who ask what did we do to prevent 9/11 are the same people who ask why are we in Iraq?

Progress is being made here – but the propaganda of the enemy is winning thanks to our own media echoing the messages. And public opinion has taken a negative tipping point directly because of this.

I am proud of what is being done here... history, not current public opinion, will be the true measure of success. I would hate to see what failure could bring us.

George

Do Something...

I am back on my “soap box” taking the Christian angle today…

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke (Albert Einstein also said this – I had always thought he said it first)

So much of the history of the struggle between good and evil can be explained by Edmund Burke's observation. Time and again those who profess to be good seem to clearly outnumber those who are evil, yet those who are evil seem to prevail far too often. Seldom is it the numbers that determine the outcome, but whether those who claim to be good men are willing to stand up and fight for what they know to be right.

In the parable of the talents, Jesus described a man who did nothing. When he received his Lord's money, he "went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money" (Matt. 25:18). When his Lord returned, he returned to the Lord just what he had been given (Matt. 25:25). Notice, the servant did not do any outright evil, such as stealing the money, but then neither did he do anything good. He did nothing and he got nothing good accomplished. Jesus said he was a "wicked and slothful servant" (Matt. 25:26).

When good men do nothing, they get nothing good done. To be good, one must do good. The Lord commands his people to do good (Luke 6:35; Eph. 2:10). Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

Too many citizens of the world do nothing. They are standing idly by, they are mere spectators. They sit on the sidelines instead of actively participating and working for the good. If good wins, they join in the celebration though they did nothing to produce the victory. If evil wins, they will complain long and loud, though their own apathy helped produce the undesirable result.

Do not allow evil to triumph. Do not do sit by and do nothing. Stand up and be counted, speak up against evil and speak out against evil men and their sinful deeds.

Why Serve?

Every year the military gets a pay raise – it is typically on about par with inflation or the Employment Cost Index. Currently there is a gap between military and civilian pay that stands at about four percent. But this is like comparing apples to oranges: Most military personnel work on the average 25-50% longer each week then their “comparable” civilian counterparts and often spend weeks away from their family while on training missions or temporary duty (TDY). This does not even include deployments when time away from family can be 12-15 months at a time (with only a year between returning), not to mention risk of life and lack of some of the most basic comforts (ie- privacy).

Base pay, particularly for enlisted service members, is extremely low. Only five occupations listed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics -- including "butlers" and "housekeepers" -- bring less pay than a first-year Private's base pay, according to a survey by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The same can be said about the Army’s most senior: after 36 years in the military, a General (four stars) earns a base pay of about $15o,000, not including allowances and incentive pay. A typical corporate CEO, on the other hand, earns about $11 million a year.

Would you be able to deal with the difficult training, time away from home and the risk your life for a steady paycheck, college money, and a better future? That's a question facing many 2007 high-school graduates who are considering military service.

SO WHY JOIN…?

What is missing in the equation above is something taken for granted by far too many: Freedom. One word, but yet countless words could never capture its true meaning or power.

“Freedom has a taste, and for those that have fought for it, the taste is so sweet the protected will never know…” General George S. Patton Jr.

It’s not the average American’s fault they are numb to the taste of freedom. Most American’s are born into their God given right, so it is all they have ever known. I was once one of them. I would even dare to say that it isn’t surprising that they take for granted what they have had all their life. My experiences in the military has taken me all over the world and opened my eyes to the truth.

Ironically you will find the biggest outcries of opposition to our cause from those who have had no military experience and haven’t had to fight for freedom. I challenge all of those who are daring enough to question such a noble cause to come here for just a month and see it first hand. I have a feeling that many voices would be silenced.

You need not to have a great understanding of the world but rather common sense to realize that it is our duty as citizens of the world to free the oppressed. If you lived that way would you not want someone to help you????

The Iraqi’s pour into the streets to wave at us and when we liberated the cities during the war they gathered in the thousands to cheer, hug and kiss us. It was what the soldier’s in WW2 experienced, yet no one questioned their cause; Saddam was no better than Hitler. He tortured and killed thousands of innocent people. We are heroes over here, yet Americans badmouth our President for having us here. Do not let the few evil insurgents (many not even Iraqi) warp your opinion of the people of Iraq. Would you like for the world to judge us on our top news story… Paris Hilton?

This fight (some call civil war) among the sects is for whom will control this country – and Iran has staked their claim as well as al Qaeda. If they win, where do you think they are going next? I look forward sleeping safely in my own bed – and I hope someone will take my place to watch my back. Not for the money, not for the praise, but for the pride in serving and giving security and freedom.

What do you support?

You can't separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom. Malcolm X

Patriotism

I was in a meeting yesterday, when a senior Iraqi official gave a short impromptu speech on how he feels his country can rise up from under this conflict: He said that he is so incredibly impressed on how a country like America, with such extreme diversity, can unite under one flag. He feels that the people of Iraq should see themselves as Iraqis. This pride in nation is the key to stability, security and success.

I’ve had many an Iraqi tell me that the differences of the sects here are not so vast – that the rift between them is generally artificial created by those in power, or desiring authority, in an effort to create fear and intimidation. A lot of this is being influenced from outside of Iraq. Within Iraq, there are many tribes with diverse sects and even mixed marriages. Today, many of these tribes now see the evils of the insurgents and have started to work with the government of Iraq and coalition forces to defeat these groups. The Iraqi reconciliation movement is gaining momentum.

We often take our patriotism for granted – but with so many citizens so disenfranchised with the government (both executive and legislative), our American pride is not as strong as it once was as a whole country. How often have we heard some under-educated entertainer say that he/she will leave the country if “so-n-so” is elected? Yet millions of people are willing to risk their lives to get to America… where else in the world can you find such freedom and opportunity? Many thousands of local Iraqi translators go out on combat missions for years, risking not just their lives, but the safety of their family if discovered… they do this for the slim hope that they will be one of the few selected for a special visa to move to America. I have such respect for these people and such embarrassment of those entertainers with some talent, beauty, and access to a microphone, but inadequate intelligence.

I’m an optimist – with a mix of reality. Just about anyone can complain about what has been done, I like to look forward to see was can be done.

George

Memorial Day

It is appropriate this Memorial Day to salute all those who have given their lives in defense of this nation. Without their sacrifices we would not be free to ask questions, to challenge our political leaders and to take an active role in our system of government. To them we owe an unrepayable debt.

The United States of America was born from the blood and ashes of war--the Revolutionary War. It was fought to defend the "self-evident truth that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." As feee men and women, do we owe this gift to the rest of mankind?



We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
Moina Michael

Hot Hot Hot....

I have been here for 227 days now, and I am a bit unsure when I will be going home (the 90 day extension plan has not been officially published)… but I think I am at least halfway done. Thank you for all your email and prayers of support; being gone for such an elongated time is difficult, but it helps to know we have not been forgotten at home.

Wow, is it getting hot – 115 today and we are still in May. At this rate it will be over 200 by the first of July. The wind feels just like a hairdryer set on hot. I’m only out and about just a few times a week (not including the 2k walk to and from the dining facility) but some of our Soldiers are living with their Iraqi Security Force partners in this heat on a daily basis – in heavy protective gear, laden with weapons and ammunition; all the while, maintaining 100% vigilance to keep him or herself and buddies alive. Free time is defined only as sleep, and getting anything over six hours a day is a luxury that few get. It is remarkable how much we ask of these valiant warriors, how much they risk and how little they expect in return…

How is it going: The big issue here is time... to make this Iraqi government genuine; we must allow it to make decisions (right or wrong) and to develop. We (citizens of the world) want to see rapid results with the different sects getting along - but how long did it take us (US of A) to live well with the American Indians or African Americans - - - can't throw stones when we ourselves live in a glass house. Out military must provided security and offer advice for this new democracy until this country become independent and handle these issues (these issues will never completely go away) without collapsing into a civil or regional war. Then we may have a true partner in the Middle East that can have a real and direct effect on our security and economy.

George

American girls and American guys

We'll always stand up and salute

We'll always recongnize

When we see Old Glory flying there's alot of men dead

So we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our head

Toby Keith - Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue

The Republicans say if there is major progress by September, we can start moving out our troops in Iraq. The Democrats say if there is no progress by September, we should just give up and leave Iraq. So is it just me, or does it seem like both the Republicans and Democrats are AGREEING that the troops need to start leaving in September?!?!

The military has been asked to do many things – defeat the Iraq Army; find Saddam Hussein and the rest of those on the deck of cards; get the oil and economy jump started; train the Iraqi Security Forces; allow free elections (x3); create a working government; find weapon caches; prove Iranian involvement in Iraq; ect; ect; ect… All done successfully… All the battles have been won – let’s not lose the war.

George

Just about everyone who reads this blog is much more fascinated in life over here more so than my opinion of the war – but it is my site and I just need to vent every now and then.

Do you remember why we went to Iraq? How you felt when the war initially started? We had just been attacked, and the madman Hussein refused to cooperate with UN inspectors- we needed to make a stand and just about 100% of America agreed. I also admit oil is elevated on the list of American interests. But That Day showed us the worst in mankind… and also the very best. What will That Day mean to us decades from now: a start of something evil, or the start to ending something evil?

Major progress has been made here, but public hesitation now is nothing short but motivation to whom we are fighting. Instead of them giving up, thanks to the media and democrats, our enemies feel all they need to do is hold on just a bit more until we leave. Soldiers need more than just “we support the Troops, but not the war”… we could use a bit of “united we stand and divided we fall – win win win!!!” We are Soldiers – and it is not enough to just be in the US Army, supporting/defending our nation. We are proud for what we accomplish. We need to finish this – the correct way.

How will America be viewed for the coming decades if we leave Iraq too early and there is a collapse in the region? How will it affect the world economy and how safe will you feel in your own home and just traveling to work? It is popular now to dislike our president and the war… are you sure this is how you will still feel 5 or even 10 years from now?

We are committed, and I for one would like to see the ultimate sacrifices of our brothers and sisters (and the injured and those who gave years of their lives away from family and friends) be remembered in a just cause we successfully accomplish.

How close are we to this? Wow- that is one heck of a question… but I think we are very close. Already just about all the major and minor operations are done jointly with the Iraqis – and this is working well. The only issue is the vulnerability of corruption within the Iraqi Security Force. We have this in our own police force, just not as common. We also have problems with gangs in the states… no country is perfect, and I think we are getting close to “good enough” here. Let’s get to the proper conclusion of this war together and the majority of our Troops home… and me.

George

I do not agree with 100% of what is said - but it is an interesting view and worth watching:

http://www.youtube.com/v/m9Yc3wYJOtI

*you might need to copy/paste this into your web address box

Back From R&R

I'm back in Baghdad from my mid-tour "Rest & Relaxation" holiday- got in Kuwait City this past Saturday and made it to Baghdad around mid-afternoon on Sunday ... it was a 32 hour trip.

I spent time in Germany with Sandra and Justice; slept in late; went to a few spas; traveled little; ate too much (a good thing); and drank a few beers (a very good thing). It was precisely what I required.

The fifteen days in Germany seems like only a few hours now. It took me no more than a couple of minutes to get my feet back under myself here and back into the routine. I have a renewed empty feeling, it is always there when I'm gone, but is much more noticeable when the memories are so incredibly fresh.

Progress in Iraq is measured in inches (this does not play well in the media), so daily transformation is often not noticed, but it is a pleasant reception here to see what has been accomplished in the weeks I was gone (mostly the local tribes rising up against insurgents). But the initial thing I noticed was the temperature... wow, it went from just a little hot to scorching. 106 already (it is only early May)... it is not going to be a comfortable summer.

I do not know when I will return - one year for me would be early October... but with the announced extensions last month, I do not know yet how this will affect my homecoming. I get the sense that I will gain some extra time- but perhaps not the full 90 days.

I'll attempt to get photos up on the web site (See link at top right) this week - I need to catch up a bit on work here, but my goal is to have the photos up by the weekend.

George

Success in Iraq (or anywhere in the Middle East) is defined by a general feeling of security- we are on the verge of a positive tipping point. The residents of Iraq are tuning on the insurgents (otherwise-know-as foreign fighters)… They have grown tired of the indiscriminate killings used only to cause instability in the Iraqi government structure. It is all about power – if a strong democratic government emerges from this dust storm, it would be damaging to the neighboring countries and those holding onto the benefits/perks of control.

Progress is an uphill battle, and measured by inches… but it is improvement. More has been accomplished here in the last four years than the last 85 years combined.

George

We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve... It's the same each time with progress. First they ignore you, then they say you're mad, then dangerous, then there's a pause and then you can't find anyone who disagrees with you.

Iraqi Security Forces Are Stepping Up To Take Control Of Their Country's Security. Iraqi Security Forces continue to
gain strength and are fighting alongside Coalition forces. Their commitment and sacrifice are real: Casualty levels for Iraqi
Security Forces are now higher than for Coalition forces.
• Iraq is now operating 9 National Police brigades and 31 Iraqi Army brigades, meaning almost 329,000 Iraqi Security
Force members are now risking their lives to secure their country and allow political progress to continue.
• 9 of Iraq's 10 Army divisions are taking the lead in their areas of operation.
• 3 of Iraq's 18 provinces have acquired full responsibility for their own security.
• Iraqi-planned, Iraqi-conducted, and, most important of all, Iraqi-led missions continue throughout Iraq.

And so, my fellow americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

John F. Kennedy

Soldiers and War

I think every American Soldier, throughout history, has wanted combat to stop… We do not fight just to fight; we go to complete the mission. I can tell you that there is a turn here - it is getting better. Life will not be 100% wonderful here in our lifetime (but I challenge anyone to name a large American city where nothing bad happens), but I think we can bring a new level of stability; and in turn this should bring a powerful partner in this region in keeping the guys who want to destroy America at bay. It should also help stabilize an area of the world that has the potential of starting a world war...

George

To know the pains of power, we must go to those who have it; to know its pleasures, we must go to those who are seeking it.
Charles Caleb Colton

The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come. Thus his person is not endangered, and his States and all their clans are preserved.
Confucius

What you might not know about conditions in Iraq…

Random bits of information…

Soldiers are not allowed to have sex, see sex (no full nude magazines or porn sites), or even have the opposite sex in your room. The exception is if both you and your partner (different sexes… of course) are married and are both deployed and in the same location. It is rare, but it happens. There are a few I see walking to their room at night or to work in the morning.

No alcohol is allowed – none. Near-beer is given out at the dinning facility... not the same, but I drink it. No matter how fast you drink it, you do not get happy... I drink it just to taste the distant memories of real beer. The exception is if you work for the state department or some contractors; sometimes located where they work are bars.

There are very few lights outside the building on the military camps. It is tricky to identify a person passing you on the walkway at night.

It is free to send a letter from here to America. To mail a letter to a Soldier from the states is the same cost as sending a letter to New York, NY. The mail typically takes about a week to go one direction (expect during holiday seasons). Great system, but most Soldiers just like to use email – instant gratification. But we still love to get care boxes.

Haircuts are $3…

There are no issues with electricity or water… for Soldiers. Most even have heaters and AC in their room.

Soldiers here do not pay federal taxes when deployed and an additional few hundred dollars

It rains- mostly during the winter months. The rain helps make this special mud that is just about impossible to get rid of. It can also get very cold during the winter – I even saw some snow in the air once.

Inside, dust is everywhere. A fine layer of dust awaits you every morning. When the dust is stirred up by sweeping or a mortar round coming a bit too close, the dust in the air then becomes almost overwhelming.

For most- showers are from 20 to 200 yards away from where they sleep. Tracking through the elements (often in the dark) can leave you more dirty when you finish than when you started.

Most Soldiers work all day (14-16 hours) seven days a week. Meal time is limited to the time it takes to get your food and then eat it. No weekend off – no holiday off… not even Christmas. Two weeks are given for R&R.

The Soldiers in the worst conditions (smallest outpost with fewest amenities) are often the happiest Soldiers…

I do not know of one Soldier that has committed suicide because of anything here… in every case I know of (I am sure I do not know all the facts on this), Soldiers have taken their own life because of the person they care the most about, has given up on them.

In most cases, laundry is done by a contractor. The Soldier drops of his stuff (only 20 items to a bag) and 72 hours later it comes back folded and clean. I visited the location where the magic is done and it is a very clean (ok – that is expected), large building with several dozen workers happily go about the business. Most are from locations like the Philippines, the Balkans and India and I assume getting paid well by the smiles I saw from just about everyone.

Speaking of pay – civilian translators from the states (American citizens that speak Arabic) get paid six-figures. Most of them are in their early to mid 20s. Most were born in another country and moved to America, with their parents, at an early age.

Most of the Iraqis do not want the American military to leave. The military have great effect in keeping order and safety… and that is cherished more than anything in this part of the world.

Most of the Soldiers believe in this mission and what we can be accomplished. They think this, not because of what the media or politicians say, but from their on personal experiences here.

In a country with so much oil, it is hard to understand, but it is very difficult to get gas. Iraq has limited ability to process oil. This is also why there is problems with electricity--- the Iraqis try to burn the unprocessed (and not so good of quality) oil in the electrical generators.

The Iraqis are good at diverting water; this allows for farming in the desert. It is surprising how green this area is as seen from the air.

George

To will is to select a goal, determine a course of action that will bring one to that goal, and then hold to that action till the goal is reached. The key is action. Michael Hanson

Any community's arm of force - military, police, security - needs people in it who can do necessary evil, and yet not be made evil by it. To do only the necessary and no more. To constantly question the assumptions, to stop the slide into atrocity. Lois McMaster Bujold

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt

I love life...Yeah, I'm sad, but at the same time, I'm really happy that something could make me feel that sad. It's like...It makes me feel alive, you know. It makes me feel human. The only way I could feel this sad now is if I felt something really good before. So I have to take the bad with the good. So I guess what I'm feeling is like a beautiful sadness. -Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Raisins

Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained. President Garfield (1880)

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

Peter Drucker

What is the Problem?

It is my opinion that the problem in Iraq is with a small percentage of radical Muslims (am I over stating the obvious?), and their need to feel part of something greater than themselves. It is not enough to just be a part of this group, but the leaders of these groups want more and more power, and will use force, fear, and intimidation to get it. Power corrupts. Many areas in the Middle East (but not limited to) are incubators to these groups.

This is a world wide problem. Most of the residents of planet Earth are in denial, and with that, this problem could reach a tipping point. What America does, or does not do will make the difference (for better or worse). I hate to sound like a “doomsdayer”, but those who do not understand, and learn from history, may repeat the same catastrophic mistakes.

Here is my theory:

People gather together naturally - groups are formed; and then there is the fundamental need for the group to achieve pride. This pride is often gained by being the best at something. It is a typical human need (I think this is more prevalent is men, but women are not exempt).

This group dynamic is usually healthy when contained to organized sports (participating or rooting for), professional clubs, college fraternities/sororities, political affiliation, religion, ect – I could go on and on forever. I expect you could quickly name five groups/teams/clubs you feel closely connected to. Our connections to groups start the day we are born and join our first group – family. From that moment you also adopt many associations by default: being American, social class, race, sex, etc.

All these groups have the potential to go bad - sports teams fight (along with the fans in the stadium), clubs become overly exclusive, politics become corrupt and even families can become part of a mafia style organization. Some groups just start bad – young poor youth often turn to criminal gangs. Extremist clubs, political and religious groups start to believe that not only are they the only “right”, but everyone else should not exist.

Extremist are not limited to Muslims (we are not immune to this, you do not have to look hard to find many example in America – many non Muslim) – but they are getting the most press now-a-days and, admittedly, are very dangerous. There is not a time is history where a group was not attempting to conduct genocide to the rest of the world. The current attempt by the extreme Muslims is quite tame (for now) when looking back on the history of civilization. In recent history, we as a human race have become really good at killing each other:

Genocides and other mass murders killed more people in just the twentieth century than all the wars combined: 1.5 million Armenians. 3 million Ukrainians. 6 million Jews. 250,000 Gypsies. 6 million Slavs. 25 million Russians. 25 million Chinese. 1 million Ibos. 1.5 million Bengalis. 200,000 Guatemalans. 1.7 million Cambodians. 500,000 Indonesians. 200,000 East Timorese. 250,000 Burundians. 500,000 Ugandans. 2 million Sudanese. 800,000 Rwandans. 2 million North Koreans. 10,000 Kosovars. Try to get your head around those numbers…

The world’s response was denial in the beginning of each of these situations. “Never again” has turned into “again and again.” Again and again, the response to genocide has been too little and too late. Genocidal massacres are systematic and the warning signs are as compelling as the warnings of a hurricane.

I admit, there are other places in the world where the current genocide problem is worse, but the Middle East area has the potential to be much, much worse than the world has ever seen (that is saying a lot).

There are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world; they represent about 22% of the world's population and Islam is growing about 2.9% per year. This is faster than the total world population, which increases about 2.3% annually. It is thus, attracting a progressively larger percentage of the world's population. About 10-15 percent of these Muslims support extremism. (I recommend reading this paragraph again)

I agree that killing all the extremist is not the answer, but some of these groups are readying weapons of mass destruction and have no problem killing you (and killing themselves in the process – that is hard to stop)…. The answer: is taking out the radical leadership (who do not kill themselves to kill you – but have no problem sending their children in suicide missions) and emplacing a secure democracy; with checks and balances in the system. We have to go to the problem – not wait for it to come to us.

The tipping point can go one way or the other… like it or not, America is the only country with the ability and desire to do something. Do not lose the desire to finish this mission… not just in Iraq, but wherever it takes us. It is not easy, but it is worth it. What are you doing to help? What do you support?

With so many people protesting the war, how many are making recommendations on the bigger issue. Do you honestly think we can pull all the troops home, become isolates, and we will be left alone? The World Trade center was attacked (twice), two embassies and the USS Cole were attacked without provocation before our deployments… many more attacks were planned, some attempted. Americans have been targeted to be wiped off the face of the earth… you have two choices, stand up and fight, or sit back and hope the problem goes away. Which one do you think will work?

George

Why Care?

I’ve been ask how I can be so positive about our mission here.

First, I do not consider myself overly optimistic – It’s just that so many people are negative, that my viewpoint seems positive, when in fact I am much more neutral to hopeful. What I do see is the potential of success… and the possibility for us to not succeed. My vigor is related to the vision of what failure could bring (see my first blog post). All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing (Albert Einstein).

Second, let me say that I have always enjoyed helping others; we all have different gifts, according to the grace given us… If a man's gift is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously (from Romans 12). I may only give as much as a drop in the ocean, but it is as much as I can give. Perhaps my drop can contribute to the tipping point.

I do try to keep things in perspective… praying that I’m granted the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, change the things I can, and the ability to know the difference (Serenity Prayer).

George

First Posting

What I miss most: My wife, Justice (who has yet to learn he is a dog), Mom, Dad, Sister, family and friends… enough said.

What I miss second most: Sleep. Too bad I can not get that in a care package. I go to my room after midnight, change to take a shower, walk 50 meters to the shower, take a five minute shower (great experience attempting to predict when the water is going to go ice cold or boiling hot), go back to my room, brush my teeth, check my three alarm clocks and sleep for about five hours. Next morning- argue with the alarm clocks (they win most mornings), get dressed, brush my teeth and go to work. Everyday.

What I miss third most: Making and drinking (especially drinking and drinking) beer.

Most needed: Photos from home. Soldiers can never get enough of pictures of family, friends, pets, and just common everyday life. Photos by “snail” mail are great – so are the digital ones.

Most abundant: Dust. A close second is candy. Tons (no exaggeration) of candy in care boxes. Soldiers leave the boxes out for the common good and it is hard to pass by without taking some.

Most painful: Being away from the real world for A YEAR! I used to think training in the field for 30 days was a long time, or six month deployments… a year is just too much. It is missing one of everything (Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years Day, Valentines Day, Birthdays, Anniversary, winter, summer, spring, fall etc…).

Most Depressing: Funerals. But are also a motavation - * See Most miss-undersood

Most interesting: How quickly the days go by, yet how slowly the months craw by.

Most Surprising: The food (it’s good). There is only one place to eat, located 1 kilometer from my office; those cooks hired by Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR) from India, Pakistan, Philippines, etc do an outstanding job.

Most Common myth: There are only a few hours of electricity in Iraq. I often fly over Iraq and most often Baghdad, at night; it is easy to see most of the lights are on. It is true that the free electricity is limited, but capitalism has been born from necessity- During “rolling blackouts” neighborhoods will link and sell their power to other neighborhoods (careful not to blow their fuse. The fuse is like our meter – as long as you do not blow it, you are not charged). Some entrepreneurs have bought their own generator sell power that way.

Most seen on Iraqi houses: From above- laundry and many new satellite dishes; they have popped up like dandelions in spring… everywhere. From the ground- trash.

Most beautiful: In a country where piles of trash and standing sewer water are commonly found in the street – there is not much. But with all the dust and pollution, the sunsets and sunrises are awesome.

Most Surprising: I saw snow here once (in the air - not on the ground).

Most overrated: The oil. Most is of bad quality.

Most underrated: The potential of the industry and agriculture in this country.

Most Outrageous: The reporters and political leaders (these VIPs should also be listed as the “Most Hassle”) who fly in for less than four days to get an understanding of the “situation”. They spend all their time in the relatively safe Forward Operating Bases (FOB) getting information from Power Point presentations in a comfortable conference room. The background video footage used is often “B-roll” from the first month of the invasion. Some reporters stay long enough, and are open enough to try and find the real story; but I have not seen a politician who has come for anything more than gaining credibility in Washington DC by “talking to the leaders on the ground” (translation: got the one hour canned VIP brief and heard what I wanted to hear). Granted, they say, and I believe, that in their hearts all want to support the troops… but very few know how to support the mission (that is how you really help the Soldiers).

Most ingenious idea: Get these people over here some fireworks. Some alternative method to firing bullets in the air (that eventually fall back to earth) every time they get emotional. Every Iraqi citizen has the protected right to own a weapon and ammo – (typically an AK-47 assault rifle).

Most “WOW” job: TIE: (1) The engineers given the task to find the bombs on the routes. One of the reconnaissance vehicles used only has room for just one Soldier, and is built to be blown up. I met two Soldiers who had been working for only a couple of months who both had already been blown up twice and were none the worse for wear. Only a couple of Soldiers in the unit had not been blown up at least once. (2) The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams that get called to deal with the explosives (sometimes found by the above group). Often these bombs are very old, unstable and rigged to kill. Also, understanding that the bomb they are looking at could very well be a decoy for another bomb meant for them. Both of these groups think they have the best job in the world.

Most unnerving: TIE – (1) The sound of incoming artillery; outgoing artillery; car bombs; improvised explosive devices (IEDs); and controlled detonations (EOD blowing up stuff) all sound the same. I remind myself that the one I hear is not the one that got me. (2) Birds – not just any birds, but the ones oblivious to the helicopter I am riding in. It’s the sudden jerk of the aircraft the pilot makes to avoid this bird with a death wish.

Most appreciation: Everyone involved with the process of improving the survivability of the military vehicles with better armor. I have a lot of visibility of this process, and it is amazing how quickly it is being done by some really committed people

Most powerful image: TIE: (1) American Army doctors working to save the life of a premature Iraqi infant whose mom was shot by insurgents. The baby did not make it. (2) Watching the Soldiers go out the gate. Pure courage

Most miss-understood: The call to Professional Duty felt by most of the Soldiers. This is a new type of Soldier – much less interested in killing (but can do this well, if needed), and more satisfied when helping a fellow human. And the duty to the fallen Heroes from this war. Those Soldiers who gave their life to a great idea – the idea to bring freedom to a part of the world that has never seen it. It is overwhelming to me understanding the possibility we can have with success and I’m so proud to be part of this major historical event – I could not watch it from afar. I also have the responsibility so that the deaths of our friends are not in vain – that the end will justify the means (this quote is paraphrased from a wife of a fallen hero from the 410 MP CO read during the funeral).

I have been to the hospital in the “Green Zone” many times, met many Soldiers soon after losing part of their body… or watching their buddy die, and there commitment to duty could not be any stronger. The word “Hero” does not come close to describe these Americans, yet they (to the person) do not see themselves that way… but just as a man jumps onto the subway tracks to save someone who has fallen; these soldiers have placed their life between you and the enemy. It is such an honor for me to serve next to these men and women.

Most Least Known: What is really going on in Iraq. Understanding the complex combinations of peoples (Arabs and Kurds) religious sects (Sunni and Shia). What makes them different and why they hate each other so much?

Both Sunni and Shia Muslims share the most fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith. The division between Shia and Sunni dates back to the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, and the question of who was to take over the leadership of the Muslim nation. Sunni Muslims agree with that the new leader should be elected from among those capable of the job. Shia Muslims believe the leadership should have passed directly to his cousin/son-in-law.

It should be interesting to note here that although these two sects have co-existed for centuries, yet the extent and gravity of sectarian violence has never been felt more than during the present times. The basic reason for this change in the situation is that a number of prominent scholars and knowledgeable personalities of both these sects have changed the roles that they played in the past. In the past, the differences of both the sects were a matter of intellectual debate between the scholars of these sects. The gravity of these differences was also fully known, but the scholars never promoted violence against each other. The situation has tremendously changed during the past few decades. The scholars of these sects now sit on their respective pulpits and use these differences as flames to burn the emotions and feelings of their addressees against the people of the other sects. They promote the killings of the followers of other sects by labeling these followers with various derogatory terms. They call such killings a part of Jihaad and they promise their followers the everlasting bliss of Jannah (paradise) if they take part in such killings. Leaders on both sides using religion to promote their own political gain.

Kurds have faced harsh repression in Turkey and Iraq because of their desire of an independent state. After the Kurds supported Iran in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, Saddam Hussein retaliated, razing villages and attacking peasants with chemical weapons. The Kurds rebelled again after the Persian Gulf War only to be crushed again by Iraqi troops.

Most ignorant: Those who do not understand history and understand it to keep from repeating it. I do not wish to be over simplistic… but: this part of the world is important to the security of America and the world– not just from the terrorist (who by the way has NOT been able to attack on our soil after 9/11. This is amazing to me given that this enemy would happily give up his life to kill you) but also from a collapse of the world economy. This conflict could very easily go regional – bringing in the world… we are facing the same situation our leaders did prior to WW I and WW II – they were NOT proactive, and so 40 million people died in WW I and then 62 million people died in WW II. And we (and in we, I mean the whole world) have gotten much, much better at mass killing each other since then. This cannot be allowed to happen again, but it could…

70 years ago would anyone have thought we could be friends with Germany, Japan, or Italy. The active mission in West Germany lasted until 1989 (over 40 years after WW II) and took 500,000 of our military (that is more than the total amount of Soldiers in the active Army today). It also took four times as long in Germany, compared to Iraq, to adopt a constitution. And it was worth it.

25 years ago (still today, in some isolated cases) we were still fighting our own civil war and genocide. There are many similar comparisons (albeit to a less extent) to the issues in Iraq and racism we have seen in America. Fought by leaders like Dr King and President Johnson; it was worth it.

15 years ago, no one could have guessed the peace that could be obtained in Yugoslavia… it was considered impossible because of the sectarian civil war (sound familiar?). President Clinton said we would be out in just one year – did you know we still have Soldiers in that country? You have not heard about this because great success does not make for good sensational “breaking” news. “Bosnia is doing well” is not a headline that grabs attention, and in turn, sells ads ($$$). Within the same analogy, Arab news is not evil – it is as simple as making America out to be the evil empire (sound familiar), sells ($$$). Yugoslavia is similar in many ways to Iraq, and was a major reason for the start of WW I. Our continued involvement in this region is worth it.

5 years ago I did not think I would see so many American Soldiers making Iraqi friends and cooperation from the highest to the lowest level of this newborn (from non-existence) freely elected government. I just do not understand those who think progress is not being made. Comparing this endeavor to anything else comparable, we are progressing at lightning speed. I blame microwaves, skipping commercials with TiVo, drive thru everything, etc… we expect instant solutions – it is difficult for many Americans that some things worth while, take time… but are worth it.

Most obvious solution: We are taking away the abilities of those who want to kill our wives, children, friends, etc and do not mind killing themselves in the process – we have taken the fight to them, and this has worked. Try to imagine our world today if for the past five years our enemy had the freedom to develop unabated in this region.

Training and equipping the new Iraqi Security Forces to do this job for us is also working and have slowly given them more and more of the responsibility; soon we will be only providing a supporting role. Backing this up is the progress that is being made developing essential services (water, sewer, trash pick up, etc) to the common Iraqi citizen. We also could use US industries investing in this country – a lot of these people want to work, they are a proud society and being out of work is demoralizing. Also, much of the violence here is akin to inner-city gangs in the US. Unemployed, poor youth with idle time is a bad combination no matter where you live in the world.

This is not a clever, fancy, sensational solution… it is basic and takes patience. Failing is not an option – it just isn’t- period.

And – Most Absurd: Most of the people who complain about our mission here have never even attempted to join the military or civil duty. I think anyone can and should have an opinion (and I'll fight for your right), but I very much dislike those expressing themselves to the masses that have no understanding of what they are talking about. One can not speak of how hard it is on the Soldiers here, unless you have been here yourself... can not speak of how hopeless it is here, without taking residence here - live with the people. Have an opinion, and discuss this with your friends and family. Watching the media, and getting an opionion from that is about the worst way to find the truth... Discover the truth with experience.


I wrote a bit more than I attended, but this has been the first chance I had to organize some of my thoughts on paper. I have also updated the photos at http://www.georgeandsandra.com/ It is a guarantee that I got more out of writing this than you did reading, so thanks for indulging me… if you even made it this far.

I’ll hop off my soap box now and get back to the mission.

George