Life in the (Green Zone) International Zone…

Today marks the completion of my 26th day here in Iraq. It some ways it has been very difficult, yet in others it has been rewarding beyond explanation. I know that I have attempted to do the series thing before and failed, but I want to try again. Unless something more interesting or noteworthy comes along, I going to talk about my experiences thus far. This is however going to be interactive. My first entry will be "No Complaining in Iraq". From there, it is up to you...the reader. Immediately below this entry I have listed several topics that I would like to eventually expand upon, but I want you to choose the topic. At the end, simply comment, with name or anonymous, it’s up to you. Also, if you have something specifically you want to ask or you want me to expand upon, feel free to let me know that as well.

No complaining in Iraq

One of the things that you catch onto first here is that as American civilians you do not complain in Iraq. Before I explain in any detail I think it might be helpful to give you an idea of what my life consists of here in Iraq (the things I would complain about...but I'm not!).

First off, I work an incredible amount of hours per day and after nearly four weeks in country I have yet to take a day off. Second, the living conditions are not ideal to the western world, for example, I am routinely chased around my room by the biggest cockroaches you have ever seen. Third, the only place to have a drink is a tiny bar on the camp where the guy pushing swill goes by "get-er-done". Four, you cannot drink the water anywhere in Iraq. Five, I live between two practice firing ranges for the military. You have not heard shit til you've been blown out of your bed by the sound of a 50 Caliber. And six, helicopters will damn near land on your roof anytime of the day or night. Now, I will explain why you, as an American civilian do not complain.

As an American living and working for an American firm here in Baghdad I have the absolute full force protection by the U.S. Military. This may sound a bit trite, but I assure you that from the first step off of the plane you can feel it. It is a surreal feeling to be in a war zone in one of the must tumultuous periods in modern history and have no concern for your personal safety because the presence of 160,000+ soldiers making sure that you go home alive is palpable.

Prior to coming to Iraq I had little use for the military. I did not come for a military family nor did I really know anyone that did. To me the military was a place to send an unruly boy. That said, on the list of things that have changed in my life since coming to Iraq, that is number one. It gives me chills each time I look up and see soldiers hanging out of helicopters or the one kid sitting in the cat-bird seat as M1A1 Abrams rolling into the red zone (yeah, its what you think). I honestly don't know how they do it. As a comparison, when I travel out into the red zone I have a task force (I can't tell you who or how many) that can and will take out a small village should anything obstruct my path. When I travel I am in personal body armor from head to toe and the coordinates of my travels are plotted out days in advance. The irony is that these soldiers who put there lives on the line for us each day make a fraction of what we make and live in conditions much more sparse than anything I have seen. I would never excuse an outright crime conducted by anyone, but for these guys, I would certainly look away as they punched the shit out of anyone who suggested that they are baby killers, rapist, or murders simply because they are soldiers serving in Iraq - read blogs, this is a common sediment.

The other side of the coin here is the Iraqi people. Regardless of how you feel about the war, these people are literally caught in the middle. From Washington DC it was so easy to sit at the Wonderland and to make grand statements about the war, the administration or the obscene amount of money being wasted on the reconstruction. However, from this view point, it is quite different. I realize that anyone reading this is likely to be left leaning, and I don't mean to offend anyone, but this is not a war anymore. It is not about just about politics, religion, or ethnicity; it is about the survival of a nation and future of the Middle East. I remember earlier this year becoming numb to war information...soldiers killed...car bombs...insurgents...surge...I had heard enough, the war wasn't real. That all changed my first week in Baghdad and for me it was sobering. You see, there is this really big kid (22 +/-) 7' tall gentle giant that works with me. I was pretty new, so I didn't talk much. He was a nice guy who each morning would walk in and shook your hand and talk to you about your morning then turn around and do the same thing in the evening before he left for the day. Anyway, I began to notice one day that he (can't use his name) was being visited by everyone in the office. I could not hear what they were saying, but I would hear him give a sincere thank you and soft "enshala" which translates to "Gods Will". What I quickly learned was that my new co-worker and now friend had the week before experienced a death in his family because of the war. I can't tell you the specifics, but you did hear about it and it was not a "military" action. He went on with his day, his week, and his life because here, you have too. Upon discussing this with another Iraqin in the office I was informed "John, every Iraqi you will meet while you are here has lost a brother, sister, mother, father, or child to this war. He must continue as must all continue or we should all leave." I was dumbfounded. I don't mean to suggest that they are cold to death, because they are not. For them, they grieve, but they go on. They are very well aware of their mortality and that because they are working for the "Americans" they are targets, their lives are literally at risk everytime they walk through a gate. One young man in our office recently married and he did not tell his wife where he worked until after they exchanged vows because her family would not allow the marriage to happen.

I may have taken the long way around to make this point, but for all of the hardships that I must endure to be here, the one thing I am assured is my safety and protection. The irony is that of everyone here in this country, the American civilian is the most privileged and least deserving of his rewards. So, I hope that wasn't too long---it looks like a lot of words.

Shhh, don't say Green Zone.

Cruising the Red Zone.

"LOCKDOWN, LOCKDOWN, LOCKDOWN...-"

Surprisingly... no politics.

Members of the Coalition get armour, Iraqis are not members of the Coalition.

Money, who needs money?

This is not a life.

The International Zone is NOT Iraq or Baghdad.

Who is the enemy?

Being stupid will get you killed.