June 1s t, 2004 marked my first month in Iraq; My previous year in the Middle East was spent Saudi Arabia and Kuwait With the time spent most of in Kuwait to include during “Operation Iraqi Freedom”. The only taste of Iraq I had was a one day trip to Um Qasar (pronounced Umm Kasar) which is right outside Kuwait border with Iraq. Fast forwarding to the present. I remember like it was yesterday leaving the DC area. I flew from Andrews Air force Base to the country of Qatar. Qatar is home to the main body of the US Central Command (CENTCOM). CENTCOM’s main focus is to protect, promote and preserve U.S interests in the central region. With an Area of Responsibility (AOR) larger than the continental U.S., stretching more than 3,100 miles east to west and 3,600 miles north-to-south. The AOR includes 27 culturally and economically diverse nations located throughout the Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, and Northern Red Sea regions, as well as the Arabian Peninsula and Iraq. My stay in Qatar lasted two days. When it was time for me to board the plane to Baghdad from Qatar, I was fully dressed in my battle fatigues along with my combat gear looking astute (ATTENT HUT) as I boarded a military plane to Baghdad. My seat on the aircraft was adjacent to a few Military vehicles (2 Hummers) to include military equipment along with our luggage which was palletized and secured to the hull of the aircraft. There were no windows nor was I offered any peanuts. The seat that I was sitting in had the look and feel of an old folding lawn chair, and if I may add it very uncomfortable if. As I mentioned I was in full battle gear my M4 rifle positioned between my legs with my General Patton war face on. I wasn’t expecting to see combat but just in case I was fully prepared for the worst. Overall the plane ride was very uneventful. Once I stepped off the plane to take a look low and behold, there was Baghdad!  I stood ramrod facing toward the control tower. Like a camera pan scanning the horizon. I stood in complete silence. Inside my mind I was singing a song written by the Doors called “The End”. As part of the words to the song go “Can you picture what will be…So limitless and free….Desperately in need...of some...stranger's hand…In a...desperate land” The melodic groove of that song has a hypnotic sound that puts me at ease. However this time I was overcome with uncertainty plus the fear of not coming home. I walked toward the pickup and threw my things in the back. Once I got inside the truck, I realized, I must move on. The path that I am traveling is down a dusty desolate road. The irony behind this was, I felt like Joseph Conrad’s character, Marlow, traveling down “The HEART of DARKNESS” is this the redux?

Aiden Delgado might be the next Ward Churchill in waiting.

Ole Sarge was reading my conservative sister Juliette Ochieng and Outside the Beltway blog.

The topic was about a Aiden Delgado who was stationed in Iraq as a mechanic at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison complex. Pvt. Delgado was honorably discharged as a conscientious objector (Army Regulation AR 600–43)

His story makes for good fodder for any lunatic leftist who is too scared to bring their ass to Iraq and find out what the hell is really going on for themselves.  

Ole Sarge does admit that the one thing in which I can be found guilty of was using the term “Haji” or “Hadji”   From my understanding was the word relates to a person who has made the “Haj” (5th Pillar of Islam)

The accusations of soldiers hitting soldiers in the head with coke bottles is complete nonsense. Besides the cans of  Mountain Dew I don’t recall ever seeing any coke bottles.

As stated on Outside the Beltway

“ I meant to note in the original piece that, of course, the mission in Iraq is different now and sensitivity to such things is vital. One doesn't wish to dehumanize the local civilian population of a country one is trying to pacify and democratize. The fact that our soldiers have to be diplomats one instant and warriors the next is a unique characteristic of stabilization operations. “

Look at the Great Seal of the United States of America. You will notice the eagle with an olive branch in one talon and arrows in the other

Bello vel Pace Paratus

No one loathes war more than the soldier. The Soldiers sole duty is to fight.  Peace is the end but the means to it must be met first.  In an ideal world, peace can be achieved just by talking about it.  However, reality dictates the opposite. In this country we have the talkers and the walkers.  the talkers talk about peace but the walkers take peace along with them and walk to what corner of the planet that needs it.  It is the soldier who does the marching. 

 Updates and Links:

For more info follow PoliPundit , Blackfive ,  SFC Ted , Michelle Malkin, Rich Lowry

This is the second part to of my anniversary series about my times in Baghdad last year. I posted this several months ago on my Herald site. This was the first time I had encountered some Iraqis

Tea time in Baghdad

    The Vietnamese Buddhist monk and philosopher, Thich Nhat Hanh (pronounced Tick-naught-han), writes about enjoying a good cup of tea. The other day in Iraq, I had gone to the Airport formerly know as Saddam International.  I was with a few Contractors who work for General Dynamics plus one other soldier with whom I work with.  As the rest my group left to do a little shopping, I chose to stay in the terminal area and smoke a cigarette (yes you can smoke inside) and to catch a look out of the window to see the Iraqi Airline planes that seem to be perfectly intact and ready to fly the clear blue skies.    Afterwards I sat down in the lounge chair to finish off my cigarette.  When suddenly 3 older Iraqi gentlemen sat in the seats adjacent to me.  At first I started to move but my instincts told me to remain seated. I noticed one of the Iraqi gentlemen was carrying a tray with 4 small glasses of hot tea.  Since there was an extra glass it was offered to me.   Of course I accepted because it would have been offensive in their culture if I chose the contrary.   The tea was good if you might have asked.   We finished our tea with a cigarette followed by an enjoyable conversation.  The only problem I had was the fact that I am left handed (the left hand is considered unclean in Islam) and in the past I had struggled mightily when using my right hand to hold a cup to drink tea or coffee from.  I managed and if I can say so I did a good job.  I left the airport feeling good about myself and rightly so.  The group that I was with jokingly said that I have a future as an Ambassador.  I would say I agree.   

     Finally, I could have easily fallen towards my comfort zone and used the left hand.  However life is all about sacrifice.  I am willing to change what I am comfortable with to make a difference and so are the hundred of thousand other men and women who the media ignores.  Therefore it truly pains me to read and hear about the bad things that the soldiers are doing.  The disdain for the media is what fuels me work harder and furthermore, ensure that the peace is won.  It was probably the spark I needed to flawlessly use my right hand to drink that tea.  

Life is truly like a good cup of tea.