The Cellar - View Single Post

yesman065 · 11-15-2007, 07:36 AM

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:12 am

Well you soon get used to doing a lot of different things and they just
don't seem to bother all that much, because this is Iraq. My latest
adventure is just "another day in Iraq". We have been working with the
Iraqis on setting up a forum for the development and revitalization of
Baghdad. Well we got the Prime Minister, the 2 vice presidents, the
Deputy Prime minister and a lot of the Council of Representatives to
come and of course US ambassador Crocker and 7 other ambassadors along
with several of the US 2 stars and above. We also had international
press coverage coming in. A full blown Iraqi circus!

Yesterday I was over at the convention hall where the event was to be
held. I had to go over and make sure the Iraqi were doing what they
promised, along with a security detachment to secure the building for
the forum. Well the Iraqi wanted to show a 20 minute movie on the past
and future of Baghdad. They could not figure out how to work their lap
top and projector system, and of course, with our help we got it going
for them. Well the movie had a lot of very graphic war scenes of when
the US forces rolled into Baghdad and did what they had to do. It was
pretty graphic! I basically stole/borrowed the video from the Iraqis,
made copies and informed my boss. Well our 3 star generals and
Ambassador Crocker were not very happy at all with what was going to be
shown. Top people here in the embassy called over to the Iraqis and
told them they had to make changes. We, (US and Coalitions Forces) were
referred to at as "Mongrels" in the Iraqi video. Not a good thing!

The Iraqis promised to make changes so that they could show the video at
the forum in front of the international press. I had to go over and get
the video the next morning, screen it and report on it. I was heading
out today in the morning to get the forum and I was delayed for a patrol
in the area was ambushed by a IED, (Improvised Explosive Devise) and a
Lieutenant was killed and several wounded. They were 200 yards from the
checkpoint that flowed traffic into the facility where the forum was to
be held.

When I got there I had to guard the Iraqi Laptops from the Iraqis so
they could not slip in the old video in which they show the graphic war
scenes and calls us "Mongrels". Of course it is Iraqi so they are all
late! I manage to get the CD with the movie on, ( a whole another
story), and take it and run it in the Laptop and it was "cleaned". While
I was sitting on the floor in the corner watching this so no one else
could see it. Two soldiers' come by carrying their fully loaded out
M16-A4 machine guns, which is NOT allowed in the building, I asked them
what was going on. Well it seems a know terrorist had gotten through the
security, (or let through by some Iraqis) and was in the complex. They
had a picture of him and his name and what he had done in Iraq. He was a
really BAD person! They were conducting a huge manhunt, the Iraqis
stated to show up for the forum and it was becoming a real mess trying
to herd them to a area so the manhunt can continue. The Iraqis went
ahead and started the forum anyway and it went off and no one else was
killed or hurt. The day is over and I think I will call it a early day
and go back to my hooch and hit my rack!

How is your day going in America?

CDR USN
"On the Edge in Baghdad"

11-15-2007, 07:36 AM	#53
yesman065 Banned - Self Imposed Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,847	Another day in Iraq Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:12 am Well you soon get used to doing a lot of different things and they just don't seem to bother all that much, because this is Iraq. My latest adventure is just "another day in Iraq". We have been working with the Iraqis on setting up a forum for the development and revitalization of Baghdad. Well we got the Prime Minister, the 2 vice presidents, the Deputy Prime minister and a lot of the Council of Representatives to come and of course US ambassador Crocker and 7 other ambassadors along with several of the US 2 stars and above. We also had international press coverage coming in. A full blown Iraqi circus! Yesterday I was over at the convention hall where the event was to be held. I had to go over and make sure the Iraqi were doing what they promised, along with a security detachment to secure the building for the forum. Well the Iraqi wanted to show a 20 minute movie on the past and future of Baghdad. They could not figure out how to work their lap top and projector system, and of course, with our help we got it going for them. Well the movie had a lot of very graphic war scenes of when the US forces rolled into Baghdad and did what they had to do. It was pretty graphic! I basically stole/borrowed the video from the Iraqis, made copies and informed my boss. Well our 3 star generals and Ambassador Crocker were not very happy at all with what was going to be shown. Top people here in the embassy called over to the Iraqis and told them they had to make changes. We, (US and Coalitions Forces) were referred to at as "Mongrels" in the Iraqi video. Not a good thing! The Iraqis promised to make changes so that they could show the video at the forum in front of the international press. I had to go over and get the video the next morning, screen it and report on it. I was heading out today in the morning to get the forum and I was delayed for a patrol in the area was ambushed by a IED, (Improvised Explosive Devise) and a Lieutenant was killed and several wounded. They were 200 yards from the checkpoint that flowed traffic into the facility where the forum was to be held. When I got there I had to guard the Iraqi Laptops from the Iraqis so they could not slip in the old video in which they show the graphic war scenes and calls us "Mongrels". Of course it is Iraqi so they are all late! I manage to get the CD with the movie on, ( a whole another story), and take it and run it in the Laptop and it was "cleaned". While I was sitting on the floor in the corner watching this so no one else could see it. Two soldiers' come by carrying their fully loaded out M16-A4 machine guns, which is NOT allowed in the building, I asked them what was going on. Well it seems a know terrorist had gotten through the security, (or let through by some Iraqis) and was in the complex. They had a picture of him and his name and what he had done in Iraq. He was a really BAD person! They were conducting a huge manhunt, the Iraqis stated to show up for the forum and it was becoming a real mess trying to herd them to a area so the manhunt can continue. The Iraqis went ahead and started the forum anyway and it went off and no one else was killed or hurt. The day is over and I think I will call it a early day and go back to my hooch and hit my rack! How is your day going in America? CDR USN "On the Edge in Baghdad"