apocryph.org Notes to my future self

Iraq, Day 9

Trailer 2

Got back from breakfast. Iraqis off yesterday and today (the Iraqis apparently have approx 100 holidays each year), so slow day.

Picked up laundry for first time yesterday. KBR seems to do a decent job, though it takes 72 hrs to do.

See all sorts of ppl here. I’ve seen military personnel from:

• Georgia (the country)
• Romania
• UK (lots)
• Australia
• El Salvador
• Italy (many)
• Denmark (many)

Plus contract security guards from South America.

Getting used to everyone around me being armed. Hate that BE forbids us.

I’m having a tough time managing my time through the day. Lats of time is wasted on bullshit. Our schedule has us code-complete in 25 calendar days, and there’s still so much to do. It’s a struggle to balance training the Iraqis on the one hand, and getting them building software on the other. I guess that’s a common problem over here.

Iraq Day 8

Trailer 2

Very sick. Had extremely painful ear infection/inflamation on Saturday night. Fortunately it cleared up by Sunday. The pain was agonizing. On Sunday the clinic in the palace gave me a ‘cold pack’, which included Tylenol, Mucinex, and a ‘decongestive’ that makes me feel drugged. I still feel like crap, and foggy from the drugs, plus I have some kind of infection in my left eye.

Note to self: should have brought cold meds, esp Nyquil.

Iraq Day 5

Camp Lucent, Trailer 2

It’s Friday, our day off. Yesterday we went to the CCCI(Central Criminal Court of Iraq), outside the IZ. We met w/ the chief judge of the 1st panel, Judge L. The meeting was brief, and he spent most of it flirting w/ my female colleague. He did offer us food (Iraqi candy) and we (my colleage actually) offered him a token gift of a pen as well; both of these are consistent w/ standard Arab custom.

To get to CCCI we drove to the perimeter wall of the IZ, where there was a steel door guarded by a US Army SGT. He radioed to his counterpart in the bldg that were were coming, then opened the door. On the other side was a muddy field w/ concrete slabs set in the form of a path. We walked through the field, each in kevlar vest and helmet, past a couple of trailers w/ civilian contractors (!!!) and a few shallow fountains now dry and decayed.

The CCCI itself is a cone shaped building w/ a sphere at the top, where the remains of a clock are visible (hence the nickname, ‘Baghdad Clocktower’). The Iraqis say the pendulum of the clock used to swing through the building below. The building itself used to be a museum containing all of Saddam’s gifts, but it was looted after the invasion.

The building was fairly quiet, since they don’t have trials on Thursdays, but the Iraqis all stared as we walked through the buidling.

We had to pull out quickly as the Army guard was preparing to withdraw and seal the door for the day.

After we returned, the Iraqis had prepared for us a feast of Iraqi food. It included lamb w/ rice, roasted chicken, lamb hearts (!!!), kabobs, ‘salad’ (not salad in the Western since of the word; think macaroni w/o any sauce), homos, a tangy yogurt, enormous pita loaves, and delicious ‘baqlawa’, an Iraqi take on baclava.

Afterwards we spoke with M at length about the current situation in Iraq, how it was under Saddam, and his hopes for the future. Afterwards I reviewed the work U has been doing on the courts application. After that, I went back to the trailer to relax. I came down with a cold within two days of my arrival.

Iraq Day 3

Camp Lucent, Trailer 2

Just got back from Wednesday night BBB (Burgers Burnt to Buggery; no, I don’t get it either) at the BE main camp. Didn’t really click w/ the BE team; all were older, Emerging Markets types.

Slept poorly; woke up sick. Have chest congestion, fever, chills. Ibuprofen taking care of it for now.

Had first day w/ Iraqi team. Went well. They are all very eager to learn, and happy to be working with us. It’s such an honor to play some small part in helpting them rebuild their country.

We reviewed chapters 1 and 2 of ‘Learning C#’ then I assigned some practical exercises. Seemed to go well; I’ll follow up tomorrow.

Tomorrow @ 10AM I’m going w/ the rest of the IJIP team to the CCCI (Central Criminal Court of Iraq, located in the so-called ‘Baghdad Clocktower’), where the Iraqi criminal courts are convened. Two coworkers were there for a mtg; I’m just coming along to see what it’s like.

A coworker spoke to me at length tonight about the IJIP project, and her fears for the future of the Iraqi ppl. It seems IJIP is one of the few reconstruction projects to actually go into the red zone and meet w/ Iraqis. It’s maddening to think that we could fail the ppl of Iraq w/ our bureaucratic political bullshit; if so, it will be to the eternal shame of the Departments of Justice, Defense, and most of all, State. I hipe we can make IJIP a success, and help the Iraqis to a stable democracy.

Iraq: Day 1 (Later still)

My trailer

Slept until 11:30 AM.

Met Iraqi team (names redacted for obvious reasons):

• U
• R
• A2
• A3
• Y
• E
• M

Went w/ Albert andn Dana to get badge for U. Albert took us to see some of the sights. First, we ate at the DFAC at the Al Rashid hotel. Lots of local vendors selling cool stuff. We then went to the tomb of the unknown soldier, which was huge. There’s a museum underneath that’s pitch black. Some local boys showed us down and shined a light for us.

We walked around back of the tomb, and some Iraqi army soldiers came over and asked us to move back to the front of the tomb. One of them, Abbas, walked w/ us back to our car and tried to talk to us, but he spoke no English, and us no Arabic. I wish I had some gift items onme to give to him.

Then we went to the parade grounds, and took pictures at the crossed sabers. At the base of the hands are some helmets of those killed in the Iran/Iraq war. Two Iraqi guards (maybe police?) were guarding it. They also tried to sell us some neat souvenir stuff. Again, I need to travel with petty cash and gifts.

Then we took pictures of the parade stands where Saddam used to speak. Then a convoy of new IP trucks started to muster there and we left.

All of these sights (except Al Rashid) were deserted; very surreal.

Then we went to theh BE camp, which really sucks. It’s guarded by Iraqi guards, which are not reliable, plus the trailers suck. Camp Lucent, by contrast, is guarded by elite Nepalese Gurkhas.

It was cold all day.

We went to dinner at DFAC in the palace annex. Talked to some Army reservists w/ the mental health unit. Came back, had a lame concall w/ Tyson’s. After that, went to gym in the palace. Did some cardio on the treadmill, abs, then chest & shoulders on freeweight bench. Freeweights are all over; total mess. Really sucks.

Stuff I Wish I Had:

• Wall hangers
• Laundry bag
• More military/police gift items, like coins, knives, etc
• Umbrella
• Rain gear
• Shoe polilsh
• Plastic trunks
• Glow tape (to stick on flashlight and other essentials so I can find them in the dark)
• Cold meds
• Wall decorations
• Pillow
• Comforter
• Featherbed

Iraq: Day 1 (Later)

Trailer 2, Camp Lucent, IZ, Baghdad

Rhino experience was drag. Arrived at 3AM, as L predicted. Gunny made passengers help load bags, then we boarded, in armor of course.

Ride took 20 minutes, but seemed longer. Apache gunships (2) escorted, but I never saw them (not surprising; it was pitch black out, and they don’t run w/ lights on for obvious reasons). It was very dark, and windows were tinted, so no view.

Upon arrival, an Army Gsgt. made us unload bags, then we entered a bldg as they were searched by bomb sniffing dogs. We then collected our bags, and Jim picked out the Kroll operator. He drove us a short distance to the camp, where Albert met us and took us to our trailers.

Iraq: Day 1

Camp Striker, Transient Quarters, ‘Stables’, BIAP

Waited in Amman terminal forever. RJ814 to Baghdad was scheduled for 11:00 AM. Tickets said 12:15. Actual departure time was after 1:00. Flight boards in Amman list ‘scheduled time’, ‘est time’, and ‘status’. Our flight first appeared thus:

 RJ814   Baghdad    1100    1215    On Time

Note a flight estimated to arrive over an hour later than the scheduled time is ‘on time’. As time went on, ‘est time’ moved to 1245, where it remained. This is an example of what Arabs mean when they say ‘inshallah’, or ‘God willing’; that is, stuff will happen when it happens, no matter what the schedule says.

Had to pass through another security checkpoint to get to gate. Jordanian police are armed, but they don’t carry loaded; mag wells are empty.

Walked on to tarmac to board; took bus to plane. Reminiscent of a CRJ, but not. Crew were Australian or New Zealanders. Didn’t speak any Arabic. Passengers mostly Arabs; some westerners. Sat next to huge, smelly Arab man.

Flight was uneventful. Corkscrew maneuver into BIAP was gentle. Upon landing, took bus to terminal. Terminal reminded me of Rome; dingy, 70′s-ish. My DoD badge got me past immigration, and had extremely brief customs inspection.

Kroll operators L (name redacted) and G (name redacted), Brit ex-military both, approached us as we left customs and identified themselves (we sent photos ahead of time, so they knew what we looked like). They escorted us to an armored but inconspicuous SUV.

Outside of airport is not remarkable; looks like a crappy municipal airport in the US. Kroll operators drove us to Camp Liberty. Didn’t see a soldier until camp entrance. Security is tight; approached a driveway w/ a barrier and no visible personnel. We paused, and a soldier poked his head around a corner and beckoned us forward. Machine guns covered us. We were waved through and proceeded by an unrepeatable route to the tent (“KBR Billeting, Tent 87″) where we were to await transport.

Weather was cool, sunny, and clear. Supposedly past two days were bad dust storms, hence the late flight. Kroll ried to arrange helo transport, but due to storms, helos were backlogged. Hence, had to take Rhino. Manifestng for Rhino at 10PM; we arrived at the camp around 4PM so we had 6 hrs to kill.

Kroll were great; sense of humor, professional, competent. L took Dana and I to coffee place (‘Green Bean’), bought us coffee. Sat outside; nearby shops were Turkish Gift Shop, Pizza Hut, dry cleaner. Went back to Tent 87, then G took us to the main PX 15 minutes’ drive away. PX has it all; Cinnabon and Popeye’s both available. Came back to tent, then went to dining facility (DFAC) for supper Food was extensive and good. Def will be trouble!

Came back to tent, watched ‘End of Days’ DVD. That took care of the 6 hrs.

Drove to stables to manifest for Rhino. Did that; Gsgt. told us Rhino arrives at 2AM; L says he’s lying for security reasons; arrival times actualy random. We’ll see.

Random Notes:

• All military personnel required to carry their assigned weapons at all times, so soldiers in BDUs, PTs, and civies all carrying, either M-16, M-4, SAW, M-9, etc.
• Issued loaner body armor and helmet by Kroll; permement armor issued in IZ
• Vest is very heavy; helmet not so bad.
• Waiting i nstables are a couple dozen civilian and military. Long, dull wait. Coffee is std issue antibacterial milspec. Had MRE for ‘snack’; chicken cavateli.
• Saw British and Aussie forces in DFAC; Brits carry SA-1, Aussies have Steyr AUGs.
• Rows of cots in Tent 87 for sleeping in case of getting stuck.

Iraq: Day 0

Queen Alia Airport, Gate 6, Outside Starbucks

Security, ticketing, customs were chaos. Traveling w/ Jim from USAID, plus Dana. He has shaking condition.

Adli bought us Arab coffee from a roadside stand. It was very good, and very strong. They keep it in two pots; one very sweet, and one not at all. They mix them to your liking when you order.

RJ ticket counter at airport won’t take AMEX; had to use Visa.

Tipped two porters 2JD each; one had my bag, one escorted Jim. Both seemed to think 2JD was an appallingly bad tip, but I don’t care; I only tipped them at all to avoid a faux paus.