GATOR591957
Member
+84|7067
I've been in contact with my friend in Iraq.  I asked him if the reports of things getting better are true.  He is stationed near the stadium where the soccer match between Saudi Arabia and Iraq was held.  After the match the Iraqi's were shooting their guns in the air in celebration placing their base on full alert.  Here is his reply:

Update on that bit of sports fun, 4 killed, 17 injured in that bit of celebration. As for your question, Gator, that's mostly true. The insurgents are running out of guys who are willing to strap bombs to themselves and rush a fence. Sadly, their new MO is to hire regular guys off the street as hauling truckers and when they get to the target, they detonate the truck with the driver unaware. A fair display of douche-baggery if ever I saw one. But as I said, for the most part things are quiet here. Our boys in the engineering corps are helping the locals to rebuild their homes, and making a lot of improvements, i.e. building wells, bridges, roads, health clinics, things our ol' buddy Saddam never took time out of his busy days to address for his people. As for myself, I'll be manning a guard tower here every week and rolling out as a convoy ops gunner. Still up in the air as to whether I'll be doing that the whole deployment. That's it for now, over and out.
Schwarzelungen
drunklenglungen
+133|6737|Bloomington Indiana
Its good to hear it from a soldiers point of view

thanks for posting.
IRONCHEF
Member
+385|6931|Northern California
Can a typical motorcade of US politicians drive from the airport to the green zone safely without being fired upon?  This apparently is something that hasn't been a reality in the last few years.
GATOR591957
Member
+84|7067
I'll ask.
IRONCHEF
Member
+385|6931|Northern California

Schwarzelungen wrote:

Its good to hear it from a soldiers point of view

thanks for posting.
And yes, it's good to hear it from someone OTHER than some sack of wine doing a photo-op for votes...  it'd be better to get a general consensus as well from soldiers all around and  inside the "surge" targetted area...then measure what that actually means; 1) better because <50 died today? 2) better because <4 bombs went off?  3) better because there's electiricty for >6 hours per day? 

My point is..."what's 'better?'"  Probably as easy to define as is the question "what is 'winning' the war on terror?"
Bull3t
stephen brule
+83|6742
thanks for posting the information.
Schwarzelungen
drunklenglungen
+133|6737|Bloomington Indiana

IRONCHEF wrote:

Schwarzelungen wrote:

Its good to hear it from a soldiers point of view

thanks for posting.
And yes, it's good to hear it from someone OTHER than some sack of wine doing a photo-op for votes...  it'd be better to get a general consensus as well from soldiers all around and  inside the "surge" targetted area...then measure what that actually means; 1) better because <50 died today? 2) better because <4 bombs went off?  3) better because there's electiricty for >6 hours per day? 

My point is..."what's 'better?'"  Probably as easy to define as is the question "what is 'winning' the war on terror?"
your point of wondering what "better" means is very logical.

my guess right now would be "better than 3 years ago" as far as attacks.   a buddy of mine is there too and called me last week telling me he was surprised there hasnt been a car bomb in his area in 2 weeks.
Ssandstorm
Member
+73|7175|Perth, Western Australia
The final of the Asian Cup was held in Jakarta. Your friend must be some kind of supernatural being to be in both Iraq and Indonesia at the same time.
Cybargs
Moderated
+2,285|7156

Ssandstorm wrote:

The final of the Asian Cup was held in Jakarta. Your friend must be some kind of supernatural being to be in both Iraq and Indonesia at the same time.
Wtf are you on about? Soccer match does not = Asian cup... Jesus you should read the news more.
https://cache.www.gametracker.com/server_info/203.46.105.23:21300/b_350_20_692108_381007_FFFFFF_000000.png
Ssandstorm
Member
+73|7175|Perth, Western Australia

GATOR591957 wrote:

I've been in contact with my friend in Iraq.  I asked him if the reports of things getting better are true.  He is stationed near the stadium where the soccer match between Saudi Arabia and Iraq was held.
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articl … mbv6g0.txt
Cyborg, slap yourself now.
GunSlinger OIF II
Banned.
+1,860|7084
you do realize that the asian cup final was in jakarta and not iraq.  Your friend was stationed in indonesia?
IRONCHEF
Member
+385|6931|Northern California
doh!  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.

Celebratory gunfire resounded across the city and revelers poured into the streets in defiance of orders from authorities while mosques broadcast calls for the shooting to stop. Security forces, meanwhile, enforced a vehicle ban in an effort to prevent a repeat of car bombings that killed dozens celebrating Iraq's progress to the final.

After Wednesday's semifinal win over South Korea, two car bombs tore through crowds of revelers in two Baghdad neighborhoods, killing 50 people. Iraqis welcomed the victory in the final as a chance to show they can come together.


So do the Iraqi's crowd around one big 32" tv screen at the stadium to watch the match and then riot and cheer afterwards?  Looks like it.
Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|7061|London, England
They can't do anything without killing people, or causing fights, or doing something bad. God damn, I'm beginning to think Iraqi's are worse people than our football hooligans. There i've said it.
usmarine
Banned
+2,785|7202

GunSlinger OIF II wrote:

you do realize that the asian cup final was in jakarta and not iraq.  Your friend was stationed in indonesia?
hmmm
AAFCptKabbom
Member
+127|7098|WPB, FL. USA

GATOR591957 wrote:

I've been in contact with my friend in Iraq.  I asked him if the reports of things getting better are true.  He is stationed near the stadium where the soccer match between Saudi Arabia and Iraq was held.  After the match the Iraqi's were shooting their guns in the air in celebration placing their base on full alert.  Here is his reply:

Update on that bit of sports fun, 4 killed, 17 injured in that bit of celebration. As for your question, Gator, that's mostly true. The insurgents are running out of guys who are willing to strap bombs to themselves and rush a fence. Sadly, their new MO is to hire regular guys off the street as hauling truckers and when they get to the target, they detonate the truck with the driver unaware. A fair display of douche-baggery if ever I saw one. But as I said, for the most part things are quiet here. Our boys in the engineering corps are helping the locals to rebuild their homes, and making a lot of improvements, i.e. building wells, bridges, roads, health clinics, things our ol' buddy Saddam never took time out of his busy days to address for his people. As for myself, I'll be manning a guard tower here every week and rolling out as a convoy ops gunner. Still up in the air as to whether I'll be doing that the whole deployment. That's it for now, over and out.
Sad though...   you wont hear this in the liberal media.

Send him our best, our many thanks, to stay safe, and may God bless...
GATOR591957
Member
+84|7067

GunSlinger OIF II wrote:

you do realize that the asian cup final was in jakarta and not iraq.  Your friend was stationed in indonesia?
I believe I misinterpreted his comments.  Evidently they were at a stadium where it was being either broadcast by TV or radio. 

He writes:  Here's a a hearty how-dee-do from all of us here in the sandbox. Just wanted to poke in a second and see how things were. Not much to talk about here, just really hot and miserable as goes without saying. Water's kind of a commodity around here, so showers and laundry kinda take a back seat on the priorities. I'll leave the wonderful aromas of america's fighting force to your imaginations.
The most interesting event thus far was a general alert last week in which my base took some small arms fire. After all was said and done, we had 3 injuries. The cause of this was that down the street from our base, a soccer game between Iraq and Saudi Arabia had concluded, with Iraq winning a staggering 1 - 0 lead. As is custom, they all celebrated by pulling out their guns and firing wildly into the air, which sent a few rounds into our fence and had some guards firing back. Personally, I think letting these nutjobs keep their weapons is an example of today's 'military intelligence'.
Write me back with something. My visits will be few and far between. Anywho, I'm out for now, catch ya later.

Last edited by GATOR591957 (2007-08-03 12:10:55)

GunSlinger OIF II
Banned.
+1,860|7084
fair enough.  whats goes up must come down.  where exactly do you know where hes at in Iraq?
GATOR591957
Member
+84|7067
I'm not sure, but I'll ask.  I don't think he will be able to tell me but I'll ask.
GunSlinger OIF II
Banned.
+1,860|7084
sure he will. unless hes SO

Last edited by GunSlinger OIF II (2007-08-03 12:13:46)

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