March 27, 2008
The Bunker Notebook ~ News From In Country
This Category Bunker Notebook at Theodore's World,
will be about the things shared in emails from
our troops and other Americans that are
located in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Theodore's World is very aware of how
loose lips endanger our troops and other Americans
working in the hot zones, so at all times great care will be
taken in how much information is posted.
Some notes will be directly from the troops
and other notes from those such
as employees with Halliburton and others..
.
A note from my friend and employee with Haliburton in Baghdad:
" This has been a rough few days. I'm not in the Green Zone, but am near enough to hear the bombs that have fallen there constantly today. I was just outside and there are gunbattles going on in this part of town. I heard more than one. I hope the good guys are winning.The coalition is standing down and letting Iraq handle this and Iraq wants to. This is a testament to how well the coalition has trained them. They would never have been able to do something like this a year ago.
I just think that letting Mookie live is going to have a real negative impact on Iraq in the future. - Wild Thing email back.
Oh, I've never favored that little creep taking one more breath. But we're not even sure he is alive right now. Some "spokesman" in Tehran is doing all of his talking right now. It's all very strange. The Mehdi Army is getting its marching orders from Iran, so it'll be interesting to see what they do.
It's just after midnight in Baghdad and unfortunately, just when I thought it had quieted down, I head a couple more mortars a few minutes ago.
Maliki has issued an ultimatum that the Mehdi-Scum has 72 hours to turn in their weapons. I'm in favor of the US forces dropping a few very loud messages off in Tehran, personally. Even terrorists have to rest and those cockroaches have been busy today.
This latest attack I feel will have a good ending. It just might be a bit rough getting there. "
Posted by Wild Thing at 12:45 AM | Comments (9)
November 25, 2006
The Bunker Notebook ~ News From In Country
.
This Category Bunker Notebook at Theodore's World,
will be about the things shared in emails from
our troops and other Americans that are
located in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Theodore's World is very aware of how
loose lips endanger our troops and other Americans
working in the hot zones, so at all times great care will be
taken in how much information is posted.
Some notes will be directly from the troops
and other notes from those such
as employees with Halliburton and others..
.
Yes there is a curfew in Bagdad, I have received emails from a friend that is there. She is an employee with Haliburton in Baghdad.
"They're really not worse...they're better than they were in 2004. They're coming to a head. Most of rest of Iraq is calm now. But there is a need for some changes in the leadership. I guess people learn lessons after a first-time election. I've heard so many Iraqis bemoan not having voted for Allawi's party now.The media has been very successful in distorting the war to the people back home. I've watched them do it for some time now and it disgusts me. They've even been able to influence events here. People just don't realize what ramifications there are when they go spouting off about that. This is not a failure, we have not lost and pulling out now would be disastrous."
And this is from an email from someone that is in the military in Iraq ...Army Infantry Lieutenant...Platoon Leader in the first Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT).....with his permission:
"As you know,Mosul, my personal playground, is more or less stable, but there is a strong insurgent presence here. We in the Stryker Brigade are able to contain them very well, but we've been unable to make a real dent in them personnel-wise. Logistically, we've been hammering them, and that's almost as good. Intelligence (for us) is scattered but reliable. For them, well, there are a very large number of people who are happy to pass on tidbits of info b/c it seems like the good Iraqi/Muslim thing to do.People like to talk about how it took 10 years in Germany and Japan after WWII, but they're ignoring the basic fact that Arabs are NOT German nor are they Japanese. Completely different cultures with completely different mindsets. The current plan would work swimmingly if the Iraqi people gave half a damn about their (meager) existences. They don't; they merely worry about which tribe or sect this or that person is with and whether he/she should be killed (either due simply to their affiliation or in retribution). The IA and IPs (except for the Kurds) follow the same pattern. We, as Americans, can't change that perception. We can't want it more for them than they want it for themselves. It is literally that simple. Americans see this in one way, but the Arab mentality is vastly different (and inferior) from ours. Unfortunately, since it's their country and their region of the world, it's their viewpoint and subsequent actions that matter.
With all the talk back home about having us pull out of Iraq sooner rather than later, I can say with a completely clear conscience that the U.S has not failed the Iraqi people. The Iraqi people have failed us and not lived up to our sacrifices. Democracy and the associated civic and personal responsibilities associated with it are incompatible with Islam, period.
We are still patrolling like 3 years ago. Day in, day out. Only recently have we taken a more "tactical overwatch" stance, but we're still very active in the city. The good news is that the IA are, too. However, ours is a unique situation. IA in Mosul is over 95% Kurdish. They are dedicated and loyal. In the rest of the country, they are Arab, and are loyal to their religious sect and won't hesitate to stab us in the back if it means they can kill some Sunnis/Shi'ites (or whichever other flavor that's out there they don't like). The Arabs are always shady, b/c you really never know where their loyalties lie. Even if some of the IA are substandard Soldiers (below US Army standards, that is), at least they're loyal and motivated. You get no such guarantees from Arabs, ever.
You are right about your assessment of the dedication and professionalism of the military, of course, and you're correct about the idiocy of the media's presentation of the battlespace. We need to get serious with these terrorists/insurgents. This arresting and turning over to the Iraqis is absolute nonsense. Once caught, AIF need to be shot on sight. That will send a clear message that we aren't playing around anymore, and it will make the jihad a lot less fun for these guys. IA over here just caught three guys with weapons and handcuffs at a checkpoint. They admitted to going around fishing for kidnapping victims (who invariably end up dead). Instead of being shot, they're now hanging out in a detention facility getting three meals a day and being questioned (nicely). All AIF know that our ROE is pretty limited and they use our morality against us constantly. It needs to end. They need to be deathly afraid of us.
The bottom line here is that any withdrawal on our part is hardly indicative of a failure on the U.S.'s part but that of the failure of the Iraqi people. Voting for representatives doesn't make you a democracy, it takes a lot of personal responsibility, and these people haven't even figured out sewage and garbage treatment yet! Will Iraq ever be able to handle the responsibility of a democracy? Who knows? What getting out or talking about it does effect are insurgents, it gives them encouragement that they and we don't need from them. And every time one of our Soldiers is killed up here, well it’s like this Chrissie, I drive around the city every day looking at these people and I know for a fact that none of 'em are worth the platoon sergeant from my company who was killed a few months back. Not a single one.
But I do want to complete what we were sent here to do. I want to do it for him, and for all the others we have lost, my brothers. I want to do it for all of you back there to be safe and keep these people from bringing it back home where all my loved ones are. As for myself we're fighting them here rather than on U.S. soil.
Thanks for your support and letting me sound off to you when I can. Thank everyone at your blog too, we check it out over here when we can. It is appreciated!"
Here are two quotes from men regarding Iraq:
First, Kurdish Regional Government Prime Minister Barzani:
"When I was in the United States recently and read the negative news in the Washington Post, New York Times and in the network TV broadcasts, I even wondered if things had gotten so bad since I had left that I shouldn't return."
Next, Gen. Abizaid:
"When I come to Washington, I feel despair. When I'm in Iraq with my commanders, when I talk to our soldiers, when I talk to the Iraqi leadership, they are not despairing."
Posted by Wild Thing at 02:55 AM | Comments (4)
November 04, 2006
The Bunker Notebook ~ News From In Country
.
This Category Bunker Notebook at Theodore's World,
will be about the things shared in emails from
our troops and other Americans that are
located in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Theodore's World is very aware of how
loose lips endanger our troops and other Americans
working in the hot zones, so at all times great care will be
taken in how much information is posted.
Some notes will be directly from the troops
and other notes from those such
as employees with Halliburton and others..
.
From an employee of Haliburton in Baghdad
Hi Chrissie,
Just some quick notes right now, but wanted to check back with you just in case things change here fast. Yesterday was pretty quiet, but it's been kind of bumpy the past week or so. We expect tomorrow to be a bit wild because the Saddam verdict is due. The IZ is now on high alert because of it.
I am not far from that courthouse at all. I imagine it's going to be pretty bumpy around here by Sunday. But if he gets convicted, there will likely be celebratory gunfire in the streets. Perhaps a stray celebratory bullet could, well you know, just going to be careful.
I had to laugh when you said in your last email about Ramsey Clark can stay over here. LOL We have enough terrorists here. We don't want that one, too. Maybe we can come up with some other country where he can be left, like Iran or something.
The Iraqis seem to favor hanging. Saddam said he prefers a firing squad because it's more dignified for his "position." (All the more reason to favor hanging.
:)
Iraq tends to carry out death sentences within 30 days after sentencing. All in all I have a feeling Sunday might be a little noisy in the Green Zone.
About my being here again this year at Christmas, I'm OK with it. If all of these troops have to be away from their loved ones for Christmas, then I'll do it too. We'll makle it nice. :)
Sent my ballot in October 9th. Even us dumbasses stuck here in Irak are allowed to vote. Thanks Kerry. That stupid Kerry I am still very angry for Kerry saying such a nasty thing about our noble troops.
It makes me shudder to think what might have been if we had waited any longer to invade Iraq. Reading that New York Times article online from over here, everyone I talk to says the same thing. I supported the war and the reasons for it all along, but I never, ever suspected that Iraq was that close.
OH and before I end this letter, I have lost all my patience with Maliki. He had better get it together fast and stop kissing Iran's butt.
Stay strong and thanks for your prayers
Andy
Posted by Wild Thing at 02:55 AM | Comments (2)
June 21, 2006
News From Iraq ~ The Bunker Notebook ~
.
This Category Bunker Notebook at Theodore's World,
will be about the things shared in emails from
our troops and other Americans that are
located in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Theodore's World is very aware of how
loose lips endanger our troops and other Americans
working in the hot zones, so at all times great care will be
taken in how much information is posted.
Some notes will be directly from the troops
and other notes from those such
as employees with Halliburton and others..
.
From an employee of Haliburton in Baghdad
"Thanks! Baghdad is being dealt with as we speak. We can hear the sounds, of freedom. We've been hearing the same chatter about XXXXXXX for the last several days that we heard about Fallujah just before they whacked it in November 2004.We have no electricity at the moment and this place is HOT. The Media reports, still the sameI have yet to see them ever tell the whole truth about events in Iraq. Why should they start now? WT, I know you and I agree on the media as other things I share with you.
What happened to our soldieres literally turns my stomach. This pisses me off.
Our guys get tortured while we tip-toe around trying to fight a PC war so as not to "offend" anyone. The "insurgents" need to suffer a mass slaughter in order to send a message.
I agree. We need to drop some more of the 500-pounders. They are routing out quite a few of them.
We fight an enemy that holds nothing higher than religion and it's purposes for them, to include human life or the lives of their own people, and as military members who have been or are now deployed to these areas we must fight blindfolded and our hands tied around our backs vor fear of the " CNN " issues that we may face for doing our job.
Thank you for your support.I get a chance to read your blog and the comments are good. The Vets there for their support too.
Sincerely, Lt.
Scout Sniper Platoon Commander
We are still doing our best to get these [bad guys], they are definitely getting allot smarter though as far as tactics. [They] are hiding in crowds of people after throwing grenades at us. Its hard as hell to avoid an ambush because they always seem to know we are coming and the people don't give us any accurate intel as to what and where the insurgents are. Anyway we were on a night patrol and one of the [Bad Guys] was hiding in an alley and tossed a homemade grenade in the middle of the element. one of my shooters got hit in the hand (non shooting hand). He is fine, its a million dollar wound, he was back doing missions the next day. We think he ran into a nearby crowd of people and then disappeared, but of course the crowd did not see anything.
thanks for the email and support. later.
SSG.A
Posted by Wild Thing at 02:55 AM | Comments (2)
April 10, 2006
News From Iraq ~ The Bunker Notebook ~
.
This Category Bunker Notebook at Theodore's World,
will be about the things shared in emails from
our troops and other Americans that are
located in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Theodore's World is very aware of how
loose lips endanger our troops and other Americans
working in the hot zones, so at all times great care will be
taken in how much information is posted.
Some notes will be directly from the troops
and other notes from those such
as employees with Halliburton and others..
.
The author of the video is the soldier standing looking at the paperwork with the two terrorists handcuffed and blindfolded in one of the images you will see.
Please click HERE is his video and parts of his email are below.....
" The the one standing was real cocky about wanting to kill Americans. He was double checking the paperwork to make sure there were no problems. The one sitting on the ground with his back to the camera is bawling like a baby. Seems Jihad was all fun and games for this clown until our guys slapped the blind fold and plastic cuffs on him.As usual we were doing our routine patrols and as we were heading back to Mares. We saw that the IP’s (Iraqi Police) had one of the main roads closed. Shortly after, we realized that they were working on an IED placed on the right of the road exactly where we normally pass by to make a right turn. This people have a great sense of bravery, because even with the limitation on the equipment that they were using to deactivate the IED, this IP’s worked with it fearless. There were basically about 7 IP’s on the ground, one with binoculars, two with a string with a hook in the middle of it and the rest of them pulling security for the ones working directly with the IED. The technique used to deactivate the IED was merely simple. The used the hook to extract the ignition device away from the round (one 155mm). After the ignition device was away from the round, then extracting the round out of the whole was “piece of cake”. I’m glad and thank God for these men, because it could hit any of our Stryker and cause other tragedy like on February 26, 2006.
A couple weeks ago when a SVBIED blow up and couple minutes later an IED went off about 200 meters away from the SVBIED site. When we there about 15 minutes after all this happened, but the must interesting part is who an IA (Iraqi Army) guy crawled like a snake into the hole just to peep and see what was the status of the remaining UXO (Unexploded Ordnance). After he (IA) realized that this rounds didn’t represented a threat (at least to him), he just pulled them out like candies. Even an explosion took place, it had 5 unexploded rounds inside the IED hole and we heard that the explosion from the EID was quite loud. Now you can imagine how much damage this IED would make if it would go off completely."............Sgt. Colon
Posted by Wild Thing at 01:47 AM | Comments (2)
March 02, 2006
News From The Bunker Notebook
.
This is a new Category at Theodore's World.
It will be about the things shared in emails from
our troops and other Americans that are
located in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Theodore's World is very aware of how
loose lips endanger our troops and other Americans
working in the hot zones, so at all times great care will be
taken in how much information is posted.
Some notes will be directly from the troops
and other notes from those such
as employees with Halliburton and others..
.
This note arrived last night and it is regarding the recent news of Presidnet Bush and his surprise visit to Afghanistan
.
" Something kind of cool happened today.
The largest mobile phone service in the country is called Iraqna.
Today, the company sent a text message to every single user. (I have an Iraqna cell phone.) It was in Arabic. I had it translated and it said "God is great, God is good. Please come together and pray for peace in Iraq."
Every one of us got one and every user around the country did.
I thought that was encouraging."
from one of the contractors with Haliburton on the banks of the Tigris, Baghdad, Iraq
.
Wild Thing's comment......
This made me smile and I wanted to share it with all of you.
.
Posted by Wild Thing at 10:47 AM
February 25, 2006
News From The Bunker Notebook
.
This is a new Category at Theodore's World.
It will be about the things shared in emails from
our troops and other Americans that are
located in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Theodore's World is very aware of how
loose lips endanger our troops and other Americans
working in the hot zones, so at all times great care will be
taken in how much information is posted.
Some notes will be directly from the troops
and other notes from those such
as employees with Halliburton and others.
"Sadr City, on the other hand, is nuts because that idiot Sadr is stirring things up. And the entire city has to suffer because of it. Yeah, it was calm yesterday, but that idiot Mookie Sadr has his goons and his loyal followers all riled up now. Mookie Sadr has caused misery for so many before and a couple of my co-workers were killed in April '04 because of him. He needs to become metaphysically challenged. Be GONE."
"So Baghdad is still locked down and will remain so for at least another couple of days. This is really hosing things up for everyone and I can't imagine the hit the struggling Iraqi economy is going to take with its capital having to be shut down like this.
They extended the %$$! curfew in Baghdad again until Monday. Mookie Sadr's idiots over in Sadr City are misbehaving. Everyone is obeying the curfew for the most part."
"This is starting to hose up up. Not that I haven't been through this before. (weary sigh...)
Fortunately, most Iraqis think he's an idiot, too. He has his goons in Najaf and around the south, but even the majority of Shiites think he's too looney for them.
Recently, a man was found dead in a square in Baghdad with a sign around his neck that read "This is a terrorist who killed innocent people." (Don't know if the media found that worth reporting.)
There's been quite a bit of vigilantism going on. The Iraqis have also gotten much bolder about ratting out the terrorists when they become aware of them operating in their neighborhoods.
Some are saying it might have been the Iranians and there is some evidence to support that, but al-Qaeda's ben awfully busy in the region recently as well. We do feel pretty confident that it wasn't Iraqi Sunnis. And the Iraqis feel the same way.
The libs are fulla crap, as usual when they say we are ALL hated for being here. There are some people who resent us being here, but they tend to be those who were in favor by Saddam Hussein and we don't care about them.
Most of the Iraqis are warm, generous people who are glad to be free and they know exactly why they are free. I've been blessed to have made several Iraqi friends with whom I believe I'll stay in touch for the rest of my life. The Iraqis really don't want a civil war. Only the media and the lefties want that.
The tomb of Salman Pak, also known as Salman al-Farisi, was attacked after sunset with two rockets. They don't seem to be reacting to it. I listened to a bucnh of the Iraqis listening to the news in Arabic on the radio just about a half hour ago (heard "Ee-rawn" mentioned a couple of times) and now they're just cutting up and playing around like they always do in the evenings. Everything seems back to normal now and I pray it stays that way."
This one I got on Thursday, January 23, 2006
"It's CRAZY out there! We went outside a few minutes ago and we could hear constant gunfire and shouting. We can't see over our walls, but I've never heard such bedlam here.
I suspect that slimeball Sadr is behind a lot of this and I wish that guy would somehow assume room temperature.
I'm thinking about going up on the roof of the building to look at the streets, but I don't think the security people will let us today.
I couldn't get out in that even if I were crazy enough to want to. We're on a very tight lockdown here
In the thick of it. Gunfire, shouting and sirens are going off all around us. It's been like that since yesterday around noon.
We're safe in our fortress and they're not even focused on us.
The Sunnis have far more to lose by a sectarian war than the Shiites, and they know this. al-Qaeda may have scored a short term gain with yet another shocking display of violence, but this could be another miscalculation that further alienates them in the eyes of the Iraqi people.
I'm hoping this is how it ends up. I think they'll rage for another day or two and then calm down.
Every Iraqi I've met wants this democracy to work.
We're expecting another bad day tomorrow because it's Friday - the Muslim Holy Day. They tend to get real wound up then. Plus, Iraq is in a three-day mourning period, so everything is shut down.
They're pretty capitalistic. They'll settle down just to get those shops and commerce opened again, if nothing else."
" I still have this I saved in my notes to send you.
According to one analysis, attacks on U.S. soldiers and Iraqi government forces last year increased 29 percent, and recruitment of new insurgents does not appear to be a problem.
This is a good example of how the media scum operates. "One analysis." Done by whom? ABC themselves? Al Qaeda? Al Gore? Some nine-year-old kid?
The attack ratio has been steadily going DOWN over the last eight months. Oh, they ramp it up once in a while, but less and less frequently. (Unfortuately, they were a little busy today in Baghdad, but it's been much quieter than it used to be.)
The media distorts and outright lies about Iraq and has been doing so for a long time. And it dishonors the fantastic job our troops are doing here.
Thanks to our Military,all of you for a job well done and just ignore the media scum and their leftist agenda.
It won't be long before the progress in Iraq is so obvious that the media scum won't be able to cover it up anymore.
P. S. - The media never did much or any coverage on how they themselves got kicked out of the Green Zone, did they? No, because then they'd have to divulge the reason.
And the reason is clear to most of us."
Wild Thing's comment.....
Some of the notes are spacy because I had to seperate some things that I cannot share on here. But it will still give enough information of how it is there.
Posted by Wild Thing at 05:11 PM | Comments (6)
