Welcome to the Dora High School Alumni Web CommunityKeeping the Alumni in Touch
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Letters from
Iraq ~ Life in Iraq During
my time here in Iraq among the Iraqi people I have witnessed some
strange things. Most of them while on patrols. My experiences with
the Iraqis' are limited, however, because I'm always in the gun turret.
Gunners do not dismount so all of my encounters are visual. The sights
I have seen I'll never forget.Right now in the states gas prices are at an all time high and getting higher, and it blows I know. Yet, if you could see what these people go through for fuel it would really make you think. Gasoline is sold here like crack cocaine. Lines to a gas pump in Bahgdad can be miles long. Every small business has cans of fuel out front. Children sell gasoline on the roadside in any container they can find. When I first witnessed this I marveled at how it could happen in such an oil rich country. The reason is that oil is owned by the rich here, who in turn sell it to other countries for profit. The people get what is left over, and thats not much. Therefore, they are forced to find it any way they can. I recently veiwed a sight I can only describe as "pure redneck". Apparently, southern inginuity and genius has spread throughout the world. I was on patrol in one of the nearby towns at the time. A late 70's model Datsun pick-up truck approached us in the opposite lane. Now thats no big deal in itself because that type of truck is extremely common here. It was the passenger in the truck's bed that amazed me. Standing in the back of that little truck was the biggest and strangest looking two ton cow I have ever seen. The outside edges of the truck bed were trimmed in chicken wire. I suppose its intended purpose was to stop the massive animal from exiting the vehicle, but the cow was bigger than the truck! How do you suppose they got the animal in there? I'm still pondering that one. The Iraqis' are also big on hand gestures. I see them all the time but I am clueless to what most of them mean. The one I do know is the thumbs up. The American definition of this gesture we all know, but to the Iraqi it means something entirely opposite. Basically, its the same as "the finger" in the states. On patrol the small children give me the thumbs up all the time, and with great big smiles too. I always smile and give a small wave, but then I think to myself "wait, did they just flip me off?" These children I see all the time, and most of the time it breaks my heart. They are so small and life is so very hard for them. On the other hand, sometimes I don't feel sorry for them at all. Like when they chunk rocks at me in the truck. I won't shoot them, and they know it. Instead I just point my finger and show them my weapon, which works. I suggested to my boss NCO that I wanted to keep some candy bars in the turret with me to give to the kids that throw rocks. Bewildered he said "why? you trying to win their hearts and minds?" I replied " no, I want to freeze them and bean one of those little brats in the gord with a king size snickers." Unfortunately he said no. I thought it was a good idea personally. |