Hi Guys
You may have already seen the news about 3 explosions in Baghdad. After the three quietist days all year we were rocked by an explosion at 1721 and then two more in the next ten minutes. The explosions were huge, large clouds of smoke rising fast in the air. The explosion were out side the Sheraton hotel area which is were most of the journalists are housed. No info on casualties yet but it is likely to be high.
Media reports are two rockets followed a VBIED. I think it was two vbied about 400pounds followed by a cement truck with 800-1000 pounds. We are about 600m -1km from the explosion which occurred outside the IZ. I will remember them for a long time, the photo is the third explosion. We are standing on a cement slab path with felt like a small wave passed under our feet as the sound of the explosion overcame all your senses. Sounded like it was a lot closer. Hope you like the photo.
Have a quiet day.
5 Nov 05
Hi Guys
This is my last email before leaving Iraq (this time). I wanted to email you guys before I go to thank you for the support and friendship you have given me during my time here. It has been an adventure of a lifetime for me but it has been made easier by the friends that take the time to email me. It makes a huge difference to have friends from home and contacts who care about you. Don’t forget that when things get dangerous it helps you stay in touch and remember things are worth going home to. This has been an incredible adventure, but I am sure it will not be my last.
I apologise in advance for my lack of emails and contact when in Australia.
My life at home doesn’t lend itself to time to email and stay in touch as it does from Iraq. It is very ironic but here you make time to stay in touch because everything is further from your reach. At home I hope to do the same. I have learnt a lot about my self in Iraq and I am pleased with my achievement and overwhelmed by how many things we take for granted in our lives. I am more content with what I have and want to make the most of it.
Hope to see you all soon back in Australia.
Anthony
Plus – Funny story. A T-Wall is a 12ft high cement wall put around buildings as protection from blasts. Yesterday two Iraqis were arrested after they were caught putting explosives inside a T-Wall and trying to put it in place on the perimeter of a US Base. Just at the entrance. How were they caught you ask? Well the guard on duty noticed two guys carrying a T-Wall on their shoulders down the street towards the gate!!!!. They were greeted by soldiers and detained. The T-Wall was made of Styrofoam and painted to look like cement.
Have good day. It is quiet here so I have time to write stories
Antman
3 Nov 05
Hi Guys
It is about time for another long email about life in Iraq. This time I think it is time to revisit some old topics and talk about some of the news that is news but doesn’t make the news and when it does it gets pushed behind stories about football and Australian Idol ratings.
Whilst you have all been sleeping safely, worrying about getting to work early enough to get a car park or getting to training on time or having a winge that your latte is not hot enough at morning tea.
The Pentagon released figures of Iraqi casualty figures since Jan 2004.
26000 Iraqi civilians (or insurgents depending on if they where at work at their local terrorist anonymous meeting after hours). 75000 wounded. That’s Belconnen right there – gone. Democracy is a wonderful thing. I have that and a lot more exciting referendum and terrorist news to cheer your day up.
Civilians, noncombatants, innocents. Three very different words. What is really a civilian when entire families and tribes all conspire to kill you and support one side no matter what. When 10 year olds have machine guns and women are suicide bombers, once of course but day work in a library.
The referendum came and went and 75% of the population voted for it so the country moves towards it first democratic elections on the 15th of December.
If the referendum is an example, the country was so democratic and safe that all borders, were shut, all airports, all bus services, all roads unless military vehicle, a four-day public holiday was enforced. What fun, no work, no pay, no where to go and nothing to do! My favourite security measure was ‘no weapons allowed on the streets unless you are Iraqi Police, Military or Coalition forces’. Great idea – maybe if they had just thought of that earlier the terrorists would have not brought their guns to town.
By all accounts, even after a recount of some ‘suspicious reports’. It was a yes vote. Two areas voted 90% against and 65% of registered voters turned out. Just sounds like a fair an equitable election back home. One province even had a 110% Yes vote – that’s right, more people voted ‘yes’ than are registered to vote! At least no one was killed or blown up trying to vote. One region had polling booths closed because of an increased threat of suicide bombers so about 25000 couldn’t vote NO. Sounds a lot like Florida but you get that when you have the US teaching you how to be democratic.
STORY ABOUT A LARGE BOMB
One day I was standing out having a brew at about 5:30pm just as the sun was setting over the desert when a not to distant explosion rocked the quiet, it was that loud some of us even looked up to fain interest. It was only about 1km away and then a few minutes later another a few hundred meters from the first, about the same size – 400 pounds of vehicle bourne explosive and 150pounds of muslim fanatic went off. This got our attention, we all new it was over towards the Sheraton Hotel on the Edge of the Green Zone and two VBIEDs in the same place meant something – an attack. Blow the first, wait for panic, rescue workers and security and then blow the second!
Simple but viscous. The deadly gas of white powder and death rising to locate the detonation point on the horizon. Then about 60 seconds later another explosion rocked us, I mean the cement path we were on felt like a wave passing under our feet, the white cloud was fast like someone just blew up a powder factory but the noise was the most frightening. Terse and extreme, I am sure I could hear a scream on the edge of it as it passed by. The last sound of life passing by.
This was huge – a cement truck full of military grade explosives. It had our attention now, we couldn’t see the two hotels in the direction but expected them to be gone. As fast you got the news in Australia it was on CNN, so off to the TV ‘s we went and lucky for our curiosity the bombs had targeted the hotel where the media are staying – instant story with great footage. For the size of the attack the devastating effect of the explosives had a minor effect on the defences to the hotel and everyone in them was ok, deaf but ok.
Luckily only 12 people were killed (unless you were on of them of course). What didn’t get reported was four ‘now dead’ security guards of a lowly paid third world nation – nepal, stuck there head out of the bunker after the first two explosions and saw a cement truck driving hard towards the breach made by recent explosions, opened fire and made the driver enter a wall of high speed lead intent on sending him to Allah – it worked, he got shredded and pulled his toggle of destruction early, not making it to the basement of the hotel. Massive explosion but over all a bad result for a well-planned, deliberate, and professional attack on a high value and highly protected area – what we call a complex spectacular attack. This raises the stacks for all of who prepare for threat.
For my mates that work in counter terrorism and security in Oz – that’s how they do terrorism over here. No hostages, no hijackings, no one vehicle with enough casualties that our two-vehicle ambulance service can manage. Some great footage on the news and we can all sleep safe knowing we are prepared. If they choose to bring the war to us it wont be simple, it will be complex and it will knock Australian Idol off the ratings.
Some other more interesting but shorter stories that probably didn’t make the news because reporters were not the target.
A man in a truck selling dates drove into a market in a small town outside of Baghdad, got a crowd around and blew them up – 33 dead.
A large car Bomb in the Southern town of Basrah ruined a Saturday night market area and killed 24.
Five vehicle bombs went of in a northern, previously peaceful Kurdish part of the country. No casualty figures as they are still counting.
Horrendous experience having to go to police academy bombing today. To get some American staff out back to safety and walk through the carnage and chaos to retrieve them from a safe room and stay safe doing it. NO first aid, just fully operational rescues in the midst of misery, pain, smell and further risk. The longest in and out extraction walking through the building in the history of ‘stay focused’. Risk of further explosions, emergency services on the way but family there before looking, injured people wandering in a daze, extremely high threat of follow up attack and we had to get in and out and walk through it all, get some very scared people into safety.
A building site in Baghdad was nearing completion, a few more days and it is ready to hand over to the Iraqi government. Some local militia walk in, argue with the forman that the site is American, the foreman argues that it is a Health Clinic(it is a health clinic) but he looses because someone seen an American visit the site recently. The militia get the twelve workers at the site at the time, line them up on a newly finished white plaster wall and shot them in the head.
The most exciting thing that happened to me this time and the most exciting thing I ever want to happen or has happened occurred. I learnt the sound of a rocket being fired, got to calculate exactly what it sounds like as it approaches, how long it takes and how much more eerie it sounds when the sounds gets higher and sharper and the noise it makes when it goes off 20meters away, impacting into the roof of the building I was standing in (well by the time it hit I was lying down being a pancake). Now this building is in our compound, so I got to earn my money, get up and run the 200m back to the operations room to ascertain if everything was ok. Everyone seemed to be although the office looked like a game of hide and seek as everyone was under their desks! 20 minutes later everyone was accounted for, no injuries. Very lucky for everyone. I have some cool shrapnel that hit the wall of my office. (this bit is cut out of my mums story so lets just keep it between us). I went to the US Embassy and had Baskin and Robbins and a fudge brownie and I felt much better about the world. Lucky it was only one rocket!
Militarily the bad guys are increasing the use of explosive formed projectiles which can just burn through any armor hence October being the second worst month for US casualties. Not a nice development when your tank cant stop a road side bomb anymore.
Yesterday a police operation took place on a border town to Iran. The Iraqi Army got wind of smugglers taking truck loads of oil into Iran. They set up an ambush and a roadblock, sure enough the smugglers were surprised. A gun battled developed and at least 12 people were killed before Coalition Forces arrived and intervened halting the attack. What I like about this was the smugglers were the Iraqi Oil Police and the Army guys wanted in on their money-making scheme. The best part was that it was reported as insurgents dressed in Iraqi Police vehicles with stolen Iraqi Police cars attempted to smuggle oil into Iran for trade in explosives. The truth is always more believable than the official story.
That was the last two weeks.
Good news – the weather is fine. Like spring. I am having a great adventure.
I manage the security for 125 people, mostly US guys and since I have been here, no one has been kidnapped, killed or injured so that’s pretty good.
Their building projects aren’t working but they will all go home. So that’s good news. Not much but I had to come up with something.
I will be back in Aus a bit longer this time as some pieces of the puzzle are shifting in Iraq. So no newsletters for a while. I will be back though, just not sure when. Looking for another adventure. Need to jazz the stories up for you.
Antman of the desert
11 Dec 05
Hi everyone
I am back in Baghdad, day 2 and I was reminded why gun laws are a good idea. Tonight is truly amazing. I was trying to get an early night when sustained gun fire broke out, in continued un abated for over an hour.
Waking all the staff, causing great concern as tracer rounds appeared over head and stray rounds started landing in the compound. No one was firing directly at us but everyone was up, everyone in Baghdad! Everyone with a weapon was firing it, firing it up in the air and because there was so much you couldn’t tell where it was coming from, all I knew was it was going over our head. I was in my room on the radio trying to gather information when the ‘tink tink’ sound of bullets started hitting the accommodation and it was time to get the armour on and go find a safer place to work.
What was going on? After about 20 minutes it was determined that Iraq had beaten Syria at a soccer match and that was worth celebrating. People will die tonight but Iraq won the soccer. I have never heard so much gunfire I just hope I am not here if Iraq ever wins a world cup game. The US Military at the checkpoints obviously like soccer as well because they were firing back and firing 50cals.
A bullet came down through my roof, tinged and whizzed around me room and hit my leg, like punch. Was woozer, being shot, shock, laughter and I fucking hate soccer.
This pace is crazy, at least they wasted lots of bullets and if you listened carefully you could count how many guns there are in Baghdad – more than people I think.
Have a peaceful day
Antman of the soccer gun crazy nation
26 Dec 05
Happy Kickboxing day
What is commonly known as Boxing day will in the future be referred to, at all times as Kick Boxing Day. No other sport has its very own national day!
For a change I thought I would write a newsletter and not bore you with the adventures of Antman in Iraq series. For those of you who unfamiliar with his stories you are excluded from the email list because you will fit into one of three categories:
- You are close family and would only be bored with another story about what’s on T.V in my bunker.
- I forgot to email you.
- You take the time to spell check my emails and give me advise on grammar.
I just had Christmas, just like you, except for a few small differences.
- I am with fundamentalist Christian Americans working with Irish Protestant security.
- I am in Muslim country who think a fire work display is a mortar attack on the Christians.
- I had to work just like every other day
- I got paid more than you did on Christmas day
- I had breakfast with 8 different nationalities’
- I had lunch at the US Embassy
- I had dinner with the Fijians with a good old-fashioned cook out (lamb not people)
- Santa didn’t come. He got shot down over Baghdad, kidnapped by insurgents, the reindeer were raped and made into Reindeer VBIED. SANTA subsequently was released because he gave the insurgents some new rocket launchers however when he attempted to enter the IZ he was shot by US Marines because a fat guy in a jacket looks like a suicide bomber!
- I didn’t see any children. 10. I didn’t wash anything up just threw all the plastic plates and cutlery in the bin.
What’s been going on in Baghdad?
Saddams trial is my favourite event. We call it the Saddam Hussein show. All the Iraqis watch it and you guys probably get more news about it than me.
What I have seen on CNN is very good though. The same people that bought peace and democracy to Iraq and now have a democratic friend in the Middle East (George Bushs words, not mine) are bringing you the trial of the century. This suits Saddam as he has previously presented himself with the ‘man of the century’ award. Saddam has risen to the occasion and when ever he gets a chance to speak or when he feels like it he virtually breaks in to song and lectures the judge, the court and the T.V cameras about the plight of Iraq, his mistreatment, his religion and his Arab status. He never shuts up and you wouldn’t either if you were delaying your death. He is however campaigning and doing a great job of NOT supporting the US and gaining votes for himself. He voted in the election but if he could of ran for a seat he would probably get back into power. Catch the Saddam show on a cable T.V near you. I cant imagine who thought trialing him in his own country on international T.V would of worked – the same people that brought you the OJ Simpson trial reenactments I suppose.
We have also had the election and now nearly have a democratic government. Nearly being the key word. Just like my aircon nearly works, my door nearly shuts, my food nearly tastes good, the walls in my room are nearly straight and everything is nearly finished. As was expected most people voted on religious lines for their predominant religious or tribal representative. A democratic election where everyone was allowed to vote for who they were told too free from independent thought. Not too different from a US election, except more people voted. The predominant winners will be the Shia parties and the Kurdish in the North. The Sunnis received some seats but are already complaining about election tampering. A mature response is expected in the short term and then a return to disruption and chaos as they try to disrupt the country through violence. The US are hoping this mature response will last long enough for them to tell the world Iraq is safe enough for them to hand over power to the Iraqi forces and leave saying they won.
Did you know the US has a winning strategy. The only piece missing is a definition of winning. The good news is Iran is a stable Shia dominated country who will support a Shia lead Iraqi Government. The only floor in the plan being the Iranian President believes he is only a caretaker president until the coming of Armageddon and the end of the world.
Seriously the local Iraqis are growing in confidence and self respect. Life is much better when you work for the Americans and the Iraqis are achieving and growing as a people. When we line up for Lunch now I don’t get my own line anymore. My colonial upbringing is taking a beating.
There is a lot of good Americans, don’t get me wrong and I have met some fantastic people absolutely committed to doing there job and dedicating their lives to improving this country. The military is serious. They are great people but if I talked about them it would just be boring because there is enough about the US Military everywhere. Logistics, scale, industry, doctrine; that is how you win a war and the US Military will win every war they are ALLOWED to fight politically, full scale.
I had a Pizza at the PX store a few days ago just to sit and watch the B Grade action movie go by. I was wondering as I watched protein feed, muscle bound private security guys walking around fully kitted up with thigh holsters, body armour, machine guns, head sets and huge cars with sirens and flashing lights how you could fit so much testosterone into one place. The same old question keeps coming back up; what came first ? B-Grade American cowboy security guys or B-grade American actions movies. Because I cant tell the difference.
Have a good Summer.
Love you all
Antman of Baghdad
1 Jan 06
Good morning
Happy New year
New Years here was memorable. Had a 2 drinks with the CR guys and then stayed around the office and let everyone celebrate. I am the incident controller and was not comfortable socializing too much or drinking. At midnight there was about 1 hours worth of celebratory fire, no rounds landing in the compound luckily. There was also two rockets going overhead exploding somewhere in Baghdad.
Yesterday 3 mortars landed in the US Embassy grounds and missed everyone. This morning there have been two semi loud explosion in Baghdad. Don’t know where or why but there is very little change from six months ago. The last few days have seen a return of VBIED and activity. Far less casualty figures though and less successful attacks. Mostly targeted at police. We had people at the airport by 8am this morning so pretty much normal for me. What’s different is the sinking feeling you get every time you hear and explosion and listen for another one. I don’t care about them in Baghdad I just care if the next one is going to be near me. Selfish I know.
The Parsons Global security director has gone to the states and his boss – the Global Security Director is here. He is a normal person and I have had a good time working for him. He listened and is very interested in what we say and do. I even had fun yesterday writing a report on a very serious security consideration (weird hey). It was a nice change to do something with purpose with work as opposed to day-to-day emergencies. I am sure the report could have been better but here you get 3-4 hours and you have to get it done. No one can afford for it to take a week. I like that. I had to provide recommendations and do a security analysis of collocating 15 staff at 15 different military basis around Baghdad to travel with US Military and have there security handed over to them. Pretty complicated issue. There goes another explosion. It is hard to imagine what the war is really like here with all the talk of an election and Saddams trial. You would think life here is normal.
I am going to go to the US Embassy for a good coffee later for something nice then back to weekly reports. Have great day and great year. That’s four explosions. Might not go anywhere for a while.
Antman
A family tragedy happened just before I returned home this rotation. Had to skip the next rotation and focus on other aspects of life. Even know, I miss working in Iraq and putting my military training into operation. Security is taken seriously, and it is great to have a direct role in keeping people alive.
