Mission Accomplished!
Not even the news of Wacko Jacko doing an Anna Nicole could dent my spirits! While millions around the globe wept into their corn flakes last Thursday morning, I enthusiastically pre-packed my suitcase with a beaming smile. My 3 month sunshine tour in Iraq is expiring and its time to depart this moonscape republic for the equatorial showers of Central America. Am I glad to be leaving? You can bet your mortgage on it. Another week Ted?...... not bleeding likely guvnor! TAXI !
So, after 86 days, 1000 power cuts, 2 bouts of dysentery and an estimated 172 kebabs Im finally leaving the blistering heat of Northern Iraq. I shut the door of room 113, my windowless yet comfortable home for this period, and turn the key which signals the end of an experience which has neither discouraged nor inspired me. I wont miss the chaos of crossing Salima St every morning. I wont miss kebabs or the stench of sewage that emanates from my sink every time I turn the tap. I wont miss the rubbish which festers in the midday sun by the road side, or the hot discharge of generator fumes that blast from every building at head height.
This is the point where Im supposed to say what I will miss, but the list is short. I wont miss a thing about this place apart from the chaps Ive worked with, the staff at the hotel who were very accommodating, and the stunning scenery that is such a pleasure to observe when out jogging at sundown. As it turns out, this region of Iraq is incredibly safe and the ubiquitous presence of the heavily armed U.S backed Peshmerga gave us no cause for concern.
Our initial trepidation about security were so unfounded that after a few weeks it was just like working on any other project in any other corrupt third world country.
There are several urban myths about this place. I heard so many ill informed rumours prior to coming that initially I was having second thoughts. Again the best policy is dont believe what everyone tells you, but also bear in mind some of it may be good advice.
First of all the theory that Iraq is a dry country is groundless. Im not sure what its like in Baghdad and elsewhere but in this semi-autonomous region you can get your hands on whatever tipple tickles your fancy, at a fraction of the cost back home. The only thing about having abundant alcohol on hand is that there is nowhere to drink it. Pub culture hasnt exactly caught on over here yet so youre limited to a slack handful of decent hotels to sup your ale which can get monotonous. More often than not I opted not to bother.
Secondly, not all of Iraq is dangerous. That doesnt mean I recommend you to take your next holiday in Mosul or Sadr City, but outside these hotspots (add Kirkuk and all of Baghdad to that list) there is relative peace and stability.
Thirdly, not all Iraqi people hate westerners for invading and destroying their country. The Kurds up here are the friendliest bunch you could ever happen to meet, and they always go out of their way to offer a greeting or welcoming handshake. My colleague Derek Rodney Evans who is of the darker persuasion attracted particular attention. At 6 3 and with hands like shovels the locals thought he was Michael Jordan and kids would chase him down the street to meet their famous guest shouting 'Hey Mister, 50 cent!'.
Fourthly, it is possible to eat kebabs for breakfast, lunch and dinner and not go into cardiac arrest. The lack of variety on the menu though makes for dull reading. The choices are kebab with coleslaw, kebab with raw onion, kebab with burnt tomatoes or kebab with kebab. Vegetarians should bring a suitcase of pot noodles.
Finally, the notion that this war was/is a waste of money is unsubstantiated lies. Evidence exists (it can be found via Google) that dozens of huge American corporations have made billions of $$$ out of winning rebuilding, logistical and security contracts. The war economy is right on track as the United States government launder tax payers money through these companies with the assistance of their scare tactics. When will the American people make a stand? Not in my name? My ass......
There was one point about half-way through the contract that was a particularly poignant moment. While walking the usual route across Salima St to work,
There are several urban myths about this place. I heard so many ill informed rumours prior to coming that initially I was having second thoughts. Again the best policy is dont believe what everyone tells you, but also bear in mind some of it may be good advice.
First of all the theory that Iraq is a dry country is groundless. Im not sure what its like in Baghdad and elsewhere but in this semi-autonomous region you can get your hands on whatever tipple tickles your fancy, at a fraction of the cost back home. The only thing about having abundant alcohol on hand is that there is nowhere to drink it. Pub culture hasnt exactly caught on over here yet so youre limited to a slack handful of decent hotels to sup your ale which can get monotonous. More often than not I opted not to bother.
Secondly, not all of Iraq is dangerous. That doesnt mean I recommend you to take your next holiday in Mosul or Sadr City, but outside these hotspots (add Kirkuk and all of Baghdad to that list) there is relative peace and stability.
Thirdly, not all Iraqi people hate westerners for invading and destroying their country. The Kurds up here are the friendliest bunch you could ever happen to meet, and they always go out of their way to offer a greeting or welcoming handshake. My colleague Derek Rodney Evans who is of the darker persuasion attracted particular attention. At 6 3 and with hands like shovels the locals thought he was Michael Jordan and kids would chase him down the street to meet their famous guest shouting 'Hey Mister, 50 cent!'.
Fourthly, it is possible to eat kebabs for breakfast, lunch and dinner and not go into cardiac arrest. The lack of variety on the menu though makes for dull reading. The choices are kebab with coleslaw, kebab with raw onion, kebab with burnt tomatoes or kebab with kebab. Vegetarians should bring a suitcase of pot noodles.
Finally, the notion that this war was/is a waste of money is unsubstantiated lies. Evidence exists (it can be found via Google) that dozens of huge American corporations have made billions of $$$ out of winning rebuilding, logistical and security contracts. The war economy is right on track as the United States government launder tax payers money through these companies with the assistance of their scare tactics. When will the American people make a stand? Not in my name? My ass......
There was one point about half-way through the contract that was a particularly poignant moment. While walking the usual route across Salima St to work,
we were met by a huge crowd of several hundred people that lined both sides of the street. The road had been closed to public traffic and there were T.V cameras about. Curiously, I asked someone what was happening. About 10 minutes later the first pick-up trucks rolled by in a procession of nearly 200. All were carrying an individual coffin of a Kurdish victim of Saddam Husseins Anfal campaign, where he systematically massacred hundreds of thousands of Kurds. A mass grave had been discovered just outside Sulaimaniya city and the procession into town was to repatriate the remains with their families.
That experience really brought home the reality of what went on here, and how one mans despotic ideology can persecute an entire race of people. Its no wonder the Kurds hated Saddam Hussein when you look at how they were treated by his Baathist regime. Justice was only served when he saw the end of the rope.
Okay here are some statistics. In the 3 months Ive been here 54 American soldiers have lost their lives and 935 Iraqi citizens have been killed in actions directly attributed to war. Comparing these figures with 104 and 1700 from 2008 and 356 and 5146 from the same period of 2007 shows how the security situation is improving across Iraq in general. However, the original American intention to impose political and commercial influence in the region has back-fired. The new Iraqi government has made its intentions clear as they hold the door open for an early American exit.
Meanwhile, immensely strong Shia militia groups, armed to the teeth with weapons from Iran posture themselves like hungry dogs drooling over a bowl of food, eagerly waiting for their master to leave the room before leaping in and devouring the delights without fear of reprisal.
That experience really brought home the reality of what went on here, and how one mans despotic ideology can persecute an entire race of people. Its no wonder the Kurds hated Saddam Hussein when you look at how they were treated by his Baathist regime. Justice was only served when he saw the end of the rope.
Okay here are some statistics. In the 3 months Ive been here 54 American soldiers have lost their lives and 935 Iraqi citizens have been killed in actions directly attributed to war. Comparing these figures with 104 and 1700 from 2008 and 356 and 5146 from the same period of 2007 shows how the security situation is improving across Iraq in general. However, the original American intention to impose political and commercial influence in the region has back-fired. The new Iraqi government has made its intentions clear as they hold the door open for an early American exit.
Meanwhile, immensely strong Shia militia groups, armed to the teeth with weapons from Iran posture themselves like hungry dogs drooling over a bowl of food, eagerly waiting for their master to leave the room before leaping in and devouring the delights without fear of reprisal.
The Americans came under the guise of liberation from a merciless dictator who the CIA themselves helped install in power, and they leave after the loss of 4634 allied servicemen and tens of thousands of wounded, some paralyzed for life, and a country on the verge of civil war. Several large American corporations however, have won massive influence in Iraqs oil wealth.
The fat cat commercial big shots whom work alongside the U.S government to keep the war economy on track are the only winners in this despicable mess. Every U.S citizen (and British too, but to a much lesser degree) has paid a huge financial price for this war by way of taxes, and after its filtered through the hands of the Pentagon it ends up in the greedy mitts of Halliburton, GE, Exxon and Blackwater shareholders to name but a few. If you study U.S foreign policy over the last 100 years, it is brazenly clear that American intervention in foreign lands is clearly associated with commercial gain and having a piece of the pie, all at the expense of the American working class who find themselves pitting it out on the frontline.
A clear example of this was the creation of Panama at the turn of the 20th century. At the time Panama was a part of Colombia, but with the Colombian government opposed to building a canal, the U.S invaded, forced a partition of the land and created a new sovereign state, Panama. They then installed a puppet Panamanian government who would endorse the construction of the Panama Canal. Since that day (and prior to it with the liberation of much of Mexican lands now known as the American mid-west) the Americans have interfered in foreign politics on too many occasions, with catastrophic effects for everybody apart from the huge corporations who stand to swell their exuberantly sized wallets.
Anyhow,
The fat cat commercial big shots whom work alongside the U.S government to keep the war economy on track are the only winners in this despicable mess. Every U.S citizen (and British too, but to a much lesser degree) has paid a huge financial price for this war by way of taxes, and after its filtered through the hands of the Pentagon it ends up in the greedy mitts of Halliburton, GE, Exxon and Blackwater shareholders to name but a few. If you study U.S foreign policy over the last 100 years, it is brazenly clear that American intervention in foreign lands is clearly associated with commercial gain and having a piece of the pie, all at the expense of the American working class who find themselves pitting it out on the frontline.
A clear example of this was the creation of Panama at the turn of the 20th century. At the time Panama was a part of Colombia, but with the Colombian government opposed to building a canal, the U.S invaded, forced a partition of the land and created a new sovereign state, Panama. They then installed a puppet Panamanian government who would endorse the construction of the Panama Canal. Since that day (and prior to it with the liberation of much of Mexican lands now known as the American mid-west) the Americans have interfered in foreign politics on too many occasions, with catastrophic effects for everybody apart from the huge corporations who stand to swell their exuberantly sized wallets.
Anyhow,
American foreign policy has been a contentious topic for many many years, and there is nothing we can do about it. Im heading back to a region where the president of a sovereign state has just been arrested by the military (Honduras), and leftist political influence is sweeping the zone like a plague of diseased locusts. But I wont let that distract me from the most important issues at hand, seeing Jasmine and my little fella Marco again after 3 months away, a trip to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Miami and a nice cold beer.
So for now, to quote the fantastic Two Ronnies, its goodnight from me, and its goodnight from him.
*Operation Enduring Kebab-dom is a reference to Operation Enduring Freedom, which I know was the name for the invasion of Afghanistan, not Iraq, but Operation Telic didnt fit. Mission Accomplished refers to the sign displayed above George Bushs head during his victory speech aboard an aircraft carrier in April 2003
Sub note: For those that are familiar with the carjacking story in El Salvador, the latest is that the Judge presiding over the case has asked for us to pay him a bribe of several thousand dollars in order to have Jasmine removed from the list of witnesses. We are currently contesting this request.
So for now, to quote the fantastic Two Ronnies, its goodnight from me, and its goodnight from him.
*Operation Enduring Kebab-dom is a reference to Operation Enduring Freedom, which I know was the name for the invasion of Afghanistan, not Iraq, but Operation Telic didnt fit. Mission Accomplished refers to the sign displayed above George Bushs head during his victory speech aboard an aircraft carrier in April 2003
Sub note: For those that are familiar with the carjacking story in El Salvador, the latest is that the Judge presiding over the case has asked for us to pay him a bribe of several thousand dollars in order to have Jasmine removed from the list of witnesses. We are currently contesting this request.
REACTIONSAscending | Descending
Monday, 29 June 2009
thanks ted! if you go to your my brink page, then the edit profile tab, you can add the info to have a name on your submissions...i think the third line down will be the name that appears on your byline... i enjoyed rading this and your other piece as well.
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