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Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:39:29 -0400
Subject: A day in baghdad...a long summer to come
Well I had to go to the chapel today for I had to get my last "welcome aboard" briefing from the Multi-National Force-Iraq. There were about 30 of us in the chapel and we had all kinds of speakers tell us the rules, (NO alcohol at all, even thought the State department people sit by the pool and have a few cold ones... No Beer for You!). Well of course everybody was armed so I thought to myself at least you can feel safe that the collection plate will be safe during mass. Just than I heard the loud whistle of a 107 mm rocket inbound to the complex, I dove on the floor and few others piled on. There is not much room between the sit/benches in church so you have to do what you have to do! Well the rocket continued on and landed somewhere close by.
Hey, if you go to church and everybody shows up wearing weapons and "bad guys" are dropping 107 mm rockets in on you. It is time to find a new church!
A couple of car bombs just went off in down town Baghdad and a lot of people have been killed and wounded. Military operations are starting and the "surge" is in place. It is going to be a long and interesting summer. The bad guys know where the "Green Zone" and the "International Zone" are and they just drop their greetings in when they want to. It was also told to me that besides the mortars and the rockets coming in there is what is called "celebratory fire". It seems that when the local are happy and want to celebrate they take to the streets and shoot off their AK-47's because they are happy, (in the direction of the green zone and international zone). There are some soccer tournaments coming up in the area to try and keep the people interacting and calm with each other. Now that will be fun!!
Well the 4th of July is coming up so everybody relax have a couple of burgers and dogs and your favorite cold beverage and just relax. Take care
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