24 April 2006
Is it Safe?
Is it safe here in Iraq? Safety is relative. There are places in the United States that I do not feel safe, but the residents of that particular place may.
There are some things to consider when you consider yourself safe; those that want to do you harm, your exposure to them, and your ability to protect yourself.
We all know the enemy here in Iraq. He is an insurgent or a terrorist. He does not want the U.S. in Iraq because we interfere with his attempt to formulate his ideological form of rule. He is well-armed and determined.
My exposure to the enemy is limited. I live on Camp Fallujah. It is a well-fortified base with many layers of security. There is an extreme outer-layer composed of Marines, Soldiers, and Iraqi Army that take the fight to the enemy rather than having the enemy bring it here. Much like we are a layer for you in the U.S. We are taking the fight to the enemy rather than having them bring it to America, again. These Soldiers patrol “outside the wire” day and night, killing or capturing those identified enemy personnel in order to continually disrupt their ability to group and coordinate attacks on us here, or you there. At the wire is another layer of security. Physical barriers and personnel man the entrances and perimeters 24/7. The walls surrounding this camp exceed 10 feet in height and are topped with barbed wire. Inside the camp the central portion is far removed from the perimeter such that most mortars cannot reach it; rockets may be able to hit the center, but they are very inaccurate in the manner the enemy uses them. A lucky shot might make it in. Even if it does, the inner portion of the compound is also cordoned by large walls and Hesco barriers throughout, so damage would be minimal from the shrapnel.
Finally, nearly every person on this camp is always armed. I personally carry a 9mm Beretta with 30 rounds wherever I go. Every Marine, Sailor, Soldier and most civilians are similarly armed.
So I think it is safe to say, so far, I feel safe.
Until next time
Rog
2 Comments:
Rog---
Thanks for this post. I know I feel alot better.
Love,
Carol
Very descriptive and well written. I now visualize the encampment and the mission, much better. I especially like the way you describe TAKING the battle to the enemy. I seldom think of this effort in that light. It does put things in a different perspective when you lay it out this way.
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