Mike v. Mesopotamia: Baghdad Was a Gas

As you may have guessed from the title, I've made a trip back to Baghdad. I've been down for the week doing some training at the Central Criminal Court in the International Zone (formerly known as the Green Zone) right smack in the middle of downtown. Also right across the river from Sadr City, the heart of all Shia insurgent activity in the city, and perhaps overall. Also the seat of the Iraqi government, site of the new US Embassy, and focal point of all internal and external struggles for power in the still apparent vaccuum that the demise of the Hussein regime has created. For a number of reasons, life here is a little dicey.

I've been spending my days going over to the court to sit in on various proceedings and get a better sense of what the Iraqi judges are looking for in order to convict a detainee. The Iraqi criminal justice system is vastly different from our own - it's an inquisitorial system (as opposed to our adversarial) in which the lawyers don't really do much of anything beyond handing the judge the evidence. The judge asks all the questions, reviews the evidence himself, and ultimately makes the call on both conviction and sentence. The method is a bit disconcerting to an American attorney, as it's definitely a whole lot of power to put in one person's hands, but it's their system and we have to support it. It's been an eye-opening experience in many ways. The power goes out here frequently (which, coincidentally, is why I'm writing a blog in the middle of the day instead of working. Not much to do when the lights go out) and a few days ago I suddenly found myself in a pitch black hearing room with an unshackled detainee. There were several Americans in the hearing, and I sincerely doubt I will ever forget that moment and the sound of weapons leaving holsters in the dark. I doubt the detainee will either. It was a tense few minutes but thankfully everyone sat tight as one of our detainee handlers ran and got some chem lights (high-powered glow sticks) and we finished the hearing bathed in warm, comforting neon yellow rays.

There have been times over the last month or so that I've somewhat missed the action in Baghdad, but I can definitely say I am glad I'm not here. This is a truly sinister, hostile place. There is even measurable tension between Americans in this part of town. (ask me when I get home)

I do miss the camaraderie that comes with being around other JAGs though. Up on Speicher it’s just me and one other, which is fine but I think it contributes a bit to feeling like more of a fish out of water than I might elsewhere. I doubt I will ever be able to replicate the feeling of sitting atop the massive former Baath Party headquarters building at night smoking cigars with some shipmates and watching life and death go down around us in what has been and may still be the most dangerous place in the world to be an American. I have to say, though, that I am much better suited for my job at OCI than those here and I believe I will come home having had a much more personally satisfying experience overall.

I was mislead about the turnaround time for getting clothing cleaned here, so I've also had to do field laundry in the shower here and since I put on a clean set of cammies one week ago I've taken a 4 hour helo flight in full IBA, a 30 minute mid-day red zone convoy in full IBA, and taken 3 separate walks through red zones in.... you guessed it, full IBA. (the commute here is interesting) I am utterly filthy. The beauty of it all is I absolutely could not care less. Normal concerns about cleanliness and quality of life are all gone. I have to stay alert, get my job done, and not much else matters. I'm pretty sure I'm rolling around at about 50 Hobo-Power right now. Strong.

Helo flight down here was absolutely amazing. Convoy over was tense but uneventful. Moving on foot outside the wire is about what you'd think it is. Thankfully it was brief, I was not in a bad area, and we had some infantry guys come with us for security. It takes some serious resolve to do that for a living. + respect, yet again.

Back up north to Speicher again soon. Looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.... and reducing my Hobo-Power.

Update 1 – Sat around the helo pad for 3 hours last night only to find the flight never took off from Speicher. Hitched a ride half-way home with a Peruvian security guard who dropped me off well outside the FOB in an area not exactly known for its pro-American sentiment, so I walked the rest of the way in full battle rattle. Not the most fun I’ve had on a Friday night but another memorable one to say the least. I’ll be heading back over to the pad shortly to wait on another flight. I could be stuck here a while.

Update 2 - I'm here for at least two more days. Sweet. Got a ride all the way home this time.