a new year, a new day in iraq

i doubt i will ever again wake up in a country that has just executed it's former leader. but that is in fact what happened yesterday. as you know (since you couldn't avoid the news) saddam hussein's death sentence was carried out early saturday morning here in baghdad and now we are left to determine how iraq will move forward with the dictator a distant memory.

i wish i could tell you that the execution was not one of those items that would further drive the shia and sunni populations against each other but as more video of the execution becomes available we are learning that the executioners were in fact chanting praise to shia leaders while shouting that the dictator was going to hell. not that i disagree with their assessment of the final destination, but i wonder if it would have been better to leave religion out of the execution chamber and allow for it to be a government act, which it was.

this culture though is not likely to easily divorce their religious passions with the governmental process so this will be another mountain for the iraqi democracy to climb.

despite news reports though the reaction to the execution was not nearly as violent as reporter early. on arab television we have seen more celebration than devastation.

tomorrow iraq will wake up in a new year and it will be a new day for the nation absent its former dictator.

iraqis policing themselves

yesterday i had the great opportunity of taking a reporter to the baghdad police college to tour the new forensics lab and witness some of the training that is going on there. now it is no csi but the lessons being taught to iraqi police officers will eventually help solve crimes, which are plentiful in iraq.

the classes of students ranged in age from the the high forties to just over twenty. i was most impressed by how willing the men were to being interviewed by western media and how the reasons given for serving were not financially motivated but rather duty to their neighbors and pride in iraq, the new iraq.

the iraqi police certainly have a huge job ahead of them but each day the police make great strides in protecting the people. All of the classes at the college are now taught by iraqis and any role we play is purely support to ensure they have the right tools for modern policing.

in a country were the average day claims 100 civilian lives, the police are not in an enviable position. but iraq can be proud of these officers for their dedication and bravery.

christmas in baghdad

oddly enough christmas in baghdad is just like any other day only without the work. the joke about being here is that you feel like the movie "groundhog day." every day is the same and you are so stuck in your routine that the cycle continues until you depart for home. i am determined to avoid the groundhog day effect.

the sites were the same and i even made it into the office to check some email and talk with colleagues but otherwise i spent time with a few friends and have had the most uneventful (and this is a good thing) christmas ever.

for lunch the dining facility was decked out in a variety of holiday decorations, officers served the meals, a live band led the hall in carols and there was enough food to feed, well an army! I stuck with the lobster and turkey with stuffing, mac and cheese and a cup of eggnog. but it gets better; i took my meal out to the pool for a little poolside, sun warming christmas lunch.

the best part is that i didn't have to clean up a thing.

so that is christmas in baghdad. i find myself now in my trailer and it is a little after 9:00pm, the heater is on and i am ready to curl up with a good book and hit the hay before another work day tomorrow. as our security team says, "feliz navidad" be blessed this christmas.

history can be boring

now i am not talking about ancient athenian history or other classes you take in college. i am talking about real live history in the making; the sort of thing you witness up close and personal.

i am always telling my friends to make history but i rarely tell them to just sit there and be part of history. yesterday that is exactly what i did. along with a few colleagues from the public affairs sections i arrived to the baghdad convention center bright and early to be transported to the saddam trial, a trial that i would watch live and in person all day.

of course this is not the first saddam trial. the first one ended months ago and resulted in his death sentence, but until that is carried out (after appeal) saddam has to face the court with other defendants (chemical ali being one) for other charges. this case involves the anfal massacre where kurds were slaughtered under the guise of the iranian war.

saddam looks like you would imagine from the television. he is very sullen and cold. you almost feel sorry for the defendants until you are reminded of the hate that brews inside of them and the record they have accrued.

the trial yesterday though centered on submitting documents proving military orders into the record. unlike the american court system here defendants have an opportunity to speak on there own behalf and they did just that until 6:30pm.

i would like to say that my arabic is so good that i had no need of a translator but thankfully the court had headsets available and the chairs where quite comfortable. i assure you that everyone in my group took at least one nap during the day!

so that was history. saddam spoke once and for only a brief moment. but there he was, the deposed dictator in a cage 30 feet from me. it is history and it was boring.

Toys for Iraqi Tots

Where there are Marines, there is Toys for Tots and Baghdad is no exception. The guards here at the embassy worked this afternoon to short toys that will be given to Iraqi children at Baghdad hospitals and orphanages. And while the children locally may not understand the significance of getting presents at Christmas they will certainly enjoy the distraction form their daily routines.

For all that the U.S. is notorious for we are also known for our compassion and the Marine Corps continues to set the example.

The weather may be 60 degrees and very "bomby" but there is a hint of the holidays in the air thanks to a detachment of Marines.

reconstruction versus destruction

after five days in iraq i am finally settling in and figuring out at least where to get a meal. my job is going to be truly exciting as i get to travel all throughout the country finding and telling stories about life and progress in iraq. hopefully progress is just what we will find.

living in the international zone it is hard to think of progress in viewable terms such as new building or reclamation of historical sites. yesterday a few colleagues and i had the opportunity to hop in an suv and drive around the iz for some pictures and to be tourists. all throughout our journey we visited or saw buildings that had been bombed in the early days of the war standing as monuments to the power of a 2000 lbs bomb. beyond the bombed out buildings there is an air of decay in this part of baghdad (one i can only imagine is amplified in other parts of the city).

concrete walls are everywhere as protection for people like me. once beautiful neighborhoods now find themselves overrun by trailers for security details and new corner markets selling iraqi goods to foreigners. even the air feels as if it has stagnated for years.

this is where we are now. from this point forward the iraqis and coalition nations will have to decide whether this country witnesses actual reconstruction or continued decline and destruction. for our part (that role of foreigners especially americans) it is important to remember that if our presence was eliminated that iraq would essentially no longer exist. without protection elected leaders would be murdered and any structure of government would be useless. without training the less skilled workers that remain in the country would be unable to treat water, protect their cities, or educated their children.

and if the iraqis don't take the leading role in implementation of programs and running the country there would be no point in all of efforts of thousands of individuals here, soldiers and supporting nations.

there are rays of hope however. new programs are being implemented. new schools are opening. iraqis are standing up to foreign insurgents and progress is being made. it is hard to see any of this behind the front page of murders, bombings, and threats. god willing this nation and we will get through this time and move beyond reconstruction in iraq to a day where the nation thrives and the people flourish.

Good Friends the World Over

The one thing about being in Baghdad is that you are surrounded by great people. While in DC training to head to Iraq I had the opportunity to make some good friends that I would be able to rely on when I arrived. Now that we are here I am experiencing that reliance and am so thankful for the people I have around me going through the same things that I am.

Iraq is no easy place to be but life is much easier with some folks that understand what you are dealing with and tend to support you.

All through my life I have been lucky enough to have great friends and Baghdad is no exception.

The Journey of a Lifetime

I have officially made it to Baghdad and it was some journey getting here. I left the States late Friday night and had a couple of hours waiting in lines in Paris before heading to Amman, Jordan. Thankfully I had a colleague to travel with.

Once in Amman things started to get interesting. Flashback to two weeks ago when a Jordanian friend of mine asked me if I was Lebanese because I looked very Arab. At the time everyone thought it was a funny comment and joked during our training class. But actually being in the Arab world it turns out I really do look Arab - or at least the Jordanian people are trying to convince me. As Diane, she is the colleague, and I made our way to the hotel and around the city as tourists a number of people would come up to us and start speaking to me in Arabic. They would share my look of confusion when I would explain (in English of course) that I did not speak any Arabic. Our waiter even apologized saying he thought I was Arab.

Thankfully in Iraq I look very much like an American (at least so far) and I haven't had to use my Arabic vocabulary, or lack there of.

After the fun in Amman a team of us made our way into Baghdad Sunday into Monday. It has taken a day or two to get settled but I think I have things figured out and have moved into a livable space in the Embassy compound.

The real work is just beginning.

t minus 2

after months of waiting and weeks of training the big day is upon me and i am excited to be heading off to iraq friday night. of course a lot has happened in my life while i was waiting and some things make it even more difficult to go.

i have talked a little about the friends that i will miss and those people cemented my feelings with a wonderful weekend of events and moments where i again realized how great the people around me are. and even tonight as i led my small group bible study for the last time before my departure, i am amazed at the character and hearts of those around me. and those are just the people in dc. my family will also be missed. while i all ready live far from home in nebraska, my parents, brothers, sisters in law and nieces all play a great role in my life keeping me centered and reminded of who i am.

but there is one that will be missed most of all.

i mentioned that a lot has happened in my life over the past months and one major event was meeting stacy. previously i was completely comfortable being single and i didn't feel any pressure to find a woman to spend time with. after all i had a job that kept me busy and my friends filled up any free time i had so i felt as if i was not missing much. then i met stacy.

i didn't think it was possible to love someone like i have grown to love her. i didn't think a woman existed that could stir me in such a way with not only her beauty but her character and quirks, her passions and her personality. rather than being okay being alone, i now long to spend my life with this woman and i look forward to growing together.

three months is a long time, but if she will wait for me i will come home running. she will be missed.

one step closer

last night my friends threw me a going away party and i am always grateful for the awesome people i get to share life with.

this last week i have been going through training that has been focused on learning the iraqi culture and a bit of the language. all throughout it has been clear that the current situation in the country is less than ideal (as you may notice from watching the news). but despite the situation i plan to work hard to convey what good is really happening in iraq.

the party though was the perfect way to end the week and i was surprised at the number of people who made it out. one major surprise was that my friend kurt flew in from wisconsin for the weekend to send me off. i am truly lucky to have such good friends.

getting ready...

i have officially started the countdown to my departure. to think; in two weeks i will call baghdad home for three months. i have spent months trying to make this moment happen and now it is here. i am truly excited.

last week i had the opportunity to meet with a couple members of the go team (global outreach) and they gave me some great information about my journey and what to expect. it was really kind of funny, i am not hesitant about the work and all i wanted to talk about is what i need to bring and wear while in iraq. this is significant evidence that i am an american; i am more worried about my cargo pants than getting stories! thankfully my team gave me some much needed perspective and i am itching to get to work.

at the team's recommendation i also picked up a digital camcorder. as you can imagine there are a number of things that happen in iraq that simply never get covered my the main stream media (msm - get used to these three letters!) this being the case i am now prepared for some video backup for my still photos. the video quality is certainly not broadcast but for dumping some video on my computer and posting it on youtube.com this little guy will be perfect. i just have to trust all of my friends back home to spread the word and links to videos when something worthwhile is posted.

security training starts wednesday and then the going away party is friday, then i go away...

what i will miss

as i prepare to leave for iraq in a couple of weeks i have started to think about what i will miss most about my life here in dc. rob is one of my greatest friends and when i think about being away i wonder how much i will miss his music or his art or his humor. lives change a lot in three months and i don't want to miss too much of this friend's growth, and i certainly hope he remembers me when i return!

rob represents how i feel about a lot of people here in dc. their unique personalities, their smiles, their conversations will all be missed during my journey and cherished upon my return. i still have a couple of weeks to make lasting memories and i look forward to every minute.

my eyes in iraq

welcome to my eyes in iraq. i hope this blog will give you an interesting perspective of iraq. as i prepare to leave washington, dc and travel to baghdad for a three month detail I will post pictures with a little bit of a story behind them. for a more extensive view of my photos swing by my flickr site throughout my stay in Iraq.