FIDDLIN’ ACROSS IRAQ

A Report on the Aaron Tippin/Stars for Stripes Tour of U.S. Military Installations in the Persian Gulf Region, November 2007.

By Dan Campbell

     What follows is an account of my unforgettable adventure as a member of country music star Aaron Tippin’s band during his tour of U.S military bases in Kuwait and Iraq over the Thanksgiving holidays in 2007. My intention is first of all simply to share the incredible experiences I had with friends, family, and any interested observers. But a secondary message should be evident in the words that follow, which is that the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and the coalition are worthy of our thanks, respect, and continued support.

          I am not necessarily attempting to persuade the reader of any political ideals or foreign policy positions, nor do I claim to have all, or even any, of the answers to difficult questions facing our government with respect to Middle East and anti-terror measures.  I am neither a journalist, historian, nor policy expert. Nor am I an apologist for the military or the current administration. Further, I am aware that I witnessed only a tiny fraction of what is occurring in Iraq, both the good and the bad. I am simply a fiddle player who was privileged enough to get to entertain and befriend some of the finest people I have ever encountered. And I want to tell you about them and what they are doing, inasmuch as I am able. I have attempted to be as accurate and truthful as possible.

      Having said all that, I should note that my personal feelings and opinions will be on display at times in this text, and I will share some of my own conclusions regarding the war at the end. These are simply my responses to my observations and should be taken that way. I will also include some information about ways that you can be actively involved with support for the troops if you so choose. Also note that I have not always identified the sources of certain quotations out of respect for privacy. Now then…

SATURDAY/SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17-18

      We flew commercial from Nashville to Washington, D.C. and then on to Kuwait City. The trans-Atlantic flight took 12 hours. I was seated next to Talal, a young man employed by the Kuwaiti embassy in the United States who was headed home to Kuwait over the Thanksgiving holiday. In a very western reference, he said Kuwaitis responded “like it was Christmas” when the U.S. came and repelled Saddam’s invasion force in 1991. We lodged at the Kuwait City Radisson hotel on the beach at the Persian Gulf and enjoyed a fabulous buffet there for dinner on Sunday evening, the 18^th. Kuwait and Iraq are both nine hours ahead of Central time. Security guards with mirrors on poles viewed under our bus for bombs. Pictures hung on the wall at the Radisson detailing the destruction of the hotel during Saddam’s invasion in 1990.

     What is most noteworthy about Kuwait is its prosperity, its western influence, and in places, its beauty. The hotel was lavish and the transportation for many of the locals was quite high end. The television featured a fair amount of western programming, as well as al-Jazeera English. Kuwaitis also enjoy a notable degree of personal freedom, relative to the region at least. With their affluence, peace, and cooperative alliance with the U. S., it’s hard not to wonder if a similar circumstance can’t in fact be achieved in Iraq. Both nations do, after all, enjoy the same abundance of valuable resources and exercise the same religion. Obviously Iraq is geographically and politically much, much different but perhaps Kuwait can at least serve as a model for a better way.

    Our time at the hotel was also my opportunity to become more acquainted with our guest for the tour, Lt. Col. Bill Cowan, USMC (Ret.). The colonel served three tours of duty in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star for valor. He served for years as military intelligence officer and has been outspoken about failures to adequately respond to terrorist attacks, going back to the vicious strike on the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut in 1983 (pbs.org; Frontline interview, Sept. 2001). Cowan has been a guest on Larry King Live and CBS’s 60 Minutes but might be best known for his frequent appearances as a contributor on FOX News. I recall seeing him often during their coverage at the start of combat in Iraq in March 2003.

    Getting to know the colonel was one of many highlights of my trip. Despite his many life and death experiences and a tough military outlook and exterior, he is an extremely genial and warm­hearted man, who was very nice to me personally throughout our adventure. His primary purpose on our tour was to introduce Aaron to the crowd at each show, which he did with great effectiveness, but he also served as a resource to me and all of us for information about the war and the military in general and was overall a great companion. When asked about politicians, he expressed a fair degree of disdain, but mentioned (former Democratic, newly declared Independent) Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut as one whom he admired for conviction and sincerity.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 19 CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

   This day brought us to why we were there: to play music for troops. We were transported by bus from the hotel to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. Camp Arifjan is a “new $200 million state of the art facility built courtesy of the Kuwaiti government” which will “provide permanent support facilities for American troops in Kuwait, replacing temporary facilities that have been used since the Gulf War” ( Judy Seale; Stars for Stripes). Arifjan houses approximately 7000 troops at any given time. On the way there, the aforementioned prosperity in Kuwait was very much in evidence via the miles upon miles of semi-urban landscape and countless construction projects. 

    At Arifjan, I took note that although there were buildings and activity everywhere, the feeling I got from the surroundings was one of desolation and some loneliness. Some of this no doubt was due to my own personal culture shock at finally actually being at a wartime military base on the far side of the world. But the physical surroundings added to the mood. The landscape was flat as a pancake with a horizon that stretched forever and a hazy, yellowish sky overhead---not cloudy but not blue. Overall it seemed perhaps like the surface of some discomforting, non-inviting planet. But before I wax too hyperbolic, I should note that interacting with the people on base quite adequately overcame that initial dark feeling of sadness and displacement and as the week went on, I didn’t really feel that way again. 

    I talked to several soldiers before the show, including Naval Petty Officer David Wilkerson of Kentucky and Tech Sgt. James Gagnon, US Air Force, out of Pensacola, FL. These were the first two of hundreds of troops that I was able to chat with, and like every single one that would follow, they were friendly, respectful, polite and mature, and extraordinarily expressive of their gratitude at our having made the trip to come see them. Let it be said now, meeting the troops was without a doubt the most memorable and rewarding aspect of this journey, as time and time again they proved to me, even in brief exchanges, that they are every bit as professional and dedicated as we would hope. I am sure there are bad apples, but I certainly didn’t seem to encounter them.

    At 5:00 P.M., “colors” was called over the loudspeaker. This was not something to mess around with, as everyone in sight dropped everything they were doing, doffed headgear and stood at attention facing the HQ where the flag was flown. We went to dinner at the DFAC (dining facility) after sound check, which was my first experience with both the never-ending acronyms and meal provisions of military life. I must tell you that food all week at the DFACs was plentiful and outstanding. It was cafeteria style with dozens and dozens of options, most of which were quite tasty and definitely serve as a good reminder of home. Meals are served four times daily, and we tended to hit all of them. The military and their private contractors do a fantastic job in this regard. It seems as though they spare little expense to feed the troops, and I don’t know about you, but as a citizen, I figure that’s the first thing they ought to do for those boys and girls and I am good for my share.

    The show was great fun. Lt. Col. Cowan introduced, sharing some about his experiences in a manner that was soft-spoken but indicated serious military resolve and experience. Aaron put on a high energy performance and a number of his biggest hits incorporate a patriotic theme. The crowd was loud and active. Afterward, as I would all week, I circulated among the troops while other band members assisted Aaron in the lengthy autograph line. Every troop that wanted one got a personalized, autographed 8x10 of Aaron and a photo op. I met Gary Miller (branch and

rank unknown), a Chattanooga native and Tennessee Volunteer fan. He serves as a truck driver, carrying supplies north through hostile territory. He said that if you see flashes of light in the countryside, you count “one-one thousand” and so forth as you wait for the boom, thus attempting to determine how far away the explosive attack might be. I also met Petty Officer 1^st class Christopher Clark, from my hometown of Huntsville, AL.  I took a picture with an officer and a non-commissioned officer named Diana and Christina (that’s all the information I got) and had to take note that there were more women serving than I expected, and that many were quite attractive! The colonel told me women had been called upon and performed quite well in combat during this action, and I do not think he would have said so lightly. By the way, as far as the oft-discussed demographic makeup of the fighting force in harm’s way, I can only tell you what I saw, which was plenty of women and minorities of all sorts. But I would say unequivocally that the vast majority of troops I saw were what appeared to be middle class white males, not the underprivileged who have no other choice in life but to join the military, as is often claimed.  Certainly this is somewhat due to the large number of reservists among the forces I encountered. Racial and cultural tension seemed non-existent, at least to my eyes.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 20 FORWARD OPERATING BASE Q-WEST NORTHERN IRAQ

    We left the hotel Tuesday morning and headed to Abdullah al Mubarak airfield in Kuwait, where we were issued the helmets and flak vests that would remain attached to us or close by for the duration of our time in Iraq. They were primarily intended to protect against debris and such while on the actual flightline. At the airfield, we ran into a small group of Washington Redskins cheerleaders who were on a tour similar to our own. We actually passed them at airfields several times throughout the week—a nice treat.

    We had five different flights aboard Air Force C130 cargo planes. Tuesday saw our first of what would become a very familiar experience. The plane has a rear cargo door and room for various numbers of people in mesh seats along the walls and along a middle rail. Each time we flew, our luggage and every bit of the gear needed for the show was palleted and loaded onto the plane. We were issued ear plugs as the aircraft (military terminology) is quite loud and conversation isn’t really possible in flight. I was allowed to visit the cockpit during our first flight, and my first view of Iraq was from several thousand feet above. Our descent into Q-West was moderately adventurous, as the pilot made what is known as a combat landing, coming down in steep loops to avoid a predictable flight path and thus avoid potential enemy fire. This event was not welcomed by my stomach. I felt ill for a while afterward and worried that this was to be my recurring experience for the week, but between the Dramamine and calmer flights, it actually wasn’t a problem again. Also, on this flight we met Specialist James Decker of the 2nd Infantry Division, who had sustained some wounds on his right arm from a rocket attack on his barracks. Our flights always had a few random troops aboard, catching rides with us for various reasons.

     Qayyarah West airfield and FOB (Forward Operating Base) is located in Northern Iraq, just south of Mosul, in an area that is largely Kurdish in ethnic makeup, meaning that the area is relatively friendly to the U.S. The base is known as Q-West in print and as “Key West” in

speech, because of the obvious ironic pun and because that’s how it sounds. This base was a former airfield of Saddam’s that was hit hard by U.S. forces in both Gulf Wars. It is remote and like many of the bases, has no potable water. It was dusty and desolate, moreso than the urban bases we would see later, and very dark at nighttime. Water supply was a significant problem there, and showering was only allowed on a three day rotation. We were billeted (housed) in individual CHUs (compact housing units) which under the circumstances were quite nice. We were told, and it became increasingly clear, that we were receiving the best the military had to offer in terms of food, housing, and transportation, for which we were indeed grateful.

    I met several great young men and women at Q-West, but the one that sticks out is Private 1^st Class Josh Flahive from Arizona. A 2006 high school graduate, he is the youngest member of his company. He was involved in a firefight only a few weeks into his first tour, on the day of his 19^th birthday. He couldn’t share many specifics but indicated that many Iraqi children were in the vicinity but that they remained unharmed. He was the first of many troops to indicate to me that they feel that they can tell they are prevailing in this conflict although it doesn’t always seem like it in media reports. He generously gave me his patch from the 1st/175^th Infantry Division as a souvenir.

   At the Q-West show I met Lt. Col. Steve Smith, from my current hometown of Murfreesboro, TN. He asked me to call his father, Dr. Ron Smith, also a veteran living in Murfreesboro, when I got home. I did so and had a very nice conversation. 

   That night when I needed to go to the latrine (bathroom) I was accompanied by an armed guard. That was a first for me.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 21 BALAD AIRBASE/ CAMP ANACONDA BALAD, IRAQ

     Balad Airbase is one of the largest airbases in Iraq, located 68 kilometers north of Baghdad. Gen.John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, told the House Armed Services committee in March 2004 that “  we are making Balad airfield our primary hub in the region….because we need to have the Baghdad International Airport revert to civilian control” (J.S./SfS). LSA (Logistical Support Area) Anaconda is the largest such installation in Iraq and is nicknamed “Mortaritaville” because of the frequency of mortar and rocket attacks there. 

    Anaconda was much different than Q-West-- larger, fancier, and more comfortable. There were trees. We were billeted in DVQ (Distinguished Visitor’s Quarters) which had private rooms and bathrooms and cable TV!  The place was like a medium sized town, with over 30,000 troops on bases, three PXs (post exchange, an all purpose store) and 5 DFACs. There were two Olympic size pools on base, leftover from Saddam’s days of training Olympians there. Some say Saddam considered Balad his “pride and joy”, an irrigated oasis in the desert. Reportedly there were numerous Saddam-era torture chambers on base as well. 

    We visited the airfield, which houses Chinook, Cobra, Apache, and Blackhawk helicopters, Predator unmanned drones, and F16 Falcon fighter jets. We were briefed by “Polar”, a 26 year old female fighter pilot and by Major Willie Brandt and General Burt Field. Our MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) liaison was Lt. Jamie Bell, a real sweetheart.

    Speaking of MWR, I should mention that we were assisted and guided very admirably throughout Iraq by Jonathan Watson, an Army veteran of considerable combat and surveillance experience (much of which was not open for discussion). He is now an MWR Programs Manager, a civilian position. He was an extremely nice guy and it is hard to imagine our journey going so smoothly without his assistance. Nor for that matter can I imagine the tour without our other fearless leader, Judy Seale of Stars for Stripes, the non-profit organization that arranged and carried out the entire operation. Judy was upbeat, friendly and full of energy throughout the tour and always ready to assist us. She was great visiting with the troops, too.

     Third country nationals are employed in various capacities on these bases. Our bus driver at Balad had to get out and be searched by security on the way to the show, a very standard practice. The security guards that checked him were from the Ugandan Army, my first indication of several that this effort is, in fact, a coalition, at least to a small but significant degree. 

      Alcohol is of course officially unavailable in this Muslim country, and I was told that its absence probably did contribute to peace and order on base. I did not at all witness the military that I’ve read about in the WWII books of Stephen Ambrose and Leon Uris, featuring wild fights and incredible drunkenness. Even so, I saw announcements on Armed Services Television about responsible drinking and the proper reporting of sexual assault. Military police that I spoke to indicated that these are, of course, problems any time a force of this size and age is trapped in a desert for 15 months at a time. That is certainly not said to excuse any such action, by any means. In fact, when Maj. Willie Brandt saw me taking notes an asked me about it, I at first was a little concerned and indicated that I certainly wasn’t snooping or doing any sort of “hatchet job” on the military. He dismissed my concerns and said “tell what you see, positive and negative”. He indicated distaste for any kind of less than honest propaganda. 

    We had another great time performing at Balad and I should mention that I have written little about the shows because they were all very similar, though fantastic, experiences. Each of the six crowds was energetic, grateful, and fun to play for. Aaron stayed for hundreds upon hundreds of autographs every night. All in all they were some of the best times I have ever had performing. 

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 22 THANKSGIVING CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER TIKRIT, IRAQ

    We departed Balad at 6:00A.M. for COB Speicher. As we approached the flightline, we witnessed four F16s taking off, their afterburners lighting up the morning darkness. The comment was made that this was “a bad morning for someone”. At Speicher we met Col. Dan Sauter, the garrison commander and had Thanksgiving lunch, which consisted of all the favorites and was very good---even the gravy and dressing tasted authentic. I heard it said that it’s easy to get fat while on base, but no one was. I also heard that you leave these facilities weighing 300 pound or bench pressing 300 pounds. I saw some of the latter, very little of the former. 

    Speicher was larger than Anaconda in area, with a 28 mile perimeter. Tikrit is the hometown of Saddam Hussein, and we saw his soccer stadium where he reportedly had his underachieving team executed. We were told that a mortar attack had struck the airfield the night before our arrival. These events are not uncommon and rarely cause casualties under the current

circumstances. I liken it to lightning strikes in a storm. I was told that the enemy is aware of all the incredible surveillance technology on base and so their only recourse for causing trouble is to launch random strikes from the bluffs surrounding the Tigris river, about 8 kilometers away.

    I met a Master Sergeant at Speicher who was very forthcoming with his viewpoint.  “We’re not miserable here. We’re doing our job and we know what we’re doing. You can’t expect these people to change overnight after hundreds of years of dictatorship. We’re not asking to come home. But if we’re here let us do our job. There’s a process to everything, slowed down by the human element. It takes time to convince everyone here of our intentions. Imagine an armed convoy coming down your street at home”. This Master Sergeant indicated that he earnestly tries to put himself in the shoes of the Iraqis and attempts to be sensitive to their culture. On his first tour this same soldier was with the platoon that initially cleared what would become COB Speicher of Iraqi forces. “At first we got a ration of one bottle of water a day” .He said that his platoon also escorted the bodies of Uday, Qusay, and Saddam Hussein to their burials in Tikrit.

     Another topic the Master Sergeant had strong feelings on was KBR. KBR (Kellogg, Brown, and Root) is the private contractor that provides just about everything non-military for the troops. KBR is a former subsidiary of the much maligned Halliburton group, and I recently saw a report of a scandal involving a sexual assault among KBR employees in Iraq. Hopefully that will be resolved and justice will be served. But according to my friend the Master Sergeant and all of my own observations, KBR does a magnificent job taking care of the force, doing things the Army can’t or shouldn’t concern itself with, all with the efficiency of private industry, complete with comment cards. They purify and bottle the water for the entire COB; “would you want to drink it otherwise?” the Master Sergeant asked me. And KBR is responsible for all the awesome food we ate. I met hundreds of KBR employees as well, either at their jobs or at the shows, at which they were welcome and came in large numbers. My experience with them was much like my experience with the troops. Of course they’re compensated well for their work, but they’re a long way from home as well and greeted us with excitement and gratitude. (I’ve chosen not to identify the Master Sergeant because we didn’t discuss my quoting him in an online publication, though I doubt he would object).

     Speicher would provide us with the greatest simple visceral thrill of the trip, i.e., the ride in the armed Blackhawk helicopter. The flight was merely routine surveillance and a special treat for those of us who chose to go. We zipped along a few hundred feet in the air at 125 mph and more over the countryside of Iraq, off the base. The pilots, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Todd Robello of Fort Worth, TX and Captain Ned Hull of St. Petersburg, FL, treated us with some maneuvers that were extreme, at least to me, such as banking 60 degrees left and then back again to the right very rapidly. They also would put the chopper in a very steep climb, stall out and fall forward. It was like a roller coaster, and although I feared motion sickness, it didn’t come and the ride was great fun. I spoke to the pilots and the two crew chiefs, Specialist Jake Norotsky and Sgt. Bert Reynolds (yep) originally from Belize, over the headset. They were laid back and friendly during the flight and said they would come meet us at the show that night, which they did. They also test fired their ample machine guns, mounted on either side of the bird. I’m not exactly a fan of weaponry, other than in its context as necessary for war and for keeping the peace, but I must admit the sound and smell of those big guns firing did provoke a pretty strong, energizing gut reaction and adrenaline rush.

    After the show at Speicher I was struck by the parallelism between ourselves and the troops. Don’t misunderstand, we are nothing like them in terms of service, discipline or sacrifice, but

nonetheless I noted: “they want to talk to us…we want to talk to them; they thank us…we thank them; they’re impressed with our skill…we’re amazed by theirs; they don’t fully understand what we do for a living…we can’t begin to understand what they do; they make people safe…we try to make people happy”. An anonymous soldier approached me after the show to thank us and said “That’s the first time I’ve forgotten where I was since I’ve been here”. That was good stuff.

    Incidentally, the weather while we were there was very mild, not unlike autumn in the southern U.S., a little chilly at night. But we were told about the vicious, cruel summers. They turn the water heaters off at Speicher in the summer to keep the water from boiling. I was told it was mild summer: “only two straight weeks over 120 degrees”.

    As we were leaving Speicher I was told one tragic story of an incident in the neighborhood where we were billeted that occurred recently. Apparently a young soldier found what he thought was a caulking tube in the yard, retrieved it, tried to knock mud off of it, only to have the device detonate and kill him. He left behind a two year old and a pregnant wife. Reportedly the device was left over from the coalition attack at Tikrit. The officer relating the story told me they try so hard to get the message out not to mess with unidentified objects. You can bet I didn’t go snooping around after that.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY  NOVEMBER 23/24 CAMP VICTORY CAMP LIBERTY AL FAW PALACE BAGHDAD

Friday morning we set out for Baghdad but then detoured to Kirkuk to pick up some guests. They turned out to be U. S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and John McCain (R-AZ), who is also, of course, the Republican presidential nominee for 2008. There were three other men with them but I was unable to determine who they were or if they were staffers or other senators. This event was interesting because due to the nature of the aircraft I was toe to toe with these gentlemen but unable to attempt conversation due to the noise. It was a treat to see them in these humble circumstances, sans entourage or fancy attire, awkwardly wearing the same safety gear as us and eating the same boxed lunch. When we landed, Col. Cowan spoke briefly with Sen. Graham and I said hello and we shook hands. He was friendly. They departed Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) to meet with Iraqi President Nouri al-Maliki. The whole event was surreal in its matter-of-factness. It was fascinating to rub shoulders with U.S. senators and 18 year old enlisted men on the same day, and with all sincere due respect to our elected leaders, especially the decorated veteran McCain, hanging out with the troops was really the bigger honor.

    On base in Baghdad it became clear that we were finally at the Grand Central Station of this operation. Several bases were combined into an enormous staging area covered with military equipment and personnel. Throughout the trip our only real concern with possible hostility was that of mortar or rocket attacks. (To be sure, no outsiders are going to get onto one of those bases). But these turned out to be remote possibilities due to the aforementioned surveillance, countermeasures, and also due to the clearly weakening insurgency in Iraq. One night at our

quarters in Baghdad we were called into the hall for an “incoming” alarm. The “all clear” came quickly and no one seemed the least bit concerned and the incident wasn’t mentioned again. 

    In Baghdad we were billeted in the Joint Visitor’s Bureau, which was located just across a man made lake from Saddam’s Al Faw palace, built to celebrate his “victory” over Iran in the 1980s. The JVB had previously been a guest house for Saddam’s Baath party guests, who would fish for specially bred “Saddam bass” in the stocked lake. This facility was very nice and contained its own dining hall and some very beautiful furniture and décor. Although the band stayed in one large room due to a lack of small ones, it was without a doubt the most luxurious accommodation we had.

    We toured the Al Faw palace as well, which now contains the offices of the Chief of Staff of the Multi National Corps, Iraq, Brig. Gen. Joseph Anderson, three stars. The palace was magnificent and lavish, featuring marble floors and columns and huge chandeliers. I know nothing about architecture and the like, but it was impressive.

    We met General Anderson as a group in his private office, and were each presented with a certificate and his military challenge coin personally. We received several of these coins (used among servicemen to determine the buyer of a round at a bar; also like an informal medal) including from Multi-National Force Commander Gen. David Petraeus (though not personally) and certificates, as well as patches from individual servicemen. 

    I have never really understood it when I’ve heard athletes or celebrities say they were “humbled” upon receiving an honor; I always found that notion a little strange. But I now know what it means to me. I am certainly proud of what we did over there and I will cherish these items for the rest of my life, but let’s be real: we traveled a long way and put in some long days, but by and large we were treated like kings, with utmost courtesy and respect, fed and housed like dignitaries. These boys and girls spend 15 months at a time in this desert, far from home, out of constant contact with family, in danger, and working harder than the likes of me can imagine. They put me and most of this current generation of American youth to shame.  It’s easy to see to whom the accolades and honors in this rightfully belong. Therefore, receiving an honor from them is, in fact, humbling.

    I noticed at Camp Victory that there was at least some degree of animosity between infantry/ combat troops and those with lighter duties who may not leave the FOB (“fobbits”), which I gathered from viewing latrine walls. We of course met more troops with varying support duties and fewer that were constantly engaged in combat. I gathered that heavy combat outfits are compensated to a greater degree than others, but I’m not certain of that. Either way, hard combat duty or not, they are all far from home, they are undoubtedly in harm’s way, and they are all performing vital tasks.

    A soldier at Victory indicated that most of his experiences with Iraqis were positive but that “they don’t take showers”. He also remarked about the brutal nature of their society, saying he had personal knowledge of an Iraqi civilian who had murdered his own sister for cheating on her husband.

     At the show at Victory I met a man with one of the most remarkable stories I would hear. I had to prod him for the details as he was reticent, (and clearly sincere about it) to dwell on his sacrifice. His name was David McBroom and he was a civilian, a KBR employee, a night supervisor who assisted us at the show. He’s been in country for 2 ½ years, originally volunteering on his birthday. At some point, an insurgent rocket landed right on top of him. He lost his large intestine, his hip, and most of his throat, which was obvious when he spoke. He recovered, then he came back!  “Got to face your fears, you know”, he said.

      Friday at lunch at OASIS DFAC, I saw several groups of troops from throughout the coalition, including Bulgaria, South Korea, and Lithuania. I talked basketball with Warrant Officer 3 Arturas Subbotinas of Lithuania, where military service is compulsory. He was very courteous and spoke better English than many people I know at home. I was reprimanded for snapping a photo in this DFAC and was told it was posted everywhere not to do so, though I never found the posts. Outside a very friendly sergeant, Sgt. Roy Aylward of Massachusetts approached me to explain that this prohibition was because friendly Iraqis sometimes eat there and they don’t want their images getting out to anyone in the public who might be hostile. I thanked him for this explanation and promptly erased some photos. 

    On Saturday, Aaron traveled with Judy Seale, Col. Cowan, and guitarist David Sloas, to FOB Callahan for a small acoustic show. Apparently this was what one might call the “real deal”, as this was a small FOB in downtown Baghdad, a few blocks from Sadr City, located in an old shopping mall. Sloas said there was explosive damage everywhere and that the troops were all in full armor and gear. They entered and exited the FOB via Blackhawk helicopter. I wondered if these guys that patrol the hottest parts of Baghdad were any different from the other troops we had met, and Sloas reported that they were every bit as friendly and eager to see Aaron and get autographs.

     Camp Liberty had a very nice PX by the stage with a Popeye’s, Burger King, and Taco Bell, and a bazaar where local merchants sold souvenirs and various items. We are constantly told that we are unwelcome in Iraq, but I certainly saw countless locals employed in various capacities, as well as Iraqi soldiers and heard tell of numerous informants. 

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 25 “ANGEL FLIGHT”

     As we prepared to depart Iraq for Kuwait, the hotel, and the flight home, we were unexpectedly briefed about what would turn out to be the most meaningful and unforgettable event of the entire experience. We were told our C130 to Kuwait would be an “angel flight”, meaning we would be transporting the remains of a fallen American soldier to Kuwait for transport home. There was a brief ceremony as the flag-draped coffin was loaded, which we were allowed to participate in or not at our choosing. We all chose to do so. The chaplain said a few words on board the aircraft, and mentioned that we would normally honor this soldier by name, but he had yet to be identified.  When we boarded, the casket lay at our feet in the small area that remained after taking into account all of our gear. It was a solemn but business-as-usual occasion. Then, we detoured to Tallil Air Base and repeated the process for a British civilian contractor. Another ceremony, another coffin. Perhaps this one hit home a little more, as we were in fact civilian contractors. I will never forget that flight.

    Back in Kuwait, we got to spend a few hours resting and then Judy hosted us for another scrumptious buffet at the Radisson. Then it was to Kuwait City for intense security protocol and the 20 hour flight-layover-flight process. Then we were home, and it was all over.

FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS

   I debated on including these thoughts but ultimately decided to do so. I reiterate that I am an expert on nothing and you, dear reader, are of course entitled to your own opinion. You may have opposed this war from the outset; you may oppose it in retrospect; you may be more gung-ho than any marine; you may not know what to think. Or you may think I’ve been brainwashed, as is your right. I’m simply sharing my thoughts.

   The one unequivocal comment I can make is to tell you that I am convinced of the dedication and valor of the men and women of this fighting force. They have all volunteered; they have all sacrificed; they don’t make policy but they have answered when called upon. The vast majority does not complain, and while their sacrifice is tremendous, they are well cared for and wish primarily to be allowed to continue their task. They deserve nothing but your support, respect and gratitude. I’ve included ways you can extend that support a little later.

But what of the cause? A few points:

1. WMD.

       We went to war largely on the premise that Saddam had to be disarmed of terrible weapons. The United Nations and the U.S. Congress were convinced that these weapons existed. Inspections to verify their presence or absence were not allowed. The man who would wield control over these alleged weapons was a vicious, megalomaniacal dictator and murderer, of which there can be no doubt. Yet they turned out not to exist. You may find it ludicrous, but it is my contention that this is immaterial. For example, search warrants are served every day in the legitimate, constitutional, legal prosecution of crimes. Sometimes they don’t turn up what was expected. Their propriety is determined based on the legal basis for the search, not the results. After all, Saddam could have avoided this by allowing inspections, but he chose a recalcitrant stance either out of his own insanity, or, more likely, he didn’t want his rivals in the region to know that he didn’t in fact have these weapons.

Hence his stubbornness.

2. DEPOSING A DICTATOR 

      Saddam’s atrocities have been noted in this text and of course are myriad and well known. No reasonable person has sympathy for the man or lacks compassion for his victims. Did he keep the peace? Is there violence and disorder as factions that have never known democracy vie for control? Sure. But Stalin kept the peace. And Hitler ran the trains on time.

3. U.S. INTERESTS-WAR ON TERROR

       Despite postmodern proclamations to the contrary, we are in fact in a worldwide struggle against fanatical Islamism and terrorism. Islamism is described as the idea that Islam must be totally and violently intolerant of other religions and Islamic law should hold sway everywhere in the world. This movement is real, immense, and active, as illustrated repeatedly at the far reaches of the globe. These fanatical ideals clearly go way beyond grievances about U.S. support of Israel or U.S. presence in the region. To deny this is naïve appeasement at its worst and most frightening. Therefore there must indeed be a “War on Terror” and it is currently the defining conflict of our time. And while Iraq is certainly not the only front in this war, its importance is paramount.

      It’s been frequently said that there were no terrorists and no al-Qaeda in Iraq before the invasion, that terrorists have flooded in there from Syria, Iran, and southwest Asia. Exactly. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to fight terror anywhere, but in this imperfect world isn’t it better to fight them with our Army in Iraq than by ourselves in the streets of America? It is obvious that we need allies in the region, and this action is in fact building one, much like Germany, Japan, and South Korea before it. Notice that each of these nations is autonomous and democratic, and yet they all choose to remain allies of the United States.

4. U.S. INTERESTS-OIL  

        Yes, oil. It’s like a bad word. We need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We need to reduce our dependence on ecologically damaging energy sources period. But as we speak, oil is the lifeblood of the American economy and the worldwide economy. Oil not only fills the oft-criticized huge SUVs, it also powers ambulances, hospitals and schools all over the world. It buoys an economy that allows us to be free---to travel, to raise our families, to worship, to dissent. It may be an unseemly thought, but rest assured these idealistic and wonderful freedoms would not exist without the power of our economy and therefore our military. Right now these depend on oil. We don’t steal it. We buy it above market price and demand fair distribution of the revenues from the new Iraqi government.

5. BENEFITS FOR IRAQ  

    Freedom of the press, speech and religion, basic civil rights and civil liberties: these are laudable goals aren’t they? Most westerners who disagree undoubtedly do so from the comforts of their free and prosperous homes. The locals who disagree can not yet fathom these things because they have no historical or cultural reference point. Give them some time.

6. SUCCESS  

    Even if one were to find all the preceding points convincing, one might still be disturbed by the supposed lack of success in this endeavor. But the facts don’t bear that attitude out. The addition of troops has indisputably led to gains in security. “The trend toward better security is indisputable” reports the Associated Press (U.S. News and World Report, Dec.3, 2007). War critic and commentator Joe Klein admits the gains and warns against funding cuts (USN&WR). There will be a tugging back and forth, for sure, but the overall trend is good. Violence is down among the insurgency and U.S. troop casualties are way down, as evidenced by the statistics and the general report of everyone I spoke to in Iraq. Everyone wants to see troops come home.  While it might seem like an emotional argument, let’s not let those whom we have lost die in vain by not finishing the job, especially as visible progress is being made. I would never claim that this war has been executed without mistakes, scandal, excess, or inappropriate profiteering. But none of that takes away from the nobility of the goals, the honor of the soldiers, or the successes that have been achieved.

7. AT WHAT COST?

    And this is the hard one. Even if all of my intimations here are true and accurate, is it worth it? That’s the question we must all struggle with ourselves.  Is it worth the taxpayer’s money?  The economy inevitably cycles up and down. Government spending on pork barrel projects and entitlements continues to spiral out of control. Yet our economy remains the largest in the world. The New York Times notes, while commenting on the increase in

military expenditures during this conflict: “still, the nation’s economy has grown faster than the level of military spending, and even the current colossal Pentagon budgets for regular operations and the war efforts consume a smaller portion of the gross domestic product than in previous conflicts” (NYT, Feb.4, 2008). What could be a more prudent use of taxpayer revenue than our security and foreign policy? We should restrain spending on those tasks that private industry and individuals can better accomplish themselves and make certain we fully support and fund all the necessary foreign policy initiatives that ensure our economic future. I reiterate that as a taxpayer I’m good for my part of this effort.

      Is it worth the loss of life? As of December 6, 2007, 3875 U.S. service members and eight DoD civilians had lost their lives in Iraq since 2003 (USA Today, Dec. 6, 2007). 720 of these, or nearly 20%, died in non-combat related incidents such as that all too familiar domestic threat, the traffic accident. That’s out of over 200,000 troops that have been sent to Iraq, all volunteers. With certainty, those numbers represent 3875 tragic stories, 3875 groups of loved ones for whom life will never be the same. My heart goes out to all of those affected and I laud the dead as true heroes. But these numbers are dwarfed by the casualty levels in our failed effort in Vietnam or our great and honorable triumph in WWII. Are these acceptable casualty levels? What a question. Perhaps they are. Who can say?

   I wish there were no war. I wish noble pronouncements could ensure both peace and freedom on this planet. I just play the fiddle and wish everyone could spend their time doing something so rewarding. But the world is not perfect and some must still be doctors, policemen, social workers…and some must still fight and die as soldiers. I would love to see a world where we could all play music or sports to pass the time, or as John Adams more eloquently stated: “I study war and politics so my sons can study navigation and commerce, so their sons can study poetry and music”.  Or perhaps more to the point, here’s Hillaire Belloc on pacifism: “Pale Ebenezer thought it wrong to fight; But Roaring Bill (who killed him) thought it right”.

SUPPORT YOUR TROOPS

    The previous policy discussion notwithstanding, if you take one thought from this text, I want it to be that your troops are worthy of your respect, gratitude and support. To you, that might mean supporting the war or I suppose it could mean trying to bring them home. It should definitely mean keeping them adequately funded while they are there. It might mean approaching any serviceman or woman you see in public to express your thanks. Very few people will get the opportunity to visit there, as I was so blessed to, but if you find an opportunity to do so in some capacity I encourage you to take it.  And if you pray, then by all means, remember them in your prayers.

There are numerous avenues for helping troops detailed at

www.centcom.mil

under the weblink: “Support Our Troops” I urge you to take a look.

Dan Campbell Murfreesboro, TN December 2007

I can be reached at fullmoonboogie@msn.com. I invite your responses.

Special thanks to: Billy Craven who suggested I take a journal. Judy Seale for information and all her assistance throughout the tour. Lt. Col. Bill Cowan, USMC (Ret.) for his knowledge and friendliness. Jonathan Watson and all the MWR staffers and associated troops and officers: Bell, Yates, Sauter, Goff, Grubbs, Causey, Zelaya, Flahive, Maungmaung, Villavicenzio, Brandt, Martinez, and many others whose names I unfortunately can’t recall. Aaron Tippin and David Sloas for this opportunity. And, most especially, Brian Lewis for technical assistance with this presentation.