Trip to Tikrit

There I am at the conference. Not sure if I was thinking "I can save the Iraqi criminal justice system" or "I wonder when we break for lunch?"

The beginning of the week saw me flying to Saddam's hometown of Tikrit for a "Rule of Law" Conference at COB Speicher. I'm not sure what makes a COB different than a FOB, except that it was much nicer than Warhorse and had a PX that was like a small Wal-Mart. There were paved roads, silverware (as opposed to plastic) at dinner and vegetation (as opposed to endless acres of dirt and sand). I had been told by several visitors who have been all over Iraq that FOB Warhorse was the worst facility they had ever visited. I chose to believe they were exaggerating. Now, I'm not so sure. Either way, I had psyched myself up for the worst possible living situation, and Warhorse is much better than that. Also, after seeing the general living conditions here in Iraq, I may never complain about accommodations again.

Anyway, we flew up there on Saturday. I was struck by the incredible number of Iraqi's who either came out of their houses, or dropped what they were doing in the fields to wave at our helicopter. If people were around, they were waving. I don't know for certain that this means we are winning the "hearts and minds" of the Iraqis, but it sure seemed like they were expressing a lot of gratitude. Then again with two side gunners scouring the ground for armed combatants, it is possible they just wanted to keep their hands where we could see them. I guess I will choose to believe the former.

Warhorse is unbelievably crowded these days. The new brigade is coming in and the old one has not left yet. This means long lines everywhere, and driving around the FOB is like playing Frogger, only as the car, not the frog. I'm beginning to think they sent me to the evasive driving course (in West Virginia before I came here) so that I would not run over more than my share of soldiers.

I've been planning my first visit home which will be happening relatively soon. I can almost taste that first half-and-half at the County Clare.