A brief update from Baghdad
By Jeff Emanuel Posted in embedded reporting | War — Comments (25) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Baghdad, Iraq -- I've been on the front lines here in Iraq for the last month, spending about three weeks in Salman Pak (just south of Baghdad) with the 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, from Ft. Benning, GA, and spending another several days near the Turkish/Syrian border with a Special Forces team.
As one of the very few journalists (out of the hundreds who come here) who actually spends time out on the front lines, seeing with my own eyes the gunshots, the IEDs, the school openings, the public clinics, the Concerned Citizens meetings, etc., etc. -- rather than simply sitting in safety and reporting hearsay -- I have personally seen evidence that the 'Surge' is working militarily. I have also seen, though, how broken and splintered this country really is, and what a difficult -- and perhaps impossible -- task it is to rebuild it in a way that accomplishes the US's goal of having a stable ally in the war on terror. Certainly the government, and the people, must buy into that goal and dedicate themselves to its accomplishment -- something that has not happened to this point, and something which may in fact never happen.
Read on . . .
In my opinion, though, it is far too soon to close the books on the idea of Iraq -- both because of the growing portion of the population which does want peace and stability (and is willing to fight for it), and because, like it or not -- and regardless of when or why it came to be so -- a central front in the War on Terror, against al Qaeda and other extremists, is, in fact, Iraq. Whatever decision we make regarding nation-building in that country, we must continue to address the presence there of terrorists whose stated goal is not only middle eastern domination (the establishment of the next "Caliphate"), but the eradication of America and Israel, and of our way of life.
I've seen the torture and killing that al Qaeda inflicts on the people of Iraq -- and, for those who would draw a moral equivalence between them and the US, or blame us for their action, I must say that, having seen them in person, no body, when finished, looks the way one dealt with by al Qaeda does. What they do was not "learned" from America, nor made possible by us -- but they must be eradicated by us, lest their unspeakable and indescribable brutality spread to other reaches.
In another two days, I will be back out on the front lines again. This time I will be in Baqubah (the place AQI declared to be the capitol of their 21st century Caliphate) with the 25th Infantry Division. From there, I'll head back to Baghdad, spending a week with the Iraqi Special Forces and three more with the 1-4 Cavalry in western Baghdad, before heading home around the middle of October. There is a great deal of information which is not getting out to the public in America -- primarily because so few are actually on the front lines telling it -- and, in my opinion, it is of vital importance that people have access to it so as to make a more informed decision, one way or the other, on the US's involvement here.
Photos are available here. All posts, articles, etc. -- whether published in The Weekly Standard, the American Spectator, Human Events, the Washington Times, or simply blog posts -- are available at my site, which is here.
As you know, genuine front-line reporting from Iraq cannot happen without reader support - both via word of mouth, and through financial donations. If you or anybody you know is interested in helping to support this project, please visit (or send them to) http://www.jeffemanuel.com and click the "donate" tab on the right sidebar. Thank you again for your support.
More on concerned citizens here.
With regard to your government question (without much time, as it's 3am here and I have to be up before 8), YES. Local government has been the focus for a long time here -- while the idiots at the national level have been bickering and acting like Democrats in our Congress, US soldiers and diplomats have been working with elected local (town, county, regional, and provincial) governments to build their infrastructure and streamline their processes so that, if the Fed gov't ever does get its act together, it will be able to take control of an already-stable state.
In theory, of course. But Federalism is the key word here, and it's in the works.
JE
Jeff,
one final question. You mentioned that the company is terribly fractured. What do you see that leads you to this conclusion?
Finally,
I don't think I have mentioned it before, but stay safe and you are doing a great job. Tell all the troops that our prayers are with them.
"The nine most dangerous words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
True, your photo doesn't look very "Hollywood", but that's a good thing in these parts. :>)
I can see by the look on your face, you have been busy. It has those tel-tale signs of fatigue that only come from being in the front, sleeping when and where you can and jazzed all the time...
Stay safe bro...
Project Director
LJF Management Group
...a 40 hr day (including a night Air Assault into AQI country) and a 120-mph nap-of-the-earth chopper ride. Couldn't feel my sandblasted face for days ;-)
Thanks, Gordo. Appreciate the words.
JE
I suspect Ernie Pyle is looking down at you with great pride at your patriotism, bravery and reporting from the front.
Best wishes
Charlie
but please pass on the knowledge that this is the very same sentiment we have for all our guys out there working for a better world.
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Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods, and the judge of words...-Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes
You are doing great work for the nation. Thank you.
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Develop alternatives to existing policies and keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable. Milton Friedman
Stay safe.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
:)
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The CIA has better politicians than it has spies - Fred Thompson
They got any good restrooms? I mean like clean one with a room for a "wide stance."
He's not only annoying, but stupid too.
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The CIA has better politicians than it has spies - Fred Thompson
They always show up when things are going our way. I'd take this brittle gentleman's perturbed state as further proof Mr. Emanuel is giving us the straight stuff.
Thanks again its good to hear whats happening and even better to know you are alright over there.
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
It is extraordinarily helpful to get insight that we know is served straight and unadulterated by political leanings. To hear the task of stabilizing Iraq as a reliable ally in the war on terror requires monumental proportions is certainly sobering. However, I would only provide temperance by defining “reliable” with context primarily derived from a regional understanding. Not to be semantical, but my expectation was never to reach reliability in any Western sense. Moreover it was creating a self perpetuating process, able to eventually become a factor in the ebb and flow of loyalties required to exist within the regional social structure.
In order to understand democracy, one should become familiar with all its complexities and idiosyncrasies. The primary realization being it provides better choices than the alternative; something I believe the Iraqi’s are seeing first hand. Nonetheless, this does not help when there are armed people making the rules or tribal leaders aligned with bad elements. Their latest situation is only one permutation in centuries of shifting loyalties required to gain longevity. It would therefore be a mistake to believe we will change that process in any meaningful way, short term. For me it has always been the long term goal that matters. Especially since Middle Eastern history teaches us that most often change is deliberate and slow. That appears to be the course for democracy in Iraq and the reason I have always believed our presence would be for an extended period.
Separate subject; I hope at some point we can get an update on the search for Fouty/Jimenez.
Oh and hooah Raiders and Tropic Lightening. Have family that served in the former and a friend rotating in on the latter (perhaps you can point out the Zagat rated restaurants in Baqubah).
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"
Contributor to The Minority Report
"I Will Always Place The Mission First.
"I will never accept defeat.
"I will never quit.
"I will never leave a fallen comrade."
Warrior Ethos, US Army
Thanks for your hard work Jeff. People want to know, What is the real reason for the U.S. war against Iraq? a) Oil b) WMD's c) Revenge on Saddam d) Regime change e) Democracy for Iraq e) War on Terror
Vote at http://www.pollicious.com
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"
Contributor to The Minority Report
Trackbacked by The Thunder Run - Web Reconnaissance for 08/28/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
I don't know why even here on our site people aren't talking about Tariq al-Hashemi coming back into the government two days ago and a national union of Sunni, Shia and Kurd stating that they were working on reconciliation laws in the next few weeks.
I would think that would be fairly important in any discussion as to whether a united Iraq can eventually come into being.
United States Air Force
http://airforcepundit.blogspot.com
Thanks for all you do.
May God be with you and all who serve in this just cause.
De Opresso Liber
pumped about your work.
We here certainly are!
Can you impart any details concerning your dealings with SF Detachment(s). Or, are you sworn to a blood oath?
My opinion on your work: You could NOT be doing any better.
Careful though, you probably have already set the bar too high for wannabe field journalists.
Keep up the outstanding work, and . . . watch your six.
GB
first, can you expand on these Concerned Citizens groups. I understand they are very similar to a neighborhood watch. Is this becoming a trend in Iraq? Is this one of the best ways in which Iraqis fight for their freedom?
Also, is there much movement on localized government? I have recently begun to believe that Iraq, if successful, will wind up being a federal state (not partitioned like Biden wants) where the local and regional governments will hold more power. Is there much movement in setting up local governments? Do they have elections on the local levels, etc?
"The nine most dangerous words in the English language are 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help'"
Ronald Reagan
www.proprietornation.blogspot.com