Baquba, Iraq
The attack began just after dark. Approximately 16 enemy guerrillas arrived in two vehicles. They pulled up and piled out of a minivan, then emplaced security with at least one light machine gun and an RPG. They brought two mortar tubes and two sacks of mortar rounds. The guerrillas had training in the use of mortars, and their coordinated movements betrayed that they had done reconnaissance, calculations, and rehearsals.

Baquba, Iraq
A friend emailed me from the United States this morning. He said ABC Nightly News and 20/20 had contacted him. Friday night, they will broadcast shows about the four contractors who died in Falluja last year. The public display of brutality by the killers prompted, in large part, the “invasion” of Falluja. My friend said that the killings have also led to political messes, and lawsuits back home.

Ford or Chevy?
Iraqi Man Takes Advantage of Sunny Sunday to Wash His Ford . . . or Chevy . . . in Baquba.

Tennessee National Guard Photos

Our troops in Iraq are increasingly prepared; the new up-armored Humvees, for instance, are routinely shot at and blown up by roadside IEDs and usually the troops walk away. I saw one vehicle yesterday where the front end had been nearly blown off two days earlier, yet everyone walked away. The shockwave blew the earplugs out of the soldiers’ ears, but they were fine and returned to duty. Despite the good news, there is always room for improvement.

Coalition forces capture enemy grenades like this every day. There can be a temptation for people unfamiliar with munitions to pull a pin and toss it, like fireworks. Some of these grenades come with ZERO-delay fuses. The instant the spoon is released, the grenade will explode.

February 26, 2005

Major information sources such as CNN and the Associated Press continue to file reports such as the following:

Alleged al-Qaeda-linked leader captured in Iraq
Arrest comes a day after attacks killed 30, including 3 U.S. troops

The last of the 1st Infantry Division pulled out of FOB Gabe just a few minutes ago. It was a bittersweet scene as they piled into trucks and the convoy slowly rumbled out the gate. They are on their way back to Germany and godspeed their journey. After standing up to daily attacks, never knowing if the road ahead camouflaged bombs or obscured terrorists in its bends and twists, these soldiers have surely earned a measure of ease.

Mosul, Iraq
During radio interviews, listeners sometimes call in with questions for me. People who follow the war closely and read my dispatches might ask about events covered by mainstream news but about which I’ve posted few details, if any. Thousands of emails pour in.