2009.07.13
13JUL09--Introduction; Attacks on Churches
Today, my team introduced the new team to the Iraqi Army. However, many officers were away, reacting to rather serious situations to include attacks on churches.
When the U.S. Army patrolled Iraqi cities, insurgents justified their attacks as resistance to an occupation. Now that the U.S. has completely pulled out of the cities and has begun steps for a drastic downsizing, insurgents would be hard pressed to find excuses for violent acts.
Under the possible auspice of opposing organized Christianity, an unknown group attacked approximately half a dozen christian churches yesterday, killing at least four civilians and injuring many more.
The somber reality is that insurgents will test the organization and fortitude of Iraq forces in the short term. The timing of these attacks has quickly introduced the new team to this reality.
Captains Cruz and Chapman view the local Iraqi farmlands from a fortified post.
Iraqi women and children work in a field of corn and beans.
Sergeant First Class MacFarlane tastes the corn straight from the field that the locals threw to a Soldier.
The Iraqi Army treats the new and old transition teams to a lunch of rice and chicken.
Hopefully "support" for the insurgents will continue to wane. I wonder how much the Iraqi people long for peace, and how much longer they will tolerate the insurgent activities.
Curious to know how the corn was. I know some fruits have a sweeter taste when grown in warmer conditions with less water. Same true for the corn?
Comment by Ed S. — July 13, 2009 @ 5:57 pm
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 07/14/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
Comment by David M — July 14, 2009 @ 10:03 am
I think that peace will come to Iraq in the near future, Ed.
The corn was sweet! Subsequently, the Soldier photographed eating it got a wicked time with his stomach in the following days. Maybe from the corn. Maybe from the fruit and vegetables that he ate at lunch that day. My team had similar problems in our first week.
Comment by Rich Connaroe — July 18, 2009 @ 1:19 pm