It's January 21st 2009. This morning I awoke to find myself under the command of a new boss. My old ones retired, probably milking a cow, or playing golf in the warm sun of Texas. I've been working like a mad man despite not seeming to have a job.
The cold reality is that I am a product of a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of taxpayers hard earned money, which trained me to me a steely eyed killer. And though I'm thankful for a paycheck every two weeks, it seems that all is a waste. When you're told that you are going "over there," you expect a few things in your life to change. For me it's been the longing for a girlfriend caress, and the new idea of not fighting these people but loving them.
My first patrol; 0530 Dec 26 (no shit my birthday)
Not exactly what I expected. Number one, I'm in Iraq walking through a Palestinian neighborhood. Two, I feel safer than walking in the downtown of any major metropolis in the United States. The sun rises, the kids are walking to school. They wave and say, "good morning mister," with an uncharismatic amount of enthusiasm. The people respond with warm smiles and greetings, "sabaah al-khayk," "salem alaikum." There seemed to be not a care for what would've been considered a threat. Vehicle traffic and pedestrian flow fluidly and unchallenged between convoy and patrol. A year ago, if a car attempted to pass through the convoy, that gave you the right to engage and stop the enemy at the cost of lethal force.
A man digs on the side of the road with a shovel. IED placer? All of my training, everything I ever learned in the army about Rules of Engagement are telling me to shoot this positively identified threat. But he's ok, says the LT. A shovel in hand a year ago meant that guy just signed his death warrant.
Operations should be smooth because of the peace in the neighborhoods. Dec 31st hits...
New security agreement between Iraq and the US. Where we were allowed to walk in the streets by ourselves, and go into houses we thought could be threats, now we need Iraqi Police and a search warrant. The grey haired big wigs at the top decide that with the Iraqi elections coming up have mandated us to be "vigilantly guarding" in our sector at the same times of day, for the same amount of hours everyday. If you don't have a military background or understanding then allow me to stress the point I'm trying to make.
If you go out of your base the same time day in and day out, you create a pattern. The more of a pattern you create the more dangerous it is for you. Ahkmed the bomb builder and Muhammed the bomb placer notice that you pass by there neighborhood the same time of day. Now instead of having to guess where you're going to be they know where you are going to be.
We aren't allowed to do our job here anymore. We can get kicked in the teeth, and in return we are only allowed to pass out candy, and give hugs. We allowed a guy who put in an ied that killed a friend to ride freely in our vehicle, because he said he knew where two more ied's were. Instead of making an example of an enemy, we protect them, and hide their identities from their peers. We get scrutinized and in trouble for opening fire on and killing a woman running full speed with no intent of stopping at US troops. Something from the first day of training you learn is well within your rights of protection for yourself and the man on either side of you.
So here's to bureaucrats, democrats and republicans alike, stay in Washington DC and out of our fight.
RIP SSG Justin Bauer
January 10th, 2009
Baghdad, Iraq
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