Rockets
SO yesterday I was right about the rockets. But it turns out that there were 5 but 1 didn’t go off. And they weren’t rockets but I use that term generically for any explosive device that could potentially fall on my head; they were mortars. But normally we get larger caliber mortars, like 120MM. The ones yesterday were just 61MM.
So that got me thinking. Why did they launch 61s? I know it is too early to tell yet so I will monitor all rocket impacts more closely, but I wonder if they are running low on supply? It is possible they don’t have any more so they resort to the puny ones. I don’t yet, but when I find out, I will post the answer.
So anyway, there is an adverse side effect to 61s as well. Because they are smaller, they are much easier to transport and to conceal. The lack of destructive power is made up for by mobility and concealability. (Is that a word?). Anyway. What they used to do in mid 04 was drive around, come to the firing spot, chuck the tube on the ground and then lob a few my way and pop smoke out of there. This makes it much harder for the Quick Reaction Force to find and hopefully kill them.
That reminds me to check on the Rules of Engagement. Last time I checked it was fair game to drop anyone carrying an RPG or a mortar. I hope that is still the case. It was also legal to shoot on sight anyone wearing the Mahdi Army uniform which is all black with a green headband. Man I could never find one. I am still disappointed.
Well anyway, I will monitor some intel and see if my preliminary conclusion remains accurate. It could be just a once off deal or it could be an indication that supply lines are clogged. Maybe Iran are shipping everything to Hezbollah instead of Iraq? Don’t know.
Anyway, it is time for me to go to the palace, I will finish up with some more when I get back. Hopefully they won’t plant one on my laptop because I really don’t want to have to type all that crap again.
Ok I am back. No rockets. While I was walking out of the palace I got to watch some short bald guy slam into a marble pillar. He was turning around to catch the backside of a relatively attractive blonde woman. Well, he turned right back around and slammed his noggin right into the pillar. I laughed so hard. I probably could have warned him, but then I wouldn’t have a story. Besides, by the time you get out of puberty you should have mastered the art of checking out women without slamming headfirst into solid objects.
So anyway, my date with lunatic chick went pretty good last night. We sat under a date palm at the restaurant and talked. Neither of us ate, she had a coke and I had 2 beers, Efes. I also got to smoke a shisha. Shisha is better known by the name Hubbly-Bubbly in the UK, argilla in Kuwait, and in the US, water-bong. Oh yeah, also hookah. They put this really nice flavored tobacco in there and you smoke it. It is nothing like cigarette smoke, it has no nicotine either. Oh yeah, if you smoke cigarettes, don’t, they will kill you. This one Iraqi dude got killed late in 04. They were working on a water tank near a small compound when the welder decided to go to the bomb shelter because some rounds landed. He walked around a huge cement wall but he forgot his smokes. He went back around the wall to get them and WHAM. A mortar got him. Moral of the story; don’t smoke. I guess it could be don’t forget your smokes as well, but I like my moral better.
Also, these Iraqis sure smoke a lot. I watch them smoke non-stop. I met Shepard Smith from Fox news in the BIAP airport and man does that dude chain smoke. At the time I thought I had never seen anyone smoke that much. These Iraqis ALL of them smoke more than him. And they smoke everywhere. Literally, everywhere. I bet the Imams are smoking when they give their sermons. (Is that what you call them, sermons?) Oh yeah, and not one Iraqi has grasped the concept of a “Line”. They will just mob wherever they need to go and fight to be the first one there. It is ridiculous. I have nearly gone to blows with pompous little Iraqi men trying to cut me in line. Seriously, I think it is disrespectful. Who the hell is this dude to cut me? I just usually ask them to get behind me, if they don’t I shove my way back in front of them. I got no time for that. The only exception is on flights. I sit back and watch these Iraqis punish each other to get to the ticketing counter at the airport. Guess what dumb ass, you already have a ticket, you already have an assigned seat, so what in the hell is your hurry? I just sit back, sip some chai, and wait. Once they have destroyed each other to be first and are gone, I stroll up with my business class ticket and get my boarding pass. They even fight after they have a boarding pass. They fight to be first on the bus to go to the plane. Dudes, you have an assigned seat! Simmer down! Then they fight to get thru customs. I watch them and I just laugh because we are all going to be standing at the same spot at the same time, complaining about when our bags are going to come in. Sheesh! They are crazy. Oh yeah, and they drive worse than they line up. Just inside the Green Zone this year about 5 Iraqis have been killed in traffic accidents. I watched 2 motorcycle fatalities in 2 days. Hence the reason I no longer take my scooter to work. That would be just my luck, buying it on a damn scooter in Iraq. Screw that.
So that is about it. The good news is that I found some old disks that have some cool pictures, so I can post them.
This is me standing under the thermometer. It is self explanatory.
This is a Google Earth of the compound I live in. It was formerly a palace Saddam gave to the Republican Guard. It is officially known as the Main Presidential Palace or the CPA Palace. But we decided to start calling it the US Embassy Annex. Only the North wing of the 3 part building is controlled by the State Department and the actual Chancery is located a couple clicks away also in the IZ.
This pic is where my hooch is. Special note to anyone with a mortar or rocket: DO NOT AIM HERE!!! If you kill me I WILL have sex with all your virgins!!!
Here I am smoking some hookah in the kitchen of my old villa.
Cheers,
Walt
So that got me thinking. Why did they launch 61s? I know it is too early to tell yet so I will monitor all rocket impacts more closely, but I wonder if they are running low on supply? It is possible they don’t have any more so they resort to the puny ones. I don’t yet, but when I find out, I will post the answer.
So anyway, there is an adverse side effect to 61s as well. Because they are smaller, they are much easier to transport and to conceal. The lack of destructive power is made up for by mobility and concealability. (Is that a word?). Anyway. What they used to do in mid 04 was drive around, come to the firing spot, chuck the tube on the ground and then lob a few my way and pop smoke out of there. This makes it much harder for the Quick Reaction Force to find and hopefully kill them.
That reminds me to check on the Rules of Engagement. Last time I checked it was fair game to drop anyone carrying an RPG or a mortar. I hope that is still the case. It was also legal to shoot on sight anyone wearing the Mahdi Army uniform which is all black with a green headband. Man I could never find one. I am still disappointed.
Well anyway, I will monitor some intel and see if my preliminary conclusion remains accurate. It could be just a once off deal or it could be an indication that supply lines are clogged. Maybe Iran are shipping everything to Hezbollah instead of Iraq? Don’t know.
Anyway, it is time for me to go to the palace, I will finish up with some more when I get back. Hopefully they won’t plant one on my laptop because I really don’t want to have to type all that crap again.
Ok I am back. No rockets. While I was walking out of the palace I got to watch some short bald guy slam into a marble pillar. He was turning around to catch the backside of a relatively attractive blonde woman. Well, he turned right back around and slammed his noggin right into the pillar. I laughed so hard. I probably could have warned him, but then I wouldn’t have a story. Besides, by the time you get out of puberty you should have mastered the art of checking out women without slamming headfirst into solid objects.
So anyway, my date with lunatic chick went pretty good last night. We sat under a date palm at the restaurant and talked. Neither of us ate, she had a coke and I had 2 beers, Efes. I also got to smoke a shisha. Shisha is better known by the name Hubbly-Bubbly in the UK, argilla in Kuwait, and in the US, water-bong. Oh yeah, also hookah. They put this really nice flavored tobacco in there and you smoke it. It is nothing like cigarette smoke, it has no nicotine either. Oh yeah, if you smoke cigarettes, don’t, they will kill you. This one Iraqi dude got killed late in 04. They were working on a water tank near a small compound when the welder decided to go to the bomb shelter because some rounds landed. He walked around a huge cement wall but he forgot his smokes. He went back around the wall to get them and WHAM. A mortar got him. Moral of the story; don’t smoke. I guess it could be don’t forget your smokes as well, but I like my moral better.
Also, these Iraqis sure smoke a lot. I watch them smoke non-stop. I met Shepard Smith from Fox news in the BIAP airport and man does that dude chain smoke. At the time I thought I had never seen anyone smoke that much. These Iraqis ALL of them smoke more than him. And they smoke everywhere. Literally, everywhere. I bet the Imams are smoking when they give their sermons. (Is that what you call them, sermons?) Oh yeah, and not one Iraqi has grasped the concept of a “Line”. They will just mob wherever they need to go and fight to be the first one there. It is ridiculous. I have nearly gone to blows with pompous little Iraqi men trying to cut me in line. Seriously, I think it is disrespectful. Who the hell is this dude to cut me? I just usually ask them to get behind me, if they don’t I shove my way back in front of them. I got no time for that. The only exception is on flights. I sit back and watch these Iraqis punish each other to get to the ticketing counter at the airport. Guess what dumb ass, you already have a ticket, you already have an assigned seat, so what in the hell is your hurry? I just sit back, sip some chai, and wait. Once they have destroyed each other to be first and are gone, I stroll up with my business class ticket and get my boarding pass. They even fight after they have a boarding pass. They fight to be first on the bus to go to the plane. Dudes, you have an assigned seat! Simmer down! Then they fight to get thru customs. I watch them and I just laugh because we are all going to be standing at the same spot at the same time, complaining about when our bags are going to come in. Sheesh! They are crazy. Oh yeah, and they drive worse than they line up. Just inside the Green Zone this year about 5 Iraqis have been killed in traffic accidents. I watched 2 motorcycle fatalities in 2 days. Hence the reason I no longer take my scooter to work. That would be just my luck, buying it on a damn scooter in Iraq. Screw that.
So that is about it. The good news is that I found some old disks that have some cool pictures, so I can post them.
This is me standing under the thermometer. It is self explanatory.
This is a Google Earth of the compound I live in. It was formerly a palace Saddam gave to the Republican Guard. It is officially known as the Main Presidential Palace or the CPA Palace. But we decided to start calling it the US Embassy Annex. Only the North wing of the 3 part building is controlled by the State Department and the actual Chancery is located a couple clicks away also in the IZ.
This pic is where my hooch is. Special note to anyone with a mortar or rocket: DO NOT AIM HERE!!! If you kill me I WILL have sex with all your virgins!!!
Here I am smoking some hookah in the kitchen of my old villa.
Cheers,
Walt
posted by Walt at 6:11 PM
3 Comments:
Hey! I took that picture with the thermometer! How about a little photo credit?
That is true! You did take the picture. I tell you what, if you want credit, send me the one I took of you and I will post it.
Hookah picture?!
I knew I liked you Walt!
Don't give up on your degree. It is posponed, not wasted. What you have learned, you have so no education is ever a waste.
Austrailian? Nice. Color me jealous.
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