Christian Isely, MS 03
Baghdad, Iraq
Baghdad Dispatch #18
October 17, 2004
It is difficult to sum all of my thoughts and feelings regarding the bombings. I hope my following words strike close to the mark.
The past few days have seen the fall out from last week's events. By far, Thurday, October 14th, was the worst day to date in the Green Zone.
Two bombs exploded. Both suicide missions. The first target was the "Haji Mart". This was the local bazaar where we could buy cheap souvenirs, DVDs, and cigarettes. The bomb went off in Big John's, the general store where I bought the charcoal for my grill.
The second bomb destroyed the Green Zone Cafe - until recently our local watering hole and nearest restaurant. Both establishments were Christian which when viewed in the light of yesterday's church bombings reveals the religious intolerance of some of our enemies.
What is most disconcerting is that this attack hit so close to home. I used to frequent the Green Zone Café almost everyday to eat chicken kabobs and enjoy a Turkish coffee. At night, we would drink Lebanese wine and smoke shisha while listening to the drumbeats of our Arab friends. I got to know some of the help and I still do not know who survived and who did not. The whole place is now only a memory. Smoky nights under the red tent will never be repeated and some of our friends are no longer with us.
Fortunately, some survived the explosion and the story is that some of the help were able to save some lives by discreetly ushering customers out before the bomber realized what was happening. Four American security contractors were killed in the cafe. Six Iraqis were killed in both attacks.
They happened during the lunch hour. I heard and felt both explosions. On the way back to the office we saw a thick cloud of black smoke coming from the middle of the Green Zone. Then we came across the Green Zone Cafe about 5 minutes after the attack. It was totally destroyed and I couldn't imagine how anyone could have survived.
The rest of the day I spent in general shock. One of our staff members quit and flew home but everyone else has decided to push on. After all, if we left, the enemy would have succeeded.
The casualty list could have been a great deal longer but most expatriates were urged not to patronize the cafe after a bomb was found there two weeks earlier.
All that being said, security procedures have been stepped up and we are pretty much confined to government facilities. All local stores and restaurants are now off limits and we must wear our flak vests and helmets outside. Everyone expects these measures to last at least through Ramadan.
Of course, we also have the US Presidential election coming up. That might also be a time of violence here as the insurgents attempt to exert some influence over the outcome. As if the election itself does not provide enough uncertainty! The outcome no matter whether it is Bush or Kerry may lead to dramatic leadership, organizational, and policy changes. Naturally, Bush would no longer have to worry about reelection and who knows what Kerry would do? If Kerry does win, there will be a degree of chaos as the new administration takes the reins and comes in with its own ideas. Hopefully, it would draw the correct lessons from our successes and failures to date.
All is not bad news however. The US military has gone on the offensive and has retaken the cities of Samarra, Tal Afar, and Najar. This has required a show of force and will require winning the peace. The word is Najaf has already benefited from Iraqi government control as projects are now underway and the quality of life for Iraqis there is on the mend.
As the residents of Fallujah see these improvements in other cities and realize that we will follow through both with our threats and promises, they may yet turn in the Jordanian terrorist Zarqawi.
I have begun to make weekly trips to the hospital to visit the soldiers with my friend Ryan. We have discovered they especially appreciate phone calls to home with our cell phones. Issues of Sports Illustrated and Playboy (for the articles of course) are also appreciated. In fact, if anyone would like to send me such materials for distribution to the hospitalized troops, I will give my address where they should be sent:
Christian Isely
Berger-URS JV
PCO, US Embassy
APO AE 09348
Let me know if you feel like sending anything.
Hoping tomorrow will be better than today...
Christian