My unit is busy settling into our new role in Baghdad. Today is cleaning day.
Since we arrived a few days ago, things have been eventful, to say the least. Yesterday Condoleeza Rice was in the area, causing some delays in our normal movement as her security details blocked off various routes we normally use to get from place to place.
We’ve heard several explosions in the distance since arriving, and yesterday, as we were visiting a checkpoint between the green and red zones, we experienced our first taste of danger. An Iraqi policeman started firing up in the air. We were not prepared, and didn’t know the who, what or why for the firing. Everyone started looking for a place to duck and cover so we could be ready to return fire if necessary.
Another Iraqi policeman quickly explained that the firing into the air was intended to shoo away a slow moving car on a bridge nearby. Apparently the bridge is a favorite place for the insurgents to stop and blow up or fire at soldiers below.
Welcome to Baghdad.