I have just started my fifth year in the Middle East (2008) so I can tell you what it is like. Iraq is a land of contradictions.
It is a desert, yet for a few months each year, you think you are experiencing Noah's flood. It is hot with temperatures exceeding 130 degrees and yet some nights a winter coat is required.
It is filled with many peace-loving people and yet there are so many hateful insurgents who want to kill all Americans--The same Americans who have purchased the Iraqi people's freedom with their very lives.
Right now, because of the insurgency, there seems to be so much instability, not only in this war-torn country, but in the entire region. Most of the insurgency comes from outside Saddam's country.
Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have a lot to do with the turmoil going on. The United States troop surge really worked well, but now those troops are beginning to leave. What happened on 9/11 is something we never want to happen again.
Democrats and the new post-Saddam government are calling for a specific withdrawal date. Will there ever be peace? Will the people ever be free if we pull out too soon?
And what about the United States? Should we be sacrificing our troops, our civilian contractors, and all of their families by being here? If we are not here, many believe we will be attacked again on our own soil. Only time and the new election results in the United States will tell us...
Iraq Up Close Blog
Iraq Up Close Blog will give a description of all the new pages on this site along with info from Al Asad Airbase.
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Build A Website
Are you bound for Iraq or other great places? Build a website about your experiences. People love to read about great places to visit.
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Iraq Up Close And Personal Free Newsletter
Please sign up for our free newsletter called Iraq Up Close And Personal so I can share the latest news from Iraq with you.
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Contact Us
Please feel free to contact us at any time with your comments and experiences in Iraq. With your permission, we may post them to the website.
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Iraq War Truth -- Prayer Is The Answer
Many want Iraq war truth. Here it is: Prayer and reading the Bible are what will sustain our troops and civilians in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Civilian Jobs In Iraq
Civilian jobs in Iraq are plentiful and most pay very well, especially the jobs with American companies.
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Sending Care Packages To Iraq
The best way to send care packages to Iraq is by US mail. Your package will be sent to Iraq by a military overseas address.
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Iraqi Location
Everyone wants to know what his/her Iraqi location will be as soon as a civilian or one of our military troops says he/she is being deployed. There are so many bases in Iraq to choose from.
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Iraq Updates
Iraq updates of the latest news is being put on my site for your convenience. It helps us to stay updated with what is going on all over the country. When you are in the middle of a warzone,
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Holidays In Iraq
For civilians, the holidays in Iraq and in Afghanistan are pretty much the same as any workday. The various companies I have worked for did nothing very special.
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People In Iraq
The people in Iraq are divided into sects. The Taliban is a group of fundamentalist Sunni Muslims.
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Currency Exchange Involving Iraqi Dinar
From the first day I landed in Iraq I heard people talk about currency exchange involving Iraqi dinar. They were buying up Iraqi dinar in some scheme of selling it back for many times what they paid
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War Of Iraq --My First Night
I can give you a ton of information on the war of Iraq. I have been there off and on for over three years now.
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Iraq Religion
The official Iraq religion is Islam. Muslims (those who practice Islam) account for a whopping 97% of the Iraqi population.
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Shopping In Iraq
If military and civilian personnel want to go shopping in Iraq, the PX (base store) is the most popular place and usually the only place to go.
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Iraq War Politics
Back in the USA, there seems to be a lot going on with Iraq war politics.
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War Of Iraq And America
The First Gulf War of Iraq and America happened because Saddam Hussein got greedy. He saw the tiny, yet very rich country of Kuwait and decided he could take possession of it.
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War Of Iraq And USA
On March 20, 2003, the Second Gulf War of Iraq and USA began. United Nations sanctions from the First Gulf War were responsible for a lack of nutritious food and adequate medicine in Iraq.
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Iraq War Bombing
Iraq war bombing is now a way of life. I have experienced a lot of them and so have many of my buddies.
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Iraq Geography
Iraq geography is a contrast, from snowy mountain peaks to sea level at the Gulf, from desert sands to the Garden of Eden.
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Iraq Weather
Iraq weather can be as messy as a Michigan snowstorm in the upper peninsula.
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Food In Iraq
Food in Iraq is provided by the United States military and other sources.
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Iraq War Beheadings
In 2004 and 2005, Iraq War beheadings were the insurgent’s choice weapon of terror. However, there was a large out cry about the Iraq war beheadings by the Iraqis’ and even Al Queda started to speak
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Civilian Travel To Iraq
Civilian travel to Iraq and other parts of the Middle East is fairly simple but it takes time. Bring your patience with you, along with a few good books to read.
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Iraq Spiders And Other Creatures
I have been receiving a lot of e-mails about Iraq spiders, namely camel spiders. Are they for real? Do they really exist? Yes!
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Iraq History
A brief Iraq history is as follows: It gained its independence from British rule in 1932.
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Ancient Iraq Was Called Mesopotamia
Iraq is the home of ancient Mesopotamia, otherwise known as the cradle of civilization.
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Democrats On The Iraq War
Please click on the video link on this page to see the views of prominent democrats on the Iraq war. What you will see is amazing compared to the tune they are now playing!
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Location Afghanistan
I am now in my new home away from home. Location Afghanistan. I have spent the last few days inprocessing.
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Benazir Bhutto Assassinated At Age 54
As she waved to the masses from her vehicle's sunroof, Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister of Pakistan, was assassinated. She was shot in the neck on Thursday, December 27, 2007. The vehicle was
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News Of War In Iraq
Getting news of war in Iraq is easy now compared to how it was back in 1990 during the first Gulf War.
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Camp Warhorse In Baqubah
Tommy Maness was known as Generator One at Camp Warhorse, Baqubah. There was not a generator on base he could not fix when called upon to do so. He was very gifted with engines.
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Helpful Websites
This page is to assist you in finding additional information that will be helpful to you. Please consider checking out the good information that these sites have for your convenience.
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