IZ/Baghdad Update

Flying into Baghdad.

Interior of a C-130 at night.  Too bumpy to get a good clear picture, but you get the idea.

I have been in the IZ at FOB Prosperity in Baghdad, Iraq for almost two weeks and I haven't posted any pictures of the surroundings.  FOB Prosperity is my favorite base that I have been on yet.  It is easy to forget that you are in a desert country here.  There are mesquite and palm trees everywhere and even the occasional plot of grass has survived the enormous amount of foot traffic.

The coalition has placed most of the IZ security duties back into the hands of the Iraqis.  As such, many of the areas that we could previously walk to or take pictures in have become to unsafe to walk in as unarmed Americans or the Iraqis will arrest you for taking pictures.  The following pictures were taken from inside of an up-armored Suburban, which is why they may look blurry/dirty. 

FOB Prosperity and FOB Union III are the two US bases in an area of Baghdad that has been "roped off" so to speak and called the International Zone, IZ for short.  The IZ contains all of the bases for coalition forces and all of the embassies for the occupying nations.  The United States Embassy in Iraq has the distiction for being the largest US embassy anywhere in the world.

In the picture above, you can see the US Embassy on the right (long tan walls) and the "215" apartments on the left.  The apartments are considered the "red zone."

This is the "High Road" which runs on the north side of the bases.  The other side of the low fence is the "red zone."

 Much of the destruction from the initial 2003 campaign is still visible. 

Ba'ath Party House Headquarters

Sadaam's Presidential Palace (right outside of my CHU)

The following are some random pictures that I have taken while driving around the FOB or around the IZ. 

This is outside of FOB Prosperity.  The blue dome in the background is in Union III.  It was a mosque that has been turned into a hajii mall.

The t-walls on the left protect LZ Washington.  This is where most of the inbound helicopters land.

Driving down one of the roads on FOB Prosperity.  Note the t-walls stacked for storage on either side of the road.

 

The front entrance to FOB Prosperity.  This is looking back at the entrance after coming through.  Note the sniper/machine gunner's nest on the left top arch in the bottom right corner of the arch.  There are at least three guns in various positions trained on everyone coming through this gate at all times.

Taken by another person a few years ago.  Aftermath of a suicide bomber.

 

From left to right, picnic table, tree, mortar tube, grill, tree.  For when you want a relaxing day by the BBQ, but might need to fend off killer ants or insurgents.

 

  This was taken from the front steps of our clinic.  Behind the large tree sticking out of the top of the building on the left is where they found a bomb a few days before I got here.