Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Back to Work



I've been out of touch for a while...sorry about that. After returning from my last R&R (and the great wedding for our daughter and new son), I just didn't post anything. But, I've been back at work for some few weeks and back "on the road" now.

Today finds me in Ramadi in the province of Anbar. This is the site of the "awakening" movement, in which some of the local Iraqi leaders saw that following the insurgency (al qaeda) was leading to a downward spiral for their province and families. So, they decided to work with the American and coalition forces...... to work for the future. They banded together to help coalition forces defeat al qaeda. It came at a great price to these leaders. A number of them have been murdered, or had family members murdered. Yet, they press ahead, hoping and building for a better Iraq....a better future for their children. You have to admire them!! Would I have the courage to walk in their shoes?

On this trip, I'm accompanying our videographer. His duty is to capture some of our people working, showing the good jobs they're doing with the Iraqis and helping to rebuild agriculture here in Anbar Province. This is the first of several stops for this project. I think it will produce a nice video. I'm looking forward to the finished product.

Right now, we're sitting around waiting for a helicopter flight out. However, flights are currently under a "weather hold"....delayed because of dust. It hasn't been windy, but just a slight breeze. I guess this dust is so fine that the slightest breeze can stir it up!!! So, we've finished with the video taping part of this trip, and are just waiting for the dust to settle so we can get out of here and on to our next assignment. That's just one of the constraints that impact work here in Iraq!!

More from our next stop, and some pictures, too!!!

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