JUST INSIDE TIKRIT, Iraq -- We've stopped, about 6.5 km outside the city center. In front of us, about a kilometer up, is a group of Arabs who have been shooting at people. They're worried about Kurdish looters. Surrounding us are a mass of press SUVs. Someone has sent an Arab cameraman up to negotiate passage through. So now we're waiting.
I lost J. earlier today. He took off with Freydoon to the Syrian river crossing to head back home to America. He's been a good friend and his inveterate optimism has been a welcome tonic to my usual cynicism. His military training also came in handy. He truly believes in the United States as a force for Good in the world, and who am I to criticize him for that? I wish him well...
Your mother must be worried sick by this. What’s the use in telling you to be safe? You can’t be safe in a place like that. Why don’t you run and see if you can catch up with J? Just come home and put your mother’s mind at rest.
Get in the middle of that convoy, man!
So you are all alone now? I don’t think they will allow any of your Kurdish friends to enter Tikrit. Do you plan changing the site to “Back-to-Syria”? ;)
What’s the problem Chris, according to all the news reports Tikrit has been taken by the US troops and White House said the war is over. Just haul up your American flag and drive on in.
Not!!!!
I’m sorry to hear J. has left you.I felt less worried knowing he was with you. I hope you’re going to wind it up pretty soon and head out of there yourself. Please be extra alert and stay with groups.
Take care and be safe.
Chris,
Seeing that B2I is gaining audience and becoming more well-known, have you noticed any change in attitude toward you by your fellow journalists… How are you faring in the “journalistic pissing matches” these days?
Hoping you are safe and well. The only word for your quest for truth is heroic.
I guess even the neocons truly believe they’re building a better world (,even if they have to nuke/chem/bio it first) …
Chris’ reporting been outstanding.
I had no idea that the Kurds had come so far with their democracy, free press’s rare in the middle east, not even Turkey has it. Really would like to hear more of the progress of the people in northern Iraq. They seems to be well away on the route towards true democracy.
I figured that after all that you’ve now seen, that criticizing J. for his beliefs would be the farthest thing from your mind. How many times do you need to be kissed by dancing Iraqi men to be convinced?
The headlines of ‘misinformation’ are screaming that the war is ‘over’, Tikrit is in coalition control; yet from what you say that is not so. Lt. Smash (http://www.lt-smash.us/) states that even though some troops are going home that we are building up troops.
Is it just me, or am I hearing ‘veiled’ threats to Syria? ‘Iraq serves as an example.’
All will be well. :)
I actually just blogged a bit about Syria(http://blogs.nonbusiness.surpassant.com). The Guardian, among others, said Syria’s OK… at least until after the next election: http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,13031,937140,00.html.
I wondered earlier how the troops, who were told the road home went through Baghdad, would feel if they were told, “oops, we mean Damascus,” or Tehran, etc.
Your comments about J. made me wonder about something… Of the Iraqis you’ve met that have shown clear signs of being positive about this war, have you asked any of them how they feel about the fact that if every other Arab nation (plus France, Germany, Russia, etc) had their way, Saddam Hussein would still be ruling Iraq right now?
Just found this blog - great reading!
I am from Kyrgyzstan - it in Central Asia and we well pretty close to Iraq and VERY close to Afganistan. So, I must say that US forces did quite a bad job for us here. Muslims become more and more aggressive and more active in other smaller countries like ours. But who cares…eh?