The Daily Iraqi Cheese Grader

From The Desk of Ted Mathis ^ | 05/05/2005 | Ted Mathis

[Responsibility1st]

Are you sick and tired of reading about the Runaway Bride? And if you read about one more child being raped and muredered, are you gonna lose it? Well then, I have found what you've been looking for.

Ted Mathis has had a few occasional glimpses of insight into a world that few Americans know about. Certainly the MSM will not report on this; but every once in awhile I read excerpts of what our soldiers are doing in Iraq and I stand amazed!

OK, I'm not literally standing, but you know what I mean.

In any event, I have wanted to bring you stories, blogs, journals, reports and whatever from the soldiers POV. I have scoured around the net and have found what I've been looking for. Here it is: http://alohafromtim.tripod.com/

Read this entry:

April 27, 2005

Topic: The Places

Adnon Palace is located on the edge of the Green Zone. It was formerly the home of Saddam Hussein’s son-in-law, Adnon. According to one of my drivers, Adnon defected from Iraq and cut off all ties to Saddam's family. In an effort to convince Adnon to come back to Iraq, Saddam built the palace just for Adnon. When Adnon heard about the palace, he decided to come back to Iraq. When he landed at the airport, Saddam killed him.

Adnon Palace is now home to the Ministry of Interior. The palace grounds is also the home of the Country Club, one of the few bars inside the Green Zone.

Getting to the Country Club is an adventure. I have to armor up and call a driver from the motor pool. During the short ten minute drive to the bar, I pass by a number of Baghdad landmarks, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the famous Crossed Swords. Upon arriving at Adnon Palace, the vehicle goes through a quick check for explosives. After passing the inspection check point, the driver goes another 1/8 of mile to another checkpoint, where my friends I and have to hop out of the car.

The short walk from the last checkpoint to the entrance to the bar is enjoyable. Along the way, we pass by Adnon Palace, which rest on a small rise. A stone's throw from the entrance of the palace is a small building marked with a nice neon sign announcing that it is the Country Club. Before you enter the building, there is a small tub filled with sand where PSDs have to dry fire their weapons to make sure there isn't a round sitting inside the chamber.

Inside, the bar is hot and often crowded. Loud trashy pop music blares from large speakers. A few foosball and pool tables line one side of the bar. On the other side is an open area where people can dance, if they are so inclined. In the middle are a few tables and chairs. On a busy night, it is hard to even walk around inside the bar. The drinks are cheep ($2) and no one is in a hurry to leave; there are very few other places to go and drink inside the Green Zone.

Because the bar has become way too popular, the Country Club is getting ready to become a "members only" club, which means anyone who wants to go there must be a member or a friend of a member.

One last comment about the Adnon Palace . . . it is right on the edge of the Green Zone, and during election day apparently a number of insurgents jumped over the wall and tried to storm the palace. The bar might be a little island of normalcy inside the zone, but it is still just an island that is susceptible to the storm moving all around it.

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Now that you've read this, click The Daily Iraqi Cheese Grader at http://alohafromtim.tripod.com/ and read more. Bookmark it and read it later as well. E-mail this site to your friends. Search for similar blogs and read them too. Do you support our troops? Then involve yourselves with their lives.

Do it now.

[newgeezer]

Now that you mention it, I think I'd enjoy grading cheese for a living.

The very sharpest cheddar would get an "A"; everything else would be graded on the curve.

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

I like cheese, do you like cheese?

[SIDENET]

I like cheese, do you like cheese?

MMM...cheese.

[CIDKauf]

This is a great site. Thanks for posting it. It is a daily read, with some good documentation. "Regime change" is a monumental task that deserves the praise of all Americans in the fight to make the world a safe place to live.