Posted on 07/20/2007 2:11:42 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
A first-hand account of what it feels like in Iraq right now:
You know how it feels when you get into a black car in the afternoon with the windows rolled up in July? It’s an inferno outside, but inside the car it’s even hotter? That’s how Iraq feels in the shade. Sunlight burns like a blowtorch. If you don’t wear a helmet or soft cap the sun will cook your brain. First you get headaches. Then you end up in the hospital.After having spent several days Baghdad’s Green Zone and Red Zone, I still haven’t heard or seen any explosions. It’s a peculiar war. It is almost a not-war. Last July’s war in Northern Israel and Southern Lebanon was hundreds of times more violent and terrifying than this one. Explosions on both sides of the Lebanese-Israeli border were constant when I was there.
You’d think explosions and gunfire define Iraq if you look at this country from far away on the news. They do not. The media is a total distortion machine. Certain areas are still extremely violent, but the country as a whole is defined by heat, not war, at least in the summer. It is Iraq’s most singular characteristic. I dread going outside because it’s hot, not because I’m afraid I will get hurt.
Well, I'm out in the sun quite a lot without a hat or helmet and I never get headaches or anything. It is hot here, though.
I agree with the distortion stuff he writes about. Boy, do I ever agree with that! (Come to think of it, I haven't heard any explosions in the last couple of days...)
Drink lotsa water....and beer. :o)
Hi Allegra, what’s the 28?
It is different there. I spent a summer in Israel and our government guides made sure we were covered head to toe and drank a lot. The desert is so hot and dry you can quickly dehydrate and blow away.
Yeah, but it’s still Bush’s fault because of Global Warming./s
You mean the one that says "27" now?
That's my VACATION countdown. I get to get out of here and go to the real world for a couple of weeks. That place where I can go wherever I want, eat whatever I want and not have to wear anti-ballistic gear or anything. :-D
Where are you headed? We head out for Maine in two weeks, teach the kids how to fish while I'm at it.
London. You know, so I can get a break from the terrorism and bombs and stuff. ;-)
Have a great time teaching the kids how to fish and I hope you get spectacular weather.
Have a great time teaching the kids how to fish and I hope you get spectacular weather."
Thanks, have a great time, I've always wanted to go to England since most of my ancestors are from there.
Is it all planned out or are you taking it as it comes?
Is it all planned out or are you taking it as it comes?
No, I'm a spontaneous type tourist. I've been going to London the last four years - since the first year I was here in Paradise. I'm a theater geek (West End rocks!) and I have a sister in England, so we always get together and just do touristy stuff during the day, theater, restaurants, pubs and dance clubs at night. It's just good to get away from here and be able to do normal things for a couple of weeks.
We have quite a bit of English ancestry, too as well as a bunch of Irish and a dash of Scots. ;-)
English and a little Irish, my great grandfather was Irish. Never met him but they say he was six foot two, my grandmother was born at the turn of the last century so you can imagine how long he has been gone.
The wife is also from English ancestry so that makes my son a WASP, I think I'll tell him and he will give me the usual (What?) I'll then give him my usual response (Don't they teach you anything in that school?)
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