A Brigade Commander's perspective of the situation in Baghdad as of July 14th (Vanity)

Greetings from Central Baghdad. I took command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division on 1 July; since then I have had two soldiers killed in firefights. The Special Opns folks call my sector east of the Tigris River "The Hot Box," due to the number of engagements in it on a daily basis. This place reminds me of Max Max and the Road Warrior movies. As predicted, I am living in interesting times, and am using every bit of the strategy education earned in ASAP and at the War College. We are fighting former regime-backed paramilitary groups, Iranian-based opposition, organized criminals, and street thugs. We have stood up governing councils from neighborhood to district to city level. We have conducted humanitarian action in numerous areas to include repair of electricity, water, sewer, hospitals, and schools; created refuse collection systems; and built numerous recreational facilities (particularly soccer fields). We have cleared hundreds of tons of UXOs and weapons caches. I have already hosted Fox News, ABC, ITN, UP, Reuters, the New Yorker, and an Indian news service. On any given day I deal with the political realm of the Coalition Provisional Authority, the humanitarian realm of the NGOs, and the military realm of firefights/improved explosive devices/snipers/mortar attacks. My BCT contains active duty, reservists, and National Guardsmen. The BCT has lost 4 soldiers since taking over the sector. The soldiers are staying focused and disciplined, and are getting more effective with each passing day. Our snipers have had some success of late - enough said. Even though we are still being shot at daily, the vast majority of the population supports our objectives and just want to get on with their lives. We are doing some excellent humanitarian work, but it doesn't make the news because all the press wants to talk about is the attacks. The infrastructure is up and running and the shortfalls in electricity, water, sewage, etc., are being addressed. We have local advisory councils of Iraqi citizens set up in Baghdad and a functioning city council. The people we kicked out of power can't stand our success, however, and will do everything they can to try to make us fail. Thus the ongoing gun battles in the streets. There is also a lot of organized crime here. I have flashbacks to "The Godfather" all the time. As the military commander of eastern Baghdad, I feel like Don Corleone...or maybe a ward boss on the south side of Chicago. The brigade was trained in high intensity conflict back in Germany, but quickly transitioned into urban combat operations once in Baghdad. We had a visit from a team from the British Army experienced in operations in Northern Ireland, and we were already doing everything they talked to us about. In some cases, such as use of helicopters in conjunction with ground forces, we are ahead of them. Special skills such as military police, civil affairs, psychological operations, EOD, and engineers are needed more in this type of operation. I have a reserve MP company out of New York working for me, and they are doing a fantastic job. The company commander is a New York City prosecutor in his other life. It's 116 degrees here today, and I don't even get a cold beer - GO #1 strikes again. So yet another go-round with the extended Betty Ford clinic. At least I'm drawing combat pay. I have a spare cot for you if you make it to Baghdad. My HQ is east of the Tigris River. Alcohol not allowed, but bring cigars. Otherwise, enjoy the summer and drink a cold one for me. Ready First! Pete

Formatting is our friend.

Greetings from Central Baghdad.

I took command of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division on 1 July; since then I have had two soldiers killed in firefights.

The Special Opns folks call my sector east of the Tigris River "The Hot Box," due to the number of engagements in it on a daily basis. This place reminds me of Max Max and the Road Warrior movies.

As predicted, I am living in interesting times, and am using every bit of the strategy education earned in ASAP and at the War College.

We are fighting former regime-backed paramilitary groups, Iranian-based opposition, organized criminals, and street thugs. We have stood up governing councils from neighborhood to district to city level.

We have conducted humanitarian action in numerous areas to include repair of electricity, water, sewer, hospitals, and schools; created refuse collection systems; and built numerous recreational facilities (particularly soccer fields). We have cleared hundreds of tons of UXOs and weapons caches.

I have already hosted Fox News, ABC, ITN, UP, Reuters, the New Yorker, and an Indian news service. On any given day I deal with the political realm of the Coalition Provisional Authority, the humanitarian realm of the NGOs, and the military realm of firefights/improved explosive devices/snipers/mortar attacks.

My BCT contains active duty, reservists, and National Guardsmen. The BCT has lost 4 soldiers since taking over the sector. The soldiers are staying focused and disciplined, and are getting more effective with each passing day. Our snipers have had some success of late - enough said.

Even though we are still being shot at daily, the vast majority of the population supports our objectives and just want to get on with their lives. We are doing some excellent humanitarian work, but it doesn't make the news because all the press wants to talk about is the attacks.

The infrastructure is up and running and the shortfalls in electricity, water, sewage, etc., are being addressed. We have local advisory councils of Iraqi citizens set up in Baghdad and a functioning city council.

The people we kicked out of power can't stand our success, however, and will do everything they can to try to make us fail. Thus the ongoing gun battles in the streets. There is also a lot of organized crime here. I have flashbacks to "The Godfather" all the time. As the military commander of eastern Baghdad, I feel like Don Corleone...or maybe a ward boss on the south side of Chicago.

The brigade was trained in high intensity conflict back in Germany, but quickly transitioned into urban combat operations once in Baghdad.

We had a visit from a team from the British Army experienced in operations in Northern Ireland, and we were already doing everything they talked to us about. In some cases, such as use of helicopters in conjunction with ground forces, we are ahead of them.

Special skills such as military police, civil affairs, psychological operations, EOD, and engineers are needed more in this type of operation. I have a reserve MP company out of New York working for me, and they are doing a fantastic job. The company commander is a New York City prosecutor in his other life.

It's 116 degrees here today, and I don't even get a cold beer - GO #1 strikes again. So yet another go-round with the extended Betty Ford clinic. At least I'm drawing combat pay.

I have a spare cot for you if you make it to Baghdad. My HQ is east of the Tigris River. Alcohol not allowed, but bring cigars. Otherwise, enjoy the summer and drink a cold one for me. Ready First! Pete

Many thanks for the timely update (all the news Dan Rather does NOT want America to hear) and Godspeed, Sir!

Sometimes when I hear these reports of ambushes, street whackings, drivebys, and other such casualty-inflicting tactics of the enemy, I have to wonder if many of the hard-learned lessons of VietNam are having to be re-learned all over again - the hard way.

Are there any VN Vets left in your Command - particularly those who served as MPs in or around Cities like Saigon?
I would hope that if so, they are consulted regularly; much of what is reported sounds chillingly familiar.

Have you had any 5-year old kids come up to a Soldier and pop a grenade in his pocket, expecting a candy "reward" for it as they have been trained by the enemy?

Children were considered expendible ordnance delivery systems to the VC, you may recall.

Or how about the bicycles with the hollow tubular frames stuffed full of C-4, and the timer rigged to the headlight battery? Not a car-bomb, but plenty portable and potent.

I think that if some of the Commanders over there get to talk to a seasoned VN Vet, that they will learn that "They ain't seen nuthin' yet"!

I'm particularly saddended by the death of a Maine Reservist, who apparently was set upon and burned to death along with his LT by "An angry mob".

Had they no fragmentation grenades?
It's amazing how quickly a few of those will disperse an "Angry mob"!
"Oh; so you're angry - here; let us give you something to be REALLY angry about (pulling pin)".

I don't know the details, and probably have no business knowing them - but I can speculate.

Kid about 9 years old bolts from between parked vehicles in front of passing US Military vehicle; gets hit/run over.
Accident? I don't think so. More likely a young "Martyr" for Islam.
"Angry Crowd" convieniently waiting in the area swarms Military vehicle which of course stops to render aid and appologize profusely to the Natives, who raise a ruckus and start whackking the vehicle with their flip-flops.
In the midst of all this chaos, the "offending" GIs suddenly find themselves disarmed, beaten, stabbed, shot, and stuffed back in their vehicle which is promptly doused in gasoline and torched.

The guilty vanish in the "defenseless", "innocent" mob, just hoping that some surviving unit is going to fire into them and create an international uproar over the US "attrocity".

I suspect that such "spontanious" events are well choreographed and rehearsed - probably down at the local Mosque.

I also get the impression that these people, much like "Charlie" back in the '60s, considers our humanitarian compassion to be a weakness to be turned against us, and chaos as a tactical resource.

From what I gather, however, you guys are learning as you go and hopefully will be dealing Muchmed and his Jihad pals some nasty surprises in the near future, if you are not doing so already.

Our Military is the greatest in part, at least, to our creativity, resourcefullness, and adaptability.

Please keep up the good work despite the harsh conditions - Our prayers are with you and your Command.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.