Baghdad, International Zone, aka Green Zone

Well, I finally made it out of my quarter mile square prison and did something interesting. I took a convoy ride out to the IZ. No legitimate reason for going other than wanting to get out and see things that just about every other soldier here has gotten a chance to go see. Basically I was a tourist in Baghdad-ish. Here are some photos.

This first one is of me at the base of one of the crossed swords. The metal things all around are Iranian helmets. Saddam had Iranian prisoners executed during their dedication of the Victory over Iran plaza and then built the monument with the helmets. Nice guy. The next one is of the viewing stand where he would watch his beloved army parade by and he would shoot off his gold plated AK-47. Something a sane person would do.

These are the crossed swords. The hands holding them were cast from molds of Saddam's hands. No ego issues there.

The "stay focused" sign is right outside a building (edge of the picture) where Saddam executed all of his rivals. He invited them all over for a big feast with their families and then had them executed. Its sort of like an election. The new looking buildings in the other picture are part of the New Embassy Complex. The US basically made a giant compound in the middle of Baghdad for all of our State Department folk. For those of you who know Monica Cooney, she lives nearby here.

The balcony here is where Saddam was held during his trial. He would smoke out on this balcony in those white benches. So I'm told anyway. The other picture is of the crossed swords and tomb of the unknown soldier. When I first heard of it I was confused too. But apparently the Iraqi's have the same thing. The tomb is the giant stadium looking thing just to the left of the swords.

And finally this is me in front of the MRAP after we got back to the base. I had to go to work two hours later, which meant I didn't sleep that day. It was worth the trip, but now I don't need to go again.