On guard

Here are a few pics I was able to grab while interviewing some of the camp guards. While at first one might pity the poor schmos who are saddled with this mind-numbing undertaking, upon some inquiring, I found out that they work one eight-hour shift a day. Compared to the 10-15 hour day shifts that we deal with, I'd be the first to volunteer for some guard-tower action.

Pay no attention to the soldier peering out the top of this tower. You probably didn't see him because of his camouflage anyway, right? Super secret stuff.

I thought the flag placement was interesting, you know, since we're all about peace and liberty and all that.

Ah, the Iraqi countryside. Endless fields of mud and grime. Huts dot the landscape, some long, some short. And satellite dishes on almost every roof.

Hulks of cars and rusted piles of metal and trash are everywhere. Mounds of dirt are piled here and there for no reason. I've been in a lot of spots in central Iraq, and they all pretty much look like this.

Here is an Iraqi soldier. They are very careful to cover their faces when they go out, since reprisals and acts of violence against their families are guaranteed if the public knows who they are. They work three weeks and are off one. Pretty nice setup. Well, apart from the whole "my neighbors will kill me if they knew what I did" gig.

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