DIGIJOURNAL 002--26 OCT 2006

DATELINE: 26OCT06 FOB PALIWODA

Hello again from FOB Paliwoda. We are still preparing to take over the reigns from our preceding unit. Things are pretty exciting out in the field. Before I share a couple of events, one thing I need to stress is that things tend to sound a great deal worse in the States than they actually are on the ground.

I am definitely in a more kinetic (army-speak for flying bullets) environment than I was last time. Our counterparts in the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police are fighting in direct fire engagements every day. We are helping them with mortar and artillery fire, when possible, as well as backing them up on the ground. What is happening is that the Sunni minority sees the writing on the wall. They brutalized this country under Saddam, so now they know that it is payback time. They delusionally think that by inciting a civil war they will regain control. The problem is that the Kurds are better trained and armed while the Shia have more people. Of course, Iran is playing its own part in all this.

What this means for soldiers on the ground is that, for now, the Iraqis are focusing more on killing each other than on trying to kill us. In the short term, this is good, but long term this bodes for a extended stay for American forces, which we do not want. The problem with this society is that too many people are trying to get even. I will admit that I would have a different attitude if someone had killed my family, but Ghandi said this about this attitude of vengeance, “If we take an eye for an eye, everyone will be blind.”

For myself and Paul, ministry continues. Again, I am still in the trust-earning phase (which is perhaps the most difficult) with the soldiers. I am very fortunate in that I have a very capable and mature chaplain assistant. I still cannot believe he is only 21 years old. Last time I was here, there were five other chaplains to talk to, and the work to get chapel services going was not as difficult. Here, I am, for now, the only game in town. The chaplain in the unit we are replacing said that he never felt lonelier than he did this past year. It is tough, but it is also very humbling to serve with guys who are willing to do so much for each other.

The mortaring of Balad seems to have died down. This is good. With the end of Ramadan, I expect that the insurgents will feel emboldened. To give you an idea of the culture, it is traditional at the end of Ramadan to give boys toy AK-47s. This is a real bright idea since we tend to shoot at folks who point real-looking guns at us. It shall be an interesting year.

Warhorse Archangel