Jim Spiri in Iraq

By 2300 hrs we were inside and set up, having secured the residents in two seperate rooms, and also preparing certain vantage points for overwatch visability. What that means is that the entrances and exits are secured, as well as upstairs windows become a type of shooters nest, keeping an eye all along the way of the area where the combat engineers were constructing the new "precinct headqaurters" in case the enemy, which so often does, attacks and tries to destroy the security plan.

In Fallujah, the "Alljah" campaign, is now in full swing. The first one was completed two weeks ago in the opposite side of town, now, here, in the least permissive section of Fallujah, it is being implemented. The plan in brief, is basically that each neighborhood of Fallujah, will have a kind of "precinct" headquarters, where the IP, Iraqi Police, will maintain a constant presence as well as a Marine presence for support. Currently, there is a 24-hour curfew on vehicle traffic all throughout the city of Fallujah, implemented by the mayor, as the Alljah project proceeds. Limiting vehicle traffic also minimizes greatly the ememy's ability to attack using vehicles for VBED's as well as drive by attacks. How long this curfew lasts, and the hurdles it brings with it, is still up for anyone's guess at the moment, but for now, it has subdued to a degree the attacks and loss of life for security forces, dramatically.

The new precinct headquarters is a home, once belonging to local resident. The resident is compensated greatly, and vacated in short order.
Then, the engineers roll in, having prepared bunkers, sand bags, and barriers, and begin immediately in the night time hours securing the new headquarters, while another platoon, occupies the building and establishes security for what now will be their new home for the remainder of their deployment.

While this is going on, I am with other marines, in a home, close by, while others are elsewhere, staying up throughout the night awaiting anything the enemy might want to do to disrupt the operation. This is all in another days work for the marines of G-Company, here in Fallujah, Iraq.

In the home where I am, there are about a dozen or so members of a family that now provide the squad I am accompanying, a shelter of sorts, while all this is going on. The "shelter" is also an overwatch position as mentioned earlier. It is extremely hot and all of us have brought additional bottles of water on this patrol to maintain our hydration throughout the long night. The residents of the home are cooperative, yet in an operation like this, they have no choice. Once we enter the home, secure it, and establish our security positions, no one leaves until we are finished. This would be a long 24-hours for everyone.

This particular home is on the lower end of the scale.
It is two story, cinder block, with a rooftop overlook, like all the homes have here. There is no furniture in the home, yet there are scores of sleeping mats strewn all over the home, as well as a kitchen of sorts. The toilet facilities, are really non existent, and all of us urinate in empty water bottles throughout the night. The residents have a type of toilet facility, which is a cultural experience for those not familiar, yet this night, no one of us would use that.

Throughout the long night, the family who occupies the home, settle in and try through difficult language barriers to converse with the new visitors. While watches are rotated, others play cards with the residents, smoke cigarettes, drink water, and catch sleep as best they can in the sweltering, dirty environment of this place.

I wander from room to room and converse at length with the marines in this squad. They are all in their 20's and all on their 2nd tour in Iraq. Discussions varry at length on topics ranging from things to do back home, to things being done here in Iraq. What soon becomes apparent is that no one back home stateside, will ever have a clue to what is being done over here.
Whether it all will be successful or not, is not the main topic of discussion, but what is apparent from the marines I speak with this night, is that the Iraqi population, at least here, seem lathargic in the matter of caring for themselves after so much time of war. No one is ever really trusted, at least not at this point, i.e, that being the residents.

During the days earlier, when patrols were done in this area and others, "census" type data was gathered as well as many questions asked of the locals as to the happenings in the neighborhood. The answer is usually the same, no one knows anything, have'nt seen a thing, don't know the new guy next door, or that he is even there, etc. The fact is, the society has been beaten down for a generation or two and the current status quo seemingly remains the same in attitude of those remaining. Just don't know, is the most common answer. But, everyone knows. This is war.

As the night rolls on, as the heat increases, our squad is directed to move to another location closer to the new headquarters. We gather up our things, and soon exit the current home that has become our lookout. We patrol a ways down, find another home, this time, no one is there. It's a home that has been in current remodeling and is actually got the potential to be nice. It's reconstruction in progress. It's almost done. I find out after we enter the new "watch" place, that from here in the past, IED making materials were found. This night, I end up on the roof up against a wall and lay down looking up at the stars in the night sky. We will remain here until sunrise, as work on the new precinct continues, while the squad I'm with provide an ever watchful eye on the surroundings as others are doing in various locations near and around us.

By now, we've been up 30-hrs plus. We are all hot, tired and on the hungry side. But nothing is compromised as far as the mission goes. At one point during this time, in casual on going checks of the house, two grenades, and some wires are located, stashed in an area on the roof. It's more evidence that the enemy is all around, yet this time, the marines have beat them to the punch.

Opposition to the new security objectives for Fallujah is ever present. That is why, on each night or day, patroling with the marines, there is never room for one to forget that war is still on in Iraq. During discussions throughout the night, with the squad I was accompanying, questions arose along these lines. No one has the firm answer yet, but everyone is here for the duration of their deployment to do whatever is asked of them. While thoughts of life after Iraq are verbalized throughout the night, I realize once again, the front lines of strategy boil down to long, hot nights, in cinder block homes crowded with residents who await another night to pass.

It's hot in Fallujah. In more ways than one.

Jim Spiri
June 13, 2007