Here are a few photos from my last days in Kuwait and my first weeks in Iraq.

First, a view of the bar at the Hard Rock Café in Kuwait. They serve mocktails, which is akin to ordering oysters sprinkled with saltpeter.

Next, a view of the LP in the ceiling of the Hard Rock Café. It spins around. Kind of nutty!

This is the plane that took me to Baghdad. I sat at the very back and was fairly squished by the cargo. Suprising how nimble a cargo plane can be!

Brian and Rick’s porch built from scrap wood. Here it is set up for cigar night.

Another snap of the porch showing the movie screen on the T-wall. Like the doughboys of WWI we have a trench system, except ours is built on top of the earth rather than dug into it. It is a bit surreal watching a movie as tracers fly overhead and the occasional IED explodes in the distance.

Me and Saddam’s head in the IZ. I was on my way to the US embassy to have a bit of lunch.

Here I am at the embassy. Too bad I brought my gun! The pool is nice, but I didn’t get a chance to swim either.

This is the Iraqi Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I wasn’t able to get in this time, but I may have another chance.

Here I am at the crossed sabers. It is around the corner from the Tomb. They celebrate the “victory” over Iran. The hands are allegedly cast from Saddam’s and the metal for the blades is from captured Iranian rifles that were melted down. They are being taken down by the new government.

Mark & John on top of the Ibn Sina hospital. There is a dustoff helo landing behind John’s left shoulder and the smoke from an IED just behind Mark’s head. Hard to believe they get four birds at one time on such a small pad.