Views of the Iraqi interior

[Slippery Pete]

Sorry about the links, but O.com won't let me post the images in the body of the message, and the pictures are too big to attach.

While most people (even soldiers who have been here) think of Iraq as a desert, parts of it are actually fertile farmland. I'm in one of those parts. These are pictures of the farmland and buildings immediately around my base.

(1)http://tinypic.com/55lf9i


This is a smoke pot. Ponds like these are used to raise fish, and the smoke is supposed to scare birds away. I'm not sure how successful it is.


(2)http://tinypic.com/55m0ly


This truck was probably abandoned about the time the tires fell off. It looks like it's been there for a long time, but nobody's in any hurry to remove it.


(3)http://tinypic.com/55mcz4


This is one of the nicer houses in the area. It's probably home to several branches of a single extended family.


(4)http://tinypic.com/55mddj


This road is typical of highways in Iraq, at least in this area.

[Slippery Pete]

(5)http://tinypic.com/55miht


This is one of several cement plants that's on the base, although this particular one doesn't appear to be used right now. Cement is used extensively in building construction, so they need a lot of it.


(6)http://tinypic.com/55miw9


This is one of the better looking wheat fields. Most have a lot more weeds.


(7)http://tinypic.com/55mj5l


Distant view of one of the nearby villages.


(8)http://tinypic.com/55mka0


Another view, same village.

[Slippery Pete]

(9)http://tinypic.com/55mm9u


Small irrigation ditch.


(10)http://tinypic.com/55nkh2


Large irrigation canal. There are several large canals like this in the area. Most places don't have quite so much garbage lying around, but it collects here.


(11)http://tinypic.com/59vmg2


Somebody's always moving a herd of livestock around, usually children. I'm not sure where they come from or where they go.


(12)http://tinypic.com/59vo1j


Different herd, different kids.

[Slippery Pete]

(13)http://tinypic.com/59wi6x


This is the interior of one of the many vineyards. Since they have no irrigation equipment, most fields have ditches like these that are filled to water the crops.


(14)http://tinypic.com/59wjv6


This is some kind of auto repair shop. There are always people working on their cars here. And who knows what else.


(15)http://tinypic.com/59wljd


Another view of the highway, meeting an oncoming convoy.