Yet another unique experience last night in Iraq. Being in Al Asad for a few meetings I had the opportunity to attend a Jewish Shabbat service. Shabbat or Shabbos is the weekly Sabbath i.e. day of rest in Judaism. I must confess that being in the heart of the Middle East I erroneously didn’t expect to see anyone practicing their Jewish faith.

Before the 1st millennium it is said that the Jews were nearly 300,000 strong in what we now considered Iraq. At the time this was the largest Jewish population in the world. Sadly now, they number only 9. Yes 9. 9 followers of the Jewish faith amongst the 25 million people of Iraq.

As for the number of Synagogues in Iraq? 1. I had no idea I would be observing and eating dinner in the only Synagogue in Iraq.

Service was led by Rabbi John Cutler who is in the Navy and is the Chaplain for the Third Marine Air Wing stationed here in Al Asad. Rabbi Cutler is also from Pennsylvania and lives in Bucks County (not too far from Philly).

Afterwards the dinner, the Rabbi and I talked for awhile so that I can gather some of his thoughts and opinions on how religion can play a role in the counter-insurgency (COIN) in Iraq.

All the left-wing nuts so badly wanted to call this a civil war (yes including MoveOn.orgs favorite son B. Hussein Obama) so that their blame-America-first rants would start to have more validity. In keeping with tradition of the loony left they failed to look at the facts nor show a desire to help a culture other then theirs.

We have now been fighting a COIN for the past couple years. Since General David Petraeus was able to implement a surge our ability to conduct COIN operations has proved huge dividends. By the way, McCain supported the surge and the General while B. Hussein Obama still speaks against both.

While we are doing a terrific job with COIN operations we still lack probably the most necessary ingredient for quicker success and that is the implementation of religious engagement programs. We need more American Muslim Chaplains to live with and work the Iraqi religious leaders.

Iraqis do not identify themselves as Iraqis. They first identify themselves by their household (family), then their clan (group of families), then their tribe (groups of clans), and finally a confederation or qabila (groups of tribes). Essentially, we are talking about what is known as blood loyalty.

With loyalty based on local leadership (predominantly religious leaders) vice those in Baghdad it would be in Americas best interest to expand our Chaplain Corps well beyond the 2 Muslims Chaplains we have now.

If you attended any meetings with military, political, and religious leaders in Iraq its easily recognizable that the Iraqis listen to the religious leaders first and foremost. This is the sort of knowledge that we must exploit.

Let me close by thanking Rabbi Cutler for the Shabbat dinner and follow-on discussion and of course the warm welcome I received from all of my new friends who also attended last night.

Shabbat Shalom and Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

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Yesterday I once again got delayed due to weather.  Not a sandstorm but rather a lot of dust and a few thunderstorms in the area.  Weather looks great here as well in TQ so it looks like I am flying out later today.

Al Asad (AA) isn’t a bad place to be stationed either.  More selection of food in the chow hall and more unnecessary goodies to buy in the exchange but it’s basically the same stuff different location.
 

The only thing I didn’t like was that at night we wear a very bright/reflective belt so you don’t get accidentally run over.

One thing for sure you certainly have to pay attention here when walking around.  It’s like the human version of the old video game Frogger (click here if you have no clue what I mean).  Lots of military members, Iraqis, foreigners, vehicles, crazy drivers from seemingly every close by 3rd world nation.

Stop signs seem optional in some areas and in some areas staying in your lane is just a nicety because the other guys isn’t paying attention.  Not bad as driving in Barranquilla Colombia but close.

Below is a picture of one me (right) and my AA counterpart LtCol Terence Larkin (left).  Great guy who really cares about helping Marines and willing to do anything to get the job done.
 

Semper Fi,
GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 31% [?]

Many times you sit around to wait almost 6 or 7 hours before they cancel your flight.  Today at least they told me it wasn’t going as soon as I show up.

Another night in AA but at least no sitting around useless all day.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 30% [?]

Finally, after 5 attempts I am in Al Asad (AA).

Interesting place.  There is actually some greenery.  What’s cool too is that it is nested in an old sea bed.  Not sure how long its been dry and need to find out (since I am a geek you know).

AA was just one of the many Iraqi airbases we destroyed and then took over.  There are still some remnants of their aircraft which never got off the ground to be shot down.

Steak and shrimp for dinner again.  Weird how each time I get to a new FOB (Forward Operating Base) I seem to have steak and shrimp that first night.

Room this time was nasty.  Trash from knuckleheads who didn’t clean up when they left as well as dirt and sand everywhere.  But again, its all relative.  Better then sucking in sand while you sleep in an open tent eh?

Met my counter part LtCol Terence Larkin today who then showed me around.  Nice guy and seemingly very eager to help Marines.  I can tell we are going to have a very good working relationship.  Check it out – he is conservative too.  Now we just need to push him to run for some elected office when he punches out to go back home to Virginia in a few months.  Ha-ha 

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 19% [?]

Grrrr to sandstorms.  Grrrr to cancelled flights and Grrrr to Al Asad (AA).

Because of weather my flight to Al Asad has been canceled for the 4th time.  Not sure but I am wondering is there is something too cool about AA that I am not supposed to see.  Ha-ha

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 37% [?]