On one hand I didn’t like getting stuck in Al Asad because of a sandstorm.  On the other hand when I did catch a flight out it was on the Marine Corps newest aircraft the MV-22 or as most call it, the Osprey.

The Osprey is arguably the most radical one built in the last 20+ years.  It is radical because it can take off horizontally (like a jet) as well as a vertically (like a helicopter).

Primarily, the pilots choose to take off like a helicopter and wow it’s not like any helicopter I have ever been.  The Osprey just seems to jump right up off the runway.  And fast speed?  Better than any rotary-wing aircraft that’s out there too.  In fact, after we left the Landing Zone (LZ) in Baghdad we touched down so quickly (like 5 minutes) that I figured we had to stop at another LZ.  I was wrong as we were in TQ.  Normally, I would expect about a 20 minute trip from Baghdad to TQ.

If I was to make any recommendation for improvement then it would be to have even another foot between the people sitting across from me so that we can more easily store our gear.  But as fast as it can go why complain?

Check another item of my wish list on my Iraq vacation.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 61% [?]

Despite not being home we let ourselves in and wandered about Saddams home which is now the US Embassy.

It’s not as great as I had imagined.  Appears Saddam was a bit cheap too.  What he wanted you to believe was gold were instead brass.  Even marble is some spots is really a marble-looking stone.  The pool was a nice size but would have expected larger.

Very plain and dull colors.  Inconsistent types and looks and woods didn’t allow you to get an “oh wow look how impressive this room is” thought.  In hindsight I don’t remember seeing rugs or tapestries.

I also would have expected more paintings.  The ones I did see where about as cheesy as a velvet Elvis.  If you are into Soviet like images of rockets then maybe you’ll like it.  As for the pictures of Saddam they were covered up.

I guess with so many “girlfriends” wandering the palace he didn’t have the time to do the Martha Stewart thing.

Oh and what’s up with the unisex bathrooms?  Never thought I would see that in an Arabic country.

And come on Saddam, you are the “ruler” of an entire country but you go with oak over mahogany for your conference room?

I will give Saddam credit for the grass however.  There was more grass in the front courtyard then I have seen in ALL of Al Anbar thus far.

Rumors persist that there was a prison (more like cages) but when I asked about it no one seem to know.

One of the rooms that people gather in for meetings was the size of a small ballroom.  With a Green Bean Coffee shop, a library of books and DVDs, tables and chairs, an Internet Café, and chess tables this certainly would be my hangout.

Food is better in the palace then at the other chow halls.  Usually, when I travel, I don’t believe anyone when they say the food is better at one chow hall over another.  Same stuff – same quality.  The chow hall was much better and with more variety.

Security was great as I must have presented my ID and cleared my weapon every 10 feet.  Certainly no goofing around.

We tried to find a couple of the Saddam statues that used to sit upon town squares but the fellow giving us the guide said they recently have been moved and didn’t know where they were.  Grrrrr, do you have any idea what I could have gotten on eBay for one of them?

Soon the US will be handing the embassy back to the Iraqis and make home in a new building just down the street.  Be curious to see how the new Iraqi government changes the appearance to forget the demonic legacy of Saddam.

While I was unimpressed with the palace, this was a great experience of a very unique and interesting day.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 33% [?]

Sorry I haven’t written in a few days but I was busy running around Baghdad with meetings, doing the combat tourism thing, etc…

Great time but exhausting.  I left Sunday and got back about 4AM this morning.  I would have written this morning but between not eating for over a day and not sleeping for about twice that I just wanted to get out of my nasty cammies, get a shower, and catch a few hours of sleep.

Great thing about being out here by myself is that when I do go non-stop for a day or two I can crash when I want.  Well, for the most part.

Over the next couple days I will tell you more about my past few days of experiences.  Got to meet General David Petraeus for a picture, sit in Sodomy Hussein’s conference room (picture below), unofficially toured his old palace (now the official US embassy), and take my first ride in an MRAP and then a RHINO.

Great meetings too.  Met with a Dr. of Economics to discuss the developing Iraqi Banking System which in my opinion will have the same problems the US faces because of fractional-reserve banking.  I’ll get all geeky with you later about this problem that must be corrected for credit and the value of our money to have real worth.

Meet with a SSgt who is involved with the Iraqi elections and expect to have ongoing discussion with her and hope to personally take a role for the Al Anbar province.

Besides that met a few Colonels, Generals and Admirals for a meet and greet nothing specific.

Lastly, I will tell you about Lost Lake which is where the Hussein’s supposedly threw their chopped up victims in.  The nickname for Lost Lake is because many believe that’s where their loved ones now rest.

So again, I apologize for not writing sooner but expect to start doing so tomorrow morning.

Semper Fi,

GySgt Jonathan Jenkins

Popularity: 33% [?]