Greetings from Bayji, Iraq

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My friend Liz is a person whom I knew while working on the ViaVoice product for IBM, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Liz is now working with her father for a company that does cleanup of explosive devices after armed conflict. You can see as you read this that day-to-day life is anything but the flowers and joy at newly restored electricity and open schools in Iraq, which is what Rumsfeld and others want the media to portray. Stories such as Liz's really bring home what is going on in Iraq.

An excerpt of her note to me follows:

<SNIP>

Hi Everyone,

Sorry its taken so long to write.  I've been working very long days, I hope those who's emails I've responded to, have past on the going ON's from Iraq.  My day starts at 4am (9:00PM EST).....Wake up call!  Safety meeting at 5am and then out to the site or in my case into the office.  Which is all of 20 feet from my cot, never mind front door...I live in a 30 person tent, which currently has 17 and its getting a little tight with all of our bags.  My day ends sometime around 8:00PM (Noon EST) or whenever my coworkers stop asking me questions.  They don't seem to get that I start work when they do and by the time they let me go home (20 ft away), I've put in a 15 hour day or more, leaving me maybe 7 hours for sleeping.

Our trailers were due to be here 2 weeks ago and so far no sign of them.  Some of the other contractors have started moving in.  You may have heard of them on the news, Washington Group, Bektel and KBR (the company Dick Chaney is associated with) , they are a very good company.  From what I hear, when KBR moves in, you know that's the place to be.  They make sure their employees are living as well as can be.  The company we work with (Parsons) has been in contact with KBR for sharing Dinning facilities, Well water for showers and the Rec Center (gym, movie theater, game room, etc.).  By the end of January it will almost be like a mini city.  Each one of these companies bring with them about 100 employees a piece.  They each have different missions here.  The project we work on is called CEA (Captured Enemy Ammunition), we provide the Bomb Disposal. My understanding (if this is correct) Washington Group is working on a project that involves the Tigris River.  Haven't had the chance to speak with their folks yet,  have only over heard bits-n-pieces.  There are so many contract companies in Iraq, you never hear of them in the news. All doing various missions; restoring oil, water, electric, phones, destruction of unexploded ordnance.  You name it and there most likely is a company here restoring it.

Of course its not all fun and games here.  A lot happens that never makes it to the news.  Some of the sites that our fellow companies (Ordnance Contractors) are working at, often come under mortar fire.  Weekly we see oil fires from one of the local POI's (People of Iraq) that believes blowing up their oil wells is a good thing to do.

</SNIP>

There is more to this note, with some comments regarding fatalities, daily mortar fire, and other incidents that are not always reported in the media. She also sent me some pictures. If you want to check out the full text of her letter and some photographs, you can find them at the following link:

http://homepage.mac.com/skiph/iblog/B1333848717/C314721267/E1369940595/index.html

[DuctapeFatwa]

1. It sounds like she is in violation of a cover ban

Probably not a wise thing to do considering the regime's accessibility to her.