Riding a rhino through the land of IZ

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September 26, 2008

BY COL. MIKE GALLAGHER The Tribune-Democrat Fri Sep 26, 2008, 01:30 PM EDT

The yellow brick road does not lead to the land of IZ.

Baghdad’s International Zone (IZ, also referred to as the Green Zone) is only 10 miles from Camp Victory, but the trip may take an hour. The duration of the trip is determined by your mode of transportation and route. Choppers and Humvees are all right, but neither is as enchanting as riding a rhino.

A rhino is essentially an armored Winnebago – except it is not taking you on a leisurely drive down the Pacific Coast Highway or Skyline Drive. Passengers are geared up. Magazines are inserted. The rhino herd is escorted by armed Humvees. Schedules and routes vary per force protection procedures.

They say that the rhino is air conditioned. As a layer of sweat gathers under 50-plus pounds of gear, the tepid breeze only serves as a reminder that the environment could be worse.

Military vehicles comprise most of the traffic on the main supply route heading to the IZ. Iraqi police officers and their vehicles are periodically positioned along the shoulder of the highway. There are occasional civilian sedans. The occupants must be “vetted” Iraqis – that is, Iraqis that someone, somewhere determined to be trustworthy. Sometimes you might even see a dozen white motorcycles with Iraqi flags escorting an armored limousine.

Main and alternate supply routes have code names. Commanders name the routes after states, cities, football teams, etc. I have not figured out the pattern; maybe that’s the point.

To enter the land of IZ, you pass through security similar to that on any large coalition compound. But the inside is different. Another entire civilization exists within a security barrier. Traffic is heavy, with Iraqis driving most of the cars. Iraqi kids are playing in the side streets. Most of the residents are Iraqis working toward better lives. However, you may sense a paradox of gated-community normalcy overlying stifled violence.

You may wonder, “How safe is this city within a city?” You’re thinking about vehicle-borne IEDs (improvised explosive devices). You may also recall that the IZ experienced daily rocket attacks back in April.

The U.S. Embassy currently is located in Saddam Hussein’s former Republican Palace. That palace makes my workplace, Al Faw Palace, look rather drab.

Physically the embassy is protected by tough, contracted Salvadoran guards. Mentally the embassy is protected by smug diplomats. Emotionally spirits are lifted by greetings from uniformed personnel with appreciated directions to hidden offices.

The hallways bustle with folks preoccupied with upcoming video teleconferences or running essential errands. The corridor is flanked by a food court and a coffee boutique complete with Internet access, magazines, newspapers and bookshelves.

Behind the main building is a pool surrounded by green grass and people who appear to be college students. You hear the pleasant sounds of volleyballs smacking and horseshoes clanging.

Soon you will have to remove your sunglasses and the Emerald City – the Green Zone – will disappear; you mount the rhino to return to Camp Victory.

Marine Corps Reserve Col. Mike Gallagher is serving in Iraq and writing an occasional column for The Tribune-Democrat. A native of southern California, Gallagher resided in Johnstown and Windber from 1993 until 2005 while employed by the National Drug Intelligence Center. The viewpoints of this article are those of the author alone, and do not represent any official policy, view or endorsement by the U.S. military.

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Riding a rhino through the land of IZ

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