MENA_Conflict

and we routinely took contact or suffered IED or mortar attacks. The Iraqi soldiers accompanied us on every patrol and were our voice to

the locals. They risked their lives knowing the local al-Qaeda cells photographed the checkpoints and kept lists of who they were. Their

families were threatened and many had family being killed for sectarian reasons (Sunni and Shi'a) back in Baghdad, Karbala, Ninewa, or

wherever they were from. They soldiered on. They definitely weren't as well trained nor as disciplined as we were and there were certainly

cultural difficulties but they treated us like family and watched our backs. They weren't the greatest fighters ever but they weren't

cowards and never backed down from a fight. We had one Iraqi that EVERYONE loved. "Mikey", a Sergeant who had spent time in Saddam's army

and was the most professional soldier of the lot. Mikey spoke some English, was a joker, loves to cook, and brought goodwill to the

@liberatethis @YouTube The Iraqis weren't fighting us where I was. Overwhelmingly foreign fighters in al-Qaeda ranks. Wanna justify al-Qaeda for me?

@MENA_Conflict No Al Qaeda in Iraq before 2003. US planning didn't include securing the borders.

@liberatethis I'm not talking about 2003. If you want to make excuses for al-Qaeda, do so on your own page. I'm happy to listen to reason but not

@liberatethis apologism for terrorists, murderers, and drug smugglers. muted.

@MENA_Conflict thanks for sharing this

@MENA_Conflict Thank You for your service and this thread. Even I got something out of it. I did not find any worth friending there. DS1

@ScRamjet75 I had buddies who served with terrible IA units. My Afghan experience was less awesome. But the Iraqis I served with we're amazing.

@MENA_Conflict 10yrs ago, I was in Rutbah with 1/2

@jacksondwhit 2nd LAR here. We we're at TCP 2. Maybe you guys tookover when we went to Camp Korean Village?

@MENA_Conflict we quickly went to TCP1 and spent some time in Rutbah at the school, near the tower.

@jacksondwhit I loved TCP 2. We were so far away from the JBCC and the command vehicles got IED'd trying to come inspect us. They stopped coming.

@MENA_Conflict That is awesome. Same here with TCP1, completely OFP, COP didn't ever bother. We were foot mobile whole deployment, loved it.