AUSTIN BAY GOES TO IRAQ

NOTE: Bay writes a national security column for Creators Syndicate. His commentaries run on National Public Radio's Morning Edition. He has appeared as a guest analyst on CNN,C-SPAN, and ABC News Nightline. Bay, who has had two commercial wargames published, served for four years as a consultant in wargaming at the Pentagon. He holds the rank of Colonel (Armor) in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Bay is now retired from the US Army Reserve, but was recalled to active duty and served in Iraq in 2004. For this tour of duty in Iraq, he was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service.

Bay went on a whirlwind tour of the Middle East, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Here are some excerpts I found notable:

Again, many thanks to everyone who contributed via PayPal. I will get out individual email thanks yous to everyone. (About two-dozen have already gone out.) Your generosity and confidence is gratifying. I have already used the PayPal contributions to take care of extra digital tape and a memory card for the camera. The money will pay for the international phone bills generated on the trip, a boggling hotel laundry bill, and the extra night stuck in a Qatari hotel waiting for the flight to Djibouti. The PayPal contributions bridged the difference between the University of Texas's travel grant and the Weekly Standard's travel expenses.

We spent several hours Friday morning listening to senior US and British officers discuss Iraqi security training programs.

But no Iraqi officers or soldiers.

We left the training cadre and visited the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. When I walked into the briefing room I recognized a face - the assistant division commander, Brigadier -General Karl Horst gave me the same "We've met before" look I gave him.

Great. Meets old acquaintance and listens to briefings. Again, no Iraqis.

We left Baghdad by C-17 and flew back to Qatar. The Ritz-Carlton is almost tasteful in its excess that's where we've spent the night. I went swimming in the hotel's outside pool, a winding lagoon with waterfalls and gorttoes. I felt like the jungle boat ride at Disneyland. Don't laugh too hard this is an opportunity to clean some clothes.

Yup, good thing for PayPal & The Weekly Standard.

Today began at 0600 sharp. We moved from Baghdad to Fallujah by Blackhawk helicopter.

Doesn't this guy ever ride in a Humvee?


The Marines gave us a briefing on the situation in Al Anbar province in general and Fallujah in particular.

No Iraqis, once again.

We flew back to Baghdad and caught a C-17 hop up north to Tal Afar.

Well, there are no IED's at 15,000 feet.

The resulting firefight lasted ten minutes. Part of the Iraqi platoon withdrew, but SFC Villalobos and an Iraqi Army fireteam returned fire and tried to reach the wounded US officer. Villalobos finally threw a heavy fragmentation grenade at the insurgent position, killing one and wounding three. Yes, part of this newly-minted Iraqi Army unit retreated, but part of it stood and fought.

That must've done wonders for that unit's morale.


Today June 15 began at 0450 hours with a knock on the door. Beware the Ides of June, at least if you want to sleep late. We trucked out to the air base and caught a C-17 hop to Baghdad.

Must be a Humvee shortage.

Once in Baghdad we drove from the airbase area to Camp Victory (where Al Faw Palace is located). The current chief of operations gave us a briefing in the CorpsÂ’ Joint Operations Center.

I wonder what he drove in? Again, no Iraqis.