TF Boggs, a sergeant serving his second tour in Iraq, has an posted the first of two parts of an interview he had recently with the Iraqi brigadier general commanding in the town of Qayyarah. It is a fascinating picture you will never see in the mainstream press. Qayyarah is about as safe, from all indications, as any town in the US.
How long have you been in the military?
General Ali: I first went to the army in 1976, I became a staff brigade general in 1997. In 2001 I left the army because there were many problems between my tribe and Saddam’s regime. He fired many of the officers and put some of them in jail. I am one of the officers who was put in jail for ten months and afterwards I was put out of the army. When the coalition forces came to Iraq in 2003 I worked with the 101st (Airborne American army unit) in Qayyarah (*the town I am in now and where he lives) as an advisor. In 2004 the terrorists destroyed all of the Iraqi police stations and in that time the terrorists controlled all of this area. They controlled Mosul, south Mosul, and 40 km from where we are now. In that time no one came to help. All of the people and soldiers were scared and went home. I came to help and the Americans invited me to come command this battalion. The name of this battalion was the 102nd ING before they changed the name to the 1st battalion 3 brigade Iraqi army. At that time I only had eight soldiers with my battalion. They could not go out in their uniforms because they were scared of the terrorists. If they went out on a mission with the coalition they wore facemasks because if the terrorists saw them they would kill them. First time I started training my soldiers I made 1000 soldiers in my unit. After one month I went out on a mission with them and captured all of the terrorists leaders.
At this point I asked kind of jokingly, kind of seriously “Really, on the first time out?” He replied in all seriousness:
Yes the first time.
Sergeant Boggs would like to spread the word about this interview so that as many people as possible can read it. Please do take the time to read this first installment and help spread the word as well.
UPDATE: Others: The Real Ugly American, Dr. Sanity,
