Photo Story Monday - Let It Rain!

"It was just past the new year - in 2007. President Bush outlined Iraqi government benchmarks, and the newfangled "surge" was being rolled out in Baghdad. The units weren't going to be arriving for another month, but in preparation we had much larger areas to clear so the units coming in wouldn't be stuck with tangled messes of sectors. When they'd arrive, we'd show them everything we learned, from the hot spots to tips on the back roads to avoid traffic and VBIED threats.

One of the things I remember most vividly about Baghdad in the winter was the weather. It seemed to always be raining, and in the few moments it wasn't, there were standing puddles everywhere we went. Big lots, trash piles, city streets. You couldn't walk anywhere without tracking several pounds of mud, shit and trash on your boots. You can imagine the modern drainage and sewage system a third world country has."
Army of Dude