Still out in the desert although it is getting colder at nights and first thing in the morning but obviously not as cold as the climate in Scotland.
Well the run up to Armistice day is a strange one as there are a lot of religious festival taking place both on and off the base. The Hindu population have had Diwali come and go and now there is a weeks holiday Eid Mubarak for the Muslims.
The main day for Eid was Sunday. However it has not stopped the locals commencing their equivalent of New Year with lobbing mortars and rockets at us.
The locals have a war cemetery in Basra and the Consulate General and other members of the Foreign and Commonwealth office will attend a service with local dignitaries at the Basra Memorial and will remember the fallen from both sides, including contractors.
There is also a small memorial here on the base where the British contractors who cannot get off base will have a small service and lay a wreath for all contractors lost during campaigns. (We will remember them) I will attend this service to pay respect to my comrades from my military days and also to the three staff our company has lost out here in Iraq in the last 5 years.
I have had my poppy on since launch day and get a lot of comments and questions from locals, Americans and other nationalities as to what it represents, I am only too happy to let them know.
The original ‘Basra Memorial Wall’ which named all fallen soldiers and contractors was dismantled piece by piece and is now in an arboretum in Staffordshire. I will go visit that when I am back some day as there are friends and colleagues names on that wall that I will never forget.
This was the wall in Basra the day before they dismantled it.
Since my last write up Colonel Gaddafi has been over-thrown and killed. There is a lot of unrest in the Middle East just now and the locals don’t really want to discuss it. However them that will talk just say ‘Inshalla’ which means – It is God’s Will. The people out here don’t seem to respect life the same way as we do and if people die it is always God’s will whether they die of old age, a car accident, a work accident or something more sinister.
Some of the more adventurous Iraqi’s who will talk about politics and religion are more upset about Iran having a nuclear capability as they feel that they are the big threat out here, you have to remember that before the first gulf war Iraq had been at war with Iran for many years and the locals here are a bit nervous about when the US Military leave at the end of the year will Iran try and steal their oil.
I have been taking a lot of stick from my staff (Iraqi’s, Indians and Americans) about the current plight Queens are in. I think half the base now looks out for the Queens score on a Saturday night and when we lose; boy do I know it the next day. All good banter but it is getting a bit worrying, here’s hoping we can pull it around and avoid relegation.
Have managed to wangle a long-weekend from the company but the only weekend I can take it there is no Queens games on due to 3rd round of the cup. So will have a nice relax with the family.
Qosiniraq is a regular poster on the Doonhamer MAD Message Board