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I've been told that Baghdad was once a beautiful city. It's hard to imagine that when you see it for yourself.
However, there are still signs that this was once a different city, i.e. before the war.
Parts of downtown Baghdad resemble other large Middle Eastern cities. Others resembles the stereotypical slums
seen around the world. Some people here still live in structures made of mud. Baghdad is really hard to describe.
I hope to give you random glimpses through photographs I have taken while out on missions.
One thing about Baghdad that is amazing is the amount of garbage. If you can imagine everyone in the United
States simply throwing their garbage out into the streets then that is what it is like here in Bagdad, or I should say
most of Baghdad. I think it is safe to say that it would take a year or longer just to clean up the garbage.
I must say that the Iraqi people are resilient. I'm amazed whenever I'm out in the city and people are
going about their daily lives even though there may have been a hundred people killed the day before.
Maybe they've just grown accustomed to the violence.
What is ironic is that the Iraqi people, by their very nature, are a clean people. But with war also
came neglect and lack of basic services including electricity, water and trash pickup. I want to show you just
a few photographs which depict how these people are forced to live. What really breaks my heart are the
children.
| June 7, 2007 |
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| New Iraqi Police recruits undergo training. |
| June 7, 2007 |
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| A park in downtown Baghdad |
| June 7, 2007 |
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| If nothing else, the kids here seem to love us. I wish I could say the same for everyone else. |
| June 7, 2007 |
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| Almost every house here in Baghdad is behind walls and gates. |
| March 3, 2007 |
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| This is part of my new patrol area. |
| March 3, 2007 |
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| During a foot patrol we were surrounded by as many as 50 local kids. |
| September 1, 2006 |
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| Two local children in Sadr City |
| September 11, 2006 |
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| This area is just outside our FOB |
| September 11, 2006 |
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| A popular mode of transportation in Baghdad |
| September 12, 2006 |
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| A typical Iraqi restroom. Men, at least you don't have to worry about leaving the seat up! |
| September 26, 2006 |
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| An Iraqi Police Officer asleep outside. Most of the time there was no electricty for AC inside |
| October 4, 2006 |
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| My former partner, Ron Little, handing out gifts to local kids in Sadr City |
| October 10, 2006 |
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| A building in downtown Baghdad |
| October 10, 2006 |
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| A typical "commercial area" in Baghdad |
| October 10, 2006 |
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| A busy Baghdad street |
| October 10, 2006 |
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| A statue in Baghdad |
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| A car bomb that exploded minutes before while we were on patrol. |
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| An Apache helicopter providing air support during a patrol |
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| One of the reasons I'm here... |
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| A church in downtown Baghdad |
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| Standing in front of an Iraqi Fire station in Baghdad |
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| A building damaged by a massive car bomb a few days prior |
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| A typical market area in Baghdad |
| September 24, 2006 |
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| Horse-drawn carts are still popular in Baghdad |
| October 4, 2006 |
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| Kids in Sadr City waiting for toys we were giving away |
| September 24, 2006 |
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| The Bab Al-Sheikh district of Baghdad |
| March 19, 2007 |
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| Part of my "Fan Club" |
| March 19, 2007 |
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| A Baghdad clothing store |
| March 19, 2007 |
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| A man and his son working at their used furniture store |
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| The infamous "Hands of Victory" erected after the Iran-Iraq War |
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| A Blackwater helicopter providing air support during our photo op |
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| My squad from 118th MP Company. I'm on the right holding the edge of the flag. |
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| Not everywhere in Baghdad is as bad as it looks on television. |
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An American Police Officer in Iraq
| January 17, 2007 |
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| With a member of the Iraqi Army |
 
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