Suicide Car Bombers

If you watch my videos and got here from Google Video, you may have seen my music video where I speed up some convoy footage to music. Even though it's sped up, you'll notice that we move around, through, or stop all traffic around us. Our M1114 Armored Humvees move through traffic unhindered because we will shoot anyone that's deemed a threat. That aggressive posture is because of the above threat, the Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device or VBIED. (Pronounced "Vee-Bid" or "Vee-Bed" among soldiers.) This may also be coupled with other tactical threats like machine gun or rocket fire in an ambush.

In the above photo (CLICK ON IT TO SEE FULL SIZE), some MPs were on a convoy and the attacker simply crossed the median and drove straight at them at high speed. Fortunately, he prematurely detonated at about 20 feet away. The gunner was burned very slightly in a few small areas. The vehicle tolerated the blast and drove back to Rustamiya on it's "run-flat" rim. This was a very disconcerting situation, to say the least, to the crew and the gunner didn't have any real warning. They were all very lucky.

Often, VBIEDs have fail safe methods. More than one person may be in the same car, each with the ability to detonate the charge. New as well as old cars are used. It makes spotting them very difficult. There may be markings on the vehicle for someone making a video of the attack that may give them away but many cars are held together with tape and have 4 colors of paint and primer. There are so many cars around you at any given time, especially in a large city like Baghdad, any vehicle is a potential threat. Hence, the reason we own the road when we move. No local cars are let into convoys...EVER.

And The Embassies Burned...

This is a prototypical antisemitic cartoon (Al-Hayat al-Jadida, 22 March 2000) from the Arab world. It states, "Peace on Earth!" by the Pope and the obviously dirty satanic Jew answering, "Colonies on Earth!" (Arabic is read right to left). I think this one could piss off Jews and Catholics alike. These are commonplace in Arab news papers. A Google search will quickly show several cartoons that show the Star of David and the swastika linked together or even placed on the same Jewish caricature. I am dumbfounded by the duplicity of the outrage that has been expressed by Muslims in the news over the cartoons that show the prophet Mohammed. The expression of violence more so. I don't think these folks understand how much they are damaging the Western view of Islam. The bearded men with turbans dancing near the flames of the different embassies are now burned into so many impressionable minds.

Of course my exposure to Islam is limited. Many of the Muslims I saw in Iraq were intimidated by or outright hated me for my American uniform. That was different. I actually understood the concept of not liking my presence in Iraq by Iraqis as a considered foreign invader. It had nothing to do with religion in my mind. We were stuck with each other as well.

I think that Muslims have been marginalized in the West more by these violent acts. I would consider myself more than just a little culturally sensitive but I just don't get it. Burning flags and protesting doesn't hurt anyone but the invasion and destruction of embassies is an act of war unto itself.