November 19, 2008
In Country
I've just arrived in Baghdad and am waiting in the Green Zone for a flight to my unit elsewhere in the city.
Traveling to and around Iraq is a horrendous pain in the ass, but flying over Baghdad in a Blackhawk helicopter is always a treat. Below are some photos from my flight in today.
Wonderful pictures. Thank you.
Posted by: shelly
at November 19, 2008 9:20 AM
Great fotos! Thanks.
Question, do the streets have names & numbers, and how easy is it to find somebody's place of residence with just an 'address'?
at November 19, 2008 10:09 AM
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 11/19/2008 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
Posted by: David M at November 19, 2008 10:29 AM
Cool!
What's that big white dome though? Looks like the city needs to be rebuilt from scratch. With all the oil the country has, if things take off economically in a few years (which would require long-term political stability) Baghdad might as well get a makeover,.. kind of like Baku, perhaps?
Posted by: medaura at November 19, 2008 12:08 PM
Cool! Awesome shots.
Posted by: orfannkyl at November 19, 2008 1:03 PM
In the last picture, in top right corner, there is something big on the background.
I wonder if this is one of Saddam's palaces. Thing looks huge.
Posted by: leo at November 20, 2008 5:39 AM
Great views!
It looks pretty calm, with smoke coming out of the smokestacks -
I was wondering about that huge lumpy building in the last picture too. Is that Saddam's mother of all mosques?
Posted by: maryatexitzero at November 20, 2008 9:19 AM
I thought so too at first but I do not see minarets.
Posted by: leo at November 20, 2008 10:21 AM
Globalsecurity.org has pictures of the al-Rahman mosque and it looks like the one in the bottom picture. It says that it is 750 ft across and takes up nearly 11 acres.
Posted by: mac0352 at November 20, 2008 10:44 AM
mac0352,
It looks like you are correct.
Thank you
Here is picture from close distance:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50018413@N00/106282150/
Unfortunately, still under construction but it looks exactly like on Michael's picture.
Posted by: leo at November 20, 2008 4:25 PM
Can't wait for your reports. Thanks for the photos.
As someone previous said ---- It 'looks' pretty peaceful. I hope it is exactly that.
at November 20, 2008 5:30 PM
I've been reading this blog as a break from classes for the last couple of years, and it has been a real pleasure to see the growth of readers and in-depth articles that have appeared. Keep up the great writing and great pictures, as it is much appreciated.
Posted by: Mantis at November 22, 2008 9:14 AM
