69 million page views

I have been there

Reader comment on item: The Latest about the Mosul Dam

Submitted by Michael Slee (United States), Jun 17, 2008 at 10:39

Hi, I have been to Mosul.

I have deployed as an embedded Documentarian three different times to Mosul with US ARMY units. I have been blown up, shot at and mortared in that city. One of the running jokes was after all that the dam will break and we'll be drowned while on patrol in the city.

the FOBs and Camps have contigency plans if the dam breaks. And you're right, for the most part this is an Iraq problem. The coalition has offered ideas and plans. They aren't offering to fix it for them. You are absolutely right about getting their hands on that dam. If we start the repairs and it goes the World will blame us for the disaster that has been looming for more than a decade.

The Iraqis told us they have known about this for a very long time. Saddam blew it off as just another part of the infrastructure he was will to let fail. Just like the electrical grid and rail system all across the country. Now both of those are better than they have ever been before. And if the dam breaks the valley that runs through the center of the city will wipe out thousands. Not to mention the five bridges that join the East and West sides of the City. Mosul will be thrown back in to the dark ages and the insurgents will thrive.

By making it difficult on everyone to live it makes it easy for them to hide amongst the slow moving infrastructure. the rescue effort will take everyones eye off the defense and they will move back into areas that my units cleared long ago. Here, this is what Mosul looks like through my video camera. http://homepage.mac.com/zaragozapictures/iMovieTheater99.html

http://homepage.mac.com/zaragozapictures/Menu49.html

My webpage http://www.zaragozapictures.com/

Michael Slee Zaragoza Pictures, Inc.

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

Next Comment >>

Reader comments (33) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Turkish President claims N. Iraq and N. Syria as part of Turkey; has troops and armor in these areas [72 words]Michael SOct 24, 2016 01:33233557
1Best thing [55 words]HassanAug 20, 2014 04:24217270
very sad [4 words]Shodja ZiaianDec 26, 2015 19:34217270
Muslam technology [102 words]donvanSep 29, 2008 15:51139331
3I have been there [301 words]Michael SleeJun 17, 2008 10:39132392
Thank you for your support of Iraq - Taliban and all other Islamists must be stopped [54 words]KristaJun 18, 2008 10:15132392
you stop first [46 words]mohammed adeebSep 28, 2008 14:16132392
"the more you people will try to stop it .the faster it is growing" -- mohammed adeeb [77 words]KristaSep 28, 2008 21:32132392
2The "Why" [187 words]DONVANSep 30, 2008 10:03132392
1where's the proof [79 words]mohammed adeebSep 30, 2008 13:48132392
1A people are judged by their words and actions. [823 words]KristaOct 1, 2008 18:43132392
"rather than stopping it [Islamists] just sit in corner and realize why,whats the reason these people are behaving in such a manner -- mohammed adeeb [86 words]KristaOct 1, 2008 22:04132392
Wrong.. [120 words]donvanOct 2, 2008 11:55132392
follow islam the way saudi arabia follows [53 words]mohammed adeebOct 5, 2008 03:45132392
your fault [94 words]mohammed adeebOct 5, 2008 03:52132392
1whats in a name.. [149 words]donvanOct 6, 2008 08:17132392
Kosovo, Israel, Sudan, Ethiopia, China, Chechnya, Daghestan, India, Philipines, Indonesia... [51 words]KristaOct 6, 2008 21:53132392
dont worry soon the whole world would be islamic [44 words]mohammed adeebOct 8, 2008 02:07132392
well well [21 words]mohammed adeebOct 8, 2008 02:23132392
1I do concentrate on Islamists... almost every waking minute. [38 words]KristaOct 8, 2008 20:10132392
for what purpose? [144 words]donvanOct 13, 2008 14:49132392
wha... [124 words]donvanOct 21, 2008 12:47132392
Surely not [36 words]TerryNov 15, 2008 19:46132392
no one knows about islam .then go and find about it [94 words]mohammed adeebNov 22, 2008 09:12132392
Militant... [47 words]donvanNov 25, 2008 19:35132392
Two words. [10 words]Jamie ShaferDec 30, 2008 10:19132392
don't talk from India [58 words]niraj pardesiJul 16, 2009 04:32132392
Resistance is futile? [62 words]Monte GardnerJul 16, 2009 11:46132392
1another blast [53 words]nirajJul 18, 2009 05:02132392
1stop suspecting the suspects [42 words]mohammad adeebAug 7, 2009 08:06132392
people are bound to revolt [83 words]mohammad adeebAug 7, 2009 08:17132392
1more muhammedan self aggrandisement and delusional thinking [433 words]Gabrielle OZJun 18, 2012 11:30132392
Nice to see others finally speaking out openly .. [318 words]Free American PatriotJul 4, 2012 09:46132392

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)