The Missions Begin

DH has begun his missions...and he told me before he went on the first one. Although I am glad he keeps me in the loop, that was a restless night.

I am a little concerned when I send his updates out to friends and family--I am somewhat afraid I'll give his poor mother, or more likely mine, a heart attack or nervous breakdown. Even though they are after the fact, he is rather unsparing with the gritty details.

Right now, our guys are doing "right seat rides," observing the guys they are replacing.

Following that, our guys will run the missions, with the experienced guys riding along--a "left seat ride."

After that, the guys who have been there a year will get to go home to their families and ours will take over.

On the first right seat ride, they encountered a demonstration--but the crowd was not hostile and seemed to be protesting the election results, rather than the American presence. Democracy in action--like any good democratic peoples, the Iraqis have returned to being peeved at their own government rather than just us.

DH also remarked on the unusual casualness with which Iraqi civilians carry their AK-47s, like commuters carrying briefcases.

DH believes that his training has prepared him well for these missions and I know he is doing everything possible to stay safe and keep his men safe. He has been given tasks that match his abilities and I feel better knowing that HE is the one in charge of these jobs.

Well...off to finish work and then off to the vet. As if I wasn't worried enough already about toxoplasmosis and my pregnancy, one of the cats is sick.