JimSpiri ”THE LAST LAP #10”
The latest journey called, "The Last Lap" - IRAQ, 2015
© Jim Spiri 2015
July 22, 2015
It is Wednesday, July 22nd around 0800 hrs. I have less than a week left in country according to my
pre-arranged schedule. Of course everything is always changeable but for now, things are set on a
steady course. It is hot again this morning and the power at the moment is off. It’s been off for quite a
while this time and not sure exactly why. Constant electricity flow would improve things in this
county a hundred fold I’m sure.
The morning started out with one of the vehicles here
at the home of my host going on the blink. Turns out
the battery had gone belly up. The hot weather takes a
toll on such things. I accompanied my hosts brother
into town to purchase a battery and the mechanics on
the spot put it in. Later that morning one of the guys
that had come to the airport with my host to pick me
up stopped by and stayed a while. I had been up early
working on some writings while at the same time
getting things charged up and ready for the upcoming
day. While he was here I ended up taking a snooze as
I just could not keep my eyes open in the heat of the
day.
That evening I had coordinated with my host to go into
town and be there when the lighting was better to take
some photos while I had the opportunity to do so. I
always start getting anxious as I see the time in
country winding down. There are always things I want
to do and so many things that end up taking a back
seat. I need to constantly be thankful for what I am
able to do rather than worry about what I cannot do.
Story of my life again.
After an hour or so of photo-shooting in the streets in
the late afternoon light, my host and I walked to the
home of one of the younger fighters who was quite
instrumental in the saving of Dholoyia from ISIS.
Once we arrived all greetings were exchanged and I
was given water and a cold soft drink to enjoy. The
heat was oppressive but the home we were in was
pleasant and comfortable. However the power went
off as it does all the time and quickly the gathering
moved outside in the shade on a lawn. About ten
young guys were present by now all were waiting to
chat with me. The hookah was in full operation as is
the custom in these parts. Everyone young and old
does the hookah and it is all part of the social
framework of the local society. It is always filled with
nice Turkish tobacco and constantly going.
I ended up in a circle outside speaking with the local
young men who had done a lot of the heavy lifting
during the battle for Dholoyia. One in particular who
is highly respected whose name is Hamoodi, caught
my attention. The others began speaking about the
battle that was now exactly one year from the
beginning. I quickly took out my small video camera
and decided that what I had in front of me was the first
line defenders telling me their story and I was here to
listen. I did my best to record this dialog as Hamoodi
spoke up often. The others were all young guys under
his command, however some were closer to his age, a
young 27. As is the case in all wars, young men age
rapidly and Hamoodi is no exception.
I was impressed with his dialog and choice of words to
describe the events of the year previous in such a way
that I can see that it is still and always will be fresh in
his mind as well in the minds of his comrades. I was
encircled by a group of young men who were as good
or if not better than any other warriors I’ve had the
pleasure to be around. They, like all the others just
kept talking as I kept listening. I felt this video was a good example for historical archives that I had
been seeking to convey the story of this place. Through it, I had found more amazing friends.
I wound up the video interview as later we had further commitments to attend to. I had been invited to
the home of the nephew of the man whom I had originally met in this village back in 2004.
Mohammad, who at this time is not in country but is in India taking care of some education and health
situations of family members, made sure I was given an excellent evening at the home of his nephew.
My host and I had arranged for transportation and we were shuttled over to the nephew's home. He
had remembered me from eleven years previous and coming to his home was a special event this night.
He showed me his home and his family and explained to me that since I had been here, he now had his
own home and was quite proud of it. I enjoyed the tour of his place and the hospitality was very
precious. In some respects, I am treated in “rock star” fashion here and it is difficult to know how to
handle such things. But, as always, just being simple and real keeps it all afresh.
It was now dark and the food was about to be served. A setting for the entire group present had been
laid outside on the lawn. There were at least 20 present for the meal that had been set for me. As is
always the case, others from around the neighborhood show up to see me and join me for dinner. It is
an honor to be welcomed in such a fashion.
One of the guests present was young man who looked very professional and highly educated. He had
been quiet for awhile and then at one point opened up to me in perfect English. He is a medical
student studying in the country of Georgia in the capital, Tbilisi. He speaks several languages and we
conversed at length about a variety of issues. He was not one who was here during the war for
Dholoyia. His studies had kept him away, yet he was well versed in the events. I was very impressed
with him and startled at his professionalism. While I had him in my presence, I inquired as to my
personal infirmaty regarding my rotator cuff. He advised me to get an ultrasound for the bone
situation as well as an mri for the soft tissue status. So far, my doctor at home had only done an X-ray
and it showed that I’m 59 and have some arthritis issues. I decided immediately that I now had a
better diagnosis to pursue and made it a point to follow up upon my return to the states with his
suggestions. I thought it ironic once again that I had to come halfway around the globe to get the right
course of action for my health issue.
While sipping chi after the meal in the dark, outside, I heard a familiar sound in the sky. It was a
helicopter and I was absolutely sure it was a Chinook. This was once again more added overhead
aircraft activity that was increasing in the past two nights since being here. Before I could say
anything the student says to me, “Chinook”! I looked at him and said, “Yep. That’s the noise I know”.
That was the first time in a long time I had met someone who knew proper helicopter noise
identification like I do. Again, impressed.
My host informed me that it was now 9:00 pm and we had another engagement with the director for
security for Dholoyia and we must not miss it. That would be with General Diab, a person I’ve met a
few times briefly but this night would be more in depth. After saying my goodbyes and shaking
everyone’s hands once again, I was on my way out and onto the meeting at hand. It was hard to break
away but it was important not to be late. We left and entered the property of General Diab. He was
waiting for us and I was once again impressed at the hospitality.
General Diab is a man of renowned respect and is 56-years old. He is another former old regime Army
officer who was trained specifically in tanks as well as other things in the old regime. One of the folks
present at this meeting was one of the younger fighters I had on video earlier with Hamoodi. I have
been here now for a couple weeks and during this time those that are of authority have been assessing
my intentions here and came to the conclusion that indeed I am an historian and the battle for Dholoyia
is of significant historical value as Iraq pushes forward into a new phase of its’ place in the region and
the world.
It is no secret that all these type of folks were the ones that Paul Bremer had eliminated from what was
to become the new Iraq moving forward back in 2003-04. I have written numerous articles about how
this move by Bremmer singlehandedly messed up Iraq and is the major reason chaos rules in Iraq now.
During this evening meeting with General Diab, I once again put on my rarely used but ever
increasingly utilized “thinking cap”. I just had come upon the one man that pretty much designed and
orchestrated the saving of Dholoyia with the help of the implementation of it by the very young ones I
have been interviewing previously in the day. It needs to noted that most all the folks in the Joubury
Tribal sectors of this part of Salah ad-Din province took part in the battle. Many had their normal jobs
to do in places like Baghdad during certain days and would return during their time off to do their now
“second job” which is the saving of their community from ISIS. Some dropped everything and just
battled for seven months.
After chi, water, soft drinks, and fruit were brought out for consumption during this meeting, I began
to hear in detail the list of events that took place. General Diab is a highly skilled military strategist
who was cut off immediately by Bremmer, as were many, many others here in Dholoyia. Our
conversation started out with me thanking the General for his time and requesting that he just tell me
the story. He is a sober minded man. He is not a light weight. He proceeded to tell me his history and
how things evolved. Throughout the conversation I would ask this or that question and he would give
me straight up answers. One in particular was the “What did you do after Bremmer cut you off?”.
He looked at me and grinned but answered slowly. “I
just waited for the past 12-years” he said. “I knew these
days would come upon us and they did”. I asked him
throughout the conversation if anyone else had been to
speak with him about the events of the past year. He
told me that one big newspaper from the US called him
directly and spoke to him for two hours on the phone
but never returned promised replies. He said that
absolutely no one had ever come directly to Dholoyia
and asked him face to face about things. He was rather
appreciative in a military fashion that my sincere
interest in this place is noteworthy to say the least.
I’ve met a few men with distinctive and perceived
power in various walks of life. I knew I was dealing
with a man that had been a career soldier and was let
loose for political agendas by those who ended up
causing a great deal of chaos for this country. I asked
him the same question I have asked others in similar
positions in the old regime. I asked, “What would have
happened when Tommy Franks and others came to his
home as well and had offered these members to remain
in positions and move forward as long as they
cooperated with the invaders”? He explained to me that
was never an option that was offered. He did mention
that he met with former General Abizaid who was in
command of US forces for a while but nothing came to
fruition regarding helping the new Iraq move forward
with valuable members from the old regime.
Now, that is exactly what is needed to happen as the old members who are not getting any younger
take up the slack now and teach the younger ones how to defend as a matter of survival rather than just
for show. We both looked at one another directly in each others’ eyes and both gave a sigh of
frustration as my host translated word for word both our speakings.
Here I am face to face with the
man who detailed to me all the
tactics that were used to save
Dholoyia. It was reminded to me
once again that had ISIS been able
to take Dholoyia, Baghdad would
have been a hop, skip and a jump
away from being overtaken and
things would be even more chaotic
than they are now and the loss of
lives would have been even more
staggering than they already have
been.
During my time here, I keep seeing
how the young begin at an early
age to follow in the steps of their
elders. Not in a forced kind of
religious culture, but rather in a
way of family values if one in the
West could just look at it in such a
manner. I used the example
recently in conversation with my
host as I watched a 5 or 6 year old eat
the evening meal with the other males in the
households. They just sit next to one another
and follow those around them. I did the same things learning how to just eat a meal in a fashion that is
unfamiliar to myself. I don’t have to incorporate it in my own home life but while here I can surely
partake and understand and even learn a few things at the same time about youth learning how to
mature. I have seen it in almost every aspect of this local society that has to me been a microcosm of
the whole view. Everything is done corporately for the good of the whole. The issue or result is
nothing less than when the shit does inevitably hit the proverbial fan, it is the youth that know what to
do instinctively by those elders who have been here and done this before and now it is time to save the
community. This is what I’ve seen first hand during my journey to Dholoyia.
I know for sure that nearly no one in the positions of authority in my county in sectors such as the state
department and others, really have a clue as to how things operate here in this place and in the other
regional areas in the global neighborhood. Too many failures have proven this to me. The current one
is case in point. I am sure solving all of these problems at hand is probably much more complex than I
care to dig into at the moment. Yet, the simple solutions are for sure being overlooked and I am
convinced from my own past experiences in the last couple of decades having dealt with those
“officials’ in high places, that something has to be changed in the minds of those making serious and
blunderous decisions that affect real people and real families and real communities and of course real
nation states.
After consuming as much of the fruit and drinks that I could and hearing again details of the victory
over ISIS, I was shown some amateur video of how this man, General Dieb led the way in battle first
hand. My host had told me from the beginning that this man, a leader, for sure led from the front of
the front lines. I saw with my own eyes on the countless videos that everyone took during these times.
I watched as the elder showed the younger how to do it, while at the same time educating them on the
way to win. All of this was shown to me and all of this was stressed to me that it was done under one
flag, the Iraqi national flag. Not a sectarian flag, not a religious flag, not a partisan flag, rather, under
one flag. The Iraqi flag.
This is something that no one back home actually realizes.
The Last Lap #10
This is Omar. He is the brother of my
host. He is married and has one child.
He is an Iraqi Policeman. He has not
been paid for three months, yet
continues to go to work.
Omar, the brother of my host and Basaam, the
mechanic checking the battery on the truck
This is Hamoodi, a brave warrior 27 years old.
He is an example of what his generation is all
about here in Dholoyia. He is a good man and
I enjoy having him as my personal body guard
anywhere in the world.
This is Mustafa, a friend of Hamoodi
and a comrade. His bravery is highly
commendable during the fight to defeat
ISIS from his town.
The man in the center is the person who is the
nephew of my friend Mohammad. I met this
man 11-years ago when I first visited
Dholoyia. His name is Qasi.
This is the family that prepared a meal for me
in my honor. It was excellent.
The meal which was eaten outside.
The little boy in the center sits with the adults
and learns. His was father was killed a some
time back by ISIS. Raising him becomes a
family affair. He is a precious child.
A father and son at the home where the
meal was prepared in my honor.
A father in the background watches
his sons carry on the trade.
Family scene in the streets of Dholoyia.
A father teaches his son tile making.
General Ibrahiem Diab, 56-years old. A former
member of the old regime. He is credited with
leading the way to save Dholoyia. A very serious
man with an excellent view of how things are.
The old lead the way for the young and show
them the past at the same time. Here the
grandfather takes the grandson and
granddaughter on a memorial walk reminding
them that the price for freedom is high.
In the twilight hours, the reconstruction of
Iraq is one board at a time.
As we departed the General’s home, I shook his hand firmly and thanked him for the evening chat. He showed me by pointing to where the battles were and they
were right outside his home. He showed me where rounds had hit his home. They, the enemy were so close that at times each side would shout obscenities to one
another. At one point during a heated 6-hour battle, both sides shouted to one another, “let’s take a break”. I found that hilarious in the midst of craziness. Yet, I
have seen historical documentaries about our own civil war and there is precedent for such things in our own history. We left and on the way home I learned of
two events close by that transpired this day. One, a cousin of my host had been hit with an IED while on patrol near Balad Air Base. The other was that one of the
spiritual motivators for the ISIS fighters that had been here in Dholoyia was captured close by. Some things are going on as usual. I am still in a place that is on a
larger scale, not stable by any means. Where I am is stable at the moment. Things always change. A former employer of mine once told me, “change is good”.
I went to bed after coming home and charging up all the electrical things I use that require batteries while the power was on. It was late and I was able to have
some comms via email chat with my wife back home. After saying goodnight to her via chat, I laid down and tried falling asleep. My mind was full of things I
had experienced this day. I kept coming back to the matter of change. Whether or not change is good is not known to me. But, one thing for sure is here in Iraq,
change is constant.
The more things change, the more things seem to stay the same.