I have been there
Reader comment on item: The Latest about 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.

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