Ask most people about their perceptions of Iraq, and they're likely to tell you it's a country sliding inexorably towards civil war. They might proffer an opinion on our involvement in removing Saddam from power and our subsequent role in teaching the country's inhabitants the rudiments of democratic rule, but their likely conclusion will be that "It's a mess out there". Pressed further, they might expand upon its history as the cradle of civilisation, and asked about its topography and geographic properties, they'll probably describe its deserts, riverine economy and the sphere of influence of its two major cities, Baghdad and Basra. What they're most unlikely to know about is its coastline. Which is hardly surprising, given the country's geography, bordered as it is by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Its coastline measures little more than 35 miles in total, yet its strategic importance can't be overstated. It is the site of a number of important oil installations, most notably Iraq's two main oil tanker terminals, KAAOT and ABOT. Its chief importance is its strategic location, controlling access to the Shatt al-Arab waterway (and thus access to the port of Basra). My recent return to Iraq focused on this southern-most tip of the country, and it would be fair to say that I've come away with a completely different perspective on events. One of my biggest frustrations when I was based in Baghdad in 2004 was the way in which the U.S utterly dominated every aspect of life in the city, making it somewhat difficult to get an objective perspective on events. We spent U.S dollars buying U.S goods in U.S stores staffed by Americans. The only accents you heard around the city were American - from the people you worked with, from the radio stations you listened to; even the mobile phones we used on a daily basis has U.S dialling codes. The U.S military operates on a different footing to the British - whereas we engage local communities to win them over using the classic hearts and minds method, the American approach tends to be far more dominant and imposing. I was hoping to gain a different, and hopefully more objective understanding on my most recent visit, and given the group I travelled with, I think I may just have done so. I flew out of Heathrow on Wednesday night, the 1st March, with the Royal Navy's recently appointed Commander in Chief, Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, KCB CBE ('CINCFLEET'). The purpose of the visit was for him to get a heads up on the role played by the Royal Navy in Iraq, through a mixture of briefings from his commanders on the ground, and visits to the various bases and places of strategic importance. Media wise, Michael Evans, the defence editor from The Times and myself were the only two journalists invited to travel with the Admiral and report on his trip. Tactical Climb: The door gunner on our Sea King helicopter covers us against potential threats as we hover over the Iraqi port of Um Qasr (c) Black Rat. One of the upsides of travelling with a four-star General is that you get similar treatment by association. So, instead of a 36 hour journey into Iraq, travelling in a cramped Tri-Star and bone-shaking Hercules courtesy of the RAF as I experienced last time I flew there, this time saw us kicking back with a glass of wine in BA's Club World lounge at Heathrow before boarding a 777 bound for Kuwait, a mere five and a half hours flying time away. Being a night flight, the fact that we were travelling Club World was particularly welcome and the six-foot flat bed meant sleep wasn't too long in coming; just what we needed given the packed program that lay ahead of us. Being part of the Admiral's party also meant that we bypassed immigration completely on arrival in Kuwait. Instead, we were met by our defence attaché in the country with a delegation from the British Embassy and escorted to the airport's VIP area. Here, our passports were taken away to receive the requisite entry stamps, and instead of us fighting to recover our bags from the baggage carrousel, one of the Admiral's staff disappeared to collect our luggage for us (I could get used to travelling like this!) Once he returned, we changed from the lounge suits in which we'd travelled, swapping them for working rig in the case of myself and Mike and uniform dress for the Naval and Royal Marines officers who were in our party. Before leaving, and over hot tea, we were handed invitations to dinner as guests of the Ambassador at the Embassy on the Saturday evening, and whilst we packed only the kit we'd need in Iraq into one bag, everything else was taken to the Embassy for us, from where it would be transferred to our hotels to await our arrival. That done, we wandered out into the bright sunshine and a temperature in the mid-eighties (something of a shock given the zero degree temperatures we'd left in London) where we were driven the short distance to a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter, which awaited us out on the pan, its rotors already turning. Donning body armour, shades and helmets, we then embarked and without further ado, took off for the short flight across the Arabian Sea to MND (SE) the headquarters for British forces in Iraq situated at Al Basrah. Hurry up and Wait: Michael Evans of The Times (back to the camera, in civvies) gathers up his gear as we await transport on the ground at MND SE (c) Black Rat. We were met on arrival by a fleet of British military Land Rovers and driven over to the HQ building for a briefing on the current situation in Iraq by Major General John Cooper, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) at MND SE. The briefing was in-depth and all-encompassing, aimed at bringing CINCFLEET up to speed on events in theatre, but both Mike and I were given an opportunity to ask questions throughout. One of the things that was evident to me throughout the briefing was just how great the dichotomy between how we do things, and how the U.S do things out there. We're very heavily committed to training and regenerating the infrastructure of Iraq, the key being to allow the Iraqis to take responsibility for, and master their own destiny. It's not our job to do it for them, but to train them, show them, and demonstrate methods which they can take on themselves to become effective. One of the threats, eloquently pointed out by General Cooper during the briefing, is that "Too often, we come in with our own mindset and our own way of doing things. What we need to do, and what we are doing now is letting the Iraqis establish their own identity, with Iraqis in key roles, doing things their own way. That's happening across the board now; from the police force, to the army, the border protection force, to the marines. Iraq's is a riverine economy, so the domination of her waterways by the Iraqis is vital". One of the keys to this lies in training the Iraqi forces through their involvement in live operations as opposed to staged exercises, as we'd do here, say. Saddam-U-like: Admiral Sir James Burnell Nugent, Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy, greets a line up of senior Iraqi naval officers at their HQ in Um Qasr (c) Black Rat. Intelligence on the ground as regards the security situation in theatre tends to present a rather different picture to that which we see over here. Sunni support for extremists and those involved in the insurgency appears to be limited outside of the main Sunni strongholds, and the view amongst the man on the street is simply a desire for stability within Iraq's borders. Evidence tends to suggest that a large proportion of the insurgency is driven from across the border by Iran, another reason why Coalition forces are working with heavyweights such as Ali Al Sistani and Muqtada al Sadr, both of whom are seen as stabilising influences amongst their respective communities, with the power and respect to keep the peace. Ironically, the now-defunct Coalition Provisional Authority issued a warrant for Al Sadr's arrest on murder charges whilst I was in Baghdad in 2004, a warrant which remains outstanding. Such is the nature of realpolitik. One of the biggest problems facing the Coalition forces in rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure lies in the reluctance of Iraqis in government ministries to take responsibility for anything. That reluctance appears to be endemic, and stems perhaps from the darkest days of Saddam's rule, when any minister associated with a failure could, and would often be summarily shot. The corollary is that now, everything might be in place in terms of a project that is vital to Iraq's economy or future; the research has been done, the parts or equipment exist and are in stock, and the people are available to make it happen. Coalition forces will draw up the purchase order and forward it to the respective ministry in Baghdad, where it will become mysteriously 'lost' or buried at the bottom of the minister's in-tray. It's becoming a serious problem now, as vital work remains outstanding, simply for want of a signature authorising the spending of funds which are available and earmarked as such at the treasury. Quite how one solves that particular problem is anybody's guess. Meet and Greet: Admiral Burnell-Nugent talks with officers from the Iraqi forces, portside at Um Qasr, as we await a demonstration of an opposed boarding by Iraqi marines (Black Rat) It's clear though that things are markedly more positive compared to how they were when I was last in the country, with the Iraqis taking ever-greater control and responsibility for what happens within their own borders. One gets a sense that the Coalition forces are there more as a backstop in many cases, and Iraqi forces taking the lead response has become the norm. Take the recent bombing by Sunni insurgents of the Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam. The response to that was effected by local governors, involved Iraqi forces, and was led by them without reference to the Coalition. That's exactly the sort of independence the Iraqis have achieved, but it's a message that's been slow to emerge, buried under the weight of a daily news flow of bombings, attacks and ever-increasing numbers of dead. Other positives to come out of the briefing were that, with the democratic process now firmly established in Iraq, there's a steady improvement of governance. Oil and electricity production are within touching distance of their pre-war levels, and the water supply is better than it was before the war. There's a deeply-held belief amongst the senior British officers that I spoke to that 2006 will see burgeoning Iraqi sovereignty, although there is also a recognition that, as time moves on, we may become seen as part of the problem rather than the solution. We may be well regarded by most Iraqis at present, but that goodwill has a best before date stamped across it that we will disregard to our detriment. Lock and Load: An Iraqi marine, H&K MP5 submachine pistol at the ready, waits for the order to board an Iraqi Navy patrol boat, which is playing the role of a suspect ship (Black Rat). When the briefing ended, we were driven over to the mess hall for lunch, where we were joined by a number of locally based RN and Royal Marines officers, keen to hear Admiral BN's plans and engage him in conversation. From there, we were driven across the pan to the Joint Helicopter Force HQ where, after a brief photo call, our Sea King arrived to fly us down to the port of Um Qasr, Iraq's only deep-water port and the home of the country's fledgling Navy and Marines. It was at this point that the importance of the waterways - and their role in Iraq's oil infrastructure and contribution to the country's regeneration, started to hit home to us. Previously, I'd wondered just what impact the Royal Navy could be having with regard to the British military's presence in the Gulf, but here the evidence was writ large. They're training Iraqi marines - how to effect boarding of boats and ships threatening Iraq's territorial waters. They're training the country's navy, now almost 900 strong and operating patrols in defence of Iraq's waterways 24/7. Our senior Naval officers have been working with the Kuwaiti Navy to promote a closer working relationship with the Iraqis (bear in mind that memories of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1991 remain strong) and the result is joint ops between the neighbouring countries. Give me Warp Speed! A Sailor of the Iraqi Navy steers a course as we leave port for the Khawr Abd Allah waterway (c) Black Rat. We watched a demonstration by Iraqi marines of an opposed boarding at sea and I was surprised at just how efficiently they performed the task. Next, we donned life jackets and boarded one of the Iraqi Navy's 24 new aluminium-hulled fast patrol boats, a gift from the U.A.E. With an all-Iraqi crew, we took off at speed along the Al Faw peninsula, for a demonstration of the boat's capabilities - which with twin 250hp Mercury outboard engines, was impressive enough. The .50 calibre machine gun mounted astern and manned by a crew of 3 is more than enough firepower to deal with reluctant smugglers or insurgents intent on attacking the country's oil platforms, and the comms fit and GPS were all state of the art. The Iraqi Navy counts 5 shallow hull Predator patrol boats amongst its fleet, as well as 6 high-fit ribs, and they have a new class of patrol boats on order which feature a deeper draft, are wider, and with space for a larger crew. It might not sound much compared to our own Navy, but then its about the right tool for the job and with just 35 miles of coast to patrol, they have exactly what they need to project firepower and force where it counts - they have no aspirations to become an expeditionary force, they're there solely to patrol territorial waters and defend the oil platforms. Firepower: Iraqi sailors man the mounted GPMG, the patrol boat's main armament as we patrol the Khawr Abd Allah waterway. (c) Black Rat We drove over to the Navy college where a number of senior Iraq navy officers were presented to the Admiral and it was driven home to us just how motivated these men are, given the risks that face them. Attacks by insurgents on senior military officers in the country's regenerated forces are widespread and the higher up the chain someone is, the greater the risk. Just two days before our arrival, the chief of the Iraqi Navy, who we'd been due to meet, had his home shot up whilst he was there with his family (fortunately, nobody was hurt in the attack). The risk is evident too even lower down the chain of command - at a recent graduation ceremony for Iraqi Marine recruits, not a single family member was able to attend due to the risk. These are men with a great deal of pride in their country, whose single greatest desire is to see it returned to a position of strength and independence, free of the debt to Coalition forces, and free from the instability created by what is by and large, and insurgent threat from across the borders. The sun was setting by now, so after bidding our hosts farewell, we returned to the pan where our Sea King was awaiting us, engines hot and rotors turning. Donning body armour and helmets once again, we boarded and took off on the short flight across the Gulf to our home for the next two nights, the amphibious assault ship HMS Bulwark, the Royal Navy's newest vessel. She had assumed duites as Flagship in the Northern Arabian Gulf (NAG) on the day of our arrival and would also be playing host to Commodore Bruce Williams, the commander of Command Task Force 58 (CTF 58) for the duration of our visit. It was on this short hop across the sea that things got interesting. A short time after take off from Um Qasr, we appeared to come under attack. I looked out of the window to sea two tell-tale smoke trails heading towards us, followed shortly after by three or four loud explosions, accompanied by blinding white light as the aircraft fired off its chaff and Electronic Counter Measures. We banked sharply to starboard, and climbed to altitude, and continued on our way, shaken but not stirred! Attention on Board: Captain Clive Johnstone, captain of HMS Bulwark, in discussion with Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, CINCFLEET, Royal Navy. (c) Black Rat. I was surprised at just how spacious the ship was when we arrived. On disembarking from the aircraft, the ship's crew stood to attention to receive us, and our bags were taken from us to be delivered to our accommodation. After a short welcome brief from Captain Clive Johnstone, we were shown to our cabins, with both Mike and I allocated private cabins on the Wardroom deck. After a quick shower and change, we joined the ship's officers for dinner in the wardroom, but it had been a long day, so I retired a short time later. Commando: A Royal Marines Commando from the detachment aboard HMS Bulwark mans the 7.62mm GPMG mounted on our Landing Craft as we cruise across the Northern Arabian Gulf towards the KAAOT oil platform (c) Black Rat Friday was a day spent learning about the finer points of Iraq's infrastructure, a fast track to learning exactly what it all means to the country's regeneration and future - in short, everything. As it stands though, that message seems to be lost to the world at large due to the focus placed upon the insurgency, and the problems within the country's borders. Understandably, the world’s attention is on the mainland, where multinational forces are trying desperately to hold the country together and prevent all-out, bloody civil war, but the social and political troubles besetting Iraq are overshadowing the potential vulnerability of its economy. Bearing the Scars: KAAOT oil platform as seen through a slit in the landing ramp of our LCVP. Despite its size, this platform is almost redundant, rendered almost unusable through intense fighting during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. The money doesn't exist to regnerate it, and inward investment is difficult to attract at present given Iraq's volatile security situation. (c) Black Rat. Iraq’s northern oil pipelines are closed at present, following a series of terrorist attacks last last year, so the 1.1 million barrels of crude oil that Iraq exports each day is being pumped to two oil platforms in the south, just off the al-Faw peninsula. The Al-Basra oil terminal (ABOT) handles the overwhelming majority of this (roughly 90% of total exports) and the Khawr al-Amaya oil terminal (KAAOT), which was badly damaged in intense fighting during the Iran-Iraq war handles the remainder. The two terminals, run by Iraq’s Southern Oil Company, lie just sixteen miles off the southern coast of Iraq, and oil is fed to them via huge 48inch diameter pipe that snake along the seabed. Unsteady Legs: The rusted, holed carcass that is one of KAAOT's main supports for the oil platform above. The holes were caused by gun fire between Iranian and Iraqi boats during the war of the 1980s. (c) Black Rat. Given that between them, KAAOT and ABOT are responsible for almost 97% of Iraq's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it would be fair to say that they are vital to the country's economy, and they are the reason that the Northern Arabian Gulf is awash with Coalition ships; the military forces of CTF 58, currently led by Commodore Williams are there to protect them, because those two platforms and the piplelines that feed them hold the key to the economic survival of Iraq. The point isn't lost on those intent on Iraq's destruction; a two-day shut down in April 2004 caused by an attack on the platforms, which killed three U.S servicemen is estimated to have cost $28 million and the price of oil spiked on world markets resulting in a further loss to the global economy of approximately $6 billion. A Hole Runs Through it: This gaping hole which disects a steel strut, one of the main beams across KAAOT, shows the sheer firepower of an armour piercing round. You can see the thickness of the steel; this is the damage caused by what was most likely a uranium-tipped, armour piercing round. KAAOT is littered with other, similar damage. (c) Black Rat. Michael and myself accompanied Admiral BN on a rare visit to both platforms to meet those who are guarding Iraq’s future and protecting the oil flow. With a detachment of the ship's Royal Marine Commandos and Andy, an RM Lt. Colonel who is my media liason back in the UK, we were lowered into the Gulf aboard a Landing Craft (LCVP) and taken first to KAAOT. Known as “Waterworld”, the platform is commanded by US Navy Lieutenant John Moses from Mobile Security Detachment 31 of US Naval Coastal Warfare. Under his charge are 13 American military and 30 Iraqi Marines; he works with the terminal's manager, an Iraqi, and the 34 Iraqi workers who run the platform, but his role and that of those under his command is not to lead; the U.S military are there as a kind of 'older brother' to the Iraqi marines, who are now entirely responsible for the point defence of the platform. That defence is concentrated on the north side, consisting of twin .50 calibre machine guns and grenade launchers, which are manned round the clock. Coalition Forces: Standing L-R at rear are Lt. John Moses of the US Navy, Admiral James Burnell-Nugent, CINCFLEET Royal Navy, and Captain Paddy McAlpine, RN, operational commander of CTF 58. Crouching at front are two Iraqi marines, responsible for point defence of the KAAOT oil platform. (c) Black Rat. KAAOT was severely damaged in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s and is in dire need of repair; evidence of the intense battles that were waged over this vital strategic location is everywhere, from the rusting supports, which prop the platform up, to the holes ripped through 6 inch thick steel beams by uranium-tipped rounds. The platform is in a state of utter decay and is gradually slipping into the sea. It has only one berth for oil tankers and is only able to accommodate vessels limited to carrying one million barrels of oil; in effect it is little more than a back-up platform. In four months Lt. Moses has left the platform only once and that was to go across to ABOT. He explained his rules of engagement: “If any boat enters the exclusion zone, we warn them off with loudspeakers, flares and whistles. “That normally puts them off. If they keep coming, we fire warning shots over their heads and, if they still don’t turn away and come within 500 metres, we’ll blast them out of the water.” Asked if he and his team had engaged in firefighting in the event of an oil fire, he replied: “No, sir, the only firefighting we do is with our guns.” How does he motivate his men, having to spend every day sitting on an oil platform, month after month? “I tell them their safety is inextricably linked to the safety of this platform, that motivates them,” he said. The White House: The main accommodation block on KAAOT which provides housing for the terminal manager, his staff and Lt. John Moses, commander of US troops based on the platform. The US troops are based elsewhere on the platform. Conditions are better than the appearance suggests; wi-fi internet, a fully equipped gym and extensive DVD library all help to while away the hours. (c) Black Rat. “Iraq’s GDP is flowing through these pipes,” Admiral Burnell-Nugent said. Cupping his hands around the pipes, which resonated to the sound of oil being pumped through them, he said, "it's not often that one can experience something so literal, but I have almost 100% of this country's economy in my hands at the moment. There can be no more graphic representation of just what this country relies upon that this". "Fill 'er Up!": An ultra-large supertanker, one of the world's largest ocean going vessels, takes on crude oil alongside one of the ABOT platform's four berths. It takes approximately three days to take a full load of oil onboard. (c) Black Rat. A 3,000- metre exclusion zone exists around each platform, and every fishing boat, dhow and RIB in the area - anything up to 1,000 a day - is warned in the strongest possible terms not to intrude even a few metres over the line. If they do, they risk being mistaken for an insurgent or a terrorist. “I have the job of deciding whether it’s a fisherman or a terrorist, but we don’t get a second chance,” said Royal Navy Captain Paddy McAlpine, the operational commander of multinational task group CTF 58. With HMS Bulwark, our temporary home on constant duty around the two platforms, accompanied by vessels from the Australian and Singaporean navies, US Coastguards and, most importantly for Iraq’s future, British-trained Iraqi Navy teams in patrol boats, there is a round-the-clock lookout for terrorist suicide boats. Pipework: Admiral BN with Lt. Garth Kaliczack, US Navy Commander. Visible behind them are two of the 48 inch pipes, which carry the oil that is vital to Iraq's future. Within these pipes flow almost 100% of the country's GDP. (c) Black Rat On board the two platforms, US Navy troops and Iraqi Marines live and work together to protect Iraq’s economy, patrolling the 1,000- metre-long structures and manning point-defence gun positions at each end. They are under constant observation by a small team of Iranian military positioned on a sunken crane, just inside Iranian territorial waters, which lie no more than 3000 metres from KAAOT, although the top of the structure bends over into Iraqi waters. Outside the CTF 58 exclusion zone, it is an ideal observation point for the Iranians, although Captain McAlpine is not suggesting that the Iranians are planning anything hostile. HMS Bulwark at Anchor: HMS Bulwark is the Royal Navy's most recent ship to enter service, one of the Albion Class, Landing Platform Dock Ships (LPD's). The primary function of Albion Class ships is to embark, transport, and deploy and recover (by air and sea) troops and their equipment, vehicles and miscellaneous cargo, forming part of an Amphibious Assault Force (c) Black Rat. We're taken to ABOT, by far the more important of the two platforms because it has four berths for ultra large super-tankers - the world's biggest, each with a maximum capacity for three million barrels of oil. You're looking at three days to transfer that sort of quantity of crude, and there's a constant stream of ships in and out of the platform throughout the year. Lt Garth Kaliczak, the US Navy officer in charge of an 82-man team welcomed us to the “ABOT Marriott”, as he calls it. He has up to 40 Iraqi Marines under his wing. “My job is to defend and train,” he said. On the day of Admiral Burnell-Nugent’s visit, there were four super-tankers in position, all plugged into Iraq’s oil flow, drawing out crude oil in return for the money that is Iraq's future. ABOT is handling 95,000 barrels of oil per hour; in terms of value, $65 million a day or up to $11,000 a second. Looking to the Future: Andy, a Lt. Col with the RM who acts as a media relations officer looks across the clear waters of the Gulf from the deck of HMS Bulwark. Just visible on the horizon is KAAOT oil platform (c) Black Rat CTF 58, which was set up in 2003, has previously been commanded by the Americans and Australians but is now led by the British for the first time, under the overall control of Commodore Bruce Williams, Captain McAlpine’s boss. Commodore Williams emphasised the importance of building up intelligence of all the regular users of the sea area for which he is responsible. “The key to this is the involvement of the Iraqi Navy (rebuilt from the navy destroyed by American and British bombing in the first Gulf War), which goes around among the fishing boats and dhows to explain why there is an exclusion zone. Most of them are quite happy with the situation when they realise it’s the future of their country at stake,” he said. One Royal Navy officer on board HMS Bulwark, who has been given the job of mastering the intricacies of the Iraqi oil business said: “If these oil platforms were taken out by insurgents or terrorists, Iraq would be bankrupt.” Landing Flare: A Royal Navy Sea King, part of the Joint Helicopter Force based at MND SE flares before landing on the deck of HMS Bulwark. A short time later, we're en route for Kuwait, the final stop before coming home. (c) Black Rat. That night, we had a private audience with HMS Bulwark's captain, followed by a private dinner in our honour hosted by Commodore Bruce Williams. With just six of us around the table in his private dining room onboard the ship, he expanded on his remit and was candid about his vision of the future and how he sees it taking shape. Although his command is for a fixed period, he's keen to see it extended until the point that Coalition forces are able to withdraw, handing control and responsibility fully over to the Iraqi forces - he has no wish to leave the job mid-way through completion. GPMG: The door mounted 7.62mm machine gun, which protects most British Military helicopters, lies dormant as we transit across the Arabian Gulf towards Kuwait. Over Iraq, these weapons are manned whenever the aircraft is flying, but here, over the benign waters of the Gulf, any potential threats are a long way away. (c) Black Rat After dinner, we retired to the wardroom for a private chat with the Admiral over brandy. He's an amiable fellow, fiercely intelligent, with a great strategic overview of global affairs as you might expect, and it was useful to hear some of his insights and his plans for our Navy, which he is going to have to manage with a zero percent increase in funding over the next five years. "In essence", he told me, "we're going to have to deliver better productivity from the resources we have". Cabin Crew: Two journalists (one visible), two Royal Marines offficers, the Commander of CTF 58, CINCFLEET and two Naval assistant officers comprise our final cargo as we head for Kuwait and a reception by the British Ambassador, Stuart Laing. (c) Black Rat. The following morning saw us saying farewell to HMS Bulwark, as our helicopter landed on deck to transfer us to Kuwait. Attached to the cabin via a lanyard, I was able to sit with my legs dangling outside the open door as we flew at low level across the Gulf. Out of danger, our flak jackets and helmets were left packed for this mission as we transited the crystal clear waters getting ever closer to Iraq's safer, and richer neighbour. On touching down at Kuwait Aiport, we were met on the pan by Stuart Laing, Her Majesty's Ambassador to Kuwait. He and Admiral BN are old friends, having met at Cambridge, their alma mater where they also met their wives. Michael, Andy, his colleague Richard from the Royal Marines and myself all took our seats in an armoured Mercedes and joined a motorcade led by the Ambassador's car flying the penant, on the short drive to Kuwait city. Here we peeled off, as the Admiral and his aides headed for the Embassy. We had the day at leisure before dinner that evening, so were driven to our hotel, the Mariott Courtyard in Kuwait City. Circle the Wagons: On the ground at Kuwait Airport by a vehicle of the Kuwaiti force protecting the British Ambassador. Several of these, together with a number of armoured limousines from the Embassy comprised the motorcade in which we left the airport, bypassing immigration entirely! (c) Black Rat As expected, our lounge suits and other kit were in our rooms waiting for us on arrival, and we quickly changed into shorts and headed for the rooftop pool and sun loungers to soak up a little of the 90 degree temperatures over lunch. Once again I was left to ruminate on the moral issue that is a journalist's nightmare whenever departing a war zone. Soldiers and those fighting on our behalf are faced with court martial and a prison sentence if they choose to leave. We on the other hand, are given 5 star treatment in luxury hotels, and business class flights to our home airports. The Lap of Luxury: Three hours after leaving the hostile waters off Iraq's south coast, we're relaxing by the pool of the Mariott CourtYard under the clear blue skies and mid 80 temperatures of Kuwait City. (c) Black Rat We spent the afternoon at leisure, wandering the Souks and malls before heading back to the hotel to change for dinner. A car arrived at 19:40 to convey us to the British Embassy for a private dinner given in the Admiral's honour. There were just sixteen, a mix of senior embassy staff, and three or so high ranking Kuwaiti Naval officers, including the General commanding. We sipped gin and tonics on the verandah of the Embassy, the night sounds of Kuwait the soundtrack to conversations with our fellow guests who wandered hither and thither amongst us, introducing themselves. At dinner, I was seated next to the embassy's first secretary, and arms salesman who introduced himself to me thus: "Hello, I'm Keith, and I'm a dealer in death", without any hint of irony. RSVP: An invitation to dinner from Stuart Laing, the British Ambassador to Kuwait and his wife Sibella (c) Black Rat. We left Kuwait early the following morning on a British Airways flight that left at 08:50 - exactly the same flight I'd caught home two years earlier after my last visit to Iraq and I was left to reflect on the changes I'd noticed this time around. There's no question that there's a different slant on things as seen from the south of the country, compared to in the north. There's no question that the majority of Iraqis I encountered on this visit welcomed what we are doing there and saw us a a positive influence, compared with the negative viewpoints and dislike of the Americans which I encountered on almost a daily basis with the Iraqis I met in Baghdad. There's an unmistakeable air of progress in the south, of the Iraqis working to take responsibility for themselves allied to a frustration and hatred of those visiting violence on the country. Most Iraqis I spoke with see the insurgency as an outside thing, not home-grown. They are glad to see Saddam gone, and amongst the Iraqi military we encountered, their favourite daily entertainment is watching the broadcasts of his trial on TV. On an Iraqi Navy patrol boat that we cross-decked to en-route between KAAOT and ABOT, the TV was tuned permanently to the trial, and the boat's crew would watch intently, mimicking, gesturing and laughing every time Saddam's face was shown. T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, gave wise counsel in an article published in The Arab Bulletin in August 1917. He listed 27 points which were his guiding principles in dealing with the Arabs so successfully, and one paragraph in particular sums up the British military's approach in Southern Iraq. It reads thus: “Better the Arabs do it tolerably than that you do it perfectly. It is their war, and you are to help them, not win it for them. Actually,also, under the very odd conditions of Arabia, your practical work will not be as good as, perhaps, you think it is. It may take them longer and it may not be as good as you think, but if it is theirs, it will be better". If we are achieving successes there, it would appear to me to be due to our working to this creed, and a dedicated desire to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. There's a marked dichotomy between the reality on the ground out there, and how it is reported back here and in the U.S by the mainstream media, which I suppose is just one of those things. Certainly, there seems to be amplification through the miles, in how events are portrayed here. I spoke to one of the Iraqi marines about the new photos which had just been disclosed of the torture at Abu Grahib by U.S soldiers, and of the video which showed British soldiers beating up their Iraqi prisoners. He was sanguine about them, saying "We want to move forwards, not backwards. You get this in war, there are bad people in every organisation, but not representative of those organisations as a whole. Britain is good for Iraq. Saddam bad. One day, we have true independence and when that day comes, In Sh'Allah, it will all have been worth it". It's hard to admit you're wrong, doubly so when your opinions are published on the internet for the world to see. My thoughts and opinions on Iraq, and our role in removing Saddam, which I wrote contemporaneously whilst based in Baghdad in 2004 are representative of how I felt at the time, based upon what I saw and experienced then. But based on what I saw this time round, I'm beginning to reassess my opinions. I still have trouble with Blair's justification for our being involved and I'm even more concerned over the legality of it. I despise the way the British military has submitted so many soldiers to the stress and pain of criminal investigation over their actions in combat - more so than in any other conflict of recent times - and there is no question that we're embroiled in a mess in Iraq, a country that might yet slip over the precipice into a civil war that will make Beiruit in the 1980s look like a vicar's tea party by comparison. The fact is though, that we're there, we are involved, and nothing is going to change that. Withdrawal, at this stage, is simply not an option, no matter how much we wish it to be. We have an obligation, having removed Saddam, to do all we can to stabilise the country, and see that those desirous of violence and power for thier own ends, do not succeed. The big question is whether or not we have both the finances, and the stomach to achieve that goal.
WATERWORLD - ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE ON IRAQ
16.3.06 16:42
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(16.3.06 18:24) What a brilliant entry, fantastic read |
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(16.3.06 18:31) Petee: Cheers, fella - and thanks for the sweetie too, much appreciated. |
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(16.3.06 18:38) That was fascinating! We're forever hearing such negative things about Iraq on the news, so it was good to read about some of the positive things. And my word, you do mix in high circles don't you! Glad you're back safe and sound anyway. How was Norway? Or is that trip yet to come? X |
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(16.3.06 18:52) So close! Behind you when you took the photo at JHF(I) is the hangar extension for the Merlin which I built. It's weird seeing photos of the old place as it's only 2-months since I was there but it feels like a lifetime ago. Glad you got through it all in one piece! |
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(16.3.06 19:34) Welshchick: Thanks for the kind words, honey. High circles? Me? Nah, I think they must have had me confused with someone else when they invited me on this gig. It was fun, though - and informative, which was the best thing about it for me. It's not often now that I feel that I've come away having learned something entirely new, but the whole thing on Iraq's oil infrastructure blew me away - it was like a final piece to a jigsaw, and there's so much more that I've left out simply because it could fill a book on its own. Sadly, I blew the Norway trip out. Whatever has been causing me pain was fairly quiet whilst I was in theatre - I think the heat must have helped, but it was the fact my mind was elsewhere most of the time that had the most effect - I was too focused to notice most of the time. By the time I got back though, I was suffering, and the prospect of the hard graft through sub zero Arctic temperatures was enough to convince me it would be pushing my luck to carry on. Shame really, because I was looking forward to going, and I had plenty of places I could have placed the story. I'm not given to refusing press trips, so this was a first for me, but I guess you have to start somewhere, right? Thanks for stopping by hon, nice to see you around still xx |
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(16.3.06 19:37) Tosh: Thought of you when I was at JHF, fella. And in the chow hall. I wanted to see the Toucan Bar too, but didn't get a chance to ask anybody who'd know where it was. I've got a load of pix taken inside that Merlin hangar too - didn't know you'd been that involved with it! You miss it at all? Bet it's good to be back, eh? |
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(17.3.06 00:58) interesting stuff. i may be getting you wrong but some of your phrasing makes you sound a little patronising: 'We watched a demonstration by Iraqi marines of an opposed boarding at sea and I was surprised at just how efficiently they performed the task'. Why were you surprised? |
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(17.3.06 08:18) If I may cut in here; he was probably surprised because they used to be shit. (and yes it is good to be back thanks) |
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(17.3.06 08:31) Roach: Thanks for your comments and you've raised a fair point, which I'll try and explain as best I can. Despite the progress I witnessed in Iraq compared to how it was when I went in 2004, the term is relative. Compared to the days of Saddam's rule, the Iraqi military face an almost impossible task, many of the reasons for which I've tried to explain in the entry above. Senior officers become targets for insurgents, suffering repeated attacks, which destabilise and demoralise the chain of command, with repercussions felt at the lowest level. As I mentioned above, ministers of the Iraqi government delay and evade signing off on purchase orders for much needed equipment, facilities or projects. Motivation is a major issue; the pressure that new recruits are under, bearing in mind the fact that they're such a target for insurgents that their own families are forced to miss their graduation ceremonies is immense. Their numbers are greately reduced when compared to how they were structured under Saddam; the border enforcement gurards for example, number just over 5000 compared to 35,000 before the conflict began in 2003.A lot of the experienced officers and NCOs, which are the backbone of any fighting force, simply aren't there any longer. Kit is in short supply; weapons are old, poorly maintained, and personal kit is varied and inadequate - several of the marines I watched performing the opposed boarding for example, wore slip on leather shoes with their uniforms, or trainers, lacking the boots that they required. And against the backdrop of all that, there is the apathy and complacency which seems to exist within the Iraqi men at a genetic level. You might receall that I spent time in 2004 with a team from UK customs and excise in Baghdad as they attempted to train Iraqi customs and border enforcement officers - many of whom were simply more interested in drinking tea, falling asleep in class, or getting up and walking out of class every ten minutes or so for a 'break'. Then at 15:00, they'd simply up sticks and go home for the day. So if I sounded patronising, I didn't mean to be. But I was genuinely surpised at how well organised the marines I watched were, at their aggression and efficiency. They're no match for the organised, motivated and efficient forces of more developed nations - that's a given, because Iraq is a fragmented society attempting to rebuild itself. But they show promise, and it's a start, which has to bode well for the future. My only concern is the time scale; I fear that the point that British forces will have to withdraw will not necessarily coincide with the readiness of Iraqi forces to take on the job themselves. |
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(17.3.06 08:32) Tosh: Thanks, fella - was in the middle of writing a reply when you posted that succinct and accurate answer so missed it. Did make me laugh out loud though! |
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(17.3.06 13:25) Thanks for the explanation Black Rat. It made things clearer to me. I'm sensitive to such words because I feel the West has a patronising approach to the middle east in general. As Condeleeza Rice so famously explained that her role is to 'spread the word of democracy around the globe'. Like Iraq and its like never knew how to tie their own shoelaces. That annoys me. TOSH did make me laugh though. |
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(17.3.06 13:30) Roach: No worries, hon, happy to oblige and I can well understand your sensitivity; Condoleezza Rice does have an 'interesting' take on America's place in the world. Mind you, given the story simmering in newsrooms around Britain about her involvement with our own Foreign Sec on a slightly more than 'business' level, I have an 'interesting' take on her position when she's discussing policy with him ;-) |
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Megan / Website (17.3.06 15:28) Imagine my surprise to see a comment from you on my blog this morning! A nice way to start the day. Glad to see you back in friendly territory. Thanks for different perspective on Iraq. |
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(17.3.06 16:01) Megan: Thank you! See you've been busy blogging, even if I haven't! Nice to be back in friendly territory too, if I'm honest, although I wouldn't mind swapping climates - I can't believe it's 5 degrees here in London this late in the year! Still, at least the danger of being shot in this city is maginally less than it was in Basra (only a tiny bit, mind - I can think of a few places in London where you'd probably be safer walking through Baghdad shouting "Fuck you, Al Sadr!" |
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(17.3.06 18:09) Oh, that's a shame about Norway! But it sounds like the pain may have been unbearable for you so best stay here in Blighty for the time being. Isn't spring supposed to be starting soon?! And it's nice to see you still around too. I thought you may have jumped ship to another blog, but I guess even if you do, you'll leave a link to your new blog won't you? Hope so anyway! X |
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(17.3.06 18:27) Welshchick: I'm beginning to wonder if Spring's ever going to arrive - this cold snap can't carry on much longer, surely?! To be honest, I'm rather enjoying being home at the moment. Maybe last year took some of the gloss off travel for me, what with me being away so much, but there's a bit of me that's had enough of travelling for the time being and I'm just enjoying being able to kick back and connect with what's familiar for a change. Not that it will last - got a few trips in the offing over the next few months, so I'm going to enjoy it whilst it lasts. And whilst I've every intention of moving to WordPress when 20six morphs into whatever it's destined to become, I'm quite happy here at the moment; especially as every annoucement of a date for the platform change thus far has come to nothing. Maybe it will stay like this forever??! That said, I've no intention of deserting, so wherever I end up, I'll keep you abreast of the new location. x |
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Andy N (19.3.06 13:27) Great read BR, as always. Very educational too. Over this side of the pond (US) we don't get to hear any of the real human sides of Iraq...as you probably know there is not a lot of time in the network broadcasts except for the headline stuff, and the local news is just that, local! Maybe someone should let GW and the State Dept in on Lawrence of Arabia's secret.....look guys, this is how it should be done! Hope the back sorts itself out soon. |
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(19.3.06 14:23) That is one superb entry. I found it all interesting, informative and very readable. Most of what you wrote about has hardly been mentioned elsewhere as far as I know. It really does put a different perspective on things there compared to the constant spin that the Americans in particular churn out. Thanks for what I feel is a balanced and honest account of what you found out there. |
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(19.3.06 18:35) Andy: Cheers, fella. Your point about network broadcasts in the U.S is one of my biggest gripes and frustrations with the country. vast and fascinating a land as it is, as a foreigner watching TV news, you could be forgiven for thinking that the world begins and ends within its borders. On my countless trips Stateside over the years, it's been nigh on impossible to find news of events happening outside of the USA via the TV news reports, regardless of how high profile they might be; quite simply, if they don't involve, affect or impact America, they aren't covered. I can unerstand this to a degree; there's only so much you can fit in in 60 minutes, obviously. But our broadcasters face the same limitations - it's all a matter of perspective. We could easily fill our news bulletins with 55 minutes of UK news and 5 minutes of 'global' news, but we're an outward looking nation, and it's left to regional news bulletins and newspapers to cover the parochial stuff. TV news here educates and informs on what's happening globally, so the man in the street has a pretty good take on what's happening around the world. I noticed that quote by T.E Lawrence copied and pinned to noticeboards in almost every room and office at UK military bases in Iraq...from the makeshift bars that the troops relaxed in, the offices of the commanders and in the guardrooms - it is the watchword by which British forces operate in theatre. I think that has had a huge impact in how they are received, and in the respect with which they handle the Iraqis. I don't doubt that there are U.S troops of a similar mind operating elsewhere in Iraq - one only needs to read Colby Buzzell's excellent book on his experiences as a Stryker Brigade soldier to see that - but the overarching view of the U.S military command seems to be considerably different. One of the most graphic demonstrations of our different approaches is seen at a basic military level. At the start of the war in 2003, British Commandos were tasked with clearing and securing the viatally important port of Um Qasr. This they did, at great risk, taking the town building by building, engaging in close-quarter battle with determined and aggressive Iraqi soldiers defending the place. The American approach in similar battles tends to be do rain hell down on the objective, using incredible firepower to destroy everyone and everything in its path. It's safer for the soldiers - casualty figures tend to be lower by comparison - but the cost to infrastructure, and the resentment it breeds when trying to win the peace is incalculable. Thanks for the best wishes about my back; this time, however, I suspect this is nothing to do with sciatica, as the presentation, symptoms and effects are markedly different. I'm awaiting an MRI scan and have been referred to a consultant nerosurgeon, so it'll be interesting to see what comes of it, when the NHS gets its arse in gear and gives me a date. In the meantime, I'm learning to live with the pain and get on with things. |
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(19.3.06 18:40) FlightBuff: Thanks for the kind and supportive comments, which are always appreciated. Nice to see you still around here, fella. Incidentally, if you're interested in what I've written, you might want to check out Panorama tonight on BBC1 at 22:15, which focuses on similar points and looks at the oil infrastructure and Britain's role in Southern Iraq. I felt extraordinarily fortunate on this trip in that I was given unrestricted access to the Generals shaping policy, all of whom gave freely of their time and were candid in their thoughts. I made copious notes and came away with a real fascination for something I'd hitherto been unaware of, but there's an awful lot more I could have written on the subject - as it was, I think the length of this entry is beyond what most people are prepared to devote timet to read. Thanks for doing so, and giving me the feedback. That is one superb entry. I found it all interesting, informative and very readable. Most of what you wrote about has hardly been mentioned elsewhere as far as I know. It really does put a different perspective on things there compared to the constant spin that the Americans in particular churn out. Thanks for what I feel is a balanced and honest account of what you found out there. |
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(20.3.06 09:12) Fascinating read! I'd always assumed that despite the attempts to demonstrate the ways of democracy and assistance towards regeneration of the area, there was too much to thwart this from the insurgents...from what you've written there appears to be some hope for the future. Your experience of being under fire would have terrified me - but at least you got rewarded by living in the lap of luxury (or so it would seem from the pics of the hotel!) |
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(20.3.06 14:33) StarCorner: Thank you. I don't know if you saw Panorama on BBC1 last night, but Jane Corbin's report from Basra and the South was almost a mirror image of my own (although with pictures and sounds, hers was much more engaging). She interviewed the same people, visited the oil platforms, and came to pretty much the same conclusions I did. In essence, the picture in the south is completely at odds with that in the north. It's evident that at grass roots level, support for the British remains strong. The insurgency is aggressive though, and they grow ever smarter in their use of IEDs and weapons, ever more inventive in their deployment. They're driven not through any specific ideological motivation; rather, in many cases, they are the puppets of the Iranian government who seek to destabilise Iraq for their own benefit. The saddest part is that whilst the Iraqi forces have the desire to succeed, they lack the well of experience to draw from, and the finance to buy in what they need in equipment. It's going to be a long, slow process to win the war of attrition raging there, and we're not guaranteed by any means. In all honesty, you don't feel any particular terror being under fire...the adrenaline is flowing too fast and you don't necessarily process the information as it's unfolding. It's after the event, when you've had time to consider that you worry! When it happens, you don't have much alternative but to go with the flow. And this was as nothing compared to when I was in Baghdad in 2004; now that was worrying - someone was definitely looking out for me there. x |
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(22.3.06 17:32) Dude, you simply have to cut and paste this link into your browser: http://www.ezprezzo.com/videoclips/iran_police_woman.html It shouldn't be funny, but my goodness it is! tosh
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dr. charles / Website (22.3.06 18:59) awesome post, i've learned a lot from it. take care in your travels. |
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lisa / Website (23.3.06 02:30) All I can say is, "Wow!" |
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(23.3.06 09:30) Tosh: Best thing I've watched in weeks! I love the practical, all-seasons, chador, which is just the thing for a successful tactical assault, or abseil to contact. Have to wonder at the practicality of identification though. If a woman's wearing full hijab, who's to say that she's the person whose picture appears on her warrant card? Mind you, imagine the practical side. If she fancies a day off, she could send her sister, best friend, mother or daugher in her place and nobody would know. Full marks to libertarian progressive Prez, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He's not mad or anything, but he's got a great sense of humour! |
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(23.3.06 09:31) Dr. Charles: Thanks, fella. Nice to see you around still, and I shall indeed take care in my travels. |
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(23.3.06 09:36) Lisa: Ah, the wanderer returns! Nice to see you back in the blogospehre. Oh, and thanks - siad something not dismillar to "wow" too, when I realised that almost 100% of Iraq's GDP is flowing through a single 48" pipe. Not that the insurgents would be interested in having a go at it or anything. Still, I'd like to see them come have a go now I've seen just how well defended the platforms are - I rather think that if they do, they'll be heading straight to Allah, where they'll discover that the 72 virgins are in fact all lesbians, with an intense hatred and desire to castrate those men who invoke Islam as justification for murder. |
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