volkov

It's been a few weeks so I'd better update! I've been so busy running around out here. We've left Fallujah behind for good (we hope) and have moved out now to Ramadi. We're just outside the town. It was pretty bad here earlier, but after Fallujah the insurgents saw what happened there and so did the local populace...the insurgents don't want to die wholesale and the townspeople don't want their homes exploded...so the ones who haven't fled have been pretty much kicked out. The majority of the locals aren't too keen on the upcoming elections since most of them are Sunni and the population of the country is predominatly Shiite. They figure they stand only to lose the power they accumulated under Saddam, but they figure even the elections are better than having wither the mujhadeen or ourselves here. plus the elections at least mean that they'll have local leaders they want.
anyhow, it's quieted down considerably, though we still recieve random rocket and mortar fire and roadside and suicide car bombs. We've been going out for days at a time and guarding and patrolling through the areas outside Ramadi and it is COLD. It seemed to get freezing over just a coupe of days. we've been getting frozen rain off and on.
I hate the cold. But if that's the main concern and major discomfort...well then that's not all that bad I suppose.
I can't wait for the winter to be over though, cause that's about the time I'll be getting out of here.
I hope you all are doing well. I know I haven't been doing too good of a job keeping up with people this last month and I apologize for that. I'll try to get to the computers more often.
Happy Holidays everyone!