Saddam's Palaces

By Jessica Girard, SRA, United States Air Force, Iraq

Spring, 2004

         

       
I went on a tour of all the palaces we have throughout the bases here and it was interesting. The locals loved me for some reason and wanted to take pictures of me at nearly every turn. It was strange but great to see that most people actually want us there to help, and they are trying to help themselves as well.

I got to go through this little water park that Saddam built for his kids, and everything was just my size: Little toilets, little fire places, and little showers.
  
I also went to the palace that he built when he won the war against Iran; at this palace he was making an addition for the win over America from the last Gulf War. Needless to say we dropped a bomb or two right through the middle of it.
      
We also drove in close view of the boat house where he used to take his boat to and watch movies inside. Along the road in the middle of the lake was also his son's teenage house. They each had a side and their concubines lived in the middle.
    

                

    
      

It was strange to walk through Saddam's once prized possessions. On the way in and out of the army posts you have to go down a road called sniper alley. This is where the army compound ends and Baghdad (the city) begins.

Well, there are several apartment buildings right by the border and they receive ground fire from there frequently.

     
      

As you look over to the buildings they look like apartment buildings in the southwest. And there were Iraqis on the roof flipping us off. Oh well, you cannot please everyone.  
    

                

    
I hope you enjoyed my pictures. 

"Life May Not Be A Party But We Might As Well Dance."
    
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