Damascus, Syria, December 2008 I had a few months to spare and decided to try to work on my poor Arabic which I had acquired in Iraq. My research narrowed my linguistic pursuit down to two areas: Yemen or Damascus. I chose Damascus and had a great time. … Read More
I stood on the road earlier today and watched as a convoy of armoured vehicles rumble past me, Union Jacks flying high, in what seemed a triumphal parade. But the dust caked, tired faces of the men astride them told a different story, that of relief. The soldiers from the Light Infantry and Royal Welsh … Read More
The oil rich area of Southern Iraq is normally associated with arid desert. But a short drive from the bare infertile plains, which contain the huge oils fields, lies an incredible wetland ecosystem called the Iraqi Marshes. The area, supplied by its water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, was originally 20,000 km2, but under … Read More
August 2006. Diyala Bridge, Baghdad, Iraq. The hole in the bridge was caused by a truck – laden with explosives – that was bound for Baghdad city centre. A common tactic by the insurgents is to detonate huge bombs in busy crowded areas, creating death and destruction on a huge scale. This time however, they didn’t … Read More
