It’s getting harder to move to and within the Ministry. A couple of weeks ago, advisors at another
ministry were ambushed by a guard while they walked between buildings. The guard was killed and fortunately, no
coalition force members were killed.
What that means for all of us is that we now have to wear our body armor
even after we get inside the Ministry compound until we arrive in our
counterpart’s office. On one hand safety
is important, but the message is just as important. If I wear armor, I am
saying to my counterpart that I have little faith in him and his guards. It’s a subtle, but important balance I have
to maintain. I explained the new rules
to my counterpart, and he reminded me that only God knows the time of our
demise, so this concern over armor and weapons has its limits. This fatalistic view has always bothered
me. The good Lord gave us a brain as
well to keep us from taking unnecessary risks.
Just this week, a suicide bomber struck at the back gate of the Ministry
of Defense killing a dozen or so Government workers as they left for the
day. Fortunately my peers who advise there
using walking movements don’t use that Gate as it exits out of the Green
Zone. That said, nothing is guaranteed
here. I weigh the risks every day of
weather to even go outside the wire, and have done so fifty times now in
vehicle convoys which are safer, but as with the ambush incident, nothing is
guaranteed. Advisors now are bit more attentive at the convoy pre-briefs.
Walking Movement
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