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| Iraq |
| Iron Rakkasans, engineers clear uxo-littered region |
| 2003-12-20 |
| EFL. Note bolded item. According to Fortier, the project dates back to 1991, during the Gulf War, when intelligence reports confirmed large weapons caches in the Badush region of northern Iraq. The U.S. Air Force bombed the sites, but no ground forces were sent in to clean up the mess. Twelve years later, the Iron Rakkasans are doing just that. The Badush region of northern Iraq was previously under the control of the 101st Airborne Divisionâs 502nd Infantry Regiment, but when attacks in Mosul began to escalate in November, the unitâs focus turned back to the city, leaving the Iron Rakkasans with one of their final tests before returning home. On a post at a hilltop, he said, he can see all movements up to more than 500 meters away. âSince Iâve been here, the moon has been real bright,â he said. âI can see 500 meters, easy. I see a lot of animals walking around at night. We have a problem with wolves out here, too.â |
| Posted by:Chuck |