Writing from Joint Security Station "Cavalier"

Hey Everyone,

I finally got to a open computer. I'm out in a small outpost surrounded by my own men, Iraqi tanks and guard towers. We are on the outskirts of an Iraqi town of about 3000. It's a rural Sunni area very close to where the Insurgency began. It's very interesting talking to sheiks that supported it and are now "our true brothers and friends" I tried to send you a couple of pics of us out on patrol going through a field but the computer won't accept my camera. In our particular AO we have not been shot at and am trying to keep it that way. The "reconciliation" (paying former insurgents to secure the area) of sheiks coming to the table is only 3 months old and is starting to transition to the next phase. That phase is more skeiks trying to get a piece of limited American contracts. I just got done with a meeting of an un-happy Sheik being left out of the process. This particular sheik is a good man and would love to replace a strongman (who claims to be a sheik), but to let him in would mean alienating the strongman "dirtbag" sheik. The dirtbag sheik has the most hidden weapons and explosives and would start attacking us if left out of the process....so we deal w/ him and try to stall all the unhappy sheiks and tell them hopefully the somewhat dysfunctional Shia Iraq government (who doesn't much care for the area we are at). To add to the fun we are working with the Iraqi Army which is a long story in itself.

So in my Company Area which is about 20 square miles the power brokers are:

5 different armed groups under Sunni Sheik Control, 3 different Iraqi Army Battalions (which don't much care for each other's battalions and don't like the armed groups), a couple of volunteer groups, Islamic Army (most have converted to American contract). Bordering my area is the Mujaheddin Army (Sunni) but does not want to reconcile with anyone. And the worst of the bunch, AQI which have been on the run since the Sunni insurgents turned on them. Thank the Lord I don't have to deal with Iraqi Police (still probably 6-8 months away). There is no government in the area. Electricity comes on for the people about 10 minutes a day. I can go on.

Katie look forward to talking w/ you tonight.

Greg...I'm jealous I didn't get a Christmas kiss.

Hope everyone is doing good.

God Bless,

John