Question for Iraq veterans

[deerslayer]

I'm working on a piece right now concerning the infamous "Death X" intersection in Iraq. It was one of the most dangerous intersections in Baghdad before the LA National Guard relieved the guys who had the road duty there. But, I can't seem to find any pictures of the place. Anyone know where I can get more information?

 

[Team Infidel]

never heard of that one.

 

[AussieNick]

I've just done a quick DRN (defence restricted network) search for "death x" and I've found nothing. I've also tried searching civilian sources and still got nothing.

Not sure about this Death X place... has somebody been pulling your leg?

 

[sunb!]

Hard to find some photos, but you can read more about it at the provided urls.

http://www.envirosagainstwar.org/know/read.php?itemid=3714 and the full story can be read at Wired...

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.11/bomb.html

 

[Italian Guy]

Or maybe you meant the Irish Route, aka the Road of Death between Baghdad Int'l Airport and the city?

 

[deerslayer]

nah, "Death X" is what the guy told me. He's a 12B with the LA National guard. And yes, the place did become pretty safe after his unit got there, from what I hear.

Can anyone tell me of any other prime repeated ambush points they've encountered in Iraq?

There was a plane crash in my city the other week- he was supposed to be the NCOIC, so he had to make some calls. Since he was 60 miles away in another city, the men who were supposed to be under him thought he was pulling their leg.

 

[Team Infidel]

Sometimes units come up with their own names for routes and locations.

 

[deerslayer]

any of the same type that you've seen in Iraq, Team Infidel? Places where a mounted patrol will always catch RPGs or small arms fire? (rhetorical question)
If so, can you describe the immediate area?

(I greatly appreciate any help y'all can give me)

 

[Team Infidel]

any of the same type that you've seen in Iraq, Team Infidel? Places where a mounted patrol will always catch RPGs or small arms fire? (rhetorical question)
If so, can you describe the immediate area?

(I greatly appreciate any help y'all can give me)

Sorry, not the forum for it.. pushing the OPSEC

 

[deerslayer]

gotcha. I'll have to turn to conventional sources for that, I suppose.

 

[Team Infidel]

talk to some of the folks face to face.. they may be able to help you

 

[deerslayer]

that's where I got my info on the "death x" intersection. The point of the piece is to illustrate the daily hazards that infantrymen face, because I believe, despite news coverage, that people back home forget what our people in uniform are doing. It displays the men, the actions, and the results as common- everday occurrences that we should all think about.
As a result, the piece uses only one main character (for viewpoint and color) and refers to the other characters simply by rank. I think that people who read it would have a positive response if there were only one character to bond with.

 

[AussieNick]

Sometimes units come up with their own names for routes and locations.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

[deerslayer]

Anyway, I solved the dilemma by creating a scene of a (surprise, it goes with the territory) more-or-less common setting- intersection in a residential block. Christened the area after a fishing spot in my area, Hell Hole.

I've titled it "Steel Horses: The Commoner's War in Four Quarters"

 

[Rotty261]

I imagine the "Death X" intersection they referred to was somewhere along 'Route Irish' which is a short section of road in the Baghdad area. In my year over there this route had the highest number of attacks on average for the whole country. You can read about the route here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baghdad_Airport_Road