I am watching C-Span and the Anaconda
 

...Logistical Support Base at Balad, Iraq has a Subway, Pizza Hut, Burger King and some kind of chicken outlet (I don't think it was a KFC)...an olympic size swimming pool...gym...and a theater. The living quarters are very comfortable and many of the guys and gals have computers and TV's in their quarters. Pretty nice for a war zone.

Of course though...troops being troops...there are some complaints.

Didn't Pathfinder get eaten by an anaconda?

It may be one of the permanent bases that is being built.

Jennifer Lopez didnt get eaten! :)

Nice.

Did they ever get those proper flak vests they were asking for a few years ago?

I heard the ones they were originally issued were absolute shyte.

Well...yes they got them...but the troops do not like them (they are to heavy and limit their mobility to much) so they...for the most part...are wearing the old vests whenever they can get hold of them.

The new armored vechicles are also to heavy to be used in Afghanistan because of the steepness of terrain and cannot cross the bridges. They are being used in in Iraq in flat terrain areas and can cross over certain bridges.

Both the vests and the new armored vechicles are basically a waste of money time and effort...because of mobility problems and in the case of both the vests and the armored vechicles there are always weapons that will penetrate them.

The fact is soldiers are vunerable and there is only so much than can be done to protect them until the protection reaches the point of being a libility and defeats its purpose...which is somewhat the case with the new vests and armored vechicles.

BTW...Anaconda also has a Taco Bell.