The sixth war in Iraq

Richard Engel Chief foreign correspondent • Profile

Six years ago today I thought there was a good chance I was going to die. With a helmet crooked on my head and a flak jacket over my shoulders, I sat on a tiny generator on a balcony of Baghdad’s Palestine Hotel. 

From this dark and uncomfortable perch — I turned the lights out in my room so I couldn’t be seen from the streets — I watched American bombs and cruise missiles explode into orange fireballs.  I watched Iraqi anti-aircraft guns — big, loud, violent-looking Russian-made guns — shoot showers of metal into the air.  I could hear the anti-aircraft guns’ rat-tat-tat and see their ribbons of red tracer fire racing up, hopelessly trying to knock down American fighter jets tearing invisibly through the night sky.  They flew super fast, super loud; helluva machine. 

There was no moon out six years ago tonight, but the sky was bright with stars, TV satellites and the glow of the Iraqi prime minister’s office. From my dark balcony, I watched the office burn across the Tigris River. Visually speaking — if you forgot what was going on — it was beautiful. The stars and flames and ribbons of red tracer rounds popping like fireworks. It was beautiful like a forest fire might be beautiful — perhaps even smelling of fresh toasted pine — if your house happens to be far away. 

During the invasion I was kept alive for three simple reasons. 

1. Nothing explosive or heavy fell on me from the sky.  I was lucky.

2. Saddam Hussein’s government didn’t turn on foreign journalists, even Americans, despite what we all feared.

3. I had my fixer, driver and friend Ali keeping me fed and hidden from angry Iraqis and rogue security agents. 

I spoke with Ali today. He’s in Sweden now. A refugee.  Back then, he was a shy university student.  Now he works in a grocery store.  I doubt anyone knows the young man bagging groceries lost his father in the war and was kidnapped and tortured by radical militiamen.  They hung him upside down and beat him with a rod for eight hours, accusing him of being a spy because he worked for American media.  Ali misses Iraq, despite what happened.  He misses his mother.  Over a bad cell phone connection we reminisced.  

The five wars in Iraq
I believe there have been five different wars in Iraq and that the sixth war is under way — America’s exit strategy. 

War One: Shock and awe
March-April 2003
The first war was the ferocious 21-day drive to Baghdad.  It was the “left hook” as U.S. troops crossed the berm in Kuwait, swerved into Baghdad and seized the airport.  U.S. troops pushed into the center of Baghdad, and Saddam’s government simply was no more.

MORE FROM INVASION IRAQ: SIX YEARS LATER

Invasion Iraq: Six Years Later Section Front

Protesters call for an end to Iraq war Analysis: The sixth war in Iraq 6 years later, Iraq better but still shaky U.S. flags burned to mark war anniversary Q&A: What to expect as U.S. withdraws from Iraq Then and now: Iraq by the numbers What do you recall about the Iraq invasion? Photo timeline: From the Council on Foreign Relations Know what Jessica Lynch is doing now? Invasion Iraq: Day by day Invasion Iraq: Six Years Later Section Front   Add Invasion Iraq: Six Years Later headlines to your news reader: