agggggghhh …….. you guys have got me. It was a trick question……. sorry……… It is in fact all shot in the USA!
Pete and Owen are right its a training facility in the desert were the US Army prepares its soldiers for the asymmetric warfare they will face in Iraq. Its an incredible place the size of Rhode Island with more than 8 villages with Iraqi people living in them. In the past they practiced the expected/feared tank battles with the USSR in clash of the Titan battles, these days soldiers go on patrol, come under fire, have all sorts of problems and nice interactions with the hired in Iraqi population of the artificially constructed villages. They attempt greetings in arabic and check the ID of young men they meet in ways specifically designed to be non hostile and not humiliating to the arab men or any of the rest of the population. They accompany Iraqi police. They negotiate with the town elders drink tea with the old guys at the Mosque……….. then run into an IED on the way back to base……. where even when they try to sleep….. they then face mortar rounds all night…….. its just like the real thing……… helping them to do the right thing, stay in control, win over the locals and stay alive… next time… when they do it for real.
Er………. its not actually in Nevada Pete but that is by far the closest guess so far……..
Keep guessing guys JC XX
[ 12 ] comments
- So I get at least half a 10×8 (5×4?) for naming the country, and bonus points for guessing it was a training facility! Yippee!!
Pete @ July 28, 2006, 7:43 pm
- Arizona? Incredible setup your army has over there.
owen @ July 29, 2006, 8:40 am
- How about the Californian desert? Certainly hot enough at the moment!
Pete @ July 29, 2006, 4:31 pm
- In fact…Death Valley?
Pete @ July 29, 2006, 4:33 pm
- OK – my last guess – Fort Polk, Louisiana? (I Googled!)
owen @ July 31, 2006, 10:47 am
- It could be Fort Polk like Owen says, in which case damn! But me, I think it could be the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-07-24-voa69.cfm Whaddya say? ‘And the winner is…’
Pete @ July 31, 2006, 4:23 pm
- And the winner is…….Pete……..yeah they don’t come more accurate as a precise piece of guessing……it is the NTC at Fort Irwin. Fort Irwin is located approximately 37 miles northeast of Barstow, California in the High Mojave Desert midway between Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Angeles, California. Its in California but I flew into Las Vegas so Nevada was a very good guess. Its a fantastic drive to the base from Vegas……I rented an open top Mustang and drove through the desert at night with the top down and the music blasting out. Its pretty hot at night but ,man, in the day its almost unbearable. The guys were really working, their imminent deployment to Iraq really helps them concentrate. The Red team (Insurgents) really give them a hard time. The philosophy driving the place is if you ‘die’ in the ‘War Game’s’ at Fort Irwin you are at least less likely to make the same mistake in Iraq Thanks for checking out the blog and commenting to all who did…….I just got off a flight from London so Im not gonna post anything more pictures wise until tomorrow! Thanx again guys (PS Pete I’ll email you for your address) Cheers Jez XX
jez @ July 31, 2006, 8:53 pm
- Dammit 🙂 Well done Pete!
owen @ August 1, 2006, 3:13 am
- I see now. Trickster!
Kerly @ November 11, 2010, 5:56 am
- :-)))))))) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Jezblog London @ November 11, 2010, 7:11 am
