2nd Infantry Division is deploying soldiers to
Iraq. My unit, 2nd Military Police company, is expecting to recieve 40% casualties. They are headed to
Fallujah and 2 other classified areas. They won't tell the soldiers where until after they come back from leave. I'm guessing because the soldiers probably won't want to come back after they find out.
The Korean nationals were protesting outside the front gate today. They don't want us to leave. They are afraid once 2ID leaves, it will crush their economy. They live off us. There were 1 or 2 thousand people outside the gates. It was a beautifully peaceful protest. The main gate was closed so I went out Gate 3. The Koreans had setup a stage and men with headbands stood on it, and stood on the stage. A Korean took the microphone, screaming in Hangul, inspiring the crowd to scream in response. They had, what looked like, nerf bats, and they banged them together in agreement. Many wore what looked like chef hats, cream colored. They signified something, but I couldn't discern what. Men carried 20 foot tall banners with Hangul, while a full-sized mobile crane draped a white 50 foot tall banner over the crowd. The protestors scheduled the protest with the MPs and dispersed at a pre-designated time.
As I walked to the gate, I could hear them screaming. The board in front of the pedestrian gate said, "Possible attempt to ram the gate". I talked to the MP lieutenant, 1LT Spooner, and asked her what they were protesting. She said, "They don't want us to pull back. They are afraid it will crush their economy. They're totally peaceful." I had walked towards the gate expecting violence, and tension. My buddy in supply had issued the MPs their riot gear prior to the demonstration. The Korean National Police maintained a large presence, what I approximated to be some 300-500 police. I was delighted to see the Koreans join hands and sing a collective song, swaying back and forth. Nationals on my side of the street looked at me warily, but it wasn't hostility. It was peace. They were protesting peacefully, utilizing the democracy that so many Americans and Koreans died for in the Korean War.
It was moving.