So yesterday we did a leaders recon of our new area that my platoon will be operating in. As we walked through part of the city I noticed pipes that protruded from each home. As we walked, I noticed that water would shoot out of those, into the street, and into mini canals in the middle of the road. I realized that this is their sewage system. As we walked, we could see that dish water, bath water and of course toilet water came out of these and flowed through the narrow streets, and down to larger streets that had larger and deeper canals, and finally into the ground. I was reminded of my history readings when the Romans did something similar. Considering that Iraq is the most

conquered country in the middle east, it is no wonder that you see influences from many other cultures and countries. I will try to take some photos next time I am on the ground.