Iraqi Checkpoints is part of the Iraq Homecoming Trip Report.
Catch up on all the posts here:
- Baghdad, Iraq Day 1: Over Stimulation
- Baghdad, Iraq Day 2: Welcome to the Jungle
- Baghdad, Iraq Day 3: Calm and Culture
- Baghdad, Iraq: Family Reunion
Do you want to test your patience? Do you want to try your luck at being cheeky with armed men? Then hop in your car and take a ride up from Baghdad to Mosul. I would not recommend the self-drive tour, though having a guide may be more invasive than insightful (see Driver Vs. Guide). Following the defeat of ISIS, Iraq has become increasingly safe. To keep peace in Baghdad, there are armed Humvees everywhere. To keep order in the country, there are checkpoints throughout Iraq. These checkpoints are administered by the Iraqi army, Iraqi police, local militias, and all groups in between.
On the way to Samarra, we experienced checkpoint after checkpoint. Some went smoothly, some had friction. All this took place over a distance of 80 miles.
Checkpoint 1
- Guard (in Arabic): Do you speak Arabic? Any issues with the driver?
I found this one interesting as he was concerned about my well-being.
Checkpoint 2
- Guard (in Arabic): Passports.
It became apparent that I should always have my passport ready and proactively volunteer information. Like the TSA, it’s better to expect the questioning than be surprised when it happens (see Traveling While Arab? Pack Your Sense of Humor).
Checkpoint 3
My driver thought he could coast through this checkpoint. We were quickly stopped.
- Guard (in Arabic): Why didn’t you say you are a tour guide? Where are you from?
- Smart-Ass Tour Guide: Baghdad
- Me (thinking): He obviously wants to know where Ms. TPOL and I are from.
As an expert at border crossings, I was not shocked when were pulled aside and questioned further. I lectured the cocky tour guide and said next time stick to the strategy from Checkpoint 2.
Checkpoint 4: Passports must be surrendered before seeing the Great Mosque of Samarra (see Samarra). It’s always a comforting feeling to know that I can’t go anywhere.
Checkpoint 5: We got this far. They have our passports. We are waived through.
TPOL’s Tip: Use the toilet before checkpoints.
Overall
The guards, whoever they were and whoever they represented, were much nicer than US Customs and Immigration.
As usual, hyper sparse writing style, but certainly a different Trip report than is normally found on the blogs š
Go read the proceeding posts that are linked for your convenience. Where is your comment for those ones? ‘As usual’ useless comment
You do have a sparse writing style. But you include significantly more photos and video which more than balances the word count. Thoroughly enjoyed you posts.
It’s a ‘perfect phone call’ writing style. I use the exact amount of words to convey the point succinctly. Thank you for reading.
Your links don’t work – Driver vs Guide gives a 404 error.
Indeed. I have to use it as place holder now because that post hasn’t been published.
The answer is Driver!