Last night
Hugh heard from US soldiers in Iraq.
He writes: "I have been on several embeds here, shamelessly using Humvees as taxis - to get me to reconstruction projects and to polling stations for the referendum and the two assembly elections in 2005. These are some of the people I met:
Top cover for an Iraq Police station in New Baghdad
Passengers on the Marne Express - a helicopter shuttle service across Baghdad.
One of the helicopter pilots with his mascot.
D-Fac. Dining Facility. Remarkably good food - substantial hot meals, omeletttes to order, and unlimited Baskin Robbins ice cream.
Here is a soldier's quarters at a US base.
Enjoying the Superbowl live on the big screen in a former Ba'ath Party auditorium in the Green Zone, Baghdad.
Howard and Mike.
Quiet times at Camp Rustamiya.
Anyone hungry? Sgt. Mike Brinton returns from kebab shopping in Karada, Baghdad. After a suicide bomb attack, Mike told me: "I feel remorse. This is only happening because we're here"
Kebab picnic near the Tigris. On the left, Col. Brian Dosa: ""I love it here, the people give me energy".
"You'll have to forgive a bit of cavalry swagger, Hugh"
On the way home: military contractors in a Hercules C130.
Hercules crewman gets some rest."