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A View From Iraq
By Elmer L. Snow, III
Nov 11, 2004, 09:10

Within days of the Presidential declaration that the war against Iraq had ended, military convoys began staging in Kuwait and escorting both American as well as drivers from Third World Countries into Iraq with needed supplies for the American troops.

While the American civilian drivers were immediately aware that their personal safety rested in the coalition soldiers who escorted the convoys, other sub-contract drivers from various countries in the Middle East weren’t as quick to realize that their lives also depended on coalition personnel. These drivers felt that although they were required to be in a convoy when crossing the border into Iraq, once they were across they had the opportunity to leave the convoy and proceed at a faster pace to their delivery sites. In many cases these drivers were attacked with deadly consequences by insurgents who readily realized that the contents of un-escorted trucks were almost free to the taking. All they needed to do was stop the truck.

Javed Ahmed Mohammad, a Pakistani driver walked to the Kuwait border on September 1, 2003 and related the all too familiar story that while driving toward Baghdad, he, and another unknown driver had departed the convoy to proceed on their own to their destination. Approximately twenty miles from the Kuwait border a small pick-up truck that was occupied by five males drove beside the two trucks and motioned for the drivers to stop. When Mohammad and the other driver failed to stop, the insurgents began firing at the two trucks with AK-47 automatic weapons. The end result was that Javed pulled to the side and his life was spared, but his loaded supply truck was taken. The unknown driver who was following him was apparently shot and left motionless at the side of the roadway while his truck was also taken by the attackers.

During an interview with Javed Mohammad it became obvious that his own attackers were the same people who had attacked other trucks on August 29, 2003 at the same time and location. In that attack two other un-escorted trucks that were operated by third country drivers had been taken and four drivers were still missing.

On September 3, 2003 this writer was telephonically contacted by an English speaking Kuwaiti who identified himself as a friend of Javed Mohammed. He informed me that the Pakistani owner of the truck that Mohammed was driving had been contacted by the insurgents who offered to return the truck for $ 8,000.00. Ironically, the insurgents advised that they were offering the truck back at a reduced price since the owner was of Pakistani descent and not from Kuwait. The demand for ransom had been made from Javed’s cell phone that was left in the truck when it was taken.

Later that afternoon Javed returned to the Kuwait/Iraq border, accompanied by a well dressed Pakistani who carried a brief case. They made a cellular phone call and a short time later a bright orange colored taxi parked several hundred yards away on the entrance road near Kuwait, but well inside Iraq. After several minutes a Jeep utility vehicle, occupied by several males came down the road and parked on the Iraqi side of the border gate.

This writer watched in amazement as ransom payment was made to the killer insurgents for release of the tractor trailer. After payment was made the missing vehicle was driven up to the border at which time Javed entered his truck and drove it safely back into Kuwait.

The following day a bright orange colored taxi arrived at the Kuwait border with a large wooden box tied to the top. The lone Iraqi driver stated that he had "found" the body of a truck driver approximately twenty miles from the border. He expressed interest in receiving a reward for the return of the deceased whose remains were in the wooden box.

Perhaps the Kuwaiti border police had experienced enough. They refused to allow the body back into Kuwait because the decedent was not in possession of a visa.