In the city of Baghdad, the capitol of the Middle Eastern nation of Iraq, a nation occupied by American Military Forces, the International Airport is 12 kilometers distant from the safe area, called the Green Zone. Baghdad has an international zone at its city centre, around the Republican Palace in a crook of the Tigris River. This area is the heavily fortified headquarters for the International Coalition and Iraqi Reconstruction Ministries. It started out being called the «Green Zone» but was later changed to the «International Zone» in June of 2004 with the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. However, the inhabitants, armed forces, and media have returned to calling it the Green Zone
Only one road connects the fortified Airport and the besieged Green Zone, making it the most accessible and vulnerable target for terrorists. That road is called Baghdad ‘s Route Irish, and is the single most dangerous road in the world. Many in the media incorrectly associate the name ‘Route Irish’ with the 69th National Guard Regiment out of New York , which is descended from an American Civil War unit made up of predominantly Irish immigrants. Baghdad’s Route Irish is actually named after the football team of the University of Notre Dame, called the Fighting Irish. This follows the tradition of naming the Main Supply Routes (MSRs) and Alternative Supply Routes (ASRs) after sport steams. For example, there are other routes such are Route Giants, Route Senators, and Route Red-Wings.
Many dangerous attacks have taken place on Baghdad’s Route Irish, with casualties on both sides of the divide. Given the restrictive nature of the Baghdad’s route, through 12 kilometres of densely built city and the fact that it is the soul route used by businessman, military leaders, politicians, supplies and other high-value targets, terrorists often target the convoys and travellers. To defend against this, most convoys travelling on Baghdad’s Route Irish hire private security companies such as Backwater (US), ArmorGroup (UK) and Erinys Iraq Limited ( Iraq ).
On Baghdad’s Route Irish, these men, all former military or highly trained security professionals, are the only thing that stands between the terrorists and their prey. They use an array of modern security technology, ranging from small arms to assault rifles and grenades to heavily armoured vehicles with powerful engines and bulletproof glass and personal armour like bulletproof vests. The drivers of the vehicles train constantly in coordinated defensive driving, using two or more vehicles in a defensive formation to keep danger at bay for as long as possible. The men and women who defend the defenceless on Baghdad ‘s Route Irish put their lives on the line with ever ride.
As often as possible, multiple companies will attempt to form convoys of multiple vehicles for added protection, coordinating via radio and hand signals as they drive. Sometimes the civilian contractors and businessmen will travel with military convoys for added protection, but there is no sure-fire defence along Baghdad’s Route Irish.
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