Christine Takes Charge

Cristine Bierwirth was the only female in our section at the beginning of my tour. Mentioned in previous posts, she was 20 years old, very attractive, and was called out of class at University to go to Iraq. She was also an intelligence analyst and a very good one. In fact, as a Specialist 4th Class, she frequently briefed general officers on intelligence matters. One day shortly after we had established the Iraqi Assistance Center, the wife of Tariq Aziz came into the building. Tariq Aziz was Saddam’s Prime Minister. He was in jail and his wife came in every day to petition to have him released, and every day she was politely sent on her way. But this day, she wasn’t leaving. She was outside of our offices in the lobby and was shouting at our Iraqi employees and refusing to leave. In exasperation, one of our interpreters came in and told us what was going on and that Mrs. Aziz would only leave “if ordered to do so by the Americans”. So 20 year old Christine, said “I’ll do it”, put on her uniform top (we worked in T-shirts because of the heat), went out into the lobby, and kicked the wife of Saddam’s Prime Minister out of the convention center. Bodily.