A little military history diversion

This weekend the Spring Classics conclude with Liège-Bastogne-Liège, also known as La Doyenne, or "the oldest." The Classics start with a sprinter's race in Italy, Milan-San Remo, then move to the cobbles of Ronde van Vlaanderen (the Tour of Flanders), Gent–Wevelgem, and Paris-Roubaix (the Hell of the North). The month concludes with the Ardennes Classics: the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne, and finishes with Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Most of these races take place along the Belgian-French border, a region that saw it's share of combat in the 20th century. In sports, it's often poetic to describe competition as war or battle, but it is not very often that the match takes place on an actual battlefield. For many of these bike races, that is exactly the case.

Because he has already described this better than I ever could, I'll just turn it over to Belgian Knee Warmers and his post, The Monuments.

If you should catch L-B-L on the web this weekend, you'll hear a lot of the towns that were key points in Janice Giles' The Damned Engineers, the brilliant account of the 291st Engineers and their impromptu defense against Kampfgruppe Peiper during the Battle of the Bulge.


(John Pierce of Photosport International)















You can find the route for L-B-L here. Compare it to this map of the Battle of the Bulge here, on page 452.

Farmers' Market opens in Iraq

Received this note from GEN Ray Odierno. (No, not personally ... just a post to his Facebook page. Sign up here if you want to get them.)


The Central Euphrates Farmers' Market in Mahawil is now open for business after a grand opening ceremony on June 12. The market, a cooperative project between Iraqi and Coalition forces, is the culmination of two years to planning and building.

"The fact that this market is here today demonstrates the cooperation of the Iraqi Security Forces and the Coalition forces," said Brig. Gen. Jerry Lang, deputy commanding general of support for the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division. "We hope this model of cooperation you have demonstrated ... will help us bring it to the rest of Southern Iraq."

"We have received a lot of help from the Coalition forces, and for that, we are finally to the point that we are here for celebration," said Sheikh Khodaer Abdlhosaen, director of the Central Euphrates Farmers' Market.

The market has 20 outdoor stalls and 24 indoor stalls, from which farmers will sell their produce to wholesale buyers as well as directly to local retail customers. Revenue generated by the rental of the stalls will cover the market's operating and maintenance costs, making the project completely self-sustaining.




An Iraqi boy sorts tomatoes at the newly opened Central Euphrates Farmers' Market June 12. The market is built on Highway 1, connecting Basra with Baghdad and Mosul, which is projected to become Iraq's most significant growth corridor in the years ahead. It gives the farmers' market enough space for vehicular accessibility as well as room for research, education programs and future expansion. Photo by Spc. Darryl L. Montgomery







Brig. Gen. Jerry Lang, deputy commanding general of support for the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, Sheik Khodaer Abdlhosaen, director of the Central Euphrates Farmers' Market, and Deputy Governor of Babil province Iskander Witwit discuss how the market will help the region excel in agriculture. Photo by Spc. Darryl L. Montgomery