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Steve | profile | all galleries >> My Travels........ (open for more galleries) >> Baghdad, Iraq 2011 >> Aw Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Baghdad tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Aw Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Baghdad

Al Faw Palace is situated on a former resort complex about 5 kilometers from the Green Zone, which is now referred to as the International Zone or IZ. The complex contains numerous villas and smaller palaces and is now one of the largest US/Coalition bases in Iraq (Camp Victory/ Camp Liberty). The palace contains over 62 rooms and 29 bathrooms. Many of the rooms have now been converted to serve as offices, and since 2004 the Palace has been used as the headquarters for the Multi-National Force - Iraq (MNF-I), along with the Joint Operations Center (JOC), which serves as 'Mission Control' for the Multi-National Corps - Iraq (MNC-I) and all operational aspects of Operation Iraqi Freedom. There is an artificial lake surrounding the palace that has a special breed of large bass dubbed the Saddam bass as well as large carp. Saddam formerly used the palace for duck-hunting expeditions.
Because of the very light damage to the Al Faw Palace and other structures located on what is now Camp Victory, it is widely presumed that the planners of the 2003 invasion intended that this area would be used as a headquarters and main base area following the liberation of Baghdad.[citation needed] The resort is surrounded by high walls with pre-constructed security towers, which contributes to more readily maintaining surveillance and security for the former resort.
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