TRAVELS IN ARABIA 247and led to the signing of Babylon Inc.’s largest contract to date. (A contract
the KRG would later breach.)Five years after my unforgettable first foray into Iraq, life had become
calmer and more predictable. By then I had bought out Imad’s half of
the company and was managing the surprisingly successful Babylon Inc.
from our very cool, industrial-style office in Los Angeles. Work was never-
ending, averaging twelve-hour (or more) workdays, seven days a week, year
in and year out. But it was exciting, and I enjoyed it, as did my hard-
working colleagues. This high-paced work routine in Los Angeles was sup-
plemented by occasional trips to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Dubai, and Jordan
to meet with key employees and customers or to attend trade shows. About
90 percent of the employees (almost all Iraqis) staffed our various offices in
all regions of Iraq, and 10 percent of us were in the United States. It was
not an ideal way to run a business, but it worked. It also allowed me to raise
my rapidly growing up daughters at home.
Although things were going well, my routine left something to be
desired. I still traveled to the Middle East, but I missed the risky, exciting
start-up phase of the business. That period was much more fun than man-
aging an established company, even though creating a profitable business
was the whole point of the exercise. Plus, I wasn’t getting any younger. The
thought of turning fifty was a sobering reminder that life will pass you by
whether you’re paying attention or not.
Not one who normally celebrates birthdays, I decided I would do
something memorable for my fiftieth to make me feel alive again. I briefly
considered enrolling in an introductory twerking class at the local YMCA,
but in the end, I spent my birthday strapped inside a heavily armed Black
Hawk helicopter over Baghdad.
By the time of my fiftieth birthday escape to Iraq, one could fly to
Baghdad commercially on board an unmarked Royal Jordanian flight
from Amman. Iraqi Airways also provided regular service. This means
of transport was much safer and faster than traveling overland, although
the civilian aircraft was still forced to make the traditionally military cork-
screw landing into Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) in order to avoid