Captain Vic Beck with Moe Lauzier

" I didn't that we need a and they have good morning along with -- on -- talk station every Saturday morning that the nine. We discussed the issues of the day in every Saturday morning at seven. We have a guest from Iraq or Afghanistan. Twentieth Baghdad and the gift is captain victor back now and a little birdie tell me you would down and believes with your family."

" That's correct we really had a great great couple weeks. Two weeks yep what did you do for you you know it's really adjusting it it really in -- not just be buying in my wife and kids to disconnect you in just relaxed just be together various state. Break is always required we can talk more about that but. In what I wanted to. It was getting disputed situation where it's a break from their -- Routine as well a lot of our soldiers go home to their to their faults in your home while it's still at school year. Spouse might need that work. And there are many other things to do and I just wanted to itself would spend all the time with them. And would be incentives friends and other members so we so it goes -- independent or else."

" Excellent club and I think -- a lot a lot of times. And while -- deserve that we pay attention to you when that we have a great deal of feeling and affection for the folks who are serving in these dangerous areas the families at home my head one fellow explain to me one day. The look I'm so busy here seven days a week I don't get a chance to really dwell on the attitude well. On of this my circumstances of being here but the family does and eat there every conscious moment and I know we had family member in harm's way in Afghanistan four a year and gradually every conscious moment. It with your dwelling on of these safe every time we hear of an incident -- was he there you know that kind of thing and the stress is enormous this is a lot more than I would ever have thought it would be. The the strain on on the entire family not just the wife and the children but or the extended family is well."

" No doubt -- and that's state the focus really is on their own lines that are in their lives -- going about their business it's real but. Sides were other service members are always in the back on that front there minuses of doing things because they're more -- on it. There's and there are routines where the service members typically apartment. But to bed they can practice making policy you know I don't know that putting which -- wiper fluid in the park."

" Watching it hit eight riddled team they do you -- new wash dishes captain. Q that's part heritage because if I clean up you got it are happily did that she keeps that it. That's a good deal once I'll watch the closed -- fuel iron a month thank you well like Canada. I've but the -- you'll allow me to have my poker night in the I'll agree to vacuum up after. -- like solemn matter given take but not all that entire routine however. When you're done it's changed it's almost men and elect putting quite these terms but it. The effect is probably very similar to a divorce you know I mean you well it every day is this way and then all of a sudden stunning and that day everything changes."

" It is an absolutely at different routine as my wife said he says you know see you later you know but -- you -- talking -- day or two ago. When I sit by the airport she said okay well we're gonna go back to our routine and and that's what exactly what it has to -- in my case has two children so to repeat fugitive threes set of four. And it's just a very different living situation and that's all the that's what we're -- is spouses that are really picked it up slack. And so. Go back to believe my wife needed the vacation at least this much this much is about war died just to break up the monotony to you know I'll get up for the kids -- purpose she can obviously work. Arcades got -- but yet you know do do something a little bit different set of having to. Always be responsible 44% for the children."

" I take you and other so you have good weather there I would guess Richard literature it was almost a catcher hurricane and I understand that entire region it's absolutely gorgeous it really it is oh my wife and I talked at one point I don't think -- have happened. But we talked at one point of in retirement maybe Costa Rica. Now and there are dead serious about that because the we have everything we were able to read about the weather reasons. Desirable twelve months a year -- never tell -- get up on mornings like this morning I say well right we decide to do that he could."

" Though you know I -- actually -- way we work that was like -- like you've picked the location on the -- there so."

" she picked up believes coalesce grade Accenture. Cheshire well let me go for it again from your circumstances would you of had the time. Or the ability to to chase down -- an actual vacation -- make the arrangements and so I doubt very much you could. No -- And it would and it it was something she would. You called a travel agent that booked me or duplicates that rule on -- boat -- if I'd done it without them and in the -- goes the battle now we're in your view."

" You know all at all I think we're doing pretty darn well violence is down certainly days there -- days. It is -- two -- three days in -- days these days oh but despite this far from over you know it's Al Qaeda so there certainly still has ability to create. Spectacular attacks. Us justice in this people's were far from over by the moment it's -- I don't know what tomorrow brings. It would take it to a woman that's -- school."

" Well I was reading an analysis that Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups especially when there hurting the most. Are the most dangerous because they're trying to prove. To whatever support is they have more people are attempting to recruit that they still a viable entity. And I heard of an email that had been intercepted or a letter that had been intercepted by the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq. To whomever and some cave somewhere in Pakistan that there membership been affected down from about 300 fighters down to about cloning. That's like going from a regiment down to platoon."

" You know we again we are we are taken to a I don't know about that particular. -- but there are many many. Individuals in the on the planet on this planet that continued to like it is to fight against coalition forces and kill anyone -- and Wednesday which is what really can't let up. We need to can to fight. Take -- secure safe place for the majority of Iraqis that want it to be just that."

" the -- did one thing. That I think may have been most important and I've heard from other. I guess that we've we've spoken with here on WRKO onset of the morning's by the way kept convict that is our guest he's a Massachusetts born and bright guy and by the way when you coming home."

" Just a hearing -- thinking about I won't be home late April early. To -- have a date with the Sam Adams beer right obviously you ought to -- a cut in you'll get much resistance from the I guarantee it."

" The the the surge but it did accomplish that other thing of that. Our previous battles didn't accomplish -- we could not go into the cities and and hold them and then allow the citizenry to understand. That we were there for sure and we were going to keep Al Qaeda in the other bad people from coming back. That they didn't have to feel them coming back that -- wanted to tell us where the arms are -- the munitions are where they safe houses are and so on and they locals have become very cooperative as a direct result of a sense of security."

" That picture rabbit and that's that that's been -- so successful for us. It in that joint security stations called and we actually go into account cheated -- joint security stations and live amongst the people. When they realized they they actually are here -- this way by the way. The tips you know started coming in the little option but we're fighting war more caches of weapons -- sometimes -- weapons in the munitions are very very old but that's okay. Still these these they're coming forth with more information in the -- when they've realized actually is. More secure -- it is rich nations ordered that killed. Because they've told us where you know munitions urged that so it by being out amongst the people living with people it certainly got -- trust can."

" Kept him back just out of curiosity and it do we know we're. These weapons caches came from -- initially I mean is this something that was in Iraq that's left over from the Saddam Hussein regime a regime or is this -- equipment and materiel as being shipped in today."

" Well I don't know how much is actually being -- today some of some of the caches are that I exceed more recently are not necessarily you know 51020 years old they are recent and that's so I don't know and they'll came from. But certainly there over weapons that came from ran I don't know how -- how how recently. That we -- we know but in other places like that that are not certainly our friends but there're more recent and but it --"

" Good to manufacture of a lot of these weapons of may of these the Chinese made AAK 47 men who will visit that. That being brought down."

" Amid a -- really run across its across the board it's a transport certainly Chinese made some weapons Russian weapons but. Were there actually made in weird how they got there I don't double record deal."

" I'm just curious I would doubt there is very much from American sources would that BA correct assumption in my car."

" I -- to correct assumption but it quite honestly don't know to. It to shore."

" Because the arms market as we understand it is is rather large end their weapons from everywhere but for some reason whenever I hear stories about how the of this weapons cachet with found of these these of the weapons that where their and so on and so forth they never here of American made material that has been located which is that which is a good thing and also means is not coming. From Leo from the black market the more likely it's coming directly from governments supportive of doing harm to the United States effort in Iraq."

" Well it against Kurdish state I don't know that answer but we certainly has evidence that -- for example. Special groups that are getting funding training and arms from there how recent is that though that's very. Important question to address today this is the future tried move forward here so those weapons they'll note that are -- recent fighting from. So there certainly -- ones that are six months old primary. And so -- in treating individuals to buy -- solution for it."

" Kept in the back as our guest he's a local guy from Massachusetts who's serving his country in Baghdad in in Iraq we talk about border security here in the United States obviously border security and Syria it with Syria for example has far more implications and our security with the Mexican border -- we see how difficult it is to. To maintain security along the border if appear in the and that within our own country. We're having trouble keeping millions of people from coming across illegally but the situation with the with the Syrian border."

" Well interestingly enough with there was just say a -- work but its -- work day. The port of entry it was opened in the Syrian border city and right before it -- case right. 45 days ago ourselves too because there is trade and there are things ago you know people individuals -- come across that border. But it is very porous border -- wide beyond the port of entry. In any place very desert there's."

" Are just going to say it is just nothing but a huge desert it wouldn't be hard to be able to it to maneuver back and forth across in the desert area which is so exposed and so open and so difficult that to travel."

" I would think so but you know it's. That's like our own borders with Mexico places they can be easy if to patrol -- difficult to cross but that difficult to control it easy to come across so I don't know you know it is a challenge certainly there wasted to fix those borders to not have some worse. But those little things they needed. -- all your -- countries."

" and I've -- building the new wall of China. There's just not going to happen now in the -- one final question at least -- along these lines every call early on during the insurgency that many of the fighters who were. Captive who we captured or killed and -- able to identify afterward were not Iraqis were rejections were saudis were Syrians handful of Iranians is that still the case or ugly five does that then and now there strictly indigenous people."

" at least -- cases there many. Foreign fighters. From those countries you just mentioned. Still coming across or however we have seen it decrease about it that it huge increase in the numbers the fighters foreign fighters cross or their absolutely spoke. The the actually thing is the come across with different motivation. In different parts of what they're going to comment you whether there'd -- suicide while whether fight to Coolidge. But we're now hiatus specifically they're being told right to things. Lied to and if it's completely it disgruntled suicide -- handled it to kill myself."

" That pardon budgetary and -- look at I don't I don't write six well there if I want my money back idea wasn't allowed to go kill myself like right again -- that one. -- oh by the way they."

" They have to be getting rather desperate though defined suicide bombers if there. Relying on psychiatrist sending mentally disabled people than two women come to mind here one believe she was and a third is to it to carry out these these bombings -- that they've got to be pretty desperate to be able to find people now you've obviously the the chieftains are not going to do it immune that that the of them have that stupid they know that 72 virgin thing as a there's a kind of a lousy sales pitch."

" Well I don't never underestimate tied it and the of their ability to recruit individuals but. Because country because try to kill collision forced. I don't tutor species speak that's to live on -- So yes I think they are getting a little bit desperate we are. Degrading their capabilities and their ability to recruit. But there incredibly resilient organization still at the ability to condemn spectacular attacks against and against -- That's our fight is far from over."

" Captain -- I suspect you sweetheart is listening right now your better half if you pardon my saying so. But nine I know enough that have enough humility to say in my wife my better half I suspect you do too. If you're smart you are -- anything to -- her right now."

" Well it's just that it was absolutely fantastic rescue would get away island very much maybe soared this year very Valentine's Day. -- person but I will be home soon but very much in a pocket if you are."

" And -- captain -- god bless you by the way this interview will be posted on the in the WRKO audio vault tomorrow. All of our interviews it opposed to -- Walton the of their for anyone to listen to -- and they want to listen to them so if you ever want to hear this in Dubuque can go to WRK Kodak com our producer will not have an afternoon to do it until sometime tomorrow okay Eric how's that for a deal as always thank you for your service my -- god bless you be sick thanks. Looking forward buying a couple of Sam Adams -- help they still have some of the went to locker room with that was so good this year. -- captain -- back from in Baghdad. -- laws a year with you on Boston talk station -- fixated WRKO by the way I write an email during the last break and I'll read to you let someone is offended that I called Jane Fonda an old bag. Region the email when you take it from there all right that's coming up just ahead -- lot easier on Boston's stock station AM 680 W Mark KO"