This week I found myself staying a night at a giant FOB (Forward Operating Base). It's a mini-city providing living conditions not uncommon for American forces in Iraq. Guests are greeted in a base lodge with introductory guides to the amenities. There are two gyms offering indoor and outdoor basketball courts and a swimming pool. Recreation rooms have pool tables, ping-pong, air hockey and movies. There are two Internet cafes. The "Food Court" has Burger King, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. (They apologized that budget cuts had ended the guest "maid service.")

People drive SUV's to the general dining facility, a single room as big as a department store with multiple lines for ice cream, cakes, salads and the main courses. The atmosphere is like an office cafeteria, jovial but bland. It's probably praiseworthy that those who specialize in building bases and making them livable--legions of Army engineers and private contractors--had created a world in which the war merited a reminder on the base information sheet. Under the heading, "!!!Quality of Life Warning!!!," it reminded residents that, while the living conditions are "excellent. DO NOT get complacent and get lulled into a false sense of security. We are in a dangerous place and there are people outside of the FOB who want to kill you! Stay alert, stay alive!!