Mars over Iraq

In 2003, Mars made it's closest pass near earth in recorded history.  It was really easy to see from our camp, "Camp Got Some"- a play on words of 3/5's motto during the war- "Get Some".  Camp Got Some was an abandoned Iraqi army base (and I use that term loosely), outside the city of Diwaniyah.  In the late evening Mars was brilliant, illuminated in the dusky red light.  We would sit outside our squad bays at night when the air was a bit cooler; smoking cigarettes, and talking about anything but where we were and what we were doing.  I think it was a bit easier to see Mars since we were outside city limits so there was no light pollution to interfere.  Funny, Mars is the Roman god of war.  Go figure.