TARMIYAH: Specialist Nathan Deliefde was hard at work since eight in the morning on Thursday, preparing a Thanksgiving feast for 170 US soldiers that many hope will be the last one they eat in Iraq.
“It`s rough to be away from home but we`re trying not to think about it; I`m just trying to get them a good meal," says the chef, a 30-year-old Michigan native, his face covered in sweat.
The menu for troops at Joint Security Station (JSS) Tarmiyah, 45 kilometres (28 miles) north of Baghdad, is turkey, mashed potatoes, beans, sausages and rice.
And in a canteen adorned with paper turkeys and decorations, many are relieved they will likely never have to spend another Thanksgiving here.
"I`d rather be having Thanksgiving with my family, but I have to make some sacrifices in my job," says Staff Sergeant Patrick Olsen, 36, from Long Island, New York.
"If everything goes according to the plans of our president (Barack Obama) and General Ray Odierno, this should be our last Thanksgiving (in Iraq). God willing, I hope so."
The troops on JSS Tarmiyah were given a de facto holiday for Thanksgiving, with some enjoying a game of basketball while others lounged and discussed the weather.
Many soldiers were quick to point out one important caveat attached to their mini-vacation: "As long as nothing happens."
Tarmiyah was once a haven for Al-Qaeda fighters but in recent years a relative calm has prevailed.
An ambush a day earlier, however, illustrated the soldiers` unease. Sergeant Olsen and his men were on a road leading to the predominantly Sunni town, when they were caught by surprise as gunmen leapt out of hiding and began firing with light weapons.
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