Stars and Stripes reporter James Warden photographs a game of checkers between Lt. Col. Christopher Vanek, commander, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regt., and Hawijah's Sons of Iraq contractor Khalaf Ibrahim Ali, in a downtown market recently. The game was meant to help convince local Iraqis the time is right to start leading normal lives again. Staff Sgt. Margaret C. Nelson see: /-news/2008/07/08 /-news/2008/07/08/10712-peaceful-board-game-reflects-declining-violence-in-iraq/

---

Size: 1930px × 1295px
Photo credit: © 615 collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: ., 1st, 87th, ali, army, battalion, ch, checkers, christopher, commander, conflict, contractor, convin, convince, downtown, game, hawijah, ibrahim, infantry, iraq, iraqis, james, khalaf, leading, lives, local, lt., margaret, market, meant, military, nelson, normal, photo, photographs, regt., reporter, sgt., soldier, soldiers, sons, staff, stars, start, stripes, time, vanek, war, warden,