Posted on 08/14/2006 4:06:58 PM PDT by Gucho
Story and photo by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva - 1st Marine Division
Monday, 14 August 2006
CAMP FALLUJAH — A Marine's latest piece of artwork won’t hang in a museum. It’s going to be on display in this city west of Baghdad for Fallujans to remember one of their martyred heroes.
Maj. Alex J. Durr, a 45-year-old combat artist from the Marine Corps’ Historical Division, recently put the finishing touches on a painted mural of Iraqi Brig. Gen. Khodeiri Obeid Abbas Al Janadi, Fallujah’s former Deputy Chief of Police, who was gunned down by insurgents June 19. Durr was commissioned to do the piece by Col. Larry Nicholson, RCT-5’s commander, to honor a “Son of Fallujah” who was killed protecting the city and people he loved.
The mural was painted on a concrete barrier and will be placed along a main route through the heart of the city. It will be on permanent display to honor the native Fallujan’s sacrifice for his city and his country.
“I’ve done portraits, but nothing ever this big,” said Durr, from Fort Worth, Texas. “It’s pretty satisfying that this will be put to use immediately.
“To think this guy lost his life for his country— it’s pretty humbling,” he added. “That’s gone through my head a couple times.”
The nearly six-foot tall concrete barrier features a portrait of Khodeiri in the full uniform of an Iraqi Police officer, with the epaulettes of an Iraqi brigadier general. The inscription above him, written in Arabic, reads, “Son of Falluah.” Next to his face is written, “hero” and “martyr.” Below him is his full name and the date he was slain.
Durr’s involvement in the project was happenstance. He was traveling throughout the region since July when he lost a sketchbook on one of Camp Fallujah’s buses. The driver later told him a Marine turned it into RCT-5. Durr checked in with Sgt. Maj. Melvin Roundtree, RCT-5’s sergeant major, to see if it turned up. Roundtree immediately took him into Nicholson’s office.
Nicholson was looking for an artist to paint the mural when he showed up for his sketchbook. Nicholson requested his help, and Durr got to work immediately.
“It’s important to recognize not just American heroes, but Iraqi heroes,” Nicholson said. “Khodeiri will always be a hero to me. He cared deeply for the city. He was a partner in every sense of the word. His loss had a deep impact on the city.”
Durr had his work cut out for him. There were only a couple pictures on file of Khodeiri. He wanted to portray him in full uniform, but couldn’t locate any photos of him wearing his black beret. So he improvised.
“They showed me a picture of an Iraqi saluting and a picture of Khodeiri,” Durr explained. “I took the face from one photo and the position from another.”
It wasn’t just the photos to work from that Durr had to compromise on. He didn’t have a complete supply of paints. He worked with the regiment’s logistics Marines to acquire a couple buckets of paints in the primary colors, along with white, bright orange and purple – just in case. From there, he used cut-down water bottles to mix colors to achieve the shades he needed. He used plastic plates from the camp’s chow hall as a palette.
“It was a big group effort,” he said. “I’m just the one putting on the paint.”
Durr said painting the portrait, although done on a large scale, followed the fundamentals he learned years ago.
“What makes a portrait work is getting the eyes right and the position of the nose and mouth,” he explained. “Get those right and people will recognize it as that person.”
After that, he said, basic principals apply. It’s just when painting big, everything is bigger. Durr said he used bigger brushes and bigger strokes.
“You just enlarge everything,” he said. “You don’t get bogged down in the details.”
It’s a skill Durr perfected nearly his entire life. He said he’s drawn and painted since grade school. He studied art at Florida State University when he bumped into Marine recruiters. His family had a strong military tradition and he said the step into uniform was natural, even if it took him away from his passion.
Durr was trained as an aviator, flying F-4 Phantoms and eventually F-18 Hornets. Still he kept up with his artwork as a side hobby.
“I always did pictures for the squadrons,” he said. “I was the guy who designed the squadron t-shirts.”
It wasn’t until the Gulf War did Durr get serious about combining his art skills with his call to service as a Marine. He looked into becoming a combat artist, but was turned down. About two years ago, though, Durr, now in the Marine Reserves, checked into becoming a combat artist again. Now, he’s the officer-in-charge of the Historical Division’s combat artists.
“I do a lot of watercolors and drawings,” he said. “Big pieces are done as oil paintings.”
Durr said he’s working much along the same lines as Marine combat artists have since WWII. He said then artists would make sketches or take photos of fighting during the Corps’ island-hopping campaign, go back to the rear lines, and put them to canvas. He said he’s actually seen a painting done by a WWII combat artist with an address on the back of the canvas so it could be mailed home to his wife.
Little has changed more than 60 years. Durr still totes his sketch book. His camera now though is a small, palm-sized digital camera, complete with the Marine Corps’ digital desert camouflaged pattern.
“It’s usually up to the artist where he paints,” Durr said. “The big paintings we do back home, when we want to put more thought and time. I can take a digital picture, blow it up on my laptop and do them there.”
Durr said there’s still a place for the paintings, even in today’s technology of digital photos and instant transmission of video and images from the battlefield.
“Done right, an oil painting will last a thousand years,” Durr said. “When I think of the guys out there, living in the dirt, it’s the least I can do. We document and record how they’re living and fighting. Maybe someday they come to the museum and see a painting and it jars their memory and they’ll tell their kids how it was.”
Durr knows that this work will never be in a museum, but will be on display for more than 200,000 Fallujans. It will preserve Iraqi history – Fallujan history – for all to remember one of their own men who stood up for their pride against terrorists.
“What an amazing opportunity to have a piece of his work displayed so publicly,” Nicholson said. “I told him, ‘Not only are you recording history. You’re making it.’”
Lt. Col. Frank Charlonis, RCT-5’s Police Implementation officer, said the portrait is satisfying to all those who knew and worked with Khodeiri. He worked hand-in-hand with him since January to grow and train Fallujah’s police force.
“He was one of the ‘Sons of Falluah,’” said 40-year-old Charlonis, from Charlotte, N.C. “His death has really affected the city. It had a big affect on the police.”
Charlonis said the mural will serve to honor one of the city’s leaders, who saw Iraqis through tough times.
“It will serve as an inspiration to the police,” he said. “It will always be there to remind them of what it means to be an Iraqi and from Fallujah.”
Durr said he saw his efforts on the portrait as just another Marine pulling his weight to accomplish the mission in Iraq.
“This is for a good cause,” Durr said. “Maybe it will help them to understand their struggle against terrorism. It’s part of the team effort. I’m lucky enough to do something I enjoy doing.”
$5.8 million renovation to Baghdad's most-famous hotel should be completed before the end of the year.
Baghdad’s most-famous hotel the Al Rasheed gets a $5.8 million renovation. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers courtesy photo.
By Norris Jones - Gulf Region Central District - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
BAGHDAD, Aug. 14, 2006 — He’s been responsible for a variety of reconstruction efforts in Iraq – building sewers and water lines, electrical distribution networks, and roads.
But project engineer Ross Warner says his work on Baghdad’s most-famous hotel has been both his biggest challenge and most rewarding experience during his six-month tour.
“I’m proud of the progress we were able to achieve on the Al Rasheed Hotel,” said Warner on his final day in Iraq. “I plan to return in September to see the project finished.” Warner and his team of a half-dozen Iraqi engineers are part of Gulf Region Central District’s International Zone office. He says the $5.8 million renovation should be completed before the end of the year.
That work includes renovating over 400 hotel rooms and associated facilities including a new air conditioning system, repairs to the roof, electrical, plumbing and wastewater lines, and a new fire alarm system. One of the interesting facts about the facility is that when it was built in 1982 (during the Iran-Iraq war), bullet-proof glass was used in all windows. For windows that now need replaced, those same specifications are required by the contract.
“Ensuring that all partners were in agreement (regarding certain essential decisions) required patience and understanding,” Warner explained, “whether that involved the Ministry of Tourism, the hotel staff, or various U.S. military entities.”
Warner notes that when the hotel was constructed 24 years ago, it was a 5-star world-class facility. “The Iraqis justifiably want to ensure there are no shortcuts and the Al Rasheed retains its luster and reputation as a high quality facility.” He says the work is currently 60 percent finished. “Three of the 14 floors have been totally renovated and turned over, four are close to being completed. And the big job of rebuilding the hotel’s infrastructure is done.
“I’m pleased with the work we’ve accomplished so far. I look forward to the day when the hotel is completely restored.”
Warner has worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers a quarter-century, the same length of time he’s drilled as an Army Reservist. In 2003, he was recalled to active duty for a year in Kuwait as a Sgt. 1st Class where he worked at Camp Arifjan for the base’s Department of Public Works writing scopes of work, conducting project inspections, and contract administration.
“That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to come to Iraq. I had heard from others about their experiences and I wanted to see Baghdad first-hand. What we’re involved with here is a part of history. I’m glad I could contribute.”
He says his family has been very supportive. He and his wife Virginia have been married 37 years. They have four children. Ross is a Civil Engineer Technician with USACE’s Savannah District and is based at Ft. Bragg, NC.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Thurman, left, the commander of Multinational Division Baghdad, greets Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace at Camp Liberty, Iraq, Aug. 12, 2006. Pace is in Iraq to meet with U.S. military commanders and visit the troops. (Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen)
Monday, August 14, 2006
Picture bleak for women in Afghanistan
By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2006 – The ongoing effort to secure Baghdad is an evolution, and solutions must be long-term, the spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq told reporters in Baghdad today.
“Abating the extremists in the capital will neither be easy nor rapid,” Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said of progress in Operation Together Forward. “Challenges will ensue, but efforts will march forward block by block.”
A variety of activities are occurring in Baghdad, with Iraqi and coalition forces working together to help quell violence and build stability, Caldwell said.
Caldwell cited some of the statistics that reflect Operation Together Forward’s impact: 3,000 buildings cleared, more than 20 suspects detained, more than 50 weapons and eight cars seized and more than 330 weapons registered.
But the most significant developments are less easily measured. “What really matters is the number of businesses that reopened and will remain open, the refurbished stalls … in the marketplace there,” he said. “The drainage has improved. The rubbish is removed. And of course, like we’d all like to see, the number of children that you can see during their summer break out riding their bikes and playing in the streets.”
Caldwell said U.S. soldiers he met with over the weekend in the Dura district say they’re impressed by the caliber of their Iraqi counterparts. “I was immediately informed Iraqis are inherently better at search operations than coalition forces,” he said. “They know what to look for. They have a sense when something is askew, based not only on their training and experience, but based on their innate knowledge of the language and the people.”
This gives Iraqi security forces an edge over U.S. and coalition troops, Caldwell said. “Iraqi army and police personnel understand the hierarchy of Iraqi family relations, the interaction with neighbors, male versus female attitudes, and all the likeliest places that perhaps one would stash weapons or something else that is illegal,” he said.
Iraqis recognize that military power alone isn’t enough to restore security in Baghdad and have the will to see the effort through, Caldwell said.
“The military forces, the Iraqi security forces, the coalition support can help set the stage for peace to occur, but they cannot achieve peace,” he said. “It’s going to take all the other factors. It’s going to take the economics; it’s going to take the governance; and, most importantly, it’s going to take the will of the Iraqi people to make this both work and sustain itself.
“But they’ve absolutely got the commitment,” he added.
Caldwell quoted colleagues in the Iraqi Ministry of Defense who have said it serves little purpose to ask when a particular phase of Operation Together Forward began, what phase it’s now in or when it will end. “As they say, ‘Working to counter terrorism is constant,’” he said.
The plan will end when security is achieved, Caldwell said, still quoting Iraqi officials, and when Baghdad residents have restored services, economic opportunities and hope for the future.
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By Maj. David Kurle, USAF - Special to American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2006 – Security forces protect Air Force people and resources worldwide, even when those resources are on the move at more than 300 miles per hour.
The C-130 Hercules cargo plane is the primary means of moving supplies and troops around Afghanistan. Aircrews frequently land at remote, dirt landing strips to support U.S. and coalition forces.
In a combat zone, high-value assets, like aircraft and people, need protection. But these small, out-of-the-way airfields often have little or no security. The 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron has a solution to this security dilemma in the form of the Fly-Away Security Team, or FAST.
"Our job is to protect the aircraft and its crew at all forward operating bases throughout Afghanistan,” said Maj. J. Scott Sanford, the squadron’s commander.
Similar to the “Phoenix Raven” program in the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, which specially trains security forces members for duty aboard cargo aircraft, the teams here enable C-130s to land at airfields throughout the theater, and sometimes countries outside Afghanistan.
When a Hercules lands at a remote strip, the security forces pour out from the back of the plane and take up positions where they can keep an eye on the surrounding landscape.
"We’re here to deny unauthorized people access to the plane,” said Senior Airman Charles Coles, a FAST member deployed here from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Protecting the aircraft on the ground is only part of the job. C-130 crews find themselves transporting non-U.S. troops and civilians, as well as enemy detainees.
“In the air, if there are a lot of foreign nationals or prisoners, we do ‘cockpit denial,’” -- measures taken to prevent hijacking, Coles said.
The teams also provide security for distinguished visitors, military and civilian, who sometimes travel aboard the aircraft.
“You never know what to expect when you get onboard the aircraft,” said Tech. Sgt. Robert Taverna, noncommissioned officer in charge of the FAST missions. “We have had teams go out to secure 130s with mechanical difficulties stuck overnight at forward operating bases, and our teams are out there providing security until parts can be flown to the location.”
The aircrews receive peace of mind knowing that security teams are watching out for them.
“If they’re going to tell me to take (a security team) with us, I’m going to take them with us and be glad we have them,” said Maj. Jim Hornbeck, a C-130 pilot from the Delaware Air National Guard.
The fly-away missions are a welcome change of pace for the security forces airmen.
“I get to leave the base,” said Airman Maurice Grant, part of the FAST program. “After 12-hour shifts every day, I don’t get outside the wire. It’s a change of scenery.”
“I’m really proud of the airmen who do these missions,” Sanford said. “For most security forces, this is not something they have daily experience doing until they get here.”
The major said his FAST airmen have flown more than 90,000 miles in six months, or the equivalent of almost 26 trips between London and New York, to support the airlift mission here.
(Air Force Maj. David Kurle is assigned to 455th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs.)
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By Sgt. Tanasha Stachelclzyk - 4th BCT PAO, 101st Abn. Div.
Aug 13, 2006
FOB LOYALTY, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, completed several beautification and improvements projects in Zafaraniya and the area outside of FOB Loyalty were throughout the month of July.
The projects included five playgrounds, two soccer fields, a soccer park and a sewing co-op.
“I have the best job. I get to interact with local leaders and people in these neighborhoods,” said Capt. Shelia Matthews, civil military operations officer and command emergency response program coordinator, 4th Bn., 320th FA Regt.
“I have seen such an improvement with the Neighborhood Advisory Council members. I participate in weekly meetings with local leaders to discuss long-term and short-term projects. In the beginning we would have to provide the agenda for these meetings, now they already have an agenda waiting,” said Capt. Raymond Johnson, commander, Battery A, 4th Bn., 320th FA Regt.
Together they have cleaned up these areas dramatically but they still need our help, said Johnson.
Johnson’s interaction with the leaders takes place at the weekly meetings, but his battery spends the majority of its time patrolling the neighborhoods and interacting with the local people. When they are out, the Soldiers not only ask security questions but also questions pertaining to the beautification of their neighborhoods.
In these meetings the council members propose projects after the meetings, Johnson said he would go to Matthews, who would decide if we were able to do them.
The difference between the soccer field and soccer park was not only the size but that the soccer park comes with changing rooms and bleachers, said Matthews.
The sewing co-op was the least expensive project, but probably the most beneficial of them all. The items provided for the project included five sewing machines and materials.
One of the Sindabold NAC members, a woman, opened up her home to the women so they could come there and work using the equipment without having to pay. This enabled them to sew, make items and sell them, which provided them an opportunity to earn an income for themselves and their family.
Not only are projects being brought up by battery commanders but also by the Soldiers themselves.
Staff Sgt. Christian Walters, QRF platoon sergeant, Company G, who spends a lot of time in the neighborhood outside of the FOB, said the local residents are very receptive to him and his Soldiers.
“We patrol the area frequently, and they have something like a neighborhood watch set up. They inform us if there has been anything suspicious going on,” said Walters.
The Soldiers and Walters had wanted to do something nice for the children in the neighborhood. They had noticed an area that had been a soccer field but it was not level so every time it rained, it would flood and the children would have to wait weeks before they could play, said Walters.
“We didn’t know how projects worked, so we were going to get together and donate money so we could have one built,” said Walters.
When he approached Matthews, he said she told the Soldiers they didn’t have to pay for anything.
He said he gave her the coordinates to the area, and with that information, the local contractors began the project. Although he would have liked to have been present when the project was completed, he was home on leave.
He said he believes that when he and his Soldiers go through the neighborhood, the children now have a better understanding of why he and his Soldiers are there.
“Many people in this area are just above middle class,” he said. “It looks like prior to the war they were doing okay for themselves, and during the war, you could tell they lost stuff, but they take care of what they have. They are really good about trash and keeping the area clean.”
“I know we are trying to win the hearts and minds of the people, but I think the adults are set in their ways and beliefs. The children are the future,” he added.
4th BCT has spent approximately $2 million on projects since coming to east Baghdad and will continue to help in the building of a new and improved city.
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
ZAFARANIYA, Iraq – Capt. Shelia Matthews, civil military operations officer, 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, cuts the ribbon at the sewing co-op opening in July. (U.S. Army photo courtesy of 4-320th FA Regt., 4th BCT, 101st Abn. Div.)
By - Jim Garamone - American Forces Press Service, Headquarters Marine Corps
BAGHDAD (Aug. 13, 2006) -- Misdeeds by service members in Iraq, while rare, give the world the wrong impression of what the U.S. military stands for, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a visit here yesterday.
Gen. Peter Pace said the incidents, which include the alleged murder of Iraqi civilians in Haditha and the alleged rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and her family south of Baghdad, reflect badly on all American service members and represent only a tiny proportion of the Americans who have served in Iraq.
"It's not who we are as a nation; it's not who we are as an armed force," Pace said. He said that when the allegations surfaced, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Michael Hagee visited thousands of deployed Marines to reinforce just how Marines are supposed to act.
"We've had between 1 million and 1.5 million Americans deploy to the Gulf," Pace said. "A small fraction of them have done things that we know for sure were wrong." He called such acts and those who commit them "unacceptable."
"And we will deal with that," the chairman promised.
Pace said that with the exception of the Haditha incident, all the others were reported via the chain of command. He said this proves the system works.
Pace visited with U.S. military leaders in Baghdad yesterday, including Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr.; Army Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, commander of the effort training Iraqi security forces; and Army Maj. Gen. James Thurman, Multinational Division Baghdad commander. Pace said the generals discussed ongoing operations, trends for the future, U.S. troop levels in Iraq and progress in training the Iraqi security forces to shoulder the responsibility for defending their nation.
Pace acknowledged the sectarian violence in the Iraqi capital has concerned him, but said he is confident that Iraqi and coalition forces can get a handle on it. However, he said, the Iraqis themselves must decide they do not want that type of violence in their country. Only then, he said, can the coalition begin reducing its troop numbers in the country.
"The problem is not so much how much combat power you have in a country, it's more how is the governance going," Pace said. "How are the people doing? What is getting better about their economic situation, what is getting better about their trust for each other? What is getting better about the education system and roads and the like? What gives them hope for a better future? This drives you to the understanding that to have a better future, you need to stop killing one another."
There are problems in Iraq, but there are also signs of hope, he said. "Despite all the violence, there are still between 4,000 and 5,000 tips per month reported by the Iraqi people," Pace said. "The Iraqi army is in the fight - the army is taking casualties three to four times what the coalition is. The population needs to make the fundamental decision that they have had enough."
Easy-access work stands enable mechanics with different skills to work together and speed up the maintenance process for the C-130 aircraft.
An aerial view shows how the work stand is fitted around the C-130s wing and tail area at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The black tubing above brings fresh-air heating and cooling to the work area, reducing ground clutter around the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tom Whitney)
By Bill Orndorff / 309th Maintenance Wing
HILL AIR FORCE BASE Utah, Aug. 14, 2006 – Maintaining an airplane that is roughly the length of two tennis courts and as tall as a three-story building can be difficult without the right equipment.
Mechanics working on the C-130 in the 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group expressed this opinion during a transformational project process improvement meeting, and the result is easy-access work stands that improve access and speed up project completion.
"The work stands enable mechanics with different skills to work together and there's enough space so two or three operations can be done in one area, speeding up the maintenance process," said Cory Coward, C-130 work leader. "There's open access to the aircraft, so the work is easier to do and can be accomplished quicker."
Indeed, the work stands are so large that one worker, upon seeing the prototype, joked that it was big enough to have its own Zip code.
Before the work stands were installed, mechanics were suspended from the ceiling using a harness and cable system, used limited access mobile work stands, or had to wait in line to use a scissor lift.
"No harnesses are needed now, except for the forward fuselage areas, so the mechanics have more freedom of movement," Coward said.
The work stands are custom made to fit the C-130 through a Lean-cellular transformation contract with Standard Aero and prime contractor, Battelle.
The Battelle Standard Aero team designed the two aircraft cell, working with the 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group transformation team members selected from areas involved with the work including maintenance, supply and fuels.
"It provides a solid work surface that is exclusive to the C-130. It wasn't a one-size-fits-all stand," said Russell Versemann, C-130 shop mechanic and alternate to the foreman. "The stand is specifically angled the same as C-130 wings."
Work stand use has also helped clean up the work areas and provide better tool control. Tool boxes and parts can now be brought closer to the aircraft and the floor space below the aircraft is less cluttered.
The stands are equipped with integrated fire suppression, lighting, electricity and compressed air utilities for tools. Three elevators provide a lift for larger tools and equipment.
Mechanics working on the upper level also have an added comfort – a fresh-air heating and cooling system, supplied from an elevated system located away from the aircraft with two large flexible tubes extending down from ceiling mounted duct work.
The old method required positioning a large portable air conditioning system adjacent to the aircraft and draping hoses from ground level up to the wings.
The new system reduces setup time and eliminates ground clutter around the aircraft.
"The heating and cooling system is especially helpful for those working with fuels," Versemann said. "It was a good team effort from management down to the workers on the floor – we've worked out the bugs and talked things through so they could be fixed quickly."
"It was a hard sell for those who had done the work on a lift since the beginning, but once they adapted to the stands, it has gained steam," he noted. "It adds miles to the workers' attitudes when they can do their job in a clean environment with everything in its place."
The area has two work stands comprising a single work cell on the north end of Bldg. 225, and an additional cell with two aircraft work stands is planned for the south end.
The work stands are made from steel and aluminum and with the wing sections on wheels that can be locked in place.
"The rear potion of the stand, for the tail section, is steel and is floor mounted," said Tom Whitney, 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group industrial engineer. "The forward areas for the wings, made from aluminum, are repositionable."
"The stands are designed to leave the aircraft's wings and horizontal stab on the stands instead of lowering them to the floor as before," he explained. "A dedicated crane in the work area services the two aircraft cell."
Aircraft stay on the stands for about three months before being sent for flight test and other external work. Total program depot maintenance for the C-130 takes about 140 days.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2006 – Iraqi army and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers set a cordon around an Iraqi Ministry of Health complex at about 2:30 a.m. yesterday to search for kidnapped Iraqi citizens.
Coalition forces had received a tip about two hours earlier that 15 criminals wearing Iraqi army uniforms kidnapped six Iraqi citizens from a local hospital and took the kidnapped victims to the Ministry of Health.
Iraqi soldiers from 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and a coalition forces military transition team, accompanied by the Iraqi citizen who called in the tip, cordoned off the ministry to search for the victims. No kidnap victims were found, but five people were detained for further questioning based on their positive identification by the tipster. Iraqi security forces are continuing the investigation, U.S. officials said.
In other news, Iraqi security forces supported by Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers continued their combined effort yesterday in western Baghdad’s Shula and Ameriyah neighborhoods in support of Operation Together Forward.
Soldiers of the 1st and 5th Brigades of the 6th Iraqi Army Division, and policemen from 5th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division, led the combined operations on simultaneous objectives. U.S. soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team supported them.
The combined operations aim to reduce murders, kidnappings, assassinations, terrorism and sectarian violence in northwestern Baghdad and to reinforce the Iraqi government’s control in the city. Iraqi soldiers and U.S. soldiers from 2nd BCT yesterday began to search about 4,000 homes and businesses in the Ameriyah neighborhood as part of the operation.
“Security in Baghdad is the top priority for everyone working in Operation Together Forward. We continue to work very closely with Iraqi security forces in a major effort to clear this area of terrorists and death squads,” U.S. Army Col. Robert Scurlock, commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, said. “Iraqi security forces and coalition forces are working side by side every day to increase security in Baghdad and help the Iraqi people return to a more normal domestic life.”
Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers from 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team began a simultaneous operation to search homes and businesses in the Shula neighborhood.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
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By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2006 – The ongoing effort to secure Baghdad is an evolution, and solutions must be long-term, the spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq told reporters in Baghdad today.
“Abating the extremists in the capital will neither be easy nor rapid,” Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said of progress in Operation Together Forward. “Challenges will ensue, but efforts will march forward block by block.”
A variety of activities are occurring in Baghdad, with Iraqi and coalition forces working together to help quell violence and build stability, Caldwell said.
Caldwell cited some of the statistics that reflect Operation Together Forward’s impact: 3,000 buildings cleared, more than 20 suspects detained, more than 50 weapons and eight cars seized and more than 330 weapons registered.
But the most significant developments are less easily measured. “What really matters is the number of businesses that reopened and will remain open, the refurbished stalls … in the marketplace there,” he said. “The drainage has improved. The rubbish is removed. And of course, like we’d all like to see, the number of children that you can see during their summer break out riding their bikes and playing in the streets.”
Caldwell said U.S. soldiers he met with over the weekend in the Dura district say they’re impressed by the caliber of their Iraqi counterparts. “I was immediately informed Iraqis are inherently better at search operations than coalition forces,” he said. “They know what to look for. They have a sense when something is askew, based not only on their training and experience, but based on their innate knowledge of the language and the people.”
This gives Iraqi security forces an edge over U.S. and coalition troops, Caldwell said. “Iraqi army and police personnel understand the hierarchy of Iraqi family relations, the interaction with neighbors, male versus female attitudes, and all the likeliest places that perhaps one would stash weapons or something else that is illegal,” he said.
Iraqis recognize that military power alone isn’t enough to restore security in Baghdad and have the will to see the effort through, Caldwell said.
“The military forces, the Iraqi security forces, the coalition support can help set the stage for peace to occur, but they cannot achieve peace,” he said. “It’s going to take all the other factors. It’s going to take the economics; it’s going to take the governance; and, most importantly, it’s going to take the will of the Iraqi people to make this both work and sustain itself.
“But they’ve absolutely got the commitment,” he added.
Caldwell quoted colleagues in the Iraqi Ministry of Defense who have said it serves little purpose to ask when a particular phase of Operation Together Forward began, what phase it’s now in or when it will end. “As they say, ‘Working to counter terrorism is constant,’” he said.
The plan will end when security is achieved, Caldwell said, still quoting Iraqi officials, and when Baghdad residents have restored services, economic opportunities and hope for the future.
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Not much said about the general. Isn't he the one who went unarmed to speak to the terrorists in Fallujah and they answered by decapitating and dismemboring him?
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