Families Return to Chalabi Village

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU — Approximately 120 men of the Chalabi tribe returned to their homes recently in the Sayafiyah region, about 25 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, more than a year after being driven out by al-Qaeda in Iraq extremists.

Escorted by Sons of Iraq leader Jumah al-Kazarji and Soldiers of 1st Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), a large convoy of cars and trucks ushered the Chalabi men back to their abandoned village. Their reclamation of homes signaled the hopeful beginning of a new era of peace and security.

The Chalabi village, located approximately 5 kilometers west of Sayafiyah and the Tigris River, used to contain a population of more than 2000. Being a Shia tribe in a Sunni-dominated area, the Chalabis of the Sayafiyah region were a prime target for AQI and other Sunni insurgents.

Driven out of their homes approximately 18 months ago by AQI, the Chalabis were forced to leave behind farms, animals, equipment and all their seed and fertilizer stored for the coming planting seasons.

The village became a ghost town. Uninhabited, homes fell into disrepair and irrigation ditches dried up as security concerns prevented the Chalabis from reclaiming their land.

Now, as the Sayafiyah region returns to peace and stability, the Chalabis are making the first steps toward rebuilding their lives. Those men who have returned from exile are ready to repair their homes and farms. In the coming weeks they will return their families back to the area.

While security is a vital first step, there is still a long road ahead before they can return to their customary way of life. Essential services such as water and electricity must be restored, along with costly repairs to existing buildings and property. However, for the first time in years there is hope among the Chalabis as they return to resume life in a stable environment.

If we had a war of ideas going on, we'd trumpet how Muslim Jihadists attacked the Muslim Chalabi tribe and drove them from their homes. We'd constantly pound the fact that the Jihadis main target are Muslims, Muslims in Iraq, Muslims in Afghanistan, Muslims in Somalia, Muslims in Sudan, Muslims in Algeria, Muslims in Morocco and Muslims everywhere.

The most anti-Jihadist Muslims are found, where Muslims have had the closest encounter with the al Qaeda types. We ought to support these victims of the Jihadis in getting their message out, their experience, especially to Muslims in the West. The Muslims in the West seem to be the most susceptible to the Jihadi romance. We ought to be making the case that good Muslims can't be Jihadists. They're anti-Muslim, anti-civilization that they are simply criminals and barbarians.

Why aren't we seeing Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki on tv everywhere talking about taking on the criminals of the Mookie al Sadr in Basra and in Baghdad and how the Iraqi citizens are grateful to be out from under the criminal "Jihadi" gangs?

The Bush Administration was never good with communication, but it appears they gave up on it completely after the '04 election. They've had zero presence since then. Today, the Bushies seem to be trying to re-create Bill Clinton's last year and last delusion. They seem to be putting all their energy in getting a "Palestine Peace Deal". Insane. Bushies are becoming so insane in the War on Terror that they're banning the word Jihad. For Bushies or the Federal Government hijacked by the liberals with the latent approval of Bush are to the point that they can't name our enemies. More insanity.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.