Commanders Visit Kurdish President

Multi-National Force - Iraq ^ | Spc. Daniel Nelson, USA

[SandRat]

Brig. Gen. Robert Brown (right), deputy commanding general (support), Multi-National Division - North, and Lt. Col. Stephen Myers, deputy commanding officer, Command Post - North, lay a wreath on the wall that surrounds the grave site of Mustafa Barzani, the most prominent political leader in Kurdish history, during their visit to Barzan, Iraq, April 20. Photo by Spc. Daniel Nelson, 145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

MOSUL — When most people think of Iraq they probably don't think of lush, green valleys, twisting ravines, rushing rivers and snow covered mountaintops. Usually, people think of miles and miles of empty desert, with no water in sight.

For Brig. Gen. Robert Brown, deputy commanding general (support), Multi-National Division - North, and Task Force Lightning Soldiers, the greener landscape was the reality during their recent trip to Barzan.

Brown met with the president of the Kurdish regional government (KRG), Massoud Barzani, to discuss the current relationship between the new government of Ninewa province, the government of Iraq, and the KRG.

Barzani had a traditional Kurdish lunch prepared for Brown and the Soldiers.  As customs here dictate, the men enjoyed the food, a cup of tea and friendly conversation before getting into the purpose of the meeting.

Brown also visited the local cemetery to pay respect to Barzani's father, who is buried here, and the approximately 500 Kurdish men and boys who were killed during the early years of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Prior to leaving for the cemetery and grave site, Brown was given a copy of the book "Mustafa Barzani," which was signed and written by President Barzani himself.

The group was first taken to the cemetery where they were told of how the families of the people buried there weren't sure of which grave was that of their loved ones because they had been killed so long ago. Identification wasn't possible for every person when they unearthed the mass grave site in the desert near Bussia.

"The families who visit believe that their relatives are buried in the cemetery," said Maj. Michael Corley, the engagements officer for CP-North. "It gives them some kind of closure with knowing that their loved ones are somewhere in the cemetery."

Following their time at the cemetery, Brown and the other Soldiers were taken to the grave site of Mustafa Barzani, who is considered the most prominent political figure in Kurdish history. Mustafa died in 1979 while in Washington D.C. and was buried in the Kurdish region of Iran. It wasn't until 1993 that his remains were brought across the border into Iraq and reburied in Barzan.

Brown, along with Lt. Col. Stephen Myers, deputy commanding officer for CP-North, laid a wreath along the wall that surrounds Mustafa's grave. Before leaving the area, Brown took time to write a message in a book that is left for visitors to sign.

(By Spc. Daniel Nelson, 145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

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