Posted on 02/03/2010 3:43:38 PM PST by SandRat
SALAH AD DIN – Shi'a Muslims here will soon begin their pilgrimage to religious shrines in observance of Arba'een. Meaning “40” in Arabic, Arba'een is the 40th day after Ashura, or the death and martyrdom of Iman Husain ibn Ali, the 3rd Imam and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. The religious observance is known to some as the Muharram ritual and has many variations around the world. During this time, observers make their pilgrimage to the Husyan and Abbas shrines in Karbala, Iraq, by traveling on roadways that, in the past, have had threats imposed on them from improvised explosive devices.
In an effort to make their passage safer, U.S. forces partnered with the Iraqi Army to engage local residents and clear the streets of potential hazards, Feb. 2.
While Soldiers from the 37th Engineer Battalion - Joint Task Force Eagle, based out of Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 1-28 Infantry Battalion, based out of Fort Riley, Kan., worked closely with the 17th IA Brigade operations and intelligence officer, Maj. Hayder, on clearing the shoulder of Highway 1 in the Salah ad Din province, they let the locals know what they were doing and why.
According to 1st. Lt. Curtis Fields, the Battle Company 1st platoon leader and a Junction City, Kan., native, the purpose of the patrol was to support the primary mission of the 17th IA Bde., which is securing the safety of the highway.
"A joint patrol not only allows us the ability to assist them with the engineer assets, but it also serves as a public message to anyone who drives by and sees us working together,” he said. “We hope that this shows people who travel along this highway on a daily basis that the 4th IA Div. is dedicated to keeping the public safe."
Joint operations between U.S. and Iraqi forces are the norm here now; a true testament to the development of security and capacity in this once war-torn country.
Alpha Co., 37th Eng. Bn. - JTF Eagle supports missions such as this with Battle Co., 1-28 IBCT, along with civil development projects like the Salah ad Din Canal Campaign, with the 4th IA Field Engineer Regiment.
"As engineers, we have the internal ability to identify and reduce hazards imposed onto civilians,” said Capt. Jim Wade, the A Co. commander and a Nashville, Tenn., native, “which in turn supports our partnership as we play a supporting role to the Iraqi Army's mission by enabling their success with our capabilities."
During the patrol, Fields and Hayder walked along the shoulder of the road as cars passed by honking their horns as people waved hello. With their mine detectors, searching for any metal objects that could potentially pose a threat, the engineers moved ahead of Fields' platoon of infantrymen. In the mix of the patrol was Fritz, a German Sheppard military search dog, and his handler, a team trained in finding threats that would otherwise be left unseen by Soldiers.
Before reaching their end point, Fields and Hayder met farmers tending to their crops, digging irrigation ditches. The eldest man distinguished himself as a shaykh, and Hayder introduced himself and discussed local activity and the upcoming pilgrimage.
Hayder believes the success of missions like this can be attributed to the teamwork between his Soldiers and B Co., 1-28 Inf. Bn.
"The partnership is a really great opportunity," he said. "While we support many missions in Iraq, one relationship we hope to continue to build is the partnership with U.S. forces."
A largely Western Christian army has to make sure it’s safe for a bunch of Arab Muslims to have a’’ pilgrimage’’ so that other Muslims don’t blow them up. And they call it the “Religion of Peace’’. Amazing.
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