Iraq's Prime Minister Visits Diyala for First Time

Cross-posted at Rosemary's Thoughts.

27 July 07
By Multi-National Division-North Public Affairs Office.

BAQUBAH, Iraq - Iraq’s prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, met with the governor of Diyala, provincial leadership, key tribal leaders, Diyala’s Iraqi security force leadership and senior coalition officers during a meeting at the Baqubah Government Center, July 26.

“The prime minister’s visit is vital, not only for the government and security officials, but for the people of Diyala to see that their effort in achieving peace and fighting against terrorist groups does not go unnoticed,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of coalition forces in Diyala province.

The visit, which focused on current operations in the province as well as provincial-level government issues, was Maliki’s first trip to Diyala province since taking office.

“This is a great day for Diyala province because the prime minister is among us,” said Ra’ad Hameed Al-Mula Jowad Al-Tamimi, governor of Diyala.

“We are here to thank all the excellent efforts by you (the government and security officials), and we also came to thank the people of Diyala,” Maliki said in his opening remarks. “We can say that the suffering of Diyala people is ending, and we in the central government appreciate all your efforts.”

During the meeting, Maliki addressed the peoples’ ability to rise above terrorism, assuring those present that the central government will continue to work closely with the provincial government and is committed to the people of Diyala.

“This province suffered a lot from the outlaws,” Maliki said. “They wanted it to be a huge graveyard, but we wanted something else for Diyala – and we succeeded when the Iraqi army, Iraqi police, tribes and all other people found out what the terrorists are really made of. “We are fighting against the terrorists and we will prevail,” Maliki added, before discussing the importance of tribal reconciliation.

“Iraq is not only for some people, it’s for everyone,” Maliki said. “We cannot ignore our nation and we have to be united in our efforts to build Iraq.”

“The tribes have to support the government in its war against the terrorists – they play a big role,” the governor added.

“Iraq, with all its (rich resources) and people, can eliminate all kind of threats,” Maliki continued. “We will all work together for the prosperity of this country and we will not let anyone interfere with our affairs or with the political process.”

“The ultimate success of Diyala lies in the hands of the people,” Sutherland said. “Today’s meeting continued to prove that the governments, both central and provincial, care greatly for the peoples’ safety, security and well-being. “The will of the government drives the hope of the people,” Sutherland continued, “and I hope today’s visit, along with recent operations throughout Diyala, continue to restore that hope – a hope that the terrorists tried to destroy, but couldn’t.”

Photo - Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, left, walks with Staff Maj. Gen. Abdul Kareem, commander of Iraqi security forces in Diyala province, after arriving at the Baqubah Government Center for his first visit to the province since taking office, July 26, 2007. Photo by Sgt. Serena Hayden.

Italian police to train Iraqi National Police

20 Jul 07
Spc. Emily Greene
Combined Press Information Center.

BAGHDAD — Italian Army Maj. Gen. Alessandro Pompegnani, Deputy Commander of NATO Training Mission-Iraq spoke about his country’s efforts to help train the Iraqi National Police at a press conference at the Combined Press Information Center Thursday.

Since 1814 the Arma dei Carabinieri (Force of Carabinieri) has ensured the rights of the Italian people, both at home and abroad. The Carabinieri are Italian military police whose mission is to control the crime and to serve the community through respect for the Law.

Now the Carabinieri will share their training techniques with the Iraqi National Police as part of the efforts of the NATO Training Mission in Iraq.

“The Gendarmeria-type training provided by the Carabinieri will help establish the Iraqi National Police as a professional military police force, filling the gap between the police and the armed forces,” said Pompegnani.

This will not be the first time the Carabinieri have worked with the Iraqi National Police. In 2005 they helped train a specialized police unit at the regional police level in Nasiriyah.

“The training will build on the very effective basic training that the Civilian Police Assistance Training Team (CPATT) already provides for the national police since 2004,” said Pompegnani. “It is not intended to replace that training in any way, it is a specialization that builds upon the basis that CPATT has laid and continues to provide for the national police.”

Pompegnani said the Carabinieri have a two-year plan to train Iraqi National Police leadership. Eight battalions of national police will train at Camp Dublin, close to the Baghdad International Airport. Each course will last three months and will initially be staffed by about 40 Carabinieri in training and support roles, he said.

The training will focus primarily on counterinsurgency methods and forensic investigation to help the Iraqi Police fight the terrorism they are faced with daily said Pompegnani.

“The national police can connect with the public in a way that armed forces cannot and the NATO Training Mission in Iraq considers that the training the Carabinieri provides will help build the Iraqi people’s trust in the national police,” Pompegnani said.

Currently there is an advance planning team in Baghdad which is working with the Iraqi National Police authorities to adapt the European Gendarmerie training model to the needs of the Iraqis, said Pompegnani.

“The NATO Training Mission in Iraq has had success in helping build up leadership training for the Iraqi Armed Forces and is committed to support the Iraqi National Police training to its fulfillment,” Pompegnani said.

Photo - Italian Army Maj. Gen. Alessandro Pompegnani, Deputy Commander of NATO Training Mission-Iraq speaks about the Carabinieri training to be provided to the Iraqi National Police at the Combined Press Information Center. Photo by Sgt. Sky Laron.

New Iraqi Police Station Opens in Wahida

19 July 07
By Sgt. Natalie Rostek
3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Public Affairs.

COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY, Iraq — The Wahida City Council opened a new police station in Wahida July 17 in the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment’s area of operation.

When Lt. Col. Jack Marr, 1-15 Infantry commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Kuhn, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team’s deputy commanding officer, and Capt. Ravindra Wagh, commander of Company E, 1st Battalion, 125 Infantry Regiment, arrived at the new police station, they were greeted by a mob of excited Iraqi policemen and local leaders.

The visit began with a tour of the new facility followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony signifying the end of the project and the opening of a brand new Iraqi police station.

On paper, the project began in October 2006 with a request for a new Iraqi police station. According to Wagh, who headed the project from start to finish, the Iraqi Police of Wahida received the title to an empty lot and the appropriate funds to get the project under way. Wagh said the former Wahida police station, which was co-located with a mosque, did not have the resources fit for a unit whose main mission is providing security to Wahida.

“The old police station was right down the road from the new one,” Wagh said. “It had three rooms and the front of the building was a mosque. It wasn’t fit for jurisdiction in Wahida.”

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, members of the Wahida police, along with leaders of the community and Coalition Forces, sat down for a conference to discuss the new station. “It is very nice to have the new police station here (in Wahida,)” Jawad Khadum, chairman of the Wahida city council said through a translator. “I would like for you to all be equal, to work as one, to serve the community and enforce the law.” He then saluted the policemen for a job well done on the project.

Lt. Col. Kareem, the station commander, also spoke at the conference. He thanked the Coalition Forces for their efforts on the project. He also reminded his policemen that they have a brand new station and encouraged them to maintain the station as it stands today.

According to Wagh, the project is a symbol the citizens of Wahida can see that proves the government is capable of listening to the requests of the community and spending the $3.5 million it took to fund the project on the community. “This government has a commitment to security,” he said. “Many people believed the government was getting all this money and they would never see it. "This project proves the government is spending the money on their communities.”

Wagh, who has been in Iraq since August 2006, said he was privileged to be able to see the new Iraqi police station project from start to finish. “The problem with many of these projects is that one unit is there for the beginning and then has to leave so another unit gets to the final outcome,” he said. “I am glad I was able to see the conception on paper all the way up to the building we see today.”

Although the new police station doesn’t necessarily increase the capability or the capacity of the Iraqi police, Marr believes it does a lot for the morale of the policemen. He said it also shows the Wahida citizens that progress is being made and normalcy is being restored.

“This project gives the good people of Wahida confidence in their police,” Marr said. “The project was Iraqi driven, which means we are coming along the way we have always wanted. We want to help the Iraqi people help themselves. The best solutions are the Iraqi solutions.”

Photo - Army Brig. Gen. Allawi, deputy district commander, cuts the ribbon with Army Lt. Col. Jack Marr at a ceremony July 17 to open the new Wahida police station in Wahida, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Natalie Rostek.

Yusufiyah-area Men Flock to IP Recruitment Drive

27 Jun 07
Courtesy Story.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Over 1,200 Iraqi men came to Joint Security Station in Yusufiyah during a three-day police recruitment drive that ended June 25.

The drive, orchestrated by the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from Fort Drum, N.Y., the 23rd Military Police Company, 503rd MP Battalion, 16th MP Brigade, from Fort Bragg, N.C., and the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, began June 23 to increase Iraqi police manning in the 4-31 “Polar Bears’” area of operations.

The goal was to find 200 qualified Iraqi police officers. When the drive began at 8 a.m., there were almost 200 men waiting in line to apply.

Gen. David Petraeus, the Multi-National Force-Iraq commander, visited the recruitment efforts the first day and spoke to several potential recruits and encouraged them to serve their country.

Five hundred seventy-seven applicants were processed the first day. Another 150 were waiting in line the second day and by mid-afternoon 361 had filled out applications and spoken with the troops.

Officials accepted 252 applications on June 25.

The surplus applications – including one from a local woman - will be kept and as the JSS expands, those individuals will be the first called for new hires.

Applicants represented all major Sunni and Shia tribes in the area with the majority coming from Yusufiyah and Mulla Fayad. Also represented was Carguoli Village, a longtime hotbed of terrorist activity, which has recently begun making strides toward peace.

Each applicant completed a basic literacy test. Other requirements included being between the ages of 20 and 35, not being part of the Iraqi army, having no ties to extremist groups, and a willingness to move at the government’s need. Applicants must be Iraqi citizens. The recruits’ records will be checked by the Ministry of the Interior to prevent terrorist groups from infiltrating into the IP forces.

Photo - Capt. Brent Dittenber, commander, Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), from Fort Drum, N.Y., checks the names of applicants for the Iraqi police force with Iraqi army staff officers. The recruitment drive was June 23-25. Photo courtesy of Joint Combat Camera Center.

First LAR always on watch, even in enemy’s nightmares

11 Jun 07
By Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser
2nd Marine Division.

RAWAH, Iraq - There is an old saying, ‘All that is needed for evil to win, is for good men to stand by and do nothing.’ Marines like Lance Cpl. Marco N. Garces and Cpl. Diego A. Romero, like the rest of their battalion, refuse to stand by and do nothing.

Garces and Romero, scouts with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, were part of a patrol early on the morning of May 27, 2007, in the city of Rawah, Iraq, which overlooks the Euphrates River.

“Our patrols maintain our presence, especially at night,” said Garces, a native of Corpus Christie, Texas. “It lets the citizens know that we don’t slack off, and we are still out there doing our job, protecting them.”

A half moon shined down on the empty streets as the patrol made its way out of the company’s headquarters. Their footsteps echoed in the silence as each man used his flashlight to peer into dark corners and down empty alleyways.

“It would be so easy for the enemy to plant IEDs (improvised explosive devices) if we didn’t patrol at night. There would be a lot more mischief, and it would give the enemy a great chance to smuggle things into the city,” said Garces.

The Marines said the night patrols are essential to maintaining the city’s safety, and preventing injuries and even death.

“Night-time is the only time when we can’t visibly see the entire city, so it is important we make sure to eliminate any blind spots by sending out patrols to canvass the area, no matter what time it is,” said Romero, a native of San Antonio.

Romero said he would hate to see the devastation that would await the company if they didn’t send out patrols one evening.

“It would suck for whoever had the first patrol the next morning,” said Romero. “There would be casualties and a lot of dead Marines. Not just us either, the locals would get torn apart. The bad guys don’t care who they hurt, and the civilians rely on us to make sure stuff like that doesn’t happen.”

The duo said the patrols also have an affect on their brother Marines.

“It gives a peace of mind. We know we always have guys out there, so we are safe. As long as someone is always watching, there is a much lower chance of anyone getting hurt,” Romero said.

“I don’t know if anyone would sleep if we didn’t go out at night. Nobody can plant an ambush or an attack if you’re always there, always watching,” Garces said.

The patrols aren’t just the Marines’ responsibility; they also get the local Iraqi Police, or IPs, involved in the nocturnal activities.

“It’s a relief that we take the IPs with us,” said Garces. “It’s good for the locals to see their own guys watching out for them. It has to make them feel better to know that we aren’t the only ones keeping them safe, their own brothers and countrymen are looking after them too.”

The Marines said the night duty just comes natural, and they couldn’t imagine going any length of time without someone in the city, ‘watching their backs.’

“Evil never sleeps, the enemy never sleeps, why should we? I hope he does sleep though and dreams about us, standing outside his door, listening to him breathe. We are always out there, and he knows it. We’re even in his nightmares,” Romero said.

Photo - Lance Cpl. Steven R. Greene, a scout with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, uses his flashlight to peer into a dark corner while on a night patrol. The Marines say they patrol at night in order to maintain a constant presence throughout the city.

Army's Newest Modular Combat Team Makes Mark in Iraq

May 31, 2007
BY Fred. W Baker III
Armed Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - In its first deployment to Iraq, one of the Army's newest modular light infantry brigade combat teams is making its mark under the president's troop plus-up plan, the brigade's top officer said in a May 25 briefing to Pentagon reporters.

The 1st Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team from Fort Riley, Kan., is deployed as part of the troop plus-up to the east and west Rashid security districts in the Multinational Division Baghdad area. It is partnered with the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade from Fort Lewis, Wash., and three Iraqi security force brigades. Together, the troops are clearing an area about 58 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco, home to about 700,000 Iraqis.

In the past three weeks, under Operation Dragon Fire, the troops have cleared 45 neighborhoods, detained 94 terrorist suspects, freed two kidnapped citizens and captured 397 explosive munitions, 245 weapons systems, 150 IEDs and enough components to make 3,000 more IEDs, said Col. Ricky Gibbs, commander of the BCT and Task Force Dragon.

They've also destroyed two torture houses and a terrorist safe haven, Col. Gibbs said. It has not come without loss to the units, though. Seven U.S. Soldiers have been killed in the plus-up to clear the area. Initially, attacks were high against the troops as they moved in and secured the area. Now, direct attacks are down, but the use of IEDs against the troops has increased, Col. Gibbs said.

The troops man five joint security stations and 20 coalition outposts in the area. They live at the outposts until rotating back to the forward operating base. Col. Gibbs said living in the communities allows the troops to gain the trust of the Iraqi people. This reaps big dividends in the fight, he said. "The tips that are coming in from the people are astronomical, and that's allowing us to find these terrorists, or the Takfir, as the locals call them, and take them off the street," Col. Gibbs said.

The joint security stations are similar to local police stations and are located in the neighborhoods. There has been a decrease in violence, he said, primarily because of the nearly doubled troop presence. Col. Gibbs said his troops are working side by side with an Iraqi army brigade and two police brigades. He said they co-plan, rehearse and share intelligence, and in some cases the Iraqi forces lead the operations.

Even so, Col. Gibbs said, the Iraqi police forces have yet to earn the full confidence of the people there to the level that the Iraqi army has. Col. Gibbs said one of his biggest concerns was the ability of the Iraqi police force to hire enough to fill its ranks. The task force also is working to restore essential services in the area. Priorities have been to restore sanitation services and electrical power, with 127 active projects throughout the districts and another 62 projects planned.

Photo - Spc. A.J. Jackson looks for snipers during a cordon and search in Baghdad on May 16. Spc. Jackson is assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Photo by Sgt. Tierney P. Nowland.

Iraqis taking the lead at Al Suleikh

Friday, 25 May 2007
By Sgt. Mike Pryor
2nd BCT, 82nd Abn. Div. Public Affairs.

BAGHDAD - Capt. James Peay was starting to feel like a third wheel.

Peay, a battery commander with the 82nd Airborne Division from Nashville, Tenn., was accompanying Iraqi police chief Lt. Col. Ahmed Abdullah on a combined engagement patrol through the east Baghdad neighborhood of Suleikh.

Whenever they stopped to speak with people on the street, Ahmed did most of the talking. Peay stood off to the side, listening as his interpreter translated. His comments were mostly limited to hellos, goodbyes, and thank-yous.

This was Ahmed’s show, and Peay was more than happy to give him the spotlight. It’s not that he is shy, Peay said later, it’s that, ultimately, stability in Iraq depends on the Iraqi security forces – and people like Lt. Col. Ahmed - taking the lead.

Successfully negotiating that difficult transition has become one of the major focuses of the entire war effort, especially since the kick-off of the new security plan for Baghdad, which has placed thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi forces in Baghdad communities, often living together in the same compounds.

Peay commands one of those new shared bases – the Suleikh Joint Security Station. For more than three months, paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division have been living and working side-by-side with the Iraqi police and Iraqi army at the JSS to coordinate security efforts in Suleikh.

The paratroopers from Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, man the JSS 24 hours a day.

They have a cramped section of the building to themselves, stacked high with boxes of canned food, water and other supplies. The police stay on the other side of the same building, and the Iraqi soldiers stay in another part of the complex. At least once a day, liaisons from the three units meet in the conference room to discuss operations.

When the JSS was first established, the area was so dangerous that the police rarely left the station. Some days, they went out only to pick up one of the dead bodies regularly dumped in the neighborhood.

Three months later, things changed. The U.S. presence helped bring the level of violence down significantly. At the same time, it emboldened the ISF to raise their profile in the area – particularly the police.

“They know we’re here to support them, but at the same time, they’re getting to a point where they know security as a whole is in their hands,” said 2nd Lt. Jesse Bowman, an Alpha Battery platoon leader from Reynoldsburg, Ohio.

The difficult part, now, will be to maintain the security while the U.S. forces step back and the ISF step up.

Peay’s patrol with Ahmed, May 18, his first as the new battery commander, gave an encouraging glimpse of the future.

Before the patrol started, platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Michael Nichols, of Lewisburgh, W.V., went over tactics and procedures with the Iraqis. When he was satisfied everyone was on the same page, the patrol moved out.

With a phalanx of police and paratroopers around them, Peay and Ahmed spent several hours walking a loop of the neighborhood around the JSS. They talked to people in their houses, outside washing their cars, on their way to work or anywhere else they found them. Almost everyone complained about sewage or electricity, which, in the big scheme of things, Peay found promising.
“If they’re complaining about the power, security must be pretty good,” he said.

Sometimes people came right out of their gates to talk with Ahmed in the middle of the street, an act that newly-arrived platoon leader, 1st Lt. Larry Rubal, from Old Forge, Pa., found incredible. At his old unit, people were afraid to be seen talking to U.S. or Iraqi security forces.“I was very surprised by how willing people here were to come out and talk to us in the middle of the road,” he said. “They were just very open.”

Peay rarely had to ask a question. Ahmed was running the show. At one point Rubal asked his interpreter to make sure a man they were talking to received a pamphlet with the number of a crime tip line. The man produced one from his pocket. Ahmed had already given it to him.“You’re too quick,” Rubal said to Ahmed, laughing. Ahmed shrugged.“He really took the lead and got out there,” Peay said afterwards.

Peay said he’d like to build on the day’s success by conducting more joint patrols and joint operations. And whenever possible, he’ll continue to keep the U.S. in the background.
“I’d rather our guys just stand outside and have (the ISF) do everything,” he said.
In the meantime, Peay has another patrol scheduled with Lt. Col. Ahmed. And as the ISF continue to make gains in securing the streets of Baghdad, it looks like Peay will have to get used to being the third wheel.

Photo - 1st Lt. Larry Rubal (kneeling), platoon leader with Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, watches as Lt. Col. Ahmed Abdullah, the local police commander, asks an Iraqi woman some questions during a joint patrol. Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Mike Pryor.

Muthanna PRT under Iraqi control

14 May 2007
By Sgt. Chris Keller
U.S. Centcom Public Affairs.

ALI AIR BASE, Iraq - For the citizens in Muthanna Province, living in a secure province that has a government supporting them and their basic needs is all they’ve ever wanted.

Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC) of Muthanna was passed to the Iraqi government in July of 2006 and has been assisted by the Muthanna Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) since September.

Muthanna became the first Iraqi province to take the lead on governing its own province. This step allowed the provincial police and Iraqi Army to be the first responders’ to any crisis in the province. However, the PRT still helps the government in taking further steps to helping its people.

Phillip Egger, Muthanna team leader, has been with his five man crew since February. Egger says he knows that having a focus is essential to being successful in Muthanna.

“Our focus here is on expanding an existing government rather then building something from nothing. The more confidence the Iraqi people have in their government the more secure the province is going to be. If the people know where their money is being spent and know that it is coming from a central government in an effective manner, helps to promote a way forward for a province. The PRT can draw all of these different unrelated activities into a common thread.”

The PRT mission can be divided into two aspects. On one hand you have the “Brick and Mortor” aspect. This involves working with locals to build schools, roads and wells. While on the other hand, each team gathers experts in the fields of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Commerce, Justice and Transportation to assist as liaisons to the local government.

Egger stresses that the PRT is not here to take control of the province, but to assist the people in setting up a governing body that can support its people.

“Our role is to over see a providence that is already governing itself. Their government is carrying out its day to day operations with little to no assistance. Our primary function is to move Muthana forward to enhance its day to day operations,” adds Egger.

Duty Team Leader Wade Weens has served on active duty with the Marines for seven years as a Civil Affairs Officer and brings his Civil Affairs expertise to the team. Wade says the process of rebuilding a country that has been run by a centralized government for centuries is some what of a challenge but it also has its rewards.

“Working in Iraq is full of challenges. It is just a challenge to move in and out of Muthanna to meet with officials. We could do more if we were able to travel more. However, we have made significant strides,” said Weens.

By the middle of June, Muthana province will have published its provincial budget followed by a provincial development strategy. This is a sector by sector plan on where the province plans to go in the next few years and what they need to accomplish to serve the needs of their people over the next three years. Muthanna is the second province in Iraq to accomplish this goal.

That goal, along with capacity development, will allow the government to support its people and their needs

“We encourage the governance to take steps to good governance practice. The essential building blocks for a good governance is the ability to plan, the ability to identify the needs of your citizens and then be able to develop a path from where you are and where you need to go. That is the process that we encourage the provincial governance to take,” adds Weens.

The PRT also encourages the publication of a budget so that all can know the allocation of the provincial money. The province is then rewarded for completing certain steps in the reconstruction process.

“We are something of an investor,” continued Weens. “We ask the government to implement certain basic reforms and publish a budget and the basic fundamental building blocks of governance. We then reward them by funding projects to help them rebuild. We involve Iraqis at every step. It has to be an Iraqi identified need and there should be Iraqi involvement at every step so the Iraqis feel invested in all we do.”

Although the PRT program falls under the Department of State for funding, it relies on the joint efforts of coalition forces to reach its ultimate goal of leaving a province that can support itself and its people, but the concept of working with coalition forces is unique to the Southern edge of Iraq.

“They (Australians) have “over watch” of the territory. They provide us our secure transportation in and out of the province, but more then that, they have been here for several years and they know the leadership of the province. Our coalition partners have worked with the Muthana province for a long time. We rely on them for their expertise advice about the province. We draw on their knowledge and they draw on our knowledge…It is very much a team effort,” said Weens.

As the governance take these steps, they become effective at taking care of their own people and providing for their own needs and that brings them one step closer to governing themselves.

The PRT and its coalition partners will continue their dedicated work to ensure that the people of Muthanna province are able to support and secure themselves for generations to come.

Egger adds that Provincial Iraqi Control is not an end state, but a starting point. It is a point of departure. “Our primary objective is to move Muthanna forward into its future. That is our mission.”

Photo: Australian and American Soldiers have tea with local Iraqis while on mission May 3. Muthanna's PRT conducted a on site visit and assenstment of a bridge project funded by the Australians. The teams’ thirteen approved projects for 2007 total $8.8 million. These projects include infrastructure, essential services and communications projects. Photo by Sgt Chris Keller.

Kirkuk Police Academy takes training to a new level

8 May 2007
By Spc. Amanda Morrissey
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

KIRKUK — It’s the sound that strikes you first. The yelling and chanting, shrieking whistles, the thunder of boots striking the ground. Then there is the visual: hundreds of Iraqis lined up and arranged in groups of blue uniforms. Some stand still, some march, and some perform movements in place at the commands of their instructors. It is in this crucible that men are transformed from civilians into Iraqi police officers.

This is the new life of the cadets at the Kirkuk Police Academy. Just a few weeks ago, these men lived the normal everyday lives of Iraqi citizens. Then they answered the call to serve their country and their people, leaving behind the life they knew for one of training, discipline, sacrifice and honor.

“The training is hard, but it’s also easy because we have a goal to reach,” said Adnan Omar Ahmed, a cadet at the academy. “The majority (of cadets) came here for more than just a job. They came here because a lot of them got hurt by terrorists. They have had a cousin killed, a relative, or a brother. Everybody has a problem with the terrorists and the bad guys.”

With more than 1,000 graduates from the previous four training sessions, and almost 900 cadets in the current session, the Kirkuk Police Academy draws in many whose desire for justice leads them to become police officers.

The Iraqi police basic training experience is similar to that of U.S. soldiers. During the eight-week course, cadets engage in physical training every morning, followed by drill and ceremony and weapons training the rest of the day. All of their instructors are Iraqi police officers.

“We teach them how to use the guns and how to defend themselves and the police station they’re going to work with,” said Capt. Samad Mustafa, a weapons instructor. “It’s not a game, it’s something important. That’s what I’m teaching them.”

It is a demanding schedule that leaves many cadets exhausted by the end of the day. However, they come back every day, ready to learn more of what it takes to be a police officer.

Col. Samir Morshed Khorshid, the chief of the academy, is credited for the high attendance of the academy. Samir took charge of the police academy more than a year ago, and has worked with 25th Infantry Division soldiers on the Police Transition Team (PTT) at nearby Forward Operating Base Warrior. PTT soldiers work as advisers to the Iraqi colonel, helping him improve training at the academy.

“We step behind the Iraqi instructors, let them take charge and do their own thing,” said Staff Sgt. Amaury Garcia, a PTT adviser to Samir. “Basically, we’re there to assist if they need assistance, or mentor them on whatever they need.”

Some improvements implemented by Samir are the additional training programs offered at the academy. Besides basic training for cadets, the academy offers a variety of advanced training courses which are taught by International Police Liaison Officers (IPLO), civilian police officers from the United States.

The academy has graduated about 3,100 officers from its advanced training courses, including criminal investigation, sergeants training program, first aid and computer skills. Currently, more than 100 officers are enrolled in advanced training courses. After attending the Kirkuk Police Academy, those officers will also be able to share their knowledge with fellow officers back at their stations.

“I came to learn the computer, and I’ve learned a lot here,” said Abas Nathim. “There are many guys in my police station, and they will ask me questions about the word (program), the keyboard, and I can teach them what I learned here.”

Samir also wants to start a training course for women who want to become police officers. He is in the planning stage of the operation, but hopes to recruit 100 women so he can start a trial course soon, Garcia said.

Through the combined efforts of Samir, the academy instructors, the PTT soldiers and IPLOs, the next generation of police officers should hit the streets of Kirkuk with better training and a wider range of knowledge to use in the fight to secure their city.

“I can’t speak for the rest of Iraq, but I feel that they’re going to make a big change overall in Kirkuk,” Garcia said. “I believe that Col. Samir is doing a great thing. He’s all about training and doing the right thing. He’s actually taking charge and leading them forward.”

Photo: Iraqi police cadets at the Kirkuk Police Academy practice drill and ceremony techniques during training. The academy, in Kirkuk, Iraq, offers basic physical training to cadets, as well as advanced training in criminal investigation, computer skills, first aid, and more. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Amanda Morrissey.

Iraqi Police Join the Security Mission in Diwaniyah

Multi-National Division, Baghdad
4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

DIWANIYAH, Iraq, April 10, 2007 — Operation Black Eagle moved into a new phase of operations with the Iraqi police joining the Iraqi army and Coalition Forces in security operations here, April 8.

Iraqi police began manning key checkpoints throughout the city, further adding to the security forces already in place.

"The Iraqi police are now out in force helping to enforce the rule of law in Diwaniyah," said Col. Michael Garrett, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

The Iraqi police were not involved in the initial operation for many reasons. They were asked to stay at their stations in order to protect them from the possibility of reprisal attacks from the militias.

"The Iraqi Police lacked the training necessary to conduct this type of operation," said Brig. Gen. Sadiq Jafar Ali, provincial police chief. "Thanks to the help and expertise of the Iraqi army and Coalition Forces, the Iraqi police will now be able to cooperate with them to secure the city."

The Iraqi army was asked by the government of Iraq to rid the town of militia members and other terrorist groups who had waged a campaign of murder and intimidation against the people of Diwaniyah and the security forces charged with protecting them.

Summing up the attacks, Maj. Gen. Oothman Farhood, commander of the 8th Iraqi army Division and leader of the assault against the militia, mentioned hundreds of attacks and dozens of kidnappings and murders in the city.

"We have received more than 700 requests for the help of the Iraqi army from the people of Diwaniyah," he said. "The Iraqi army is here for the people of Iraq and to help the Iraqi police provide security for the citizens of Diwaniyah."

According to Oothman, Operation Black Eagle has achieved tremendous success, but much work remains. From capturing terrorists and their weapons to giving the people of Diwaniyah the hope of returning to their normal lives, the cooperation of the Iraqi army and their counterparts is moving into the next phase of operations.

Fighting continued in the city April 8 as the Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces captured 39 militia members and several larges caches of weapons and explosives.

"We have freed the people of Diwaniyah from murder and intimidation that have plagued the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week for months," Oothman said.

Even with the assurances, concerns remain about the future security of the city once the Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces leave the city. "As with all wars, this is not a one or two-day event," Oothman stated. "We are going to be here until we have returned security and stability to Diwaniyah."

Maj. Gen. Pawel Lamla, commander of the Multi National Division-Central South, also talked about a long and thorough rebuilding and restructuring plan.

"As you can see, we are here together as a coalition of many countries for a common goal," he said. "We are here for the benefit of the city of Diwaniyah and its people."

Lamla also discussed the next phase of Operation Black Eagle, securing the city and repairing damage caused by the fighting.

"The terrorists and militias seek to destroy the city. We want to destroy the militias and rebuild and repair the damages that have occurred," Lamla said. He also talked of the link between the new Baghdad security plan and the on-going operations in Diwaniyah.

"As the Baghdad security plan goes into its next phase, we will do the same. We are going to establish joint security stations throughout the city. The Iraqi Army and police will supervise the stations alongside Coalition Forces," Lamla said. "With the JSS (Joint Security Station), we will maintain a constant presence within the city and improve the capability of the Iraqi police at the same time.

"As soon as the Iraqi police are capable, we will return security responsibilities to them," Lamla continued. "Until then, we will do what is required, for as long as it takes to make Diwaniyah safe."

Photo: Iraqi army troops and policemen patrol the streets of Diwaniyah, Iraq, alongside soldiers and paratroopers from Multi National Division-Central South and Multi National Division-Baghdad during Operation Black Eagle, April 8, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Steven Childers.

Joint operations root out terrorists

11 April 2007
Courtesy story of Multi-National Division-North

TIKRIT — Iraqi and Coalition forces began major operations to root out known terrorists at Mujamma and Ad Dawr, Iraq, March 28.

Anti-Iraqi forces in the area used the town as a safe haven while orchestrating attacks against the towns’ people and Iraq security forces such as an attack on the Ad Dawr police headquarters, which left 12 Iraqi policemen killed and 22 wounded.

Iraqi Soldiers and Coalition troops from Task Force Loyalty established a city-wide cordon and 24-hour curfew, then began round-the-clock presence along the Tigris River and in small villages to the east of Ad Dawr, conducting raids and patrols.

“The citizens of Ad Dawr and Mujamma Housing Complex have endured long enough,” said U.S. Army Maj. Christopher Moretti, an executive officer in Task Force Loyalty.

The Iraqi Army, Police and the cities’ Joint Coordination Center worked together to provide food, fuel and medical care on a daily basis to ensure its citizens well-being while confined to the city.

The Iraqi policemen provided checkpoint security and escorted trucks with humanitarian aid, while Iraqi Army and Coalition forces conducted combat operations.

Iraqi security forces agreed to conduct joint patrols to re-establish security and credibility with the local citizens. Coalition forces remained in the city to continue patrols and joint operations with Iraqi Army troops.

“It is time for the Iraqi Army and Police to work together and take charge of the security situation,” said Moretti.

The joint operation also yielded more than 150 detainees, which are in Iraqi Army and Coalition custody.

Numerous weapons caches including large numbers of various mortar rounds, automatic machineguns, remote detonation devices and other types of explosives have been discovered throughout the operation.

There has been no Iraqi Army, Coaltion or civilian casualties during the operation. Two insurgents sustained injuries.

“We are not here to cut the branches from the tree; we are here to pull the roots out from the ground,” Moretti said.

“Task Force Loyalty is here to facilitate cooperation between the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police and Joint Coordination Center for the benefit of the proud and honorable citizens of Ad Dawr and Mujamma,” he said.

Photo: Iraqi Soldiers and Paratroopers from 2nd Platoon, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division rush through a gate during operations in Ad Dawr, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Joshua R. Ford.

Iraqi Police continue to improve safety in Baghdad neighborhood

17 April 2007
Story by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Elisandro Diaz
Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq Public Affairs

BAGHDAD — Iraqi Police continue to improve security in the Al-Karkh district here Friday.

“Our mission is to investigate crimes and respond to emergencies,” said Iraqi Police Capt. Majid, deputy commander of the Juaifer Police Station, which is responsible for the Salhiya neighborhood.

Majid had pointed out that the Salhiya neighborhood is an area composed of Shia and Sunni residents, which borders the Tigris River and contains Haifa Street and attributes the change in the area’s crime patterns, over the last few months, to several factors beginning with increased patrols.

“Our police conduct many patrols in cars and on foot throughout the neighborhood,” he said. “We have several vehicle checkpoints and a patrol in the market.”

The neighborhood is safer because of improved law enforcement measures. Also, the Iraqi Police in the area routinely works with the Iraqi Army.

“The Iraqi Army will provide escort [security] for our police and work side-by-side at checkpoints,” said Majid. “We used to have up to three to four murders a day, but since Fardh Al-Qanoon started, murder and attacks have decreased tremendously.”

While security and crime investigation remain positive factors, being community leaders and building relationships with local residents during patrols has also helped the Iraqi Police gain a foothold in the neighborhood.

“Children and adults come out to greet the police and seem happy they are in their neighborhoods,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Elizabeth Zerwick, a Police Transition Team advisor who is helping the Juafer Police Station. “The people will flag down the police when they drive through their areas.”

However much the Iraqi police station has improved, they still face challenges.

Many Iraqi policemen have left the station because they fear for their families lives while others have simply been fired, said Majid. However, most of the 115 policemen who make up the force have several years experience in the field and are making a difference in the neighborhood.

In spite of challenges, Majid remains hopeful for the police station and envisioned new vehicles, more weapons and more manpower to build his workforce to continue making the Salhiya neighborhood safe.

“This police station helps Iraq because it helps make it safe for people to live here,” said Majid.

Photo: Two Iraqi policemen, from the Juaifer Police Station, staff a checkpoint in Baghdad’s Salhiya neighborhood. Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Elisandro Diaz, Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq Public Affairs.

Iraqi Police eager to learn****

Sunday, 15 April 2007
By Sgt. 1st Class Clinton Wood
1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division

ANAH — Back home in Brainerd, Minn., this Minnesota Army National Guardsman Pfc. Adam Starry tends to lawns as a landscaper. Here in this 5,000-year-old city of about 20,000 people, Starry is helping to train several Iraqi police officers.

Starry, of Company B, 194th Combined Arms Battalion, and 15 of his fellow soldiers are experiencing what it is like being an Iraqi police officer in a city that is still a hotbed of insurgent activity. They form a police transition team whose task is to train the Iraqi police on how to take control of their own communities and maintain order. Training includes learning basic organizational skills, leadership mentoring and patrolling techniques.

Starry, who said he gets an adrenaline rush every time he goes on a patrol, admitted that working with the Iraqi police can be frustrating at times because of the language barrier. However, the young law-enforcement officers seem eager to learn.

"It is definitely inspiring and exciting," he said. "They amaze me more and more each day."

The transition team is able to watch this transformation close-up, because it shares floor space in a city building with the Iraqi police. There is also a U.S. Marine Corps headquarters space in this former sports complex.

One newly promoted Iraqi police lieutenant said he loves being a policeman and he loves peace.

"We're here to help you guys," he said. At a gas station, he arrested a resident who attempted to bribe him. He told the man, "No bribes accepted here" and tore the money up.

The police lieutenant said he joined the force for several reasons, including his belief in his country, personal honor, and wanting to protect his family and the Iraqi people.

Spc. Brent Haataja, a carpenter from Menahga, Minn., said he also noticed that the Iraqi police "work pretty hard to try and do good."

The team's officer in charge is 2nd Lt. Vitaly Sherbina. He is also a Fargo, N.D., police officer. Sherbina said he has met Iraqi police from Rawah and Baghdad, but they weren't as motivated as the Anah force.

"These guys motivate us and tell us this mission is possible," said Sherbina, who came to the United States in 1999 from Russia and became an American citizen after Sept, 11, 2001. "These guys are doing everything to take control of the situation."

The team's noncommissioned officer in charge, Sgt. Jon Morris of Salisbury, N.C., expanded on this statement. He said the Iraqi police leaders tell his team where they want to go on patrols. Morris said the Iraqi police haven't led any of these patrols or raids.

"They want their town cleaned up of the insurgency," he said. It is also apparent that trust between the transition team and the Iraqi police has grown.

"There is not a guy in the room right now that I wouldn't stand in front of or let stand behind me," Morris said.

Sherbina agreed: "I can risk my life for any of these guys."

The Iraqi police are very friendly toward their U.S. trainers, said Cpl. William Parker of Redwood Falls, Minn.

"They always want us to come over and hang out with them," he said.

Spc. Mark Belcourt of Hastings, Minn., said he “hangs out" with the Iraqi police frequently. The night after the patrol, he conversed with about 10 Iraqi police officers, talking about what any young soldier might discuss. At 19, he also is the youngest soldier in the company.

"I want to try and learn Arabic as much as possible," Belcourt said. His mother is a sergeant in the Minnesota Army National Guard's 34th Infantry Division. "The Iraqi police treat you with such respect."

Photo: U.S. Army Spc. Mark Belcourt of Hastings, Minn., Company B, 194th Combined Arms Battalion, talks with Iraqi police officers at their headquarters in Anah, Iraq. Belcourt is a member of a police transition team training the police. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Clinton Wood.

Iraqi Police Graduates Key to the Future

3 April 2007
By Pfc. Nathaniel Smith
4th BCT, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs.

BAGHDAD - Recruits of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division graduated from training at Forward Operating Base Falcon, March 28. This is the first group of “shurta,” Arabic for police, to come onto a U.S. forward operating base and receive complete, 24-hour-a-day training by a National Police Training Team.

Capt. Scott Hubbard, the operations officer of 3-6 NPTT from Vassar, Mich., said the initial focus of the team was not to train.

“Immediately when we took this mission on, we noticed the biggest problem was that they (Iraqi National Police) were not trained,” Hubbard said. “Training is not what we thought we would do, but we had to put a huge band-aid on the situation so they would not endanger themselves or the coalition forces they are working with.

“Our job is to teach them to teach themselves.”

Hubbard said that after noticing the initial deficiencies, the team came up with a two-week training program that would empower the police to perform their primary mission of protecting the neighborhoods.

The training program includes weapons marksmanship, drill and ceremony, physical training and ethics classes. Once the recruits execute those tasks to standard they move on to team exercises such as precision room clearing and conducting raids.

The trainers, who prepared for their deployment at Fort Riley, Kan., all have some form of experience training U.S. Soldiers, from reserve drill sergeants to instructors in advanced individual training. Likewise, many of the recruits have prior experience in the Iraqi army.

Abd Al-Ameer Kadum, a graduate from the class who also served in the Iraqi army since the Iran-Iraq War, said he appreciated the training.

“During this time that we spent here on this (base), we got good training,” the Baghdad native said. “They care about us a lot. We want to say thanks for our American brothers.”

Hubbard said instructing the recruits was made easier due to the fact that they embraced a key element in training: discipline. Discipline is embraced by the Iraqi people, the operations officer said. This cultural attitude motivated the shurta to do their best in training.

“The men were excited and very proud to get formalized training like this,” he said.

One of the key points Hubbard said he wanted the new police officers to take away from their training cycle is how to treat the Iraqi people.

“The way they treat them as policemen will decide whether (local residents) go against the Iraqi government or if they come on board,” he said. “These people are here to protect them and they need to understand that.”

Hubbard said that police staying involved with their local community is vital to the success of their mission.

“They need to embrace their community, and start doing the right thing from this day forward,” he said. “I believe that they’re ready to do that. They understand this is the key to victory.”

Photo: Staff Sgt. Andrew Palmer, a trainer with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Brigade National Police Training Team from Charlotte, N.C., makes adjustments to a recruit’s prone firing position during pre-marksmanship instruction in Baghdad, March 24. In addition to marksmanship, recruits also trained on drill and ceremony, ethics, and physical fitness. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Nathaniel Smith, 4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs).

Iraqis, Coalition Working Together to Secure Tal Afar

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2007 – Coalition and Iraqi forces are working with city leaders to secure the Iraqi city of Tal Afar after a bombing at a market killed more than 80 people earlier this week, a military official said today in a briefing from the city.

“It’s been a tremendously busy four days, tremendously stressful four days,” Army Lt. Col. Malcom Frost, commander of 3rd Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, told journalists from Forward Operating Base Sykes in Tal Afar. “But … the city is now secure and going back to its normal routines.”

The question of possible involvement by Iraqi security forces, police or army has come up since the March 27 attack. Frost dismissed the notion that Iraqi forces had anything to do with the incident.

“As we investigate this, there’s no indication that this was an inside job or that the Iraqi police or army or security forces supported this incident from the inside so to speak,” he said. “As much as we want war to be, it is not a zero-defect exercise, and unfortunately the enemy sometimes finds a seam. This is the case in this incident.”

Extra measures are in place to prevent another such incident, he added. Checkpoints are being reinforced and joint checkpoints are being increased, as are patrols.

Frost said coalition an Iraqi security forces are working to ensure that the attack doesn’t overshadow the good works done during the past 15 months. Schools and medical clinics have been built, infrastructure and the general economic situation of the residents of Tal Afar have been improved.

“I want to emphasize that this tragic event is absolutely not indicative of the thousands of good things that have happened over the last 15 months in the city of Tal Afar,” Frost said.

In addition to working with the Iraqis to help secure the city, he added that coalition forces are conducting successful humanitarian assistance missions to provide food, medical supplies and shelter to the victims of the March 27 blast.

Frost describes the market bombing as the insurgents’ “Hail Mary” attempt to regain a foothold in the city, incite sectarian violence, and undermine the credibility of the Iraqi police and the local government. It fell short, he said.

Instead of driving the city into continued sectarian violence, it has had the opposite effect, he said, as the city’s residents have come together.

“Sometimes you must take half a step back to take two steps forward,” he said. “I’m confident that the city that has already come together will take those steps forward and continue to progress toward a more secure and stable area here in Tal Afar.”

Black Jack Performs Medical Mission in Baghdad

By Sgt. 1st Class Kap Kim
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division

BAGHDAD, March 30, 2007 — As Haifa Street residents begin coming back out into the streets that were once too dangerous to step into, coalition and Iraqi security forces are beginning to lend a much needed hand in many of the basic needs.

So, with hundreds of medical supplies, a few Army medical soldiers and an Iraqi doctor and nurse on hand, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, used an elementary school to perform examinations on hundreds of local citizens during a medical mission in the Haifa Street district of Baghdad, March 24.

"It's really good that they are doing this," said a man who brought his daughter to the clinic. "With the security plan working now, we can come out again."

According to Maj. Bruce Rivers, the 2nd Brigade's surgeon, there hasn't been a medical mission such as this in the Karkh District in a long time. Due to the violence there during the last two years, most of the hospitals and clinics were closed. So, many of the people there have had to do without, said Rivers.

"The goal of this medical mission was to improve on the confidence of the Iraqi people of their medical system," he said. "What I envisioned was both the Iraqi doctors and ISF medical personnel being here."

Within a five-hour period, the team saw more than 230 patients, who were mostly women and children, according to Rivers.

"We treated anything from high blood pressure and diabetes, to respiratory infections and urinary tract infections," he said. Yet, there were many cases that the medical team could not help with. "There were people we could not help," he said sadly. "Their problems were beyond the scope of what we can do."

He said his plan is to work with the National Iraqi Assistance Center and other organizations to seek further care for the people they couldn't help. With hundreds of people waiting in line, a team of medics from Troop B, 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, worked with interpreters to screen patients. Spc. Marc Allen, a 4th Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment medic from Federal Way, Wash., personally screened more than 100 patients before sending them to one of the rooms inside the makeshift exam area.

Capt. Christopher Dawson, commander, Troop B, 4-9 Calvary Regiment, said missions like this are extremely important because it should be used as a model for future operations.

"The bottom line is that we are (eventually) going away," said the Lima, Ohio native. "We are here supplementing what the (ISF) will plan in the future." According to Dawson, the medical mission wasn't designed to treat everyone.

It was to treat those who could be treated, and for the rest, it was supposed to get them by until they could seek proper medical attention.

His troop[s], along with the local Iraqi National Police, provides security to the hundreds of residents who came to seek medical attention.

"We've been doing a few humanitarian missions with the security being better," Dawson said. "And in the past couple of months, it's gotten better ... they are thirsting for security here. We started the constant presence - day-to-day you can see the little stuff, but that little stuff adds up."

Capt. Gene Palka, the 4-9 Operations officer, said the medical mission went well. In the future, Rivers said he hopes that hospitals and clinics will eventually start opening up in that area because the people there really need the medical attention. "

The people really like us being there," he said. "Every time we go, we get a really warm reception."

Photo: U.S. Army Pfc. Roxanne Nissen, a 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Brigade Combat Team medic, shows a little patient where the surgeon wants to look during the medical mission in Baghdad, Iraq, March 24, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Kap Kim.

Joint Police Force Works Toward a More Secure Iraq

By Sgt. Marcus Butler
4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne),
25th Infantry Division

ISKANDARIYAH, Iraq, March 31, 2007 — The future security of Iraq starts at the ground level with the Iraqi security forces. In order to prepare the Iraqis for this responsibility, soldiers in transition teams have been working around the clock all over Iraq.

Soldiers of the 127th Military Police Company are ready for this challenge.

Based out of Forward Operating Base Kalsu, the headquarters for the 127th has platoons throughout the battle space for the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

One platoon in particular, 3rd Platoon "Wolf Pack" is operating in Iskandaryiah, Iraq, home to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. The Wolf Pack arrived at Forward Operating Base Iskan approximately four months ago fully knowing their mission.

"Our mission as a police transition team is to make sure the (Iraqi police) are fully trained and qualified to take on the mission of securing their country and keeping the citizens safe," said Staff Sgt. Johnny Colon, squad leader and native of Guayama, Puerto Rico.

This mission is of the highest priority not only to the Iraqi police who are training but also for the civilians they are training to protect.

"In our area of operation, the important thing is that more of the local population is beginning to trust the IPs," said 1st Lt. Nathan Diaz, platoon leader for the Wolf Pack. "The people are happy to see the IPs going through their villages and towns patrolling the area as well as a large increase of information being given to the IPs to help combat the insurgents in the local areas."

"In the short time that we have been here, the human intelligence has grown dramatically," said Diaz. "We are getting more and more tips on events that could harm Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in the local neighborhoods."

The relationship between the police and the civilians is the not the only one that matters. Soldiers of Wolf Pack worked daily with the IPs of the local area helping them to become more proficient in their job and building bonds in the process.

These bonds will lead to lasting impressions for both the IPs and soldiers.

"Moving from unit to unit, you have to start from scratch building trust with the people that you are working with. We have different personnel that work with the leadership of the IPs to help in specific areas," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael King, platoon sergeant for the Wolf Pack.

"Whether that area involves investigations, accountability of weapons, or training; we have built a strong relationship with all of the stations that fall within our AO."

Progression of the IPs is sometimes compared to the police forces in United States, but that is inequitable, noted King.

"One of the things when looking at progress of the IPs is you can not look at them as law enforcement in the United States for the simple fact the threat in Iraq is much greater," said King. "That causes unique challenges for the IPs. I have noticed an increase in professionalism as well as proactive efforts."
These soldiers will not only grow from the experience of working with IPs but also working with the Paratroopers of 1st Battalion, 501st PIR.

"It has been a very unique experience for me working with paratroopers for the first time. I have made life-long bonds with many of them and I know that I can count on them no matter what," said Colon.

"The paratroopers of 1-501st PIR welcomed us in with open arms. Whenever we needed something to happen there was never any issue with getting it done," said King.

The soldiers of Wolf Pack and the IPs will be better for this experience, noted Diaz.

"Our soldiers will take with them a lasting positive impression on what they have learned during their time here and I know our IP counterparts will feel the same," he added.

Photo: Sgt. Christopher Benjamin, 3rd Platoon, 127th Military Police Company, watches as Iraqi policemen handle the flow of traffic at a checkpoint south of Baghdad, March 22. Benjamin, a native of Tampa, Fla. is visiting the checkpoint as part of his platoon's mission as a police transition team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Marcus Butler.

Long-Term Iraqi Stability Requires Rule of Law, Officials Say

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2007 – Security progress in Baghdad requires more than military success; it also requires advances in Iraq’s institutions, including its criminal justice system, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said today.

“We can and will win every battle, but we cannot win the peace alone,” Navy Adm. Mark Fox said during a media roundtable in Baghdad. “Even-handed justice is an essential part of every democratic society.”

After decades under Saddam Hussein’s repressive regime, “the Iraqi government is creating an independent judicial system to ensure that the rule of law applies to everyone,” he said.

James Santelle, Justice attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, joined Fox in sharing perceptions after a visit yesterday to the Central Criminal Court of Iraq and speaking about steps under way to continue advances being made.

“Rule of law is a critically important part of the united Iraqi-coalition force effort to preserve the peace and to ensure the safety and security for all Iraqis,” Santelle said.

Rule of law requires confidence in the institutions of government, provincial and city governments, elected officials and police. That is a tall order, Santelle acknowledged, because Saddam’s brutal police force left widespread, lingering fear and distrust.

As they look toward the future, the Iraqi government and coalition are focusing on what Santelle called the three touchstones of a good rule of law operation: courts, prisons and police.

He said his visit to the Central Criminal Court gave him optimism that it’s possible to break beyond past wrongs.

“If there is any illustration of rule of law in operation here today in Iraq, it is just that,” he said, citing the CCCI’s operations and its combined staff of police, law enforcement agents and officers, judicial officers, and corrections officers. All are working together in Baghdad and other Iraqi providences to ensure rule of law is promoted, he said.

Santelle cited the facts that crimes are being investigated fairly and that courageous judges are hearing evidence of crimes as examples of positive strides.

“That is a reflection of a civilized society,” he said. “That is a reflection of a rule-of-law operation that does, in fact, work.”

Joint training programs are ensuring that the principles of rule of law go to all levels of the criminal justice system, and new courthouses and other facilities are being built or renovated to support this system, he said.

As these efforts take shape, Santelle said he’s been impressed by the many courageous Iraqi leaders -- judges, prison officials, police officers, non-governmental organizations and entities among them --pursuing rule-of-law principles while operating in the midst of violence.

“That is a sign of tremendous promise and future for this country … (that) speaks well, not only for the present generation, but also those to come,” he said.

Attack in Tal Afar Condemned – Iraqis, CF stick Together

TAL’AFAR, Iraq - Late Tuesday afternoon, a large explosion ripped through a busy marketplace in the Al Moalameen neighborhood of Tal Afar causing extensive damage to buildings and homes, killing and wounding dozens.

“This was an act of cowardice and only demonstrates to the world how desperate this enemy is,” said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy commanding general of Task Force Lighting and Multinational Division North. “The Iraqi people must stand united against these forces so the country can continued on its path to a free and democratic state,” he continued.

Iraqi Security Forces responded immediately to the scene and began setting up triage and facilitating evacuation of wounded civilians caught in the blast area. Soldiers from the 3rd Iraqi Army Division immediately dispatched medical assets from their headquarters in Al Kisik to aid the wounded.

Immediately following the attack, Iraqi and Coalition Forces from Forward Operating Bases Marez and Sykes began working together to help the victims of this attack. 3rd Iraqi army provided ambulance support and heavy excavation equipment to remove rubble. CF responded to the scene providing security of the site, medical support to the victims and evacuation of the wounded via helicopters to CF and Iraqi medical facilities. Additionally, CF explosives experts were on the scene gathering evidence for the investigation into the attack and the hunt for the terrorist criminals.

Tal Afar officials have implemented a curfew in the city, restricting vehicle movements except for emergency transportation.

“The Iraqi police and army have come together with the Iraqi people in a true showing of solidarity against the terrorists in the aftermath of this horrific bombing,” said Maj. Rodger Lemons, executive officer of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “Every Iraqi in the area has offered everything they have to help those injured here, regardless of affiliation or differences. No effort is being spared and Coalition Forces are assisting where needed.”

No CF Soldiers were injured during the attack.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION – NORTH AT: TFLIGHTNING.PAO AT US.ARMY DOT MIL.