5 posts tagged “falluja”

We knew that this time would arrive and while we are excited to return home, we must thank each and every one of you for your support over the past year.  A very special "THANK YOU!!" to the guys and gals at VOX for assisting us during the initial stages and we definitely could not have done it without them!  When we first started this blog, they understood the complications of our internet connectivity here and kept in touch with us to ensure that everything was running smooth. 

We hope that this site brought some newsworthy information, but if you want to keep up with the news here in Fallujah, Regimental Combat Team 1 has started their own VOX blog.  They have already posted a few articles and we encourage you to give them a look and once in a while, give them a shout.

We decided to post a picture of the crew that has brought you the Fightin' 6th blog. 

Pfc. Brian Jones just returned from the city and brings us the State of Fallujah Address where city officials tell you about what has taken place over the past year to strengthen their home:

FALLUJAH, Iraq —City officials and leaders gathered at the newly developed Fallujah television station to deliver a live broadcast of the state of Fallujah address to the people recently.

Sheik Hamid Ahmed, the chairman of the Fallujah city council, and Col. Faisal Ismail Husayn, the chief of police, spoke on behalf of the city recounting their history and announcing the current state of affairs.

Both Ahmed and Husayn thanked the service members and commanding officers with Regimental Combat Team 6 and Multi National Force-West for their support in security, reconstruction efforts and taking interest in the future of the city.

“The real picture of Fallujah is what you see today,” said Ahmed, translated by an interpreter. “It is living in security and reconstruction because the leadership of the city was put in the hands of the good people.”

Currently, the local tribal sheik council and city muktars are diligently working in accordance with the mayor and city council elected by the citizens of Fallujah in guiding the city’s future as Coalition Forces remain in a supporting role as advisors and security.

 “When we united the city council, the mayor and the muktars of the city, the situation of the city turned for the better,” said Husayn. “Everybody knows that the security situation in Fallujah before 2006 was killing in the streets, destruction and no one could say any righteous word anywhere. Today the situation is special, very secure and peaceful. That is not our own evaluation, but it is the citizens of Fallujah who have evaluated the situation and have told us the status of the city.”

Husayn said that as security improved within the city all other efforts in rebuilding the city became a success and due to the city’s new leadership the city is moving in the direction of progress and stability.

All this was not possible without the help of the Coalition Forces and their help with the reconstruction efforts that work side by side with the security efforts in the city, said Husayn.

As security drastically improved the people of Fallujah received nearly 1,000 government jobs granted by the central government of Iraq, opened new and old businesses and have managed public services. Special efforts have also been made in supporting the students and youth of Fallujah, from school supplies to recreational sports.

The Fallujah Business Development Center has opened to manage reconstruction efforts for the district and is also used as the central foundation to inviting Arab and other investment companies into the city.

“Fallujah is ready for major investment,” said Ahmed. “From this place, we call on all the investors from the Arab nations and international nations to come and invest in the district of Fallujah.”

Ahmed attributed the reason for investing in the city is because of the city’s location on the Euphrates River that is an intersection for all the international roads and also, the city contains all the main ingredients necessary for development, such as human and construction resources and the availability of the experience and expertise.

Husayn addressed government representatives and brothers from the Arab nations around Iraq in his speech asking that they come and visit the city that sacrificed more than many other cities in Iraq and deserves that the people stand by its side and provide the services that it needs for support.

“I want them to come and see the reality of Fallujah today,” said Husayn. “They will see that Fallujah is very secure and that the citizens of Fallujah are very generous and very brave and are here to welcome anybody that comes to Fallujah.”

“All want the peace and are looking forward to building good relations and friendships with all the peoples’ nations,” said Ahmed. “We will turn the page of the past and will open a new page with the grace of God. We swore to ourselves that we will keep our city as a star shining among the stars of the other cities of Iraq.”

A team from NBC News recently embedded with us to obtain footage of Fallujah and the turnaround that has taken place with the people and the way of life.  This segment aired last night and the possibility exists of another piece next week.  The Marines of the "Darkhorse Battalion" hosted the crew and provided them a tour of the City of Mosques...

 

FALLUJAH, Iraq—Fallujah citizens gathered in large numbers to kick off the “Fallujah Cup” soccer tournament here

recently.

Soccer, a favorite sport among Iraqis, was chosen as the first organized sporting event the city would embrace as a result of improved security in the area.

“This is kind of a microcosm of everything that is going well right here in Fallujah, and this is a culminating event,” said 2^nd Lt. Gregory Collins, the platoon commander of 2^nd Platoon, Company K, 3^rd Battalion, 5^th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6.

Collins initiated the request to bring the community together through the sport. He helped facilitate the organization of the tournament and helped obtain uniforms that were donated to the participating teams.

The amateur league welcomed soccer players of all ages to try out for the teams. Soccer players throughout the city signed up and were organized into 21 teams to compete. Each team represented one of the 10 districts of Fallujah.

The event began with an opening ceremony presenting all 21 teams to the field and an exhibition of Fallujah’s tae kwon do martial arts program.

Competition began with two of the best teams facing off for an entertaining game opener.

More than 70 invitations were handed out to special guests for seating in the VIP tent for the event. Among those invited were commanding officers and Marines with 3^rd Bn.,5^th Marines. Also invited were the city mayor, police chiefs and the sheiks, muktars and Imams from the surrounding areas.

 “They wanted us here just to be able to see how well things are progressing here in Fallujah,” said Collins. “They’re very proud of everything they’ve accomplished because of the security increase. Everything that is going on is all built through the Iraqi police and through the local leadership taking hold of the city.”

Preparations for the tournament began with local contractors who brought in heavy equipment to remove all extra rubble to clear the fields and locals were paid to help rid the fields of the trash.

A town hall meeting was held a week prior to the event to bring the teams together to collect official rosters and coordinate on the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) rules the tournament would follow.

For the remainder of the month, the 21 teams will play it out for the championship of Fallujah.

There are already plans to add a 12-20 youth soccer league. Volleyball, handball and bicycle tournaments are also hopeful additions to the range of sports events for the city.

In the story below it tells about Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, visiting people in their homes in Fallujah, Iraq. This is an introduction written by Pfc. Brian Jones about the some of the circumstances of Iraqi culture that Marines have discovered for themselves and have curiously questioned.

As violence subsides in Fallujah, “the city of mosques”, Marines find time to indulge in investigating their cultural curiosities of the Iraqi people who surround them. Marines communicate, work and in some cases live with them offering ample amounts of opportunity to get to know them.

The Arab populace of Fallujah is dominantly made up of Muslims and religion is central part of the Iraqis’ daily life. Proverbs from the Quran can be seen written on walls everywhere. Daily prayers can be heard all over the city from the loudspeakers atop of mosques drowning out the noise below of an active neighborhood.

The social makeup of the communities is made of closely tied tribal and extended family relations. It’s the mold of their society. Iraqis’ family honor is very important. Insults and criticism are taken very seriously. Marines have learned to associate people with others who are apart of the same tribe.  One can think of it as almost a “if you mess with one you mess with the whole trailer park” approach.

Commonly, children ask Marines how many wives and children they have back home in the States. The children’s curiosity is sprung from a value system of a man’s worth or success by the size of the family he supports. Marines have jokingly told them they have five wives and eighteen children just to see the surprised and impressed look on their faces.

Marines inquire about an Iraqis’ marriage, or marriages in some cases, with those they meet. To our fascination,

arranged marriages are still practiced here by some families, but the couples usually have some say in the match making. The greatest concern in these arranged marriages is the man’s capability to provide for the woman and children in the future. The husband is expected to provide the house, food and clothes for his family.

Depending on a man’s financial wealth he may marry multiple wives and raise children with all of them, provided he financially supports the many homes they all live in.

Many of the Marines here have responded to the sound of gunfire only to find out that it is a common practice among Arabs to fire weapons into the air during weddings and celebration of other things, such as an big win for a favorite Iraqi soccer team.

As Marines stop and knock at doors and enter a home they usually find an entire extended family living closely

together under one roof. Large families are the norm. In a single household there may be the father, wife or wives, unmarried sons and daughters, their married sons and their families, the father’s mother and unmarried sisters. Children typically don’t leave the home until they are married.

Large families have more economic benefits for a family as a whole by providing the family with more hands to supply income. A large family also provides the father with the prestige of virility with the signs of responsibility, wealth and success.

Sons are generally preferred because a son will take the responsibility to care for his parents in their elderly years. Some children may attend school, but in poorer and more rural areas children may spend their days working, if the work can be found, to help support the family.

In Iraqi society gender roles are clearly defined. Throughout the Arab culture, authority is generally related to older men. Wisdom and experience is associated with age. Women have a protected role in society with respect for their privacy. Men and women are segregated much of the time, especially when business is involved. Women are expected to be quiet and modest around men, especially outside the home.

As an example, women are seen in the city with men and they may stop to get something to eat. The women may
have to sit facing the wall to protect her privacy as she eats so that she is not seen by the passerby. In their culture the women are considered respected as opposed to being oppressed as westerners might see it as.

Within the home women hold authority over their children and household affairs. The man’s mother takes the role as the overall authority.

Marines experience the politeness and generosity of Iraqis everyday. Marines are offered to share tea and meals with them almost with certainty on many visits. Iraqis seem to have a passion for talking a lot and speak loudly full of emotion and gestures. Their dress is governed by their concerns for modesty. Their approach to time is more relaxed than in western culture. They’re very affection people. It’s a common sight to see men greet one another with a kiss on the cheek and hold hands as they walk and speak with one another. However, public affection between men and women is discouraged.

Their loyalties lie with the immediate family and then the tribe, but Coalition Forces are trying to spread a greater

sense of national unity among the Iraqi people to encourage them to pull together as a stronger nation rather than subdividing themselves.

When Marines patrol through the city streets of Fallujah they are typically greeted, swarmed, followed and sometimes
even chased by children. These Iraqi children who eagerly compete for our Marines’ attention are the future of Iraq and if Coalition Forces have had any success at winning the hearts and minds and having a positive influence on anyone, it’s those children.