3 posts tagged “policeman”

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.”

Pfc. Brian Jones made his way out recently to hang with the Marines of "America's Battalion" for a few days.  During his trip, he covered some of the Iraqi Police training offered by the Marines.  In today's world, you will find several forms of discrimination and it is no different in the greater Fallujah area.  The difference in tribes can often bring feuding and this is an example of how these Iraqis put that to the side and use teamwork towards a common goal...

ZAIDON, Iraq—“I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.”

These are famous words by Frederick Douglas speaking about overcoming struggles in the progress for human liberty. More than a century later, these words may express the sensitivity of how Iraqis feel toward their struggle for a better future.

Iraqi Police students waited for their instructor’s commands to be translated by the interpreter. The instructions were to work as a team and depend on the cohesion of one another’s strength and cooperation to execute a physical exercise. This was a challenge set forth for the students to help them rise above their past of ill feelings toward one another that separated them, keeping them from working together to achieve a common goal.

“They’re civilians that have been guarding checkpoints for months and are looking for some recognition,” said 1^st Lt. Todd Richardson, a platoon commander with Weapons Company, 3^rd Battalion, 3^rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6. “They’re looking for some actual authority as opposed to just being civilian watch and they’re finally getting their chance.”

Marines with Weapons Co. graduated 59 newly trained Iraqi policemen in Zaidon, Iraq, Dec. 20, after they reconciled tribal differences among their students.

Early on in the training, the Marines realized they would have to put forth an extra effort in building camaraderie among the class. They needed their Iraqi students to overcome their social differences that were causing disruptions. They relied on teamwork building exercises that required their students to set aside their differences.

Arguments interrupted the first day of instruction, almost leading the instructors to immediately fail students, a loss neither the Marines nor the police force wanted.

“I don’t understand Arabic, but I understand complaining,” said 26-year-old Ocala, Fla., native, Sgt. David R. Dahl, a chief instructor.

“It started out with a few hitches in the beginning,” said Dahl. “There were tribal differences and things of that nature. They were put into situations where they were forced to be next to people they didn’t like. Either they were going to be a team or they weren’t going to be apart of this.”

“You’re still a member of your tribe and you’re still a member of your community, but you’re not going to worry about your tribe and community as much as you’re going to worry about the country as a whole,” Dahl told his students.

Throughout a period of six training days the Marines taught their students a wide range of professional security force skills from marksmanship and detainee handling to human rights and medical aid.

All the Marines agreed there were moments their blood pressure rose, but they were glad to be teaching the students things they may not get a chance to learn anywhere else.

“Training was condensed into long hours leaving them little free time, which was good because it kept them focused on what they were doing,” said Dahl. “They were physically training, studying or sleeping. They weren’t given anytime to think about anything else.”

Discipline was on display from the Marines. Proficient execution of technique was shown. The Marines hoped the Iraqis would pull together and emulate their actions.

“The Marines actually came together really well on it and worked hard,” said Dahl. “Every Marine was very professional on how they gave their class and they were very hands on with them. When it was their time to go in front of the Iraqis they were experts on what they were talking about.”

As Dahl taught a class in detainee handling, he showed the class techniques to use to take down a resisting detainee. One student challenged him saying the moves wouldn’t work on him. Dahl offered him the chance to stand before the class and demonstrate his resistance to what Dahl had shown them. In a short few seconds, the student found himself on the ground restrained with a surprised look on his face to be proven wrong. The whole class sat there, admiring the skills of their instructor.

Dahl said he and other instructors would sit the students down after a long day of classes and speak with them to make sure the students appreciated the magnitude of their situation and the new responsibilities the students would take on upon graduating as police.

“I had a lot of talks with them about the importance of what they’re training for and the responsibilities that come along with the job,” said Dahl. “The change in their life they will have to make now and how their going to have to set examples for their community. They’re going to have to hold themselves above everyone else and do what is right for everyone, not just for themselves and their family.”

Dahl said they seemed to fully understand what he was stressing. He wanted them to know that this job meant more than just a paycheck to support their families, it was a chance to unite as a stronger force for the protection that would serve a greater and less selfish cause.

Dahl admitted he didn’t really believe it was going to work at first because of how argumentative the students were among each other, but in the end he said he was satisfied with the result.

“We have seen a difference in them,” said Dahl. “They’re working together and they’re trying to accomplish everything without any arguments. I think it was good for them and they learned a whole lot from it. It gave them such a focused look at it that I think they’ve made a dramatic change.”

After completing the course, the students graduated as the newest addition to Zaidon’s police force. With diplomas in hand, they each extended heart felt congratulations to one another and thanked their instructors.

 

This is another video piece from Pfc. Brian Jones. Taken together with the last entry, you can see a small slice of the diverse and complex mission of Coalition and Iraqi forces here. On one hand you've got a platoon from Lima Company conducting combat patrols while the company commander and another platoon engage with tribal sheiks in the city. Often this engagement comes in the form of a meal, sometimes elaborate, sometimes not.

So between this video and the last, you see two "blocks" in the "three-block war" concept. You've got Marines in combat -- or at least on the lookout for it -- and Marines engaging the local government. On some of our other entries you'll see the third block: humanitarian assistance. Nowadays, however, this mostly comes in the form of Marines pulling perimeter security while Iraqi policemen interact with the locals and municipal government actually do the work.