7 posts tagged “tribal awakening”

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.

 

It is not uncommon to find a Marine with more than one tour in Iraq.  There are several over here that are on their second, third, fourth, and even fifth trip.  Cpl. Bryce Muhlenberg provides us such an example of a Marine that has fought here and will miss the Iraqi people that he has come to know over the past few months.

HABBANIYAH, Iraq – Sgt. John E. Mejia was walking between two mud and brick houses here when he explained the key to counterinsurgency operations in Iraq.

“You’ve got to be face-to-face with these people to see if a difference has been made,” said the 37-year-old Monterey Park, Calif., native and section leader with Weapons Company, 1^st Battalion, 1^st Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6.

The bulk of day-to-day work for the Marines of Weapons Company consists of counterinsurgency operations here.  This includes operations that bring medical and educational assistance to the locals as well as presence patrols and plain old neighborly conversation.

“Today we are conducting COIN operations by way of presence patrols in the local area,” said Mejia.  “We are going out and reassuring the people they can depend on the Iraqi Police now in the area and they can still depend on us.”

Mejia, and the other Marines of the platoon, made their way across an open dirt patch toward a dingy looking house right on the outskirts of a nearby neighborhood.  Climbing up a small embankment and toward the front entrance of the house, Mejia explained that the Weapons Marines have recently moved out of Combat Outpost Red, approximately two weeks ago, due to the increasing reliability of the Iraqi Security Forces and the stability they have brought to the area.  But, this move was only possible after the patrol bases in the area were built and the Marines had established their face-to-face relationship in the community.

As he explained this, the Marines were surrounded by small children and women.  A Marine began speaking to the lead wife of the household, who was watching over the estate while her husband was out in the fields tending to the sheep.  She held a small boy, no more than two years old, who she hummed to, trying to calm him.

“Is your child feeling well?” asked Petty Officer 3^rd Class, Charles L. Scott, a Navy Corpsmen with Weapons Company, while an interpreter translated.

The women spoke to the interpreter, explaining that her child was teething and was in a great deal of pain.  Scott produced a small bag of pain medicine, which he gave to the mother, along with verbal instruction.

This sight isn’t uncommon for the Marines, said Mejia.

“We spent a lot of time with our neighbors,” he said, talking about his time at “red” While there, the Marines lived and worked right next door to the people and in the community itself, similar to the way Iraqi Police do now.

“We ask them how they are doing with food, water and electricity,” said Mejia.  “Do the kids go to school, does anybody need medical attention?  Providing medical attention was big and our corpsman does a really good job of helping out.  We obviously don’t have a drugstore, but ‘doc’ tries to provide relief.  Stuff like this really displayed our concern for them.  Now we encourage our Iraqi counterparts to do the same things.”

Scott, known as “doc” to his brothers-in-arms, said that this is an important step that has been taken by the Iraqi Security Forces in his area. 

“The overall goal is to transition responsibility from coalition forces to the Iraqis, so they can handle their own problems,” said the 22-year-old.  “By us performing the constant COIN operations here in this area, we have provided a steady platform for them.  It’s important for these men to handle their own country.”

To the Salem, Ore., native and 2003 North Salem High School graduate, this process, although sometimes monotonous, he said, is going well and makes sense for the long term goal. 

Scott is part of a team who has accomplished something greater than themselves, and as the battalion is soon approaching the later portion of their deployment, it is something they will remember, said Mejia.

“Of course we are excited to be heading home soon…this is my fourth time over here and away from home,” Mejia admitted.  “To be honest, I’m also going to miss some of the Iraqi friends I’ve made out here with the locals and the Iraqi Police, but we are going to be able to go home on a positive note, with the Iraqis on their feet.  We will know that we have done our part to significantly improve the lives of these people.”

Recently, a market opened in the city of Garma (sometimes referred to as Karmah), located between Fallujah and Baghdad.  This step in progress was covered by Pfc. Brian Jones.  Just a few months ago, you were guaranteed to be shot at while transiting this region and we considered it "The Badlands."

GARMA, Iraq—Residents here celebrated a success for their livelihoods recently, with the grand reopening of a marketplace central to the city’s economy.

Marines with 3^rd Battalion, 3^rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, and other Coalition Forces joined Garma citizens and local dignitaries in the celebration of the market reopening, marking progress toward economic growth for the community.

“It’s a sign of progress and hope for a new tomorrow,” said Capt. Quintin D. Jones, commanding officer with Company L. “The mayor and I wanted to make an immediate impact in the area by making goods readily available, helping improve commerce. Now, the market can work as a crossroad for Garma to tie back into other cities.”

Sheik Mishen, a prominent tribal leader in the area, was the honorary speaker at the ceremony. He thanked Jones and other servicemembers for their dedicated work to helping the community.

The “Lollipop Market,” named after it took the shape of what resembles a lollipop during reconstruction, was once a battleground between insurgents and Coalition Forces, and had suffered collateral damage during ground fighting.

“Six or seven months ago there were still gun battles being fought here,” said Jones. “This shows how far we’ve come here.”

The market was proposed as an essential investment for the city. In agreement, an embedded provincial reconstruction team, staffed by Defense and State Department officials, financially supported the reconstruction to promote growth in the community through increased revenue.

Once the project had been approved, local contractors were awarded contracts for reconstruction.

Workers first repaired the roads filling in craters from improvised explosive device detonations.Street curbs were
repaired, painted and a center roadway circle was added. Doors were replaced and new awnings were hung on the individual shop spaces. Workers removed dirt and rubble from the area. The planting of some grass and trees for the market were also managed into the budget.

An added benefit was revealed to the public during the ceremony. The main route leading into and out of the market, which is currently only used for military traffic, will be opened to public traffic as the main avenue of travel from north to south through the city. The opening of the road will remove much of the overhead costs associated with shipping goods for local merchants.

The reconstruction of the market was coordinated through the efforts over six weeks.  Though there were few shops opened for business the day of the ceremony, all were optimistic, believing merchants would soon occupy the majority of the shops. Ending the ceremony, both locals and Provincial Security Forces joined in a circle and danced to the beat of a solo drum as they celebrated the event.

Apologies to ESPN (or whomever) for stealing the entry title there.

I chose that because it's been 3+ weeks since we posted anything. I wish we had some great excuse, like we've been training for our final parachute jump into Berlin or something equally melodramatic. The reality of the situation, however, is that the weather's been great, we're transitioning into the autumn period here in Iraq, and we've been outside staring at the sun for hours every day.

At any rate, here is the long-overdue update I'm sure everyone's been fretting over. It's an article about 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. "America's Battalion." Well, it's not actually about them, it's more about some of the great progress they've been enabling in their area of responsibility. Pfc. Brian Jones reports.

Sheik-sponsored feast

“Be optimistic and you will find the good things.”

This is the notion of a prominent sheik in the city of Karmah, Iraq, who is working with Marines from 3^rd Battalion, 3^rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 6, to create a peaceful today and a thriving tomorrow for a city that’s weighted down by conflict.

During July, 2nd Bn., 7th Marines, RCT-6, completed their tour and relinquished control over the battle space in and around the city where they had fought to dispose of the enemy seeded in the area.

“We’re falling in on the tail end of that so that we can bring the population to the next level and help get the economy moving again,” said Memphis, Tenn., native Capt. Quintin D. Jones, the commanding officer of Company L. “We are transitioning away from the kinetic fight and trying to help the local governance.”

While his Marines continue counterinsurgency operations, Jones is trying to kick start the city’s economy again hoping to tie it all back into larger levels of government.

“On one end I’m fighting, and on the other end I’m disputing between tribal leaders,” Jones said. “The other part (is) trying to stimulate the economy. So, it’s a three-block war here and it’s very, very dynamic.”

Local government has been restored, the city council assembled, and Karmah has an experienced official as mayor. With these three building blocks in place, Jones hopes the Karmah municipal government can tie back into its largest neighbor, Fallujah. Fallujah will then in turn tie Karmah into Ramadi, the provincial capital, so that once Coalition Forces have left, the local government can remain stable.

“The economy will still be thriving because it is tied into the old system that was here,” Jones said.

“I think that we are essentially running a small corporation,” Jones said, “because we are doing a lot of things at the same time.”

Jones prompted meetings with many of the sheiks of the surrounding tribes, Sept. 22, visiting their homes, congregating with them, and sharing their food and hospitality. This brought many of the sheiks to the table with other city officials to discuss what they had to offer the city.

“There is a serious cooperation that has taken place among the tribes and the Marines,” said Sheik Mishen of the

Jumaila tribe, a dominant tribe in Karmah, through an interpreter. “What Capt. Jones did today was as example of our own way of dealing with things.”

Iraq’s political landscape, especially in the areas outside major cities such as Fallujah and Ramadi, is dominated by tribes, their sheiks and internal loyalties. Bringing sheiks into the civil reconstruction picture is what spurred the “Anbar Awakening,” said Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, Multi National Force-Iraq. In that way, company commanders like Jones are doing their part to undertake the comprehensive plan put in place by Petraeus.

The relationship between the unit commander on the ground, whether he is Iraqi or a Coalition member, and the tribal authorities in his area is an essential part of making things work. It is something that has begun to pay dividends for Jones and his Marines.

Mishen agreed to Jones’ wishes and was willing to overcome animosity toward the sheiks of lesser stature to help improve the security situation in the city.

“I will set differences aside to do the right thing,” Mishen said. “No matter what happens, if anything advances the security of Karmah, I will cooperate.”

Mishen said he strongly opposes the violence that has been brought upon his tribe. Insurgent violence has touched him personally many times throughout the war, losing many of his cousins in attacks. Just weeks before, his daughter was killed in a mortar attack in the home in which Jones met him.

“So far security is very good,” Mishen said. “As far as Karmah is concerned, the Marines are doing an excellent job. With the cooperation between our people here, things are actually working for the best.”

Mishen said he values the Marines as the glue holding things together and is hoping the Marines will stick around until all the bad guys are captured.

He also shared great concern for what he considers a failing judicial system.

“If things continue like this, things will probably backfire on the system,” Mishen said. “I am optimistic, but there are some parts of Karmah that need to be cleaned up.

“We are going to rebuild the place, rebuild the hope and solve the problems of the poverty,” Mishen said about

Conferring over hot chai

plans for the city. “Once the area is 100 percent secure, or secure enough, a lot of kids want to return to school. Education is the key.”

Mishen said he feels they need Jones to keep things going as well as they are. He equated the company commander’s importance to local reconstruction to the importance of President George W. Bush and high-level military leaders in national reconstruction.

“I know that Jones will be leaving, but I hope that in the short time that he is here things will change a lot more than in the past because of his presence,” Mishen said.

We blogged some about the tribal awakening taking place in Anbar Province earlier in the week, and I wanted to share a short vignette about a practical outcome of said awakening.

I visited one of our training centers for the Provincial Security Forces, or PSF. What these are are non-traditional security forces composed of tribesmen from the greater Fallujah area. When I went, a new class composed mostly of Iraqis from the Albu Issa tribe, on the sweeping tract of land running from just west of Fallujah just on the other side of the Euphrates all the way south to Amiriyah. This is the third class held so far.

These guys are being trained to become a legitimate sort of police auxiliary force, tasked with defending their tribal areas, fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq and other terrorist groups. Once made official, the plan is to have them funded by the Ministry of the Interior for weapons and gear, as well as receiving a paycheck from the Iraqi federal government, according to Maj. Mark Clingan, the operations officer for 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. I interviewed Maj. Clingan today and he had quite a bit of interesting information to pass along, most of which will be in a future post.

However, there was something he said that was very revealing and I feel sheds quite a bit of light on exactly what is happening, and why it is significant:

There really is in Al Anbar Province a huge awakening. You could almost call it a revolution where the Iraqi people are tired of the empty promises and lies of (Al Qaeda) and want to take back their own neighborhoods. The (indigenous counterinsurgency forces) which are growing up from the roots is an indication of that. By taking the ICF and turning them into PSF, now we’ve equipped them, we’ve given them the training and now we’re also legitimizing them and making them more of the process, and the local and national government recognizes them. (This recognition) includes funding from (Iraqi Ministry of Interior) and paychecks for individuals. It also puts them on the road to potentially becoming full-fledged (Iraqi Police), and also it means that they are able to act within the authority of the Iraqi government and sanctioned by the Iraqi government.

Things just feel

different here now. The reporters with significant embed experience under their belt who fly in from different areas of the country remark consistently that the environment in Anbar is much different than elsewhere. No one is saying words like "victory" or "peace," but the words "significant hope" are on everyone's lips. With the sheiks coming to our aid to bring their cities and neighborhoods under control, the entire province is taking a step forward.

There is still significant work to be done, no doubt about that. Watch some of the cable news shows and read some of the mainstream papers. It would be difficult not to  find an article about Anbar that does not discuss  in depth precisely what is going on.

"Stay tuned" for more information forthwith on this topic.

Teflon Don over at Acute Politics has a good perspective on the impact the tribal awakening in Anbar Province can have and is having on counterinsurgency efforts here:

A nearby coalition unit reported hearing an explosion at 0444, and attempted to make comms with the overwatching unit. They were unable to do so, and a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle was dispatched to investigate. A Quick Reaction Force was sent to the scene when the UAV found two vehicles burning. QRF arrived at 0540 to find five dead and the other three missing.

No insurgent group has publicly claimed responsibility, and coalition forces are already scouring the area for the missing soldiers. The tribes of SAI (Sahawah al-Iraq, or "Iraqi Awakening"- formerly Anbar Awakening) have agreed to help in the search. If we find our missing boys, it will be a testament to the growing success in al-Anbar. The tribes have a native intel ability within their population that we simply cannot match. I hope it will help us bring them home. (permalink)

More on the tribal awakening here in a few minutes.