Returning to Normal Life in Iraq
April 21st, 2008 at 12:19am Mark Noonan
Yet more failures of the US military, Iraqi security forces and the overall surge…
A young man beginning a business to support his new family is not necessarily headline news. However, for Kusai, 24, his dream would be realized in the heart of what was once considered an extremists’ stronghold only six months prior - Hawijah, Iraq.
Hawijah, located approximately 60 miles south of Kirkuk City in the Kirkuk province, historically held center stage to the region’s worst violence against civilians, Iraq security forces, and coalition forces by extremists. The residents here faced anywhere from 10 to 15 attacks per day, according to military records. Soldiers report that day-time patrols were targeted with small arms fire throughout the city and routinely upon exiting the confines of Forward Operating Base McHenry where Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division are located.
Since the establishment of Sahwah - meaning “reconciliation” or “awakening” to locals, overall violence in this predominantly Sunni-Arab populated region of northeastern Iraq, has experienced nearly an 80 percent drop in violent activity, according to Lt. Col. Christopher Vanek, commander, 1-87 Regiment.
While isolated incidents do occur, “the crucial element to the ongoing successes here are the concerned citizens of Hawijah who are effectively identifying those responsible … expeditiously,” Vanek said. The citizens that Vanek refers to are the Sons of Iraq that number over 7,000 in Hawijah alone.
“Sahwah has made it possible for me to open my shop and provide for my family. There is business. People feel safer. You see the security,” Kusai, said, pointing to the five SoIs that have stopped by to investigate and converse with the Soldiers of Bravo Company, 1-87 Regiment.
“These men are very good. They are always stopping by to see if everything is okay,” he said.
Man, we gotta get out of there quick! How can we possibly win? Its just too depressing…
Entry Filed under: War on Terror
15 Comments
1. Kahn | April 21st, 2008 at 12:31 am
Since when did objective reality have anything to do with this. They want the troops home NOW!!!! So they can spit on them.
2. Freedom1 | April 21st, 2008 at 12:48 am
Excellent news out of Iraq! Woo hoo!
3. Iraq » Returning to&hellip | April 21st, 2008 at 2:21 am
[...] Mark Noonan wrote an interesting post today on Returning to Normal Life in IraqHere’s a quick excerptHawijah, located approximately 60 miles south of Kirkuk City in the Kirkuk province, historically held center stage to the region’s worst violence against civilians, Iraq security forces, and coalition forces by extremists. … [...]
4. OperationChaos | April 21st, 2008 at 5:33 am
Excellent news–can’t wait to hear about it on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MS-LSD tonight.
I won’t hold my breath…
5. Joe | April 21st, 2008 at 8:45 am
kahn:
They want the troops home NOW!!!! So they can spit on them.
When the hell did someone say they wanted to “spit on” the troops?
Why the f(@(* do you think Republicans corner the market on supporting troops? You sound like a fool.
Mark,
Great, everything is back to normal. Why are we still there then? If things are truly back to normal, why is Petraeus pausing the troop drawdown? And why are we spending $12 billion a month for a country that is back to normal?
Hey, if things are getting back to normal, then fantastic and I am all for it! Great job. But then that would certainly mean we shouldn’t be losing any more men and women and we shouldn’t be spending as much as we are, right?
6. sam | April 21st, 2008 at 11:16 am
mark is delirious……its that simple..
7. Kahn | April 21st, 2008 at 11:50 am
sam - hey, there YOU are! What country did you say you were from again?
8. sam | April 21st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Kahn,
Listen you ignoramus, what does it matter what country I am from???? If you can give me ONE good reason why it matters what country I am from, I will answer it.
Get a life.
9. Kahn | April 21st, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Here ya go Joe….
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=24900_Video-_Portland_Anarchists_Burning_US_Soldier_in_Effigy&only
10. Iraq…Things are LOO&hellip | April 21st, 2008 at 6:50 pm
[...] Returning to [...]
11. Joe | April 21st, 2008 at 10:17 pm
kahn, I’m sorry, but I seriously don’t believe that to be true. I know there is a video and all, but I just can’t believe that is a true piece.
Is there any source other than littlegreenfootballs.com? I do notice taht is the site where Freedom gets all his anti-Muslim crap.
IF it is true, then you have to know that is the very, VERY non-normal behavior regardless if you hate all Dems or not.
I’m going under the assumption it was staged, but I really have no proof one way or the other.
12. Kahn | April 21st, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Joe, there were pictures of them holding signs that said “F**K the Troops!” and of them burning soldiers in effigy. However, as I’ve noted here before anti-liberal material seems to disappear from the search engines fairly quickly. When it first happened, I had no problem finding links. Then it was down to a few, now hardly any. One of the reasons we fear liberals actually.
Try this then.
http://www.zombietime.com/hall_of_shame/
13. Kahn | April 21st, 2008 at 11:53 pm
And this:
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/03/356335.shtml
14. Kahn | April 21st, 2008 at 11:56 pm
And this, the Portland Tribune (who thought these people were “rude”.)
http://www.portlandtribune.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=117459283544877600
You know, I just realized I haven’t bought a gun yet this month.
15. Kahn | April 22nd, 2008 at 12:08 am
Sam, well - context. Understanding where you’re coming from.
You refusal to say makes you look like you have something to hide? Where ARE you from you sand flea?