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Iraqi Mayor Praise

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Posted by: Calabrio

In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful

To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who have changed the city of Tall’ Afar from a ghost town, in which terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.

To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.

To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days, and stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.

Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner. Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city. Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young. This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawi’s followers after harsh fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas, where the bravery of other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar and Avgani finally destroyed them.

I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.

The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC Hickey, LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom. Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and character of knights in a bygone era. The mission they have accomplished, by means of a unique military operation, stands among the finest military feats to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly deserves to be studied in military science. This military operation was clean, with little collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the enemy. With the skill and precision of surgeons they dealt with the terrorist cancers in the city without causing unnecessary damage.

God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.

Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave Regiment, I haven’t the words to describe the courage of its officers and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these legendary heroes and their brave families.

NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall ‘Afar, Ninewa, Iraq

Posted by: Calabrio

This column appears in the 3/13/06 NY Post. By Niles Latham

March 13, 2006 -- WASHINGTON - An Iraqi mayor says he was motivated to write a letter praising the performance of U.S. troops in his city because he believes the American public is not getting the full story about the "heroic" work they are doing.

In an exclusive telephone interview with The Post, Tal' Afar Mayor Najim Abdullah Abid al-Jibouri said he wants American policymakers and the public to know there is real progress taking place in Iraq.

"I'd like American citizens not to trust everything that is being said in the media because, unfortunately, most of the media is talking about negative things and about the problems," al-Jibouri said, speaking through a translator.
"They are not telling good stories about the U.S. Army's good job here in Iraq. I would like American citizens to concentrate on the pictures that show the children of Iraqis and how happy they feel when they see or meet American soldiers."

Al-Jibouri, 49, wrote dramatic letters to President Bush and Gen. George Casey, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, last month praising the Army's 3rd Cavalry Regiment for routing the terror network headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi from Tal' Afar, a city of 250,000 people 40 miles from the Syrian border.

The letters are being circulated among military families, providing a timely morale boost.

When told that relatives of Lt. Col. Terrence Crowe, a Buffalo-area officer killed in Tal' Afar, were moved to tears by his words when The Post showed them the letter, al-Jibouri replied:

"I am happy that, through this letter, the families of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives feel they are getting a very big thank-you from the people of this city and that their families will feel proud.
"Before their sacrifices, the smiles were stolen from our children's faces. With their sacrifices, they have given us life and hope and the smiles of the children," he added.

Al-Jibouri is a Sunni Muslim and a former brigadier general in Saddam Hussein's army. His wife is a Shiite and a teacher, and they have five children, ages 12 to 20.

Al-Jibouri said he formed a close partnership with Col. H.R. McMaster, commander of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, during operations that expelled Zarqawi's group last summer and fall.

With schools, hospitals and municipal offices now up and running in Tal' Afar, al-Jibouri believes the same transformation can happen in other cities, "especially if there is the kind of great teamwork and good coordination" between U.S. and Iraqi forces.

Al-Jibouri was asked whether he intends to seek higher political office in Iraq's new democracy.
"My main goal is to see my city healed and become stable . . . Regarding where I will end up, what kind of position I will take, that is not so important for me as long as I am serving my people and my country," he said.

niles.lathem@nypost.com

Posted by: barry2952

Nice sentiment.

My question is why they didn't take up arms against their oppressors? It's not like there wasn't plenty of munitions lying around.

I've always contended that we shouldn't have set foot in Iraq. If the Iraqi people wanted freedom so bad, why didn't they take it just like we and many other countries have?

Why is this country going to go broke to free people that didn't want it bad enough to free themselves? I think the answer is clear. Oil.

Posted by: Calabrio

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry2952

I've always contended that we shouldn't have set foot in Iraq. If the Iraqi people wanted freedom so bad, why didn't they take it just like we and many other countries have?

Why is this country going to go broke to free people that didn't want it bad enough to free themselves? I think the answer is clear. Oil.

Well, let's not forget, as much as I hate to admit it, the U.S. revolution was due in great part to financial and military support from.....

The French

The Kurds did attempt a revolution a decade earlier, expecting U.S. support, only to find themself alone and slaughtered by Hussein.

Second, the free-flow of oil in that region affects our foreign policy. There is no denying this. But to say that the U.S. invaded Iraq for oil demonstrates a serious misunderstanding.

Have oil prices gone down since the invasion?
If the invasion had been about oil, we could have easily just lifted the sanctions. Hussein would have been more than happy to sell his oil to the world, and not just to corrupt UN members.

No, the operations in Iraq is part of a very ambitious foreign policy. It's pretty idealistic in nature. Unfortunately, the ground intelligence on Iraq was terribly lacking. The expectation seems to have been that Iraq had a decent infastructure in place. The converstion to a allied muslim democracy would have been much easier had that been the case.

If/When Iraq is ultimately successful, they hope that it will act as an example to the poor people of the region as to what is possible through free markets, democratic principles, and friendly associations with the U.S.

It also would provide us a place to stage potential military action on Iran.

But it's not about cheap oil