An Iraqi city becomes turnaround story

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | October 31, 2005 | Dan Murphy

[george76]

Baquba was symbol of everything going wrong in Iraq - and its neighborhood of Buhritz was a symbol for everything going wrong in Baquba.

...killing police when they found them and driving the rest into hiding.

But today, US commanders are pointing to Baquba as a symbol of what might go right. Every polling place stayed open all day for the Oct. 15 referendum that approved Iraq's new constitution earlier this month. Violence was light, while voter turnout was high.

"The Iraqi Army and the Iraqi police have really come along - they can handle most of what comes their way now,'... "We're here to back them up, but I think we're seeing the benefits of getting cops on almost every street corner."

There have also been heavy doses of force...

The Army shut down the area for six weeks ... and began major sweeps through the area...twofold objective: To capture fighters in the area and to persuade residents not to support them.

Risberg was helped by Capt. Bobby Ray Toon,... who was directly responsible for Buhritz. In the Army as an enlisted man for 18 years, he recently attended officer candidate school and was put in charge of a company of about 150 men...

Each time an attack originated in the area, Risberg would have a nearby palm grove shelled, sometimes as often as every 15 minutes the whole night. He'd also further restrict residents' movement.

"We were trying to show them that you're going to help us clean up this area or you're going to pay the price,'' he explains. "I didn't care which."

At the same time, more Iraqi police came onboard...

[george76]

MODEL CITY: Iraqi women in Baquba returned from casting ballots for the country's charter on Oct. 15, a day with little violence and high voter turnout.

[Valin]

Bump

[ccmay]

Each time an attack originated in the area, Risberg would have a nearby palm grove shelled, sometimes as often as every 15 minutes the whole night.

Well done. The pig-headed Mahometans understand no other language.

-ccm

[No Longer Free State]

Baquba is one of the more diverse cities in Iraq, with a somewhat balanced population of Sunni & Shiite Arabs and Kurds. To achieve success there indicates we can achieve it nationally.

This is big news.

[No Longer Free State]

ping

[george76]

Thanks.

I hope so.

"Baquba is one of the more diverse cities in Iraq, with a somewhat balanced population of Sunni & Shiite Arabs and Kurds. To achieve success there indicates we can achieve it nationally."

"This is big news."

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for ping. Yea. That area was a hornets nest for a long time. Mostly the Saddamist where running the show. It is up to the people to point fingers. Which has been happening in all provinces on a more frequent basis. December 15¹⁵ is rolling around soon. Iraqi's have to make the choice. Either support a new government and move toward freedom for all, and a eventual quenching of the insurgency, or decide to let the horrors continue. It really is up to them.

[neverdem]

bump for later

[facedown]

bttt

[tiki]

They got tuough and that's what they need to do to each city in Iraq until the people cooperate and participate in their own freedom.

[Chgogal]

Thanks for the post. Looks like the CSM is more pro troops than many other publications.

BTW, I can't find this post under "Latest" anymore?????

Also, my soldier liked the article. He emailed me. He was smack dab in the middle of it.

[tonycavanagh]

this is the most telling remark tho :How long the peace will hold in Baquba is unclear, as the city has been pacified before.

[hershey]

The MSM will ignore this story.