Posted on 08/21/2006 4:11:15 PM PDT by SandRat
TIKRIT, Iraq (Army News Service, Aug. 18, 2006) – Third Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division handed over Forward Operating Base Remagen to the 4th Iraqi Army Division Wednesday.
In the hand-over ceremony, FOB Remagen was renamed Saad Bin Abi Waqas, an Iraqi hero and commander-in-chief of Muslim forces who was victorious over the Persian army at the battle of Qadisiyya in 636 A.D.
Maj. Gen. Abdul Jabar, commander, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, thanked the Coalition Forces and the Iraqi government for giving him and his Soldiers the facility. Deputy Governor of Salah Ah Din province Adbul Hussein Muhhamed and Deputy Commander for 3rd BCT, 101st Div., Lt. Col. Craig Collier also attended the event.
Operating from Saad Bin Abi Waqas will allow the 4th Iraqi Army Division to have its four brigades centrally located and move its headquarters out of Tikrit. This is in accordance with the overarching plan to allow the Iraq police to conduct security operations in cities while the Iraqi Army provides security in outlying areas.
“The Iraqi Army wanted the facility so the division commander has the opportunity to get all his Soldiers together in one location, as well as fulfill the people of Tikrit’s wishes to get the army out of the city and turn the security over to the police,” said Maj. Chuck Roede, military transition team chief for the newly arrived 3rd Stryker BCTeam, 2nd Infantry Division. “The people have overwhelmingly said they want the army out of the city … listening to people is something that hasn’t happened in 30 years. It’s the people talking to the army, not the other way around.”
While the Iraqi Army has control of Saad Bin Abi Waqas it will share the installation with other Iraqi security forces branches. For example; the training facilities will be used by all branches of the security forces but the Iraqi police will control the internment facility.
After Coalition Forces turned over the base, all supporting contracts ceased, which now allows the Iraqi government to bring in their contractors. This immediately created job opportunities for people in the local community.
“The Iraqi Army is leading the fight on terrorism and this ceremony marks a historic milestone,” said Lt. Col. Richard Root, commander, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment. “They are the warriors I am proud to serve with as brothers-in-arms and I know they will utilize this base to their betterment.”
Now this is good news
Thank the LSM Presstitutes and the DNC.
A base too far?
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