Texas-Based Army Division Leaves Iraq With Much Done, but Challenges Remain, General Says

TBO.com ^ | 1/16/04 | Paul Garwood

[kattracks]

TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - As his troops prepare to leave Iraq, the commander of the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division says his soldiers achieved more than expected but challenges remain - from battling insurgents to improving infrastructure and providing jobs. The division, which arrived in April, is scheduled to leave Iraq in mid-March for neighboring Kuwait before returning home the next month. They will be replaced by the Germany-based 1st Infantry Division in the first troop rotation since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last March.

"We are further along than I thought I would be," said Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the commander of the 4th Infantry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.

Odierno's troops cover a vast swath of Iraq, including the restive city of Baqouba, the former Iraqi dictator's hometown of Tikrit and the northern Kurdish-controlled city of Kirkuk.

Speaking to reporters, Odierno said he believes the United States would maintain a large troop presence in Iraq through 2004 and about half as many in 2005, depending on "internal and external factors and the development of the Iraqi army."

The 49-year-old West Point graduate said his forces have captured or killed most of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party loyalists and strangled their money and weapons sources. But threats remain from "nationalist" insurgents and terrorist groups like Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network, he said.

Odierno said the Dec. 13 capture of Saddam and the detentions of other high-ranking Baath party members "has really had an effect on the former regime elements."

"I think al-Qaida and foreign fighters are trying to get involved in Iraq," Odierno said. "I think in the next six to eight months, they (will) start to really try to infiltrate the area."

The most immediate threat facing U.S. forces, however, could come from Iraqis.

"There are still people out there who just want to attack us because we are Westerners and we are in Iraq and we are Americans," he said. "So they will continue to attack us and I think that will go on for some time."

The arrest of Iraq's current most-wanted man, former vice President Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, could be the final blow for pro-Saddam loyalists.

"I think they are having a lot of trouble coordinating," Odierno said. "I think the will is no longer there in most cases. I think we have turned a corner with former regime elements."

He said that since April, U.S. forces have trained 2,000 Iraqi border guards, 5,000 Iraqi Civil Defense Corps soldiers and hired about 10,000 police.

His soldiers have established interim provincial governments and city councils and overseen the appointment of mayors in every town in their jurisdiction. Judges have been vetted and are hearing cases.

The results of Iraq's reconstruction will be felt throughout the Middle East, he said.

"Iraq has incredible potential with its natural resources and its educated populace, so it will have a profound effect on the region," he added.

The Army has spent $80 million in the area controlled by the division on infrastructure projects, including water treatment plants, schools, police stations and other government buildings.

"We have had soldiers working very, very hard for a year," Odierno said.

[kattracks]

ping

[MEG33]

Good job 4th ID!

[blanknoone]

Not to take away from the 4th ID and its achievements, but They will be replaced by the Germany-based 1st Infantry Division

The last time major units deployed from Germany to the Persion Gulf, they never went back. This is potentially good news!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - (Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno) commander of the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division says his soldiers achieved more than expected but challenges remain..

 

The division, which arrived in April, is scheduled to leave Iraq in mid-March for neighboring Kuwait before returning home the next month. They will be replaced by the Germany-based 1st Infantry Division in the first troop rotation since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last March.

The arrest of Iraq's current most-wanted man, former vice President Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, could be the final blow for pro-Saddam loyalists.

"I think they are having a lot of trouble coordinating," Odierno said. "I think the will is no longer there in most cases. I think we have turned a corner with former regime elements."

The results of Iraq's reconstruction will be felt throughout the Middle East, he said.

"We have had soldiers working very, very hard for a year," Odierno said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Fourth Infantry Division ~ on Al Douri's trail ~ March homecoming, ping!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[MeekOneGOP]

The 4th Infantry undertook Operation Red Dawn to find Saddam.
They are based in Texas - Fort Hood.

They got their man - captured Saddam. "Don't mess with Texas!":

An Iraqi woman holds up handwritten signs to express her happiness
at the capture of Saddam Hussein !

[.cnI redruM]

It will be party time in Killeen when the 4th ID hoard descends with all the money they've put in accrual.

[RobbyS]

The 1AD was based in Germany. Most are not going back when they rotate.

[Snickersnee]

Look out Roadhouse! The peanut-shells in the foyer will be knee-deep!

[.cnI redruM]

Oh man! The cattleman's association will also make a mint off this!

[blackie]

Fourth Infantry Division ~ on Al Douri's trail ~ March homecoming ~ Bump!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Terrific job by the 4th ID!

[MeekOneGOP]

Yeah ! Makes me proud to be a Texan and an American ! ...

[PhilDragoo]

I think we have turned a corner with former regime elements.

Houdini said he'd drop in at a seance on Halloween.

[leadpenny]

Godspeed to the Men and Women of the Ivy Division.

My son was with an element of the 4th ID that went into Haiti and I spent the first six months of 67 with them in Pleiku.

[windchime]

Bump!