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Marine, Iraqi leaders ready to push ahead toward Iraq's future
Marine Link ^ | May 22, 2004 | Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva

Posted on 05/22/2004 6:59:51 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl


Marine, Iraqi leaders ready to push ahead toward Iraq's future
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200452173641
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Mark Oliva



CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq (May 21, 2004) -- Leaders of the 1st Marine Division, the Fallujah Brigade and Fallujah's mayor said Thursday that the city is ready for rebuilding.

"I've got my plan and by God, come hell or high water, I'm just going to execute that plan no matter what," said Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of the 1st Marine Division. "Our end state was all along, if you ask the Marines, was 'no better friend, no worse enemy.' We're going to find a way to turn Iraq back over to the decent people of Iraq."

Mattis, along with Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Latif, commander of the Fallujah Brigade, which is assuming security responsibilities from Marines, and Fallujah's Mayor Muhammed Ibrahim Al-Juraissey, addressed international press in Fallujah yesterday. They touted the success of the transition from street battles to street cleaning and said the future of Fallujah is bright.

Already, four Iraqi contractors are employing more than 700 Fallujans in separate zones in the city for clean-up and restoration after the fighting. Another three contractors will begin work soon, bringing the total cost of the Coalition-led project to $3 million.

"For example, today broke ground on a new hospital wing," Mattis explained. "We got started on that. General Latif just talked to us about a youth center and computers so they can get on the Internet, playground equipment for little kids. So we're going to continue those kinds of projects, things we would have been doing six months ago had there not been someone fighting here."

Fallujah's mayor said the city's most respected authorities, religious clerics, issued written statements condemning the attacks on the four contractors killed in late March.

"The religious leaders came up with a fatwah... and this fatwah denounced the mutilation of the bodies of anyone," Juraissey said. "Just like with any other religion, the Muslim religion denounced this."

He said this is proof Fallujans want to put the incident behind them and focus on the prospects of the future instead of being branded by past.

"When it's time to start with the projects, Fallujah's going to be open for anybody to go there," the mayor added. "Mostly Iraqi contractors will be doing those and the expertise will be by American engineers. They're welcome to do it. The American engineers will be supervising the work of the Iraqis."

Both Iraqi leaders said the security situation has improved significantly since fighting was quelled. There are signs the city's citizens are ready to resume a normal existence.

"Today, I saw six wedding convoys in the city," Latif said. "Everything is normal finally in Fallujah and the all the families have come back to their homes."

Latif said that the peace in Iraq is no small task and ensuring it lasts will hinge upon working hand-in-hand with Coalition Forces.

"We asked the Coalition Forces to help us get construction back and get things back on the trail," Latif said. "Most importantly is that we work together. That is our main goal. And this is going to be an example for all Iraq."

"I agree with General Latif now to say that this city is the calmest city and the most stable city in Iraq," Juraissey added. "I would hope that the steps of peace will be accompanied by the steps of building and construction. Now we are working with the Coalition Forces and the engineers to fix the homes, work on construction of the city."

Projects across the Al Anbar Province, the extent of 1st Marine Division's zone in Iraq, are already starting. A project to repair 48 mosques has started in Ramadi. Marines are leading a project to dedicate $1,200 in renovations to each mosque while employing crews of ten per projects for up to two weeks. All the work is being coordination with local Imams, or Muslim religious leaders.

Still, security remains a concern and for the foreseeable future, Marines will continue to work side-by-side with Iraqi Civil Defense Corps soldiers to ensure safety.

"I think the Fallujah Brigade needs to demonstrate it's got control," Mattis said. "The only way you build trust out here is for us to work together. We've seen it in Husaybah, where we had a dickens of a fight and literally a couple days later, things had changed."

Mattis said it's important for both Iraqi and American leaders to set realistic goals. Not every policy is going to be agreed upon and not every action favorable. The important part, he said, was that both sides were working toward the same goal.

"We have to understand we have a common cause here to restore peace, stop the violence, rebuild Iraq, the Americans get out of the way and move on," Mattis explained. "We don't do that by having two separate armed camps and never mixing the two."

Mattis added that Marines and Iraqi soldiers are already turning the tide against terrorist forces. He said their power base in Iraqi is eroded and they continually find themselves on the run. This is due, he said, to the fact that Iraqis want a more peaceful and stable future.

"I'll tell you right now, I don't get intelligence off a satellite," the general said. "Iraqis tell me who the enemy is. That is very dangerous for Iraqis. You think about how much courage that takes when you've got to live with these murderous bastards."

-30-

Photos included with story:
Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, commanding general, 1st Marine Division, takes a moment to answer questions after a press conference in Fallujah, May 20. Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Latif, Fallujah Brigade commander, Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Juraissey, Mayor of Fallujah and members of his staff were present to adress current issues and security within the city. 
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, commanding general, 1st Marine Division, takes a moment to answer questions after a press conference in Fallujah, May 20. Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Latif, Fallujah Brigade commander, Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Juraissey, Mayor of Fallujah and members of his staff were present to adress current issues and security within the city.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen

Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, commanding general, 1st Marine Division takes a moment to answer questions after a press conference in Fallujah, May 20. Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Latif, Fallujah Brigade commander, Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Juraissey, mayor of Fallujah and members of his staff were present to adress current issues and security within the city. 
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, commanding general, 1st Marine Division takes a moment to answer questions after a press conference in Fallujah, May 20. Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Latif, Fallujah Brigade commander, Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Juraissey, mayor of Fallujah and members of his staff were present to adress current issues and security within the city.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen

Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Latif, commander of the Fallujah Brigade, is swarmed by media shortly after a press conference for more questions and answers in Fallujah, May 20.  The general said the city is ready to move forward with reconstruction projects.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen Iraqi Gen. Mohammed Latif, commander of the Fallujah Brigade, is swarmed by media shortly after a press conference for more questions and answers in Fallujah, May 20. The general said the city is ready to move forward with reconstruction projects.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen

Cpl. Reynold J. Rosado, 20, of Lorain, Ohio, and a radio operator for Regimental Combat Team 1, watches over weapons at a press conference in Fallujah, May 20. Fallujah residents turned over the weapons in an effort to further increase peace with coalition forces. The weapons were on display during a press conference held by Fallujah officials to adress current issues and security within the city.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen)  Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen Cpl. Reynold J. Rosado, 20, of Lorain, Ohio, and a radio operator for Regimental Combat Team 1, watches over weapons at a press conference in Fallujah, May 20. Fallujah residents turned over the weapons in an effort to further increase peace with coalition forces. The weapons were on display during a press conference held by Fallujah officials to adress current issues and security within the city.
(USMC photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen) Photo by: Sgt. Jose E. Guillen



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: fallujah; freedom; gnfi; goodguys; iraq; iraqization; jamesmattis; mattis

1 posted on 05/22/2004 6:59:52 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

BUMP! Good Morning!


2 posted on 05/22/2004 7:01:05 AM PDT by F14 Pilot (John ''Fedayeen" sKerry - the Mullahs' regime candidate)
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To: Alamo-Girl; blackie; SandRat; SAMWolf; prairiebreeze; MEG33; McGavin999; Maigrey; ...
Mattis added that Marines and Iraqi soldiers are already turning the tide against terrorist forces. He said their power base in Iraqi is eroded and they continually find themselves on the run. This is due, he said, to the fact that Iraqis want a more peaceful and stable future.

"I'll tell you right now, I don't get intelligence off a satellite," the general said. "Iraqis tell me who the enemy is. That is very dangerous for Iraqis. You think about how much courage that takes when you've got to live with these murderous bastards."
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~    
 
  MARINES The Few. The Proud. 
  Semper Fi, ping!

3 posted on 05/22/2004 7:03:22 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl ( Please Freepmail me if you want on the ping list. Starting anew. Thank you.)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Look for the positive aspects of this report to appear in the AP , Reuters, and the US major media outlets....


4 posted on 05/22/2004 7:11:40 AM PDT by prognostigaator
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To: F14 Pilot

..."four Iraqi contractors are employing more than 700 Fallujans in separate zones in the city for clean-up and restoration after the fighting."...


5 posted on 05/22/2004 7:17:18 AM PDT by jolie560
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Remember the mission! BUMP for our Marines.


6 posted on 05/22/2004 7:17:52 AM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry's been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security!)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Hmmm. I've been told here that a MOAB was the only answer. At least for now, it would appear the carrot approach seems to be working. Time will tell if this approach works for the long haul. But as Gen Mattis says, "I don't get intelligence off a satellite." I think I trust his information and insight a lot more than folks who get their information from the Reuters newswire. The innovative thinking of the Marines is our most potent WMD.


7 posted on 05/22/2004 7:21:49 AM PDT by Rokke
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Thanks for the post!!
When faluja was in flames the NYT touted it as the "uprising" and proof that the whole mission ws doomed. Today- not a peep about the good news, but plenty of ink for another three columns on the front page about the prison scandal.
I'd say the Marines got it just about right in faluja
8 posted on 05/22/2004 7:33:54 AM PDT by beebuster2000 (the only thing quagmired is the lib mind)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Gen Mattis is my kind of guy. Now we know why Fallujah fell out of the news, the news was too good to show. Damn the agenda driven media.


9 posted on 05/22/2004 7:34:55 AM PDT by SwatTeam
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To: Rokke

Yeah - about a month ago there was all sort of chatter here (and on the propeller-head talk shows) about "give them 24 hours to get out and level it".
Now, someone has figured out that employing the Baathists to our advantage just might work. DUHHH? Where was that kind of thinking in 2003?
Over a year and nearly 800 US souls have been wasted.


10 posted on 05/22/2004 8:02:45 AM PDT by Seajay (Ordem e Progresso)
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To: Aaron0617

Well I want to apologize to Bush for the comments I've made about Falljah become a sign of this becoming Vietnam. (and the Marines running away from a fight)

Obviously things have worked for the better for the lives of our troops and citizens of Falljah.


11 posted on 05/22/2004 9:09:36 AM PDT by Aaron0617
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

"I'll tell you right now, I don't get intelligence off a satellite," the general said. "Iraqis tell me who the enemy is. That is very dangerous for Iraqis. You think about how much courage that takes when you've got to live with these murderous bastards."

General, we know what you mean, we have to deal with
democrats all the time.


12 posted on 05/22/2004 9:14:16 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: F14 Pilot
Afternoon, F14 Pilot!

Clear skies in this AO today.

Bad news for the bad guys. (^:

13 posted on 05/22/2004 9:16:29 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl ( Please Freepmail me if you want on the ping list. Starting anew. Thank you.)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl

Thanks!
Clear for take off!?


14 posted on 05/22/2004 9:20:32 AM PDT by F14 Pilot (John ''Fedayeen" sKerry - the Mullahs' regime candidate)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

15 posted on 05/22/2004 10:28:39 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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