Posted on 08/03/2005 4:18:16 PM PDT by SandRat
Two brothers, both engineers, provide a professional — and personal — perspective to rebuilding their country.
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2005 — So what’s it like living in Baghdad today? Just ask two Iraqi brothers who are engineers and work for Gulf Region Central District. They’re very optimistic about their future and their country’s future.
Asaad Hassan Al-Jaaire and his brother Hayder are two of the Gulf Region Central District's Quality Assurance Representatives.
Among the projects Asaad is overseeing is the $10 million, 6400-square-meter Public Order Brigade Headquarters at Forward Operating Base Justice. It is 70 percent complete. He is also overseeing the nearly finished $2.5 million 11,500-square-meter renovation of the Civil Defense headquarters building in downtown Baghdad. Hayder’s project is the new 4000-square-meter $8.5 million courthouse being built in Baghdad which is 15 percent complete.
The brothers were hired to ensure construction at each site meets the design specifications, that all materials are of an acceptable quality, and that the workers are practicing safe procedures and using hard hats, gloves, and goggles. Over 500 Iraqis are part of the construction crews at the three projects.
Asaad, 28, earned his Master of Science degree in structural engineering and civil engineering in 2002 from Al-Nahrain University-Baghdad. Hayder received his Master of Science degree in civil engineering studying foundations and underground structures in 2004 from University of Baghdad.
“We have lived in a closed world most of our lives,” Hayder explained.
“We don’t discuss what we do in our home community. We try not to attract attention. We use public transportation because it’s the safest way to travel. It takes us an hour or two every morning to get to work. We vary our route to and from the job site,” Hayder said.
“The terrorists are trying to stop the Iraqi people from having a better life. We hope that the terrorists are defeated, that security is resolved and that everyone can live in peace working together to rebuild our country.
But because of problems the terrorists are creating, all people in Baghdad are facing the same issues - not having electricity for our air conditioners and refrigerators, no running water for hours at a time, standing in long lines for diesel fuel for our generators or gasoline for our cars, not enough food in the markets, long waits at the security gates. When terrorists destroy a primary healthcare center, water treatment plant, a sewer plant, or electric transmission line, they are hurting the Iraqi people. Sometimes Iraqis feel angry about the shortages, but this is our destiny and we will get through it.”
“The terrorists are trying to stop the Iraqi people from having a better life. We hope that the terrorists are defeated, that security is resolved and that everyone can live in peace working together to rebuild our country."
Hayder Hassan Al-Jaaire
Asaad and Hayder are both grateful to the United States for Operation Iraqi Freedom. “They liberated us from Saddam. We now are enjoying opportunities we never had growing up.”
Both brothers have first hand experience with standing up to intimidation. When Hayder first got hired by Gulf Region Central District, he had concerns about the quality of the work being performed by one particular Iraqi contractor and his life was threatened. Hayder did not back down and was rewarded for his courage by getting the courthouse project.
They both mourn the loss of a friend, a fellow engineer, who was recently shot and killed by an unknown assailant. “We don’t know who did it or why. Our enemy is not well defined. It’s hard to imagine the tragedy some of our friends and neighbors are living — a mother loses a son, a wife her husband.”
The terrorists sometimes destroy a building that takes a year to construct. “We need to keep fighting them. The most important thing is to keep going.”
Both brothers have studied English since they were in elementary school. And all their engineering classes were taught in English. “So our writing and our reading skills in English are pretty good,” Asaad explained. “But it’s our conversational English that we still need to work on.”
At night, when they return home, Hayder enjoys logging on to the internet and connecting into a chat room, talking to either Americans or Australians so he can practice and expand his English skills. For Asaad, he finds it relaxing to get out his brush, oil colors and canvas and paint a landscape.
Each is hoping for the opportunity someday to enroll at an American University and earn a Ph.D.
Editor's note: Norris Jones is the public affairs specialist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Central District.
Asaad Hassan Al-Jaaire (foreground) and his brother Hayder, two of Gulf Region Central’s Quality Assurance Representatives, currently oversee the work at three projects in Baghdad — the $10 million Public Order Brigade Headquarters at Forward Operating Base Justice (shown), the nearly finished $2.5 million renovation of the Civil Defense headquarters building and the $8.5 million courthouse. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo.
ping
Asaad Hassan Al-Jaaire and his brother Hayder are two of the Gulf Region Central District's Quality Assurance Representatives.
BTTT!!!!!!
Not all of the news is bad ~ Bump!
Thanks for the ping!
Good article. These are the types of stories that the press would focus on in an ideal world.
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