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Iraqi Police Take Lead in Neighborhood Visit
Defend America News ^ | Dec 5, 2005 | Pfc. Matthew Clifton

Posted on 12/05/2005 3:31:22 PM PST by SandRat

Photo, caption below.
An Iraqi police officer (right) prepares to hand out supplies to local Iraqi schoolchildren during a humanitarian aid mission to their school in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 20, 2005. U.S. soldiers from the 108th Military Police Company, 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C., assisted with the delivery of the material. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Matthew Clifton
Iraqi Police Take Lead in Neighborhood Visit
U.S. soldiers assist Iraqi police to establish improved community
relations between the Iraqi police and the Iraqi civilians they protect.
By U.S. Army Pfc. Matthew Clifton
Multinational Corps-Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 5, 2005 — U.S. soldiers from 1st Platoon, 108th Military Police Company, 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C., have been working hand-in-hand with the Iraqi police at the Bilat Alshuhadaa Station since September.



"When we first arrived in Mosul, the [Iraqi police] were under our constant supervision.  It was the very beginning of the learning process for them. Now, almost two years later we are to the point where the [Iraqi police] are taking the main role in the missions they conduct."
U.S. Army Sgt. John Olsen

One duty for the MPs is to try to establish good community relations between the Iraqi police and the civilians whom they are tasked to protect. This involves reaching out to the local residents by going into the neighborhood and visiting the local schoolhouse.



"Our mission today is to assist (the Iraqi police) with delivering literature and supplies to the local schoolhouse," said U.S. Army Spc. Timothy Adams, gunner, 108th Military Police Company. "We will go to the station, walk them through the mission and support them while they go in and hand out the supplies."



The Iraqi police will be handing out school supplies, Iraqi flags, T-shirts and magazines explaining how they are there to help them, Adams said.



The 108th Military Police Company is finishing their second rotation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and has directly contributed to the progress made by Iraqi police in the country.



"We were in Mosul last year working with the [Iraqi police]," said U.S. Army Sgt. John Olsen, vehicle commander, 108th Military Police Company. "We worked very hard with the [Iraqi police] and they were extremely productive in learning their job."

The same thing can be said for the Iraqi police in Baghdad, Olsen continued.

"When we first arrived in Mosul, the [Iraqi police] were under our constant supervision. It was the very beginning of the learning process for them," Olsen said. "Now, almost two years later we are to the point where the [Iraqi police] are taking the main role in the missions they conduct."

With this mission, the MPs and Iraqi police will have to cordon off the streets around the school to establish a perimeter

Local Iraqi children gather outside of their classroom in Baghdad, Iraq, as they await a visit from Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers during a humanitarian aid mission, Nov. 20, 2005. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Matthew Clifton
and make sure they protect the school from any possible threats. Two streets will be cordoned. One will be covered by the Iraqi police and the other will be covered by the MPs, Adams said.



"We are only going to stay at the school for about 40 minutes, because we don't want to draw any resistance focused at us towards the school," Olsen said. "One we get the perimeter, we will go inside, hand out the supplies, talk with the teachers and children briefly and return to the station."



Back at the station, after the mission, Olsen and the other sergeants of the 108th Military Police Company went through an after action review with the Iraqi police.



"Basically, everything was great. The [Iraqi police] performed professionally and helped establish a necessary connection with the local children," he said. "A lot of the information we get comes from children, so it is important that they know the [Iraqi police] are there to keep them safe."



Every time the Iraqi police successfully complete a mission their confidence and morale are boosted, and that will ultimately lead to their 100 percent individual effectiveness, Olsen said.



"The goal here is to make the [Iraqi police] self-sufficient," Adams said. "We have been working with the [Iraqi police] for a long time, and I know how dedicated they are to protecting their people."



Adams has seen nothing but improvement from the Iraqi police at Bilat Alshuhadaa Station and is confident they are nearing their ultimate goal of taking complete control of their neighborhood.



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iraq; iraqi; iraqipolice; lead; neighborhood; oif; police; take; visit

1 posted on 12/05/2005 3:31:23 PM PST by SandRat
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To: 2LT Radix jr; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; 80 Square Miles; A Ruckus of Dogs; acad1228; AirForceMom; ..

What's that all you leftist loons???? The Iraqi's are not taking charge????

Try that lie somewhere else!!!!!


2 posted on 12/05/2005 3:32:25 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

BTTT


3 posted on 12/05/2005 3:34:01 PM PST by Fiddlstix (Tagline Repair Service. Let us fix those broken Taglines. Inquire within(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: SandRat

Good news, the Democrats must be disguisted at this. Seems whenever there is good news in Iraq 2 groups get ticked off, terrorists and the Left...........


4 posted on 12/05/2005 3:59:03 PM PST by mosquewatch.com
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To: SandRat

BTTT


5 posted on 12/06/2005 3:07:04 AM PST by E.G.C.
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