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Posted on 09/25/2007 5:56:28 PM PDT by SandRat
Providing Iraqis with humanitarian aid packages as well as generators, blankets and mattresses is helping to break the insurgents’ stranglehold on poor communities.
By Multinational Division – Center PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq, Sept. 25, 2007 — Soldiers here say that handing out humanitarian aid packages has helped to help break the hold insurgents have had on a poor community in Salman Pak.
"Once that bond is broken, it will enable us to help [local citizens] even more."
Capt. Walter Straube
A local sheik who is a concerned citizen leader has been working with Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division to combat the insurgents’ stranglehold.
Capt. Walter Straube, a fire support officer for Company B, said the Sunni sheik has been very helpful and has used his connection with the people to unify their resolve. Straube said residents stood up a concerned citizens group to counter insurgents who have been targeting the poverty-stricken people of the region.
Previously, insurgents have extorted the populace, forcing them to give money, possessions or food as payment in exchange for utilities such as food, water and gas.
The soldiers handed out bags containing rice, cooking oil and other necessities.
Along with the humanitarian aid bags, soldiers distributed six generators, two 10,000-gallon gas tanks, and many blankets and mattresses in preparation for the coming winter.
Straube said he feels confident that humanitarian missions like this one have helped.
“Simply put, it will break the bond with the insurgents,” Straub said. In other words, Straub explained, citizens who have received humanitarian help are less likely to take insurgents’ offers to pay them $300 to dig a hole for an improved explosive device because they won’t need it.
“Once that bond is broken, it will enable us to help [local citizens] even more,” Straub said.
FR WAR NEWS! 
Gee! Maybe if the administration had had a real post-invation plan that ... for instance ... prevented a level of “looting” that decimated the infrastructure, then the average Iraqi would have been independent of the extremists years ago.
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