Hedge Fund Trader Now Calls Sadr City Home (GREAT NEWS -MUST SEE VIDEO)

ABC News ^ | 7-18-08 | Clarissa Ward

[STARWISE]

Sgt. Frank Lugo leads a double life. In the United States, he was a successful hedge fund trader with condos in New York and South Beach, Fla. Now he is in an unlikely spot -- Iraq, where he lives in the sprawling slum of Sadr City.

"My lifestyle's obviously drastically different back home than it is here," Lugo said. "But there are things that can't be replicated back home that are here. This belief that we're trying to accomplish something that's greater than oneself."

Lugo is an Army reservist. At 36, he has re-enlisted four times, swapping fast cars and fancy restaurants for body armor and bombed-out buildings.

"I deeply believe that we're here to make a difference," he said. "I believe we're doing just that, especially in Sadr City."

Sadr City residents are mostly Shiite Muslims, and the district was once a stronghold of militias loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

After months of heavy fighting here, Lugo and the men of Task Force Gold are now responsible for reconstruction and development.

"Five weeks ago, there'd probably be like 3 or 4 feet of trash," Lugo said. "They couldn't operate their businesses here."

Garbage has been cleared from the streets and sewage has been drained. Lugo and his fellow task force members are building a park. Piece by piece, the war-torn city is becoming a community. And most important, jobs are being created.

"Economic stimulus is our … No. 1 focus," Lugo said.

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Video on linked page.

[STARWISE]

Lugo is an Army reservist. At 36, he has re-enlisted four times, swapping fast cars and fancy restaurants for body armor and bombed-out buildings.

"I deeply believe that we're here to make a difference," he said. "I believe we're doing just that, especially in Sadr City."

~~~~

God bless and protect you, Sgt. Lugo and all your brothers and sisters in arms!!

~~~~~

Iraq's Sunni Arab bloc rejoins government

Iraq's main Sunni Arab bloc rejoined the Shi'ite-led government on Saturday in a breakthrough for national reconciliation after parliament approved its candidates for several vacant ministerial posts.

Getting the Accordance Front to return after it quit a year ago in a row over power sharing has been seen as key to healing divisions between majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs.

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Iraq Government OKs 5-Star Hotel Project In Green Zone

Iraq said Thursday it has approved a proposal to build a five- star hotel in Baghdad's Green Zone at a cost of $100 million dollars - the first hotel project in Baghdad since the U.S. toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The 300-room luxury hotel will be built near Saddam's former Adnan Palace in the heavily fortified zone, which houses the government headquarters and foreign missions, said a statement from government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh.

It said Summit Global Group, which is made up of U.S., Iraqi and international investors, would finance the construction.

"New jobs for Iraqis will be created, both in the construction of the hotel and in its management and operation," the statement said.

[tcostell]

Does anyone know what firm he worked for?

[Slings and Arrows]

There’s nothing like automatic fire to really leverage a buyout!

[STARWISE]

~~~MUST SEE SUPER PING!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[STARWISE]

No mention in the article

[STARWISE]

Staff Sgt. Frank Lugo, a native of New York City, and a member of the Task Force Regulars, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, Civil Affairs Team, gives a friendly pat on the head of an Iraqi boy after giving him and his friends Blow-Pops while patrolling the Jamilla Market area in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, June 13. Lugo is deployed from 404th Civil Affairs Battalion in New Jersey and is attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.

[Bahbah]

LOL.

[Orange1998]

I give him the same kudos as a waiter serving our country. Makes no difference to me.

[bpjam]

But it does show that our military is made up of many of our finest. Period. Not just the ones who didn’t study or ‘had no other options’ like the libs assert.

[STARWISE]

Brave and beloved patriots all .. and it strikes me that one who was already living the good life and voluntarily relinquished that heady lifestyle for the grunge and danger of Sadr City for the greater good sends an extra special message about Sgt. Lugo.

[MeekMom]

Hiya Starwise!
I haven’t seen you in quite awhile!
How ya been dear? How’s your summer goin’?
Thanks for the ping!
God bless you Star!

((hugs))

[STARWISE]

Hugs back, Mom .. ;)
Need to get rid of this pesky
brown star over my head.

Fell twice in the last month on
the same arm, out of the blue and
confounding. Cast, sling for broken
elbow.

Then this week, infected impacted
wisdom tooth. Pain, stitches .......eeeeek!

Prayers .. please ?? :)

[potlatch]

View of Sadr City, Iraq, in the days preceding the Dec. 15 countrywide parliamentary elections. Sadr City, part of the East Baghdad area, is home to about 2.6 million people. U.S. Army photo

Not a place of beauty but just imagine the transformation after the first hotel gets built and other things follow. This photo does not show the really bad areas of wreckage, sewage, etc.

[devolve]

.

It will be interesting to see how local citizens react when new buildings are completed and commerce thrives with opportunities and freedoms they have never known before.

That will be a hard thing for the enemy to convince them they should turn it back 700 years.

[potlatch]

Yes, once that first big hotel goes up and things go well, there will be a surge of others ready to set up business there.

A whole different life for those people.

[NordP]

OH, Charlie....yah HAD to get a DIG in there at the end, now DIDN'T you? ....You're SO predictable!

Thanks for the ping STARWISE!

[devolve]

.

A country with oil resources

Access to coastal shipping

And suddenly freedom and liberty

The mideast is worried by that

Especially Iran and Syria

[potlatch]

Of course they are. If I recall that was one of the Presidents goals - to convert Iraq to democracy in that area so it could spread.

The women in Iraq actually already were educated and free compared to the other countries. I’m sure the Saudi’s are very fearful, not to mention the others.

[potlatch]

Bump