Posted on 07/04/2009 10:17:47 AM PDT by SandRat
KIRKUK — "If terrorists knew this explosion would have unified Arabs, Turks, and Christians, they wouldn't have done it," said Mayor Talib of Taza, referring to a truck bomb attack here in June. "It has united us!"
Representatives from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and Kirkuk's Provincial Reconstruction Team traveled to Taza, June 27, to assist in the recovery. Capt. Nathan Jennings, a company commander with 2nd BCT, met with Talib.
According to Jennings, the purpose of the visit was to assess the security situation in the city, deliver much needed water, and examine a tent city that was established using tents donated by the Turkish government and several non-governmental organizations for displaced residents who lost their homes in the blast.
"The town has been feeding at least 3,000 people a day since the blast to accommodate the family members and friends who came to attend funerals," Jennings said. "We brought the water to make sure the visitors had enough."
Talib, who has worked on recovery efforts since the attack, said water lines leading to the destroyed homes have been temporarily repaired and water to the city has been restored.
The tent city was erected by the Iraqi Army in a field near the town. The Iraqi Soldiers will establish a field kitchen to feed the victims and a fence for additional security. According to Taza officials, the tents will also be furnished with furniture and already have electricity.
"The tents have electricity for a portion of the day and will have power 24 hours a day shortly," Talib said.
Chris Jennings, the Kirkuk PRT representative, offered his agencies assistance in the recovery as well.
"The PRT is here to help facilitate Taza's needs through the civilian sector," Jennings said.
With much of the debris removed from the blast site, reconstruction and rebuilding homes was top priority during the meeting.
"In the coming weeks, we can start looking at offering microgrants to help businesses that were damaged in the attack rebuild," Jennings said.
According to Talib, the families of those killed in the blast would receive 2 million Iraqi dinar and those wounded would receive 1 million Iraqi dinar, while the Government of Iraq has earmarked $5 million U.S. for rebuilding residential homes in Taza.
Talib, who also is on the reconstruction and humanitarian committee, said there was a plan to rebuild in place and that it would take up to a year to complete.
Again?
"It has united us!"
By George, they've got it!
Using this logic, then we ought to hope for a terrorist attack every day.
This is just too bizarre. Only in some kind of government propaganda can a terrorist attack be a good thing.
Ummm...no, thanks. We had enough of that in 2005 and 2006.
A terrorist attacked united Americans in 2001. Why not the Iraqis?
What I object to is all these silly posts about supposed good news in Iraq. Most of them are from this one poster, and they are obviously propaganda to make us all feel better. Americans deserve better than this.
There have been umpteen terrorist attacks in Iraq over the past 7 years. Why is this one somehow going to unite the Iraqis more than any other? The post is using newspeak to make something horrible sound good. It’s creepy. I, for one, don’t like this kind of non-news being foisted on us by our government.
What I want to know about Iraq is: 1. What is our objective? 2. When are our troops coming home?
We all know the reporting was horribly one-sided during the worst days of the war. It was twisted and distorted to the point of fiction.
The Iraqis are learning. I've been watching very closely. I'm even involved in various aspects of transitional training.
What's wrong with them learning that unity is a stronger front that being fractured? The Sunnis in Anbar learned it and that area is very calm now.
What is our objective?
Stand them up so that we can stand down. And we're doing it.
When are our troops coming home?
Ask Obama.
Screw you, go elsewhere.
This is the only place where we have learned that there are good things going on in Iraq, and continue to go on. That our good soldiers contribute to a new democracy.
Thank God for our great G.I’s and their contribution to our Freedom!
Hi, I would like to say that the author of this story is incorrectly identified. It is Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas. Pfc Justin Naylor is a print journalist in my department but did not author this story. the original source who released it is being corrected at this time.
No one is suggesting that the attack was a “good thing”. the point was that in the city of Taza, they weren’t looking at the attack as a reason to go conduct their own terrorist attacks, rather a point at which to unite against terrorism.
in 2011.
And not to suggest every last one will be home but that plan has been in the process well before Obama.
It wasn’t propoganda. this was taken directly from the mouth of the mayor in Taza.
And if it weren’t for the news always focusing on every negative aspect of the country it wouldn’t seem as bad. If the news exploited every single incident in any major U.S. city, from the outside it wouldn’t look like a place to go either.
I guess you would have to come over here and take a look for yourself to truly understand what it’s like and about.
But, in no way shape or form was the story bogus. The Turkish government and Iraqi government provided aid and assistance to the victims, it engraged the populace in the city against extremism and so the story highlighted that.
Sorry if it didn’t focus on the negative.
Yes, I know. I was tweaking the Code Pinko who was asking the question.
And not to suggest every last one will be home but that plan has been in the process well before Obama.
I know that, too. I was advising the doom-and-gloomer on here to ask his/her hero.
My five and a half year anniversary in Baghdad was July 18th. ;-)
I'm actually about ready to go home for good, but too much hope, change and stimulus has made the job market back home a bit lean.
Thank you and well done!
And welcome to FR. People like you are not only welcome, but highly appreciated by most of us.
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