Posted on 08/05/2009 3:53:54 PM PDT by SandRat
Iraqi Police in Kirkuk give a food bag to an elderly Iraqi woman during a humanitarian aid delivery, July 27. The IP, with assistance from the U.S. Army, delivered food, toys and school supplies to at least 200 residents. Photo courtesy of 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs.
FOB WARRIOR — In several sub-districts of Kirkuk city in northern Iraq, some of the less fortunate occasionally need assistance to make ends meet.
That assistance arrived in late July with the delivery of humanitarian goods to the sub-district of Arafa and Aruba by Iraqi Police (IP) and U.S. Soldiers.
The IP delivered bags of food to families and school supplies and toys to waiting children. On hand to assist in the delivery of the aid was the "Lion of Kirkuk", the official mascot of the Kirkuk IP, who has been visiting Iraqi children throughout the city.
First Lt. Mike Sim and his 82nd Field Artillery Regiment Soldiers supported the delivery.
"Operations like this just further illustrate Iraqi Security Forces' (ISF) ability to operate on their own," Sim said.
Sim explained that he believes the IP delivering the aid helps build confidence among residents here in their government by showing their willingness to provide for the people.
"Over the past six years the nature of U.S. participation has gone through the full spectrum of change," Sim said. "Seeing us [U.S. forces] here in a support capacity with ISF up front demonstrates how far the ISF have come."
The Chief of Police for the Arafa sub-district, Lt. Col. Afram Jacob Jaji, selected the area to receive the distribution.
"I chose this [village] because it is very poor, the poorest in my area," said Jaji. "I wanted the people to know that we [Iraqi government] have not forgotten about them."
According to Jaji, he is involved in other projects to help the residents in his area by focusing on essential services like water and power.
"The reasons for these projects and the food delivery is not just to give food, but also to build a relationship between local residents and the Iraqi Police," Jaji said.
Jaji is also working on developing the Iraqi equivalent of a neighborhood watch program to gather information on criminal activities and other matters of concern to residents in his area.
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