Posted on 11/06/2009 2:19:29 AM PST by AmericanInTokyo
Sgt. Philip Klein 4th Inf. Div. PAO
KILLEEN, Texas – Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, the commanding general of the 4th InfantryDivision, helped open the lines of communication when he visited a mosque at the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen community center, which is located in Killeen, May 7.
The visit marks the Ironhorse Division’s inaugural effort to reach out to the sizeable Muslim community that resides in the greater central Texas region – Killeen, Temple and Austin– to foster dialogue, interaction and understanding between the two segments of the community. During the division’s recent 15-month deployment to Iraq, a critical aspect for its success was its ability bridge and gain an understanding and appreciation for the potential challenges brought on by cultural and religious divides.
The division’s ability to learn from past experiences helped to create a favorable environment to lay the groundwork for peace and prosperity for the people of Iraq. "One of the lessons I learned was to be a good listener and to not be a prisoner to past perceptions," said Hammond. "It goes back to attitude towards religion and culture – to bewilling to reach out and try to understand and come to a common ground."
The key to our success was to understand the cultural differences, respect the differences and the people, and work through shared values, and this allowed us to make great strides." Key to assisting Hammond and division leaders gain an appreciation and understanding of the culture in Iraq, in addition to the local Islamic community in the central Texas area, is Al-Azim, his cultural advisor.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 "I never went anywhere without my cultural advisor, Al-Azim," said Hammond, in talking about how he depended on his expertise in the past and as well the present. Azim deployed with the division and spent his 15 months providing cultural expertise ashe accompanied Hammond to numerous meetings with Iraqi officials, local community leader and tribal sheiks. He said he felt the visit was important because it provides the opportunity to foster stronger relations with a segment of the community that may be somewhat overlooked at times. "It was an excellent meeting today, and Gen. Hammond wants to start an outreach effortup in Fort Carson to build on the work we did in Baghdad and now in Central Texas," said Azim. "He wants this to be a national issue because the Army is generally more advanced in dealing with ethnic and cultural differences than anyone else. "We are all working together – the military and the Muslim-Americans – to help make our community better; after all, we all benefit from understanding, and we are all Americans."
Dr. Manzoor Farooqi, the president of the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen, welcomed the visit and expressed hope that it would build on the current relationship and help foster closer ties. "Ignorance is our worst enemy; understanding has improved a lot, but it still has a ways to go – though we are making progress," said Farooqi. "We are Americans who happen to practice Islam. What we can do is keep promoting these local relationships between the American-Muslim community and Fort Hood. We have so much in common.
Danquah Osman, a community center leader, expressed similar sentiments during themeeting. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 3 "Islam is important to our lives, and it doesn’t conflict with being an American. In fact, it helps us to be better Americans, said Osman. Hammond said he felt the meeting was an important first step and should continue in the future."
Fort Hood has got to do more to reach out to the Muslim community of Central Texas because everyone wins,” said Hammond. "I am going to be selfish in this regard because the more we understand each other, the safer our Soldiers will be.
We win the more we can come to appreciate the differences and similarities we share." And appreciating those differences and similarities, said Azim, is part of what makes the United States unique. "What makes us such a great nation, he said, “is we have such a divvvvvverse group of people and experiences to draw upon. -30- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 4 Friends. KILLEEN, Texas – Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, the commanding general of the 4thInfantry Division, meets with local Islamic community leaders at the Islamic Community of Greater Killeen community center, which is located in Killeen, May 7. Hammond met with Masood Zahid (left), the mosque’s Imam, Azeem Amr, Dr. Manzoor Farooqi, the president of the community center, Danquah Osman, Radwan Khaled, Al Azim, and Dr. Mahammed Khan. Together, the group discussed expanding the relationship and understanding between the Army and the American-Muslim community.(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Philip Klein, 4th Inf. Div. PAO) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Page 5 Discussions.KILLEEN, Texas – Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond, the commanding general of the 4thInfantry Division, discusses outreach opportunities with Danquah Osman (rear, facing)and Masood Zahid, during a meeting at the Islamic Community of Greater Killeencommunity center, which is located in Killeen, May 7.(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Philip Klein, 4th Inf. Div. PAO) -30-
(If link doesn't "hold up", THIS should suffice.
Isn’t there something in the UCMJ about sleeping with the enemy?
barbra ann
/s
Who was CIC from 2001 to 2009 and talked about the Religion of Peace
It’s simply amazing how stupid we americans are.
Explains a lot about Pearl Harbor and 9-11 and how they could happen in the first place. Not very much on the ball, you are right. Too nice. Too trusting. Too naive at times for our real world out there, what it really is (and some of the cold-blooded, plotting murderous scumbags—both nations and individuals—who occupy this planet with us unfortunately). I think Americans hearts are just too big and sweet at times, and the enemy takes advantage of that naivete and stabs the dagger in even deeper and we end up “WTH!?”.
George W. Bush. No argument there.
Well here is the Arab Street's "answer" to your JACKASS appeasement, Mr. "President."
Both links are broken..
They’re in full cover up mode
I guess ol' Nidal Malik Hasan was getting in a little practice yesterday!
“4th Inf. Div. Reaches Out to Local Islamic Community Members During Mosque Visit”
A lot of good that did.
Take a stroll through Arlington and see who sleeps together beneath that sacred soil.
Here are a few folks to visit...
CPT Humayun Saqib Muazzam Khan, SSG Ayman Abdelrahman Taha, or MAJ James Michael Ahearn...
That is why I posted the entire text above for keeps, they cannot delete that from FR. I also hard copied to my disk these stories as well. Not so fast with AiT! ;-)
This May 2009 Political Correctness visit to the very mosque in Killeen, TX that the shooter Hasan probably attended as well, by the top command of the local US Army there, to further Islamo relations has got to be one of the most embarrassing things out there this morning. I figured they would want it scrubbed because it might mean some military careers, or at least a change in policy. They cannot cover it up, though. Too many of us looking, scouring, copying, archiving and finking.
A good reminder for us not to get too carried away. Damn this shooter to hell, but don’t forget the honorable.
God bless ALL who give their lives to defend this country, but make no mistake: those brave young men whose headstones you showed were great soldiers and great men, but bad muslims according to the koran....
Some muslim you got there..
EXCELLENT CATCH..!
This needs more exposure.
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