Update #1 Iraq

Today is Tuesday, June 14, the 230th birthday of the US Army. Later
today we will hold a ceremony to commemorate the accomplishments and
sacrifices of the Army. I landed in Kuwait on June 8 and was delayed two
days from getting to Iraq by a sand storm. Finally, early the morning of
June 10, my C 130 aircraft set down at Baghdad. As the Liaison Officer
for the 101st Airborne Division to the Headquarters, Multi National Corp
- Iraq (MNC-I), I work at Corp Headquarters located in the Al Faw
Palace, just east of the Baghdad Airport. The Palace complex was built
after the 1991 Gulf War as a hunting preserve for Saddam’s sons. Crystal
chandeliers, gold inlayed fixtures and marble floors adorn the Palace.
While Saddam allowed most of his people to starve, he rewarded his
cronies with Palaces. It was one of an estimated 35 Palaces built after
1991 at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.

My day lasts about 12 to 14 hours. My office, a small cubical, is in the
Palace. I attend two Battle Update Assessments each day (morning &
night), numerous staff meetings and working groups. I also have three
working computers, 2 secret and 1 non-secret, that allows me to stay in
contact with Fort Campbell and my family. When the 101st Airborne
Divisions finally arrives and takes over its battle space, I will move
to the Joint Operations Center, which operates 24/7 to monitor and run
the battle in Iraq. About 1,000 soldiers & civilians work in the Palace.
There are military from 28 nations here and the Iraq military as well.
It is unfortunate that the media fails to recognize the tens of
thousands of Coalition Troops that are committed to spreading freedom
and democracy in this part of the world. We can all be proud of the
united effort that is going on here.

I sleep in an air conditioned tent with 8 other soldiers. The
temperature has been running from a day time high of 116 to an evening
low of 75 degrees. Of the 5 days I have been in Iraq, we had massive
s and/dust storms for 3 days. The sand here has the consistency of talcum
powder where you can seldom see 100 feet ahead of you. The dining
facility here, we have two of them, feed about 5,000 soldiers and is
open to feed around the clock. They produce the best Army chow I have
ever experienced in nearly 30 years of service.

The Iraqi’s that I have come in contact with express there appreciation
to the Coalition and in recent polls, 70% say they support the actions
of the Interim Iraqi Government. We should note that in September the
Iraqi people again will go to the polls to verify a Constitution and
then in December will vote for a full time government. Life is improving
for the average Iraqi. An example, electricity availability is
increasing. Under Saddam, only certain areas would have regular electric
service and if he became unhappy with an area, he would shut down
service. Understand that Iraq does not have an electric grid system
anything like what we in the USA experience. The Coalition is rebuilding
it and in some cases building from scratch.

The next time I write I will tell you how we are rebuilding the Iraqi
military and police system.

From Baghdad, LTC Joe Repya

Click here for Joe’s photo Gallery

Look at who the new Iraq Government is fighting. This insurgency is made
up of three factions: Criminals, foreign Islamists and indigenous
extremists. Criminals are behind most kidnappings, smuggling and weapons
trading. Foreign Islamists see Iraq as a location to continue their
Jihad against America. They make up 90% of the suicide bombers and use
intimidation, assassination and whole sale murder to try to achieve
their ends. Indigenous extremists, both Sunni and Shia, are in a
struggle to expel the Coalition and take over power. It is not
surprising that after 35 years of Saddam’s Baath Party rule over Iraq
that the 20% Sunni population would want to regain power. Much of the
insurgency is funded from Syria by former regime members and family
members of Saddam.

The attacks in London show that the war on terror will continue. The
sheepish among us will claim that the liberation of Iraq was wrong. That
no WMD existed and the war was only about oil. These are the same people
who had no problem with leaving Saddam in power while knowing the
butchery he was committing. Saddam sponsored suicide terrorist attacks
in Israel, gave safe refuge to foreign Islamists leaders (e.g. Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi) and training camps to terrorist groups (including some
aligned with Al Qa’ida). Need we forget Saddam launched two wars on his
neighbors (Iran & Kuwait), murdered over 500,000 of his own people, and
used poison gas on Kurds and Iranians? Iraq is and always has been
another battle front in the War on Terror.

From what I see here in Baghdad and my travels around Iraq, I’m
convinced we are winning this struggle. The Iraqi people are standing up
and shaping their own destiny. The vast majority want our help. They
have re-established their education, legal, economic and infrastructure
systems. The Iraqi military and police services are getting stronger and
every day their performance proves it. Average people are identifying
insurgents and leading us to high value targets which we are capturing
each week. Soon they will vote for a Constitution and a permanent freely
elected government. Our strategy has been to train, equip, and mentor
them while we let them do the job themselves. This strategy is working;
however, it does take time and patience. With the support of the
American people we will win this battle and change the face of the
Middle East for the better.

Mailing Address:

LTC Joe Repya

MNC-I, C-3, Opns

Victory Base South

APO AE 09342

http://www.92kqrs.com/photowall.asp?id=15826&view=scheduled

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