Below is an AFP report on a May 14 attack on a convoy that sadly resulted in the loss of three persons working as USG contractors. Fortunately, several colleagues in the convoy escaped injury.
Briton, two Iraqis killed in bomb blast (AFP, May 15)
HILLA, May 15, 2009 (AFP) - A British employee of a private security firm and two Iraqi guards were killed by a roadside bomb that hit their convoy south of Baghdad, US and Iraqi officials said on Friday.
The convoy was struck just outside the city of Hilla on Thursday night, a statement from the US military said.
"The car was completely destroyed in the attack in the Nile district, north of Hilla," Lieutenant Karim Qasim of the Iraqi army said.
Neither military provided details of the convoy or the name of the company employing the guards.
Nearly 100,000 guards work for private security firms in Iraq, many of them British.
May 16, 2009
Three in Convoy Killed Near Al-Hillah
May 3, 2009
Babil Province reconstruction projects.
This is from the MNF-I website and is a project supported by our PRT.
Renovated Vocational Center Increases Job Training in Babil Province
Saturday, 02 May 2009BABIL — Community leaders, media and Coalition representatives recently gathered here for the grand opening of the newly renovated $5.4 million Iskandariyah Vocational Technology Center.
Dr. Reyad Hassan, executive general manager of the Iraqi Ministry of Labor, officiated the grand opening with the assistance of newly-elected Babil provincial leaders.
The Vocational Center and Industrial Complex, located 25 miles south of Baghdad, was once the industrial jewel of north Babil province, boasting such facilities as the State Company for Automotive Industries (SCAI), the State Company for Mechanical Industries (SCMI) and Hateen munitions.
During April 2003 all these facilities were ransacked and torched by looters, leaving behind burned out shells of what had been home to 25,000 employees.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversaw the Center’s upgrade, utilizing Iraqi contractors. The three-phase project included renovating seven dorms, a classroom building, an auditorium and mechanical shop. The Iraqi crew, consisting of 200 local workers, finished the project three months ahead of schedule. Of those workers, 50 were recent graduates of the center.
When the Center’s renovations began in 2007, the school was offering a limited curriculum for an enrollment of 30 students. This year the center is expected to train and house 4,000 students in a variety of occupational specialties including hair dressing, sewing, administration, clerical, computer maintenance, masonry, electrical, carpentry, welding, computers, and auto mechanics.
“The renovation project became a reality because of the partnership between city and provincial government leaders, Coalition forces, the Babil PRT, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Iraqi construction crews, along with unwavering support from the local community,” said Col. Jack Drolet, district commander of USACE’s Gulf Region South district, at the grand opening. “The young men and women who come to this Vocational Center will learn skills, laying a foundation for future prosperity. We’re honored to be part of this effort.”
Many look to the Center’s renovation as the first step to improving the local economy. According to Pradeep Patnaik, Babil PRT’s senior economic advisor, the Center “is critical in our efforts to attract foreign investment to Babil province.”
Because the center is able to provide needed training, more than five international firms are considering manufacturing contracts with SCAI and SCMI industries, Patnaik added.
Currently SCAI is building prefabricated housing units, oil refineries, buses, construction equipment, greenhouses, and much more. “We are working with local and international businesses so that there will be enough work for everyone,” Patnaik said. (By Alicia Embrey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
“I feel our history is coming back”
The New York Times has a good article that captures the challenges -- political and bureaucratic -- of how to handle the reopening of the Babylon Ruins. Excerpts:
After decades of dictatorship and disrepair, Iraq is celebrating its renewed sovereignty over the Babylon archaeological site — by fighting over the place, over its past and future and, of course, over its spoils.
Time long ago eroded the sun-dried bricks that shaped ancient Babylon, the city of Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar, where Daniel read the writing on the wall and Alexander the Great died.
Colonial archaeologists packed off its treasures to Europe a century ago. Saddam Hussein rebuilt the site in his own megalomaniacal image. American and Polish troops turned it into a military camp, digging trenches and filling barricades with soil peppered with fragments of a biblical-era civilization.
Now, the provincial government in Babil has seized control of much of Babylon — unlawfully, according to the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage — and opened a park beside a branch of the Euphrates River, a place that draws visitors by the busload.
April 23, 2009
The ruins of Babylon.
Babylon received USG funding to develop it for tourism, as I mentioned in an earlier post. Here’s an interesting video from MSNBC about the cradle of civilization.
March 31, 2009
March 11, 2009
The Slain Soldier of Salah Ad-Din.
Here is a very moving email that Kenneth wrote on his way back home from Iraq this Sunday.
Wheelchairs for Babil Rehabilitation Center.
Since Kenneth has been unable to update his blog, check here for the latest information as to what has been going on in Hillah.
January 9, 2009
Babylon Gets US Funding
There are many such reliefs of dragons and lions on the ancient walls of the procession way which passed through the Ishtar Gate.Below is the text of a Bloomberg News article by Patrick Cole, dated January 8. It concerns efforts by the State Department, working through the World Monuments Fund, to help Iraq preserve the ancient city of Babylon, located just two miles away from our PRT. We will be hosting visits in 2009 by officials from the World Monuments Fund and also from UNESCO, which is the entity that has the authority to designate a place a world heritage site. With that often comes UN funding for preservation.
All of this is important to many Iraqi officials who see toursim in the future as an important part of the areas economic development.
It is not hard, of course, to imagine how many people around the world would like to be able to visit one city and see the Tower of Babil, the ruins of Nebudchanezer's palace, including the hanging gardens, the famous procession which passed through Ishtar's Gate (now in a Berlin Museum) and other ancient venues, such as Abraham's home, and the tomb of the Prophet Ezekiel.
Babylon Is Targeted in Project of World Monuments Fund and Iraq
By Patrick ColeJan. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The World Monuments Fund is launching a project with Iraq to preserve the ancient city of Babylon, where King Nebuchadnezzar II (630-562 B.C.) built his hanging gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The New York-based nonprofit group, which protects architectural and cultural sites, will work with Iraq’s State Board of Antiquities and Heritage to develop a master plan to promote conservation and tourism in the city, located about 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Baghdad on the east bank of the Euphrates.
“Future tourism will be one of the tools for economic development in Iraq, and we fear that Babylon could be eaten up by unmanaged development like the paving of roads,” World Monuments President Bonnie Burnham said in a phone interview. “The city has never been mapped, and there have been very dramatic changes to it.”
The U.S. Department of State has given the fund about $700,000 for the project, called “The Future of Babylon,” Holly Evarts, the fund’s spokeswoman, said in a phone interview. The organization is seeking more funding from other sources, she said.
“Iraqi heritage belongs to all humanity,” Samir Sumaida’ie, Iraq’s ambassador to the U.S., said in a statement. “In the immense task of caring for its world heritage, Iraq welcomes help from and collaborations with the international preservation community.”
The ancient city, founded around the 18th century B.C., has sustained damage in recent years from Saddam Hussein’s efforts to make it a tourist attraction, from looting after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and from being used as a military base during the Iraq War.
Second Initiative
The World Monuments Fund’s project marks the second initiative this decade to aid Babylon. In October 2003, the fund partnered with the Getty Conservation Institute to set up the Iraq Cultural Heritage Conservation Initiative to help preserve museums, archeological and historical sites in Iraq.
Founded in 1965, the fund has worked to preserve about 500 historical sites in some 90 countries around the world, ranging from St. Paul’s Cathedral in London to Route 66, an east-west highway in the U.S. The fund placed the nation of Iraq on its list of 100 most endangered sites in 2006 and 2008.
Others sites in Iraq targeted for restoration by the fund include the ancient region of Sumer and sites associated with the Babylonian, Assyrian and Parthian cultures.
This year the fund will begin teaching board of antiquities specialists in Iraq modern techniques of site evaluation and restoration. It also wants to develop a national database for mapping and managing thousands of cultural heritage sites in that nation.
December 27, 2008
Holidays in Al-Hillah
We had an unexpected visitor to the Al-Hillah Regional Embassy Offices, where the PRT is located. At 8:30am I was informed that MNF-I Commanding General Odierno had arrived and, after a brief ceremony with the military unit that is our neighbor, wanted to meet the PRT within 15 minutes. I set about rousting those not already awake, got the keys to our conference room and we pulled together about 20 people to meet with him. Al-Hillah was one of eight stops Gen. Odierno made that day visiting troops and PRTs.
As you can see from the photos below, he arrived and departed with a Santa hat emblazoned with 4 stars. Many of the contractors and local employees were tickled to be able to have a photo taken with him, making it a special Christmas moment.
Some of us were dressed in old track outfits about to run a 5K race, but he didn't seem to notice -- or was too polite to say anything. In any event, it turns out that Gen. Odierno grew up in Rockaway, NJ, just a few miles away from my home town of Boonton. He graduated a year behind me, same class as my sister. Small world.
I survived the 5K race and ate lots of great food, shrimp and prime rib, both rarely seen in Al-Hillah. All in all, it was a good Christmas, if you have to be away from family. Many persons serving in Iraq have spent multiple Christmas holidays away from home, so I have been fortunate over the years.
December 24, 2008
The "chance of feasts" and "prying to God" -- Christmas cards Iraqi style
I get all sorts of interesting communications from Iraqis in our province, especially during the holiday season. Some of them provide a linguistic twist that provides an extra element of amusement. Take for instance the Christmas e-card below. It is the thought, of course, that counts.
Taking the chance of feasts I want to say
MERRY CHRISTMAS &
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009
Hoping that the coming year bring the best to all of you,
Prying to God to bless you and your families .
Merry Christmas from Ishtar Gate
This is a photo of a replica of the Ishtar Gate, at the Babylonian ruins site. The original gate, which is very similar, is in a museum in Berlin. The photo was actually sent to me as a Christmas card by one of our staff.
Begin Text:
A special thanks with our greatest appreciation for your hard work and efforts towards the security of Iraq. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year during this special time away from family and friends. We hope that you remember this wonderful time of year not with regret but with a feeling of accomplishment for a worthy cause.From all the men of all Hillah SWAT we hope that this Christmas away from home will be a joyous one.
December 21, 2008
Below is an informative article published today that focuses on agriculture in Babil and quotes one of the PRT's Agriculture Advisors, Patrick Broyles.
Iraqi farmers are back in business, and Iraqis love local produce (McClatchy, Adam Ashton, Dec 20)
BABIL PROVINCE, Iraq — Mansour Abdul Khadim's mix of winter crops gives every impression of abundance, despite the double threat of drought and violence that has plagued Iraqi agriculture since Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003.
Rows of red potatoes and green beans grow together in one lot. Winter wheat sprouts in adjacent fields. Tomatoes for the spring already are incubating in mounds of fertilizer.
Khadim is optimistic scanning the fields, not least because the days of government mandates for wheat production appear to have ended. He thinks that will give him more opportunities to earn extra money by selling more-valuable vegetables.
"I am not restrained by any government condition. I am free to use the land the way I want it," said Khadim, 37, whose family has farmed in this rural area south of Baghdad for decades.
Khadim's taking advantage of a drop in violence to rebuild decrepit canals and boost his farm's production as part of a 700-member agricultural cooperative. He's part of a trend that many hope will increase across the country, bolster employment and restore Iraq's status as an historic breadbasket for the Middle East.
As Khadim's farm shows, Babil Province - known not long ago as a part of the "Triangle of Death" - could be a sort of salad bowl for Iraq if the peace holds and farmers are able to invest in their land.
"They could turn Babil Province into an agricultural center like the Fresno valley," said Patrick Broyles, a U.S. Department of Agriculture adviser from Emporia, Kan., who is working in the region around Khadim's farm.
That prospect is about a decade off in the best of circumstances, said several American agricultural experts who have worked in the country since 2003. They're working to support the agricultural sector because it's a vital employer, accounting for as much as a quarter of jobs in Iraq.
The country benefits from a 10-month growing season, good soil and its two rivers, which have supported farming in Iraq for thousands of years — the Tigris and Euphrates.
"The basic system for agriculture is there; it's just in shambles" said Joseph King, a project leader for studies on Iraqi farming conducted by Texas A&M University's Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture
The biggest obstacles that could keep Iraq importing its food well into the future include:
_ A shortage of electricity and fuel that blocks farmers from pumping water out of wells.
_ Poor systems to deliver water from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers to farms. Khadim's area is served by one main canal constructed by the British in the 1930s, and another, in poor condition, that was built about 30 years ago by a Turkish company. Both need continual maintenance, Khadim said.
_ Depleted seed and livestock supplies that were hindered first by the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s and then by United Nations sanctions that followed Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait through the following decade. "Basically with every crop grown in Iraq, there are better varieties that could be grown," Broyles said.
_Inefficient drainage on many farms that allows salt to build up over time, ruining soil.
_A shortage of border security agents to prevent Syrian, Iranian or Turkish imports from flooding Iraqi markets and jeopardizing the health of Iraqi crops.
Those challenges are so severe that U.S. and Iraqi officials are chipping away at them instead of tackling them whole.
"In six months, we're not going to change that," said Edwin Price, director of the Borlaug Institute. "In three years we're not going to change it."
A team from Price's institute studied agriculture in Iraq's provinces over the past year, crafting detailed recommendations for each.
It's focusing on educating farmers more than calling for immediate changes in how Iraqis manage their agricultural sector. One of its projects launched 4-H clubs in southern Babil province, where students chose to work together on raising poultry.
The State Department has a similar strategy. It's investing in Iraq's agricultural extension program to spread knowledge about the latest farming techniques.
"The proof to me will be when everyone is happy with respect to ag income," said a U.S. embassy official who spoke on condition that he not be identified. "Ultimately the goal is to provide enough income so people won't be shooting at each other, or at us."
Price noted a regional demand for certain Iraqi exports - dates, eggplants, cucumbers and okra. He has encouraged farmers to focus on those crops, which can earn them higher incomes - and use less water - than cereal grains. Iraqi lamb is considered a delicacy, too.
Iraqis have a pent up demand for locally grown food. Many Iraqis believe their products simply taste better than their counterparts from Syria and Iran.
"The quality of the ag produce is the best in all the Middle East," said Fuad Husseian, a Kurdish man who is working with Broyles on a contract with the State Department in Babil province.
But Iraqi produce is hard to find in the fruit and vegetable markets that dot Baghdad's streets. Most of the cornucopia of pomegranates, tangerines, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants at the markets comes from Syria, sellers said.
"Every time retail sellers come to buy from us, the first question they ask is 'Do you have local product,'" said Qusay Abbas Ahmed, 30, a wholesaler in the town of Abu Ghraib west of Baghdad. "After we say no, they start looking around. They prefer it because the Iraqi product tastes better and is fresher, and to tell you the truth, one enjoys eating the product of his own country," Ahmed said.
Wholesalers say they can't get products from Iraqi farmers, who they say have been held back primarily by the electricity shortage. They said it was easier to get Iraqi food during the U.N. sanctions because so few imports were allowed across the border.
Jassim Abu Atheer, 42, owns a wholesale stand in Abu Ghraib and has fruit orchards in the Diyala province east of Baghdad. He said Iraq's Ministry of Agriculture should restore subsidies for fuel and fertilizer to help farmers to pre-war levels. Those subsidies remain, though to a lesser degree.
"Now we are supported with nothing, no seeds, no fertilizers," he said. "If the farmer was to buy what he needed from the market it would be more expensive than the goods that are being imported."
Bloody sectarian violence didn't help, either. The wholesale market in Abu Ghraib was unreachable for some of its customers in 2006 and 2007 because of road closures, the wholesalers said.
Kadhim's province suffered severely during that period, too. Insurgents threatened to kill his parents if they didn't leave their land.
An al Qaida in Iraq cell took up positions along a primary canal, threatening to shoot anyone who tried to fix its leaks. Kadhim and others worked with tribes and the American military to eliminate those cells.
A flourishing agricultural sector could be a key to keeping those cells from returning, said Sayeed Sabaa, a leader of a farming committee on Babil's district council.
He attended a ceremony this week to mark the opening of the U.S.-funded $3.2 million "Central Euphrates Farmers Market," a project that's expected to make it easier for Babil farmers to sell their products.
"We hope to implement this and have people to work here to stabilize the security situation," Sabaa said.
(McClatchy special correspondent Sahar Issa contributed to this report. Ashton reports for the Modesto (Calif.) Bee)
November 9, 2008
Ribbon Cutting in Musayib
Below is a release by MNC-I on the November 5 ribbon cutting that I participated in to celebrate the renovation of the District Council building. One year ago there were tanks in the streets of Musayib. Today you can stroll the streets.
Musayyib opens $85K city hall
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ISKAN, Iraq – Provincial and local government representatives, Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition forces celebrated the grand opening of the renovated Musayyib City Hall Nov. 5.
“We worked hard to get this project done … with the help from the Iraqi Security Forces, Coalition forces, and all of you here today, you have all come together to make this project possible,” said Jabber, council chairman.
The Iraqi Commander Emergency Response Program funded the $85,000 project.
The ceremony opened with versus from the Quran followed by speeches from Jabber, Mayor Ali, Ken Hillas of the Provincial Reconstruction Team and the assistant governor.
“For a local government to work well, a community must believe in its future and in the capacity and determination of its citizens to participate in self rule,” said Hillas. “Democracy is not easy … the strength and effectiveness of the democratic government that this structure houses rests with you, the people of Musayyib. I am sure you will take advantage of its privileges and not allow that to slip away.
“The biggest danger is always apathy and indifference.” Hillas said.
“If your community is to be well and wisely governed, the citizens must be involved. Every woman and man has duties as well as rights in a democracy.”
The renovated city hall reflects the transformation of the city of Musayyib.
“The building has a new look, and now it’s more qualified for the members to work better and get our people in Musayyib all kinds of help,” said Ali.
The grand opening shows how far the local government and security forces have come over the past year.
“God willing, it will inspire others to continue striving to build a better community … and may it be a lasting monument for the faith in the future and the power of democracy,” said Hillas. “I want you to know that you are not alone in this endeavor. The U.S. government…is proud to support the efforts of the government of Iraq in meeting the essential needs of the Iraqi people. You may be assured that our partnership will continue as we build on the gains achieved over the last year.”
November 3, 2008
Man Meets Camel
Recently, an Iraqi camel visited our compound, and I found that we could communicate.
Then we connected, ney, we bonded . . . .
But someone else entered the picture, a soldier with more charm than me.
And just as quickly, the camel's affections were his. Guess I was lucky.
October 29, 2008
October 24, 2008
Security Portfolio Turned Over to Babil Province
A view from the parade route of the reconstructed walls of ancient BabylonOn October 23, Babil was the latest province in Iraq to transition to Provincial Iraqi control (PIC) of security. The event was cause for a big ceremony next to the Babylonian ruins that received lots of coverage in the Baghdad and regional media (e.g., Al Jazeera) but little beyond that. The handover of security responsibilities in Babil leaves only the province of Wasit in southern Iraq that has yet to make the transition.
At a celebration prior to the PIC signing, Babil Governor Salam Saleh Mahdi Al-Muslimawi said the event was "a gift from God." He was speaking to a crowd of several hundred people gathered for the event that took place next to the ancient ruins of Babylon. Others addressing the crowd include Prime Minister Maliki's National Security Advisor, Mowaffaq Al-Rubaie, Multinational Iraq Corps (MNC-I) Commander Lieutenant General Austin and Provincial Council Chairman Muhammed Ali Hussain Al-Massoudi. After the speeches, Governor Salam and Major General Oates, Commander of MultiNational Division-South, signed the formal document establishing Provincial Iraqi Control (PIC).
In his remarks, Lieutenant General Austin noted the real improvements in security over the last year, during which insurgent attacks in Babil had declined 80%. He stressed the continuing commitment of the Coalition to partner with the ISF in building on those security gains, providing a basis for improvements in essential services for Babil's citizens in the areas of water, sewage, electricity and transportation.
BG Abdul Ameer, 31st Brigade 8th Army, with me after the PIC ceremony
He had a uniform that would have made a British Field Marshall proud
Units from the Iraqi Army, Police, SWAT, and Civil Response Teams paraded before a reviewing stand in celebration of PIC. National Security Advisor Rubaie had several praise singers shout acclaim for the achievements of Prime Minister Mailiki's Government. LTG Austin used the opportunity to announce to the crowd that the province of Wasit, the only one in the south that has not transitioned to Provincial Iraqi Control, would do so in another week. With that, Iraqi Security Forces will have the lead responsibility for security in all of southern Iraq, reflecting the gains of the last year. That "gift from God" was one that both Governor Salam and Minister Rubaie'e recognized as the fruit of a joint effort by Iraq and the Coalition, working as partners in Babil to consolidate security, move ahead on reconstruction and strengthen democracy and governing institutions.
The ceremonies were followed by a lunch for invited guest in the Presidential compound along the banks of the Hillah River within the protected site of the ancient Babylonian ruins, where the province's future and fabled past found reflection in the events of the day. One observer, remarking on the significance of the day, said that it was "the beginning of the end" of the Coalition's mission. That may turn out to be true, hopefully so, but it is not yet a certainty.
October 21, 2008
Iftar dinner in Hilla.
This news may be a little dated, but it was just reported by the US Embassy: PRT Shares Iftar with Iraqis in Babil Province.
Saying good-by to Al-Tufail tribe leader Sheik Al-Shanan at the end of Iftar."The [PRT's] yearly tradition of hosting an Iftar dinner during Ramadan is an excellent opportunity for members of Babylon's local government to come together with local NGO representatives, tribal leaders and businessmen.”
He added, “Such an invitation reflects mutual respect of the religious rituals and rites of Christianity and Islam. On behalf of myself and all the tribal leaders in Hillah, I extend our thanks to the REO and the PRT."
October 6, 2008
Team Babylonians.
October 3, 2008
American Foreign Service Association on Iraq Assignments
The following message from AFSA State VP Steve Kashkett was issued as an AFSA press release on Thursday, October 2, 2008.
It challenges the media to correct the misimpression, largely created one year ago, that it has not been possible to fill assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan through volunteers. The reality, however, is that good news rarely makes news.
Text of AFSA Announcement:
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) welcomes Secretary Rice's announcement that the Department of State has now filled all of its positions at the U.S. missions in Iraq and Afghanistan for the summer 2009 assignment cycle with qualified, willing volunteers -- as has been the case every year since those two diplomatic missions came into existence. It is a tribute to the courage and sense of duty of the people of the Foreign Service that our members, as well as a number of Civil Service colleagues, have stepped forward without hesitation every year to staff the embassies and provincial reconstruction teams in those two war zones. These are our largest diplomatic missions in the world, and they present unique dangers and challenges to the thousands of our members who have volunteered since 2003.
AFSA hopes that those journalists, media outlets, and commentators who erroneously reported last October that the Department of State had been unable to fully staff the Iraq mission will now show as much zeal in reporting that, in fact, every one of these positions in both Iraq and Afghanistan for summer 2009 has been filled more than eight months in advance. Those journalists did a great disservice to the Department of State and its employees -- who have never shied away from hardship
service in some of the most dangerous places on earth -- and we hope that these journalists will now set the record straight."
October 2, 2008
Embassy Baghdad's Deputy Chief of Mission Wins Prestigious Award
Those of us serving on PRTs are very proud that Pat Butenis, Embassy Baghdad's Deputy Chief of Mission, has been selected to receive the 2008 James A. Baker III - C. Howard Wilkins, Jr. Award for Outstanding Deputy Chief of Mission. Here are excerpts from the official announcement:
The Selection Committee chose Ms. Butenis for rebuilding Embassy Baghdad, for managing, defending, and developing its staff, and for advancing America's most important foreign policy priorities.
This award, made possible by C. Howard Wilkins, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, is presented to an outstanding Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge d'Affaires in the Ambassador's absence. The award consists of a certificate signed by the Secretary and $5,000.
The Selection Committee was chaired by Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte. Its members included Joyce A. Barr, Director of the East Asia/Pacific Bureau's Executive Office; Judith A. Chammas, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Human Resources in the Director General's Office; Jeffrey D. Feltman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near East Asia Affairs; and Christopher R. Hill, Assistant Secretary for East Asia/Pacific Affairs.
October 1, 2008
Cholera, Elections and Security Turnover
It has been a busy time in Babil the last two weeks. The cholera outbreak, which was heavily concentrated in Babil, appears to have stabilized.
On September 24, the Iraqi Council of Representatives (Parliament) passed legislation paving the way for holding provincial elections no later than January 31. In addition, preparations continue for the handover of lead responsibility for security from Coalition to the provincial authorities, which Iraqi officials expect to take place in the coming weeks.
Cholera
WHO has a website with information on the cholera outbreak, which began in July and picked up in August and early September. See http://www.int/csr/don/2008_09_29c?en/index.html.
Babil accounts for 200 of the 340 confirmed cases. The outbreak appears to have stabilized and, notwithstanding all that has been written in the media about a cholera "epidemic" here, the fact remains that only two persons have died in Babil Province, and that is the most of any province in Iraq.
The WHO does not recommend restrictions on travel in the affected areas, nor does it advise mass prophylaxis.
The PRT is contributing 15 water tanks with a capacity of 5,00 liters each. The International Medical Corps has made a similar contribution. Access to clean drinking water is the critical need. The health authorities responded well on the ground to the outbreak, even if in the early stages there was little public recognition of the problem. The Iraqi Government has had sufficient chlorine tablets for sterilization of water, and patient demand has not exceeded hospital bed capacity.
The good news is that this year's outbreak is less intense than last year. Cholera has long been endemic to this part of Iraq, unfortunately.
Elections
The same day that the PRT hosted an Iftar dinner (breaking of the daily fast during Ramadan), the Parliament passed long-awaited legislation that paves the way for holding provincial elections no later than January 31, 2009.
That is a major step forward for Iraqi democracy and should make a contribution to the political reconciliation process.
The Sunnis, who are concentrated in Northern Babil and who largely boycotted the 2005 provincial elections, should gain proportionate representation in the Provincial Council. Likewise, many supporters of Moqtada Al-Sadr, are showing signs that they want to reengage in the political process and move away from armed "resistance." The Sadrist Trend, as the movement is referred to here, has long opposed coalition "occupation."
It may be that U.S. willingness to include in a draft SOFA Agrement target dates for redeployment and withdrawal of forces has given the Sadrists enough reason to reengage in the political process. The Sadrists have officially announced the demobilization of its Mahdi Army and the creation of a new cultural/social (read political) arm of the movement called Mahmehadun, while retaining a residual and smaller armed force.
How this plays out, of course, will have a big effect on the development of the political situation in the southern provinces. In any event, the election campaign is sure to be interesting and closely watched, holding the potential for changing the situation on the ground.
Security Handover
At the same time, another major development is unfolding.
Iraqi officials have announced that they expect to take lead responsibility for security in two new provinces -- Babil and Wasit. The latter is to the west of Babil and lies along the Iraqi-Iranian border.
When this takes place, the Iraqis will have the principal responsibility in all five of the provinces in the South/Central region (Wasit, Diwaniyah, Najaf, Kerbala and Babil). One-two years ago, it would have been hard to find someone willing to predict that we would be at this point.
September 25, 2008
Rebuilding Iraq Blog.
SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS PALPABLE BUT FRAGILERead the rest of my report as well as other PRT reports written by colleagues at RealClearWorld.
I arrived in Al-Hillah in the beginning of March 2008, and the changes since then have been notable. The gains in security during that time are reflected in an improved quality of life for the province's citizens. Babil -- the most populous (1.6 million) province in the south central region -- is the keystone for the south central region. The U.S. maintains a Regional Embassy Office (REO ) in Al-Hillah, one of four in Iraq (together with Basrah, Kirkuk and Erbil). Babil is largely located between the Tirgris and Euphrates and has been Iraq's breadbasket as well as an industrial center. The northern part of the province lies within the so-called "Triangle of Death," south of Baghdad. This was a Sunni area lying on the Sunni/Shia fault line and the stage in which active fighting was still taking place until early 2008. An embedded sister PRT is paired with U.S. forces in northern Babil, where the changes of the last 10 months have probably been most starkly visible. A place like Jurf as Sakr, a Sunni majority town in northern Babil, was the scene of terrible destruction one year ago. I walked down the main street early this summer and was able to visit stores and talk to shopkeepers, escorted by only two soldiers at a distance.
A view of some of the Babylonian Ruins, which have not been excavated, or maintained, for many years long before 2003.
September 11, 2008
Bagpipes Play in Al-Hillah In Memory of 9/11 Victims
In Al-Hillah, Iraq, about 100 employees of the Regional Embassy Office and Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team held a special commemoration for the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our country. Visiting Embassy Baghdad Ag Attache James Conley played a stirring rendition of "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes, while REO and PRT employees stood for two minutes of silence in the REO Garden beneath the flag at half-staff. Jim's willingness to bring his bagpipes on his trip to Al-Hillah permitted an especially poignant commemoration of this sad day, and reminded all that there is something in the sound of bagpipes that stirs emotions and strengthens resolve.
Security responsibilites turnover.
Here is a media report, the first on this topic of which I am aware, on the possible turnover of primary security responsibilities to the Provincial authorities, what we refer to as PIC (Provincial Iraqi Control).
Ministry says ready for Babel, Wassit handover
Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Wednesday , 10 /09 /2008 Time 10:04:27
The Iraqi minister of defense, Abdelqadir Al-Ubeidi, on Wednesday said that Iraqi forces are preparing to take over full security responsibilities in the provinces of Babel and Wassit.
"Security forces continue their preparations to take on security responsibilities in Babel and Wassit from the Multi-National Force (MNF)," the minister said during a Baghdad-based press conference on Wednesday without giving any indication as to when such a handover could take place.
Anbar was the 11th and the latest Iraqi province where security responsibilities have been passed on to the Iraqi authorities.
Wassit, 180 km south of Baghdad, is in the east of the country. As it lies along the Tigris about midway between Baghdad and Basra.Prior to 1976 it was known as Kut Province.
Babel, 100 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, has an area of 6,468 square kilometers (2,497.3 sq mi), with an estimated population of 1,385,783 people in 2003. The provincial capital is the town of al-Hillah.
September 8, 2008
Visit to Hashimiyah and Cholera Outbreak
Iraqi province on alert for suspected cholera outbreakNotwithstanding the above AFP report on the cholera outbreak in Babil Province, the Ministry of Health has not officially confirmed the outbreak, which apparently has struck Hashimiyah in the south and perhaps a town in the north. Cholera outbreaks are not unusual in Iraq at this time of year.
HILLA, September 8, 2008 (AFP) - The central Iraqi province of Babel went on alert on Monday after four people were killed by cholera and 200 others were suspected of suffering from the disease, local officials told AFP.
"The laboratory reports from Babel health department indicate there are 200 cases of suspected cholera, vomiting and diarrhoea in the province," the provincial council said. It said the council head, Mohammed al-Masoodi, has ordered the water, electricity and health departments to go on alert in an effort to stop the spread of the disease. Local medics said four people have died from the disease, adding that most of the suspected cases were from Al-Hashimiyah area of northern Hilla, the provincial capital. Six cases of cholera have also been detected and 64 more suspected cases been reported in the southern province of Maysan, a member of parliament told AFP on Monday.
I am sure that there is no cause and effect, but I visited Hashimiyah yesterday, as well as another town in that district called Shomali, which boasts the youngest judge in Iraq.
We have formed a working group on the PRT to monitor the cholera situation and coordinate with relevant entities, like the Health Ministry, local officials, Coalition units and the Embassy. This morning we visited the largest radio station in the region, where I did a live interview for 45 minutes on the work of the Babil PRT.
It seems that our local employees are hearing that the thing that most impressed some listeners wasn't hearing about how a specific project was proceeding or how the PRT worked with various government agencies. No, it was the simple gesture of a traditional Ramadan greeting of wishing for the listeners that God will return their prayers with health and safety.
I decided to join our local employees in the daily fast (no food or water) from sunrise to sunset. So you tank up early in the morning and hold on for the rest of the day.
Interviewer to the right, interpreter in center and me on the left.