| Sunday, 07 December 2008 |
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BAGHDAD — A renovated sports club reopened in Baghdad’s Hai Al-Adel community, Dec. 3.
A few months ago, the Al-Adel Sports Club was an old, run-down building with only one functional weight room. Coalition forces and local contractors decided to reconstruct the gym using the Commanders Emergency Relief Fund. |
“The Al-Adel Sports club was a pretty run down building, it had holes in the walls, in the ceilings, all the glass was in pretty bad shape and the only thing in use was the weight room,” said Capt. Kelly Lanphere, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, attached to 2nd (Heavy) Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
“It just needed a lot of stuff, in fact, more than we could provide. We chose to focus on the main building which ended up costing $117,600 of CERP funds.” The new building provides a place for neighborhood residents to work out by offering an array of sports training. The gym will also engage youth in meaningful activities.
“Basketball, volleyball, handball, indoor and outdoor soccer, tae kwon do, weight training and body building will be available for youth and adults,” said Lanphere. “The idea behind these kinds of projects is to give [the youth] something else to do, something to look forward to, occupy their time and promote a healthy lifestyle. There’s a lot to be learned from sports. If they can involve themselves with the teams, they’ll learn some key things that will help them stay away from crime.”
As the crime rate has reduced significantly throughout Baghdad, people have gained a sense of normalcy and general happiness allowing community improvement contracts to take place.
“Because of the improvement in security we were able to establish contracts and see these projects through,” said Samir Sabar, project overseer and local contractor. “When the people heard about it, it made them very excited because the building was old and run down, and they were very happy to know they were going to get a new building.”
The project took about two and a half months to complete. The gym was renovated, rewired, and the lighting systems for the soccer field and basketball court were replaced. Other renovations included painting the facility, replacing the air conditioning units and a new bathroom equipped with showers. Doors and windows were replaced and new walkways were installed, said Nima Alsiegh, a civil engineer who oversaw the project from start to finish.
“It feels good to help out, and give these people a chance at living a normal life,” Lanphere said. “They don’t have the things we get to enjoy and this gives them a little taste of what it’s like to have decent facilities, and an opportunity to take an interest in their health, enjoyment and become a better people.”
(Multi-National Corps – Iraq Public Affairs)
Feature Stories
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WASHINGTON — The war in Iraq isn't over, but a successful end is in sight, thanks to hard work between the United States and Iraq, President George W. Bush said in his weekly radio address yesterday.
"Earlier this week, Iraq's Presidency Council approved two landmark agreements that will solidify Iraq's democratic gains, affirm its sovereignty, and put its relations with the United States on a strong and steady footing," he said. "The first agreement that America and Iraq have signed is called a strategic framework agreement." |
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 DIYALA — Local Iraqi men lined up to become registered members of the Sons of Iraq here at Forward Operating Base Gabe, Dec. 4. More than 300 Iraqis showed up for the registration, put together by Coalition forces and the Iraqi Army.
“It’s been a great turn out,” said Col. Burt Thompson, brigade commander, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. “And it’s really good to see both U.S. forces and the Iraqi Army working together as a joint force to ensure the registration of as many local Iraqi nationals to become registered members of the Sons of Iraq.” |
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FOB DELTA — Police training operations in Wasit province expanded from focusing in al Kut to include stations in outlying areas, taking advantage of improved security and Iraqi Police capability.
Soldiers of the 511th Military Police Company resumed their partnership with stations in the towns of Numaniyah, al Hayy and Shay’k Sa’ad, as well as outlying stations in each district. |
| Interactive Iraq :: Video News |
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 •This edition features a story on U.S. Navy Seamen training Iraqi divers.
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 •This edition features stories on Airmen who teach Iraqis leadership skills, Iraqi Navy divers, and Native American Heritage Month.
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Shrine of Jonah
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi Police detained one suspected criminal during combat operations Dec. 6 in Baghdad’s Ameriyah district.
At approximately 2 p.m., Soldiers from Troop C, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, operationally attached to the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, MND-B, along with local Iraqi Police detained one suspected criminal based on a warrant for arrest issued by Iraqi authorities.
“The 2nd ‘Dagger’ Brigade continues to exert pressure on enemy combatants as we arrest dangerous criminals and bring them to justice in an Iraqi court of law,” said Maj. Kone Faulkner, 2nd HBCT Spokesman, 1st Inf. Div., MND-B. “The Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition forces will continue to work together to provide a safe and secure environment for the Iraqi people in the Ameriyah district of northwest Baghdad.” 
Flip Out
| Saturday, 06 December 2008 |
Coalition forces destroy weapons caches, detain 10 in central Iraq
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces destroyed three weapons caches, captured five wanted men and detained five additional suspects during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq nodes throughout central Iraq on Friday and Saturday.
Coalition forces continued to weaken Salah ad Din AQI cells during a series of coordinated operations Friday night and early Saturday. Forces in Bayji, 160 km south of Mosul, detained one suspect during an operation Friday night targeting an AQI leader in the city. Reports suggest the wanted man and his associates are planning an attack in the area and have been gathering a weapons cache.
The assault force was led to three suspected cache sites about 20 km south of Bayji, where they found multiple 155 mm artillery rounds, 200 rounds of ammunition, two bags of detonation cord, one mortar, several mortar rounds and two rockets. The materials were safely destroyed, rendering them useless for terrorist attacks.
A related operation early Saturday in Bayji netted another suspect believed to be associated with a local AQI leader. Two AK-47 rifles were found buried in the courtyard of the home where the suspect was detained.
Terrorist command and control networks were further eroded in central Iraq on Friday and Saturday. In Baghdad on Friday, Coalition forces captured one suspected terrorist allegedly linked to the city’s AQI leadership.
Another wanted man was captured during a related operation early Saturday in Baghdad. Reports suggest the suspected terrorist is a leader in AQI‘s Baghdad network and facilitates improvised explosive device operations in the city.
During an unrelated operation in Baghdad on Saturday, Coalition forces captured one wanted man assessed to have ties to terrorist leadership in the region and one additional suspect believed to be his associate. Forces also recovered three pistols and one AK-47 during the operation.
During an operation Friday in Hit, about 155 km northwest of Baghdad, forces captured a wanted man believed to be associated with regional AQI leaders. Another individual was detained for further questioning.
A second suspected terrorist believed to be associated with anti-Coalition force activities in Anbar province was captured in Hit early Saturday. The suspected terrorist, who may have links to AQI, surrendered himself to the ground force without incident. One more suspect assessed to be an associate of the wanted man was also detained. |
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained a suspected weapons trafficker and a Special Groups criminal cell leader Dec. 5-6 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. Dec. 5 responding to a tip, Soldiers from Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND – B, detained an individual suspected of coordinating weapons trafficking in the Abu T’shir community of southern Baghdad. The patrol returned to a combat outpost with the detainee for processing.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., Dec. 6, Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, detained a suspected SGC cell leader in the Aamel community. The individual is believed to be responsible for facilitating attacks against Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces. He is also alleged to be responsible for rocket attacks against local nationals and money extortion.
The patrol returned to a combat outpost with the detainee for additional questioning.
“Detaining known criminals and getting them off the streets shows the dedication of both the Iraqi Security Forces and the Coalition forces to provide a safe and secure environment,” said Maj. Dave Olson, 1st BCT Spokesman, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. “The ISF are stepping up their efforts of securing their country and providing security for the people of Iraq.” |
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