Soldiers Help Create Public Park from Abandoned Carnival
Thursday, 30 October 2008
BAGHDAD — “As I drove by the Army canal every day, I saw this park, and I said this is something we can do to help the citizens,” said Col. John Hort, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
Dover Park, as it is known by Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers, sat abandoned for years; located in the Qahira neighborhood of the Adhamiyah District of Baghdad, its carnival rides were unusable and the land was overgrown with weeds.
“It was your typical abandoned park here in Iraq,” said 1st Lt. Rosita Rodriguez, a civil affairs team chief with Company C, 404th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B.
Thus, the mission to rehabilitate the park became Rodriguez’s mission. Two months later, the refurbished park was completed and handed over to the local neighborhood council, Oct. 28, 2008.
“This is our first park in Qahira. We never had one before,” said Mohamed Madaloom, the Qahira Neighborhood Assistance Council chairman.
The park has a small pond with a generator-run fountain with a flock of geese as well as benches, solar lights, several swings, slides and seesaws. There is also a tiled path lined with flowers and new grass has been planted. A gardener and a security guard, he added, will be hired.
The park is intended to be self-sufficient, and seven small kiosks will be rented to vendors. The rent will provide an income stream to buy fuel for the generator, pay the salaries of the staff and any other expenses.
“Everybody admires the park. I know the families are so excited to get here,” said Madaloom, who, along with fellow local officials and Coalition leaders, gathered for the official hand over. Iraqi officials and Col. Hort raised the Iraqi flag to symbolize the opening of the park as doves were released. Some families and their children couldn’t wait – they were already on the rides.
“I’m so pleased; our kids aren’t able to go many places because of the security situation. I am so pleased that we have such a park in our neighborhood,” said Aum Achmed, who was there with her daughter and a niece. “It’s important for every kid to have a place to go to.”
“It’s good. It used to be awful before. I wouldn’t even look at it before,” said Mostfa, a 3-year-old Iraqi child, before running off to a nearby slide.
(By Sgt. Jerry Saslav, 4th Infantry Division)
Security Responsibility Returns to Iraqis in Wasit Province
WASHINGTON — Complete security and governance responsibilities have transferred to Iraqi officials in Wasit province, giving Iraq’s government responsibility for more than two-thirds of the country, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters during a news conference yesterday.
“The national and local government now has responsibility for security and governance in all of southern Iraq,” Morrell said. “It is our hope that Iraqis can take charge of security for the final five provinces in the coming months.”
Deputy Prime Minister Brings Support to Mosul and Ninewa Province
MOSUL — Deputy Prime Minister Rafi Hiyad al-Issawi visited Mosul and conducted a press conference at Provincial Hall, Oct. 20, where he announced some reconstruction initiatives that have already been approved by the central government for Mosul and Ninewa province.
DPM al-Issawi focused on agricultural initiatives, announcing that the central government had “written a check for 2 billion Iraqi dinar” to Ninewa province to help offset agricultural losses over the last two years due to drought and other conditions. DPM al-Issawi stated the payment was designed to cover nearly 450 claims of loss by Ninewa farmers.
Iranian-Backed Terrorism Suspects Captured
WASHINGTON — Coalition troops in Iraq yesterday captured a suspected financer and four others associated with an Iranian-backed terrorist group believed to be responsible for bombings, military officials said.
Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted the suspected Kataib Hezbollah facilitator during an operation in Amarah in Iraq’s Maysan province, which borders Iran.
Interactive Iraq :: Press Briefings
| Operational Update: Brig. Gen. David Perkins, Oct. 29 |
Brig. Gen. David Perkins, Director for Strategic Effects, CJ9, Multi-National Force - Iraq, provides an operational update.
Interactive Iraq :: Video News
| Iraqi Freedom Minute, Oct. 28 |
• This edition features a story on family's visiting detainees at Camp Bukka and the contribution made by the Red Cross.
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Amarah SWAT detains criminal leader in Maysan |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | ISF captures 2 suspected terrorists in northern Iraq |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | ISF pursues criminals, militants in separate Iraq operations |
Basra Boys
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | ISF, CF continue to improve security in Mosul |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | ISF capture 15 suspected terrorists in separate operations |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Citizen’s tip leads NP to weapons cache (Baghdad) |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Blast injures 7 Iraqis in Adhamiyah |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | U.S. Soldier dies in non-combat related incident (Mosul) |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Local renovations to benefit village residents (Mosul) |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | MND-B Soldiers help turn abandoned private carnival into public park |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | MND-B Soldiers detain 2 suspected criminals in Rashid |
Scotland Guard
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Women working to expand Iraq’s water treatment capacity |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Tips lead INP, MND-B Soldiers to seize weapons throughout Baghdad |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Ministry of Women’s Affairs hosts its 4th Women’s Conference |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Coalition forces detain key Katai’b Hezbollah facilitator |
Learning to Fly
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | Coalition forces strike al-Qaeda in Iraq senior networks, detain two (Tikrit) |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | IA soldiers seize 2nd large weapons cache in Sadr City in week |
| Wednesday, 29 October 2008 | MND-B Soldiers detain suspected criminals, confiscate weapons cache |
Stumble It!
