thedrifter
02-04-06, 06:11 AM
II MEF moved the ball
February 04,2006
CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Johnson assumed command of II Marine Expeditionary Force in November 2004, the same month Camp Lejeune Marines were assaulting the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.
More than a year later, Johnson is back at Lejeune, a symbolic end of a troop rotation that took thousands of area Marines through Iraq during 2005. In the next few weeks, I Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., will take over in Iraq’s western Al Anbar province.
On Friday, a day after arriving home, Johnson called II MEF’s deployment an “unqualified success.”
“They moved the ball down the field, took over what I MEF left for us and moved ahead,” he said. “The Marines did a superb job. The Iraqis have done a superb job on their own right. They are succeeding.”
During that time, Johnson said they saw two elections and one constitutional referendum — all of which went off successfully and with minimal violence.
Those moments of democracy in action, when thousands of Iraqis took to the polls and voted for leaders and a constitution, were the high points of the deployment, Johnson said.
“Those were the targets throughout the year,” he said. “We knew those held critical implications for the nation.”
The training of Iraqi security forces has also been a high mark. Johnson said there were only about 2,500 security personnel when they arrived. Now, there are more than 20,000, including almost two Iraqi army divisions.
And while Johnson predicts many improvements in the coming months — such as infrastructure improvements, economic development and further establishment of governmental services — he did say that the continuation of a strong insurgency has been a major impediment to Iraqi development.
“There’s still an active insurgency in Al Anbar province,” he said. “And it will continue for the foreseeable future. In my opinion, one (of the biggest challenges) is finding a solution to the Sunni insurgency going on there.
“The government needs to stand up fairly quick and show they are capable of providing services and fair democratic protections.”
As far as eliminating the insurgency, Johnson said he believes there are “moderate voices” within the multiple factions of the insurgency that need to realize there’s a better way.
“These people have a violent history, and I think people are tired of that,” he said. “Once they see that there are options other than violence, that the political process will treat them accordingly, once that happens I believe more moderate voices will win out.”
Johnson, who commanded as many as 20,000 Marines and 34,000 military personnel in Iraq, called morale “superb” and said that the Marines handled themselves with honor and courage.
“The Marines of II MEF added considerable chapters to the history of the Marine Corps over there,” he said. “I think their courageous and successful effort highlights the fact of how lucky we in this country are to have an all-volunteer military. They put their hands in the air and volunteered to leave home and go to a dangerous place.
“I don’t know if our countrymen often appreciate that enough.”
Johnson said the next step for II MEF is to rest, retrain and reconfigure itself for future missions.
Whether or not they head back to Iraq remains to be seen. While Johnson could not say when he thought all the troops would be coming home, he did say that necessary improvements — such as training the Iraqi army and police, rebuilding the economy and upgrading the quality of life for Iraqis — have to be met before everyone comes home.
“We have to try to create conditions for these things to happen, quickly and correctly,” he said.
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 229.
February 04,2006
CHRIS MAZZOLINI
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Johnson assumed command of II Marine Expeditionary Force in November 2004, the same month Camp Lejeune Marines were assaulting the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.
More than a year later, Johnson is back at Lejeune, a symbolic end of a troop rotation that took thousands of area Marines through Iraq during 2005. In the next few weeks, I Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., will take over in Iraq’s western Al Anbar province.
On Friday, a day after arriving home, Johnson called II MEF’s deployment an “unqualified success.”
“They moved the ball down the field, took over what I MEF left for us and moved ahead,” he said. “The Marines did a superb job. The Iraqis have done a superb job on their own right. They are succeeding.”
During that time, Johnson said they saw two elections and one constitutional referendum — all of which went off successfully and with minimal violence.
Those moments of democracy in action, when thousands of Iraqis took to the polls and voted for leaders and a constitution, were the high points of the deployment, Johnson said.
“Those were the targets throughout the year,” he said. “We knew those held critical implications for the nation.”
The training of Iraqi security forces has also been a high mark. Johnson said there were only about 2,500 security personnel when they arrived. Now, there are more than 20,000, including almost two Iraqi army divisions.
And while Johnson predicts many improvements in the coming months — such as infrastructure improvements, economic development and further establishment of governmental services — he did say that the continuation of a strong insurgency has been a major impediment to Iraqi development.
“There’s still an active insurgency in Al Anbar province,” he said. “And it will continue for the foreseeable future. In my opinion, one (of the biggest challenges) is finding a solution to the Sunni insurgency going on there.
“The government needs to stand up fairly quick and show they are capable of providing services and fair democratic protections.”
As far as eliminating the insurgency, Johnson said he believes there are “moderate voices” within the multiple factions of the insurgency that need to realize there’s a better way.
“These people have a violent history, and I think people are tired of that,” he said. “Once they see that there are options other than violence, that the political process will treat them accordingly, once that happens I believe more moderate voices will win out.”
Johnson, who commanded as many as 20,000 Marines and 34,000 military personnel in Iraq, called morale “superb” and said that the Marines handled themselves with honor and courage.
“The Marines of II MEF added considerable chapters to the history of the Marine Corps over there,” he said. “I think their courageous and successful effort highlights the fact of how lucky we in this country are to have an all-volunteer military. They put their hands in the air and volunteered to leave home and go to a dangerous place.
“I don’t know if our countrymen often appreciate that enough.”
Johnson said the next step for II MEF is to rest, retrain and reconfigure itself for future missions.
Whether or not they head back to Iraq remains to be seen. While Johnson could not say when he thought all the troops would be coming home, he did say that necessary improvements — such as training the Iraqi army and police, rebuilding the economy and upgrading the quality of life for Iraqis — have to be met before everyone comes home.
“We have to try to create conditions for these things to happen, quickly and correctly,” he said.
Contact staff writer Chris Mazzolini at cmazzolini@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, ext. 229.