thedrifter
08-11-07, 09:16 AM
Commander sheds light on Iraq
ACHS grad recently returned from Al Anbar
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com
This time last year U.S. commanding officers throughout much of Iraq's Al Anbar Province- which includes Baghdad and Fallujah- were faced with an explosion of violence from insurgent gunmen, namely Al Qaeda fighters.
That trend, however, has begun to turn across the country's western province due in large part to a partnership between U.S. forces and a group of Sunni sheiks frustrated by the ongoing violence caused by the radical Muslim group.
Lt. Col. Scott Shuster, a graduate of Adolfo Camarillo High School, returned to California in April following his yearlong command of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines in the city of Al Qaim, home to 230,000 Sunni Muslims near the Iraq/Syria border.
Corresponding by e-mail from the Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., the 41-year-old Marine describes how the unlikely partnership between Iraqi sheiks and U.S. forces has led to a safer Al Anbar.
What is a sheik in Iraq, and what type of power would he have in a certain area?
A sheik is a tribal leader. He derives his authority from heritage, wealth, education and charisma. A large tribe may have several sheiks. Smaller tribes may have only one.
When there is more than one sheik, a complicated social formula determines who has greater authority and influence within the tribe.
Age is not necessarily a determining factor in authority or importance. Sheiks are responsible to their tribes for conflict resolution, promoting the welfare (economic and social) of the tribe and developing good relationships with neighboring tribes.
News reports from Iraq said that over the past 10 to 12 months sheiks throughout the Al Anbar Province have been working with U.S. commanders to help stop Al Qaeda fighters in their respective regions. Did you see this collaboration in or around Al Qaim? If so, what type of results did you see?
The collaboration began in Al Qaim with very positive results. Sheiks encouraged their members to join the security forces and provide intelligence regarding terrorists.
Sheiks publicly proclaimed their support for the local governmental institutions through both word and actions.
The members of the tribes are very respectful of their sheiks and supported their sheiks' decisions and advice.
By the time our battalion left Al Qaim, close to a third of the population was being policed and protected exclusively by Iraqi Police and Army personnel. The population of Al Qaim grew from approximately 170,000 to 230,000 during this same period.
Why are the sheiks working with U.S. commanders?
The sheiks in Al Qaim were tired of the violence that follows the terrorists. They believed that supporting terrorists negatively impacted their responsibilities to their people to provide for their welfare.
Members of the U.S. Congress and Senate have voiced their frustration with the Iraqi government's inability to move forward with legislation and general civic restructuring to make their country safer.
Was that inaction taking place at the city level? Was Al Qaim's mayor, Farhan T. Farhan, working to make his particular city safer and to rebuild the Al Qaim's infrastructure?
That inaction did not take place in Al Qaim. In fact, on Feb. 22, 2007, we closed the Civil/ Military Operations Center in Al Qaim because the local government was capable of performing all of its functions without our direct support or involvement.
Mayor Farhan and the city council worked hand-in-hand with the provincial government and the sheiks to receive millions of dollars for improvements and repairs to infrastructure in Al Qaim while we were there.
Were the Iraqi troops under your control taking responsibility for their city?
Absolutely. Specific example: March 22, 2007, the Iraqi police in Al Qaim were attacked by two suicide vehicle bombs at two separate locations in a 45minute period of time. The attacks occurred in areas that were not policed or controlled by Marines.
Both attacks were detected and defeated before they could cause serious casualties. Only four Iraqi police officers were injured. Their injuries were minor and treated on scene by Iraqi medics.
The mayor immediately declared a curfew, directed the police chief to reinforce all police positions and patrols and then coordinated with the Iraqi Army brigade commander for additional support.
He accomplished all of this through his Joint Coordination Center without any U.S. assistance. The Iraqis reported these incidents to my Command Operations Center within minutes of their occurrence.
I called the mayor and asked him how I could help. He told me that all he needed from us was an inspection team to conduct postblast analysis at the two locations to see if we could gain any forensic evidence that might help our combined investigation of the event.
The Bush Administration announced earlier this month that Congress will not be able to review until November a status report on the impact the additional U.S. troops, also known as "the surge," have had in Iraq.
As a commander on the ground in Iraq, did you receive additional troops? And did you see a change in your area since those additional troops arrived there?
Our battalion was one of the units extended in order to enable the surge. We did not see additional troops in our specific area. However, the surge resulted in two additional Marine battalions in the Al Anbar Province.
Finally, is there anything readers should know about what's happening in Al Qaim that was not asked?
Once again, I would like to thank you and your readers for their interest and their support. Their Marines and sailors do amazing things on a daily basis, and it is heartening to know that Americans are interested and care about what they do.
Shuster lives in Oceanside, Calif. He and his wife, Corinne, have been married for 19 years. They have two children, Erin, 17, and Matt, 14.
Ellie
ACHS grad recently returned from Al Anbar
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com
This time last year U.S. commanding officers throughout much of Iraq's Al Anbar Province- which includes Baghdad and Fallujah- were faced with an explosion of violence from insurgent gunmen, namely Al Qaeda fighters.
That trend, however, has begun to turn across the country's western province due in large part to a partnership between U.S. forces and a group of Sunni sheiks frustrated by the ongoing violence caused by the radical Muslim group.
Lt. Col. Scott Shuster, a graduate of Adolfo Camarillo High School, returned to California in April following his yearlong command of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines in the city of Al Qaim, home to 230,000 Sunni Muslims near the Iraq/Syria border.
Corresponding by e-mail from the Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms, Calif., the 41-year-old Marine describes how the unlikely partnership between Iraqi sheiks and U.S. forces has led to a safer Al Anbar.
What is a sheik in Iraq, and what type of power would he have in a certain area?
A sheik is a tribal leader. He derives his authority from heritage, wealth, education and charisma. A large tribe may have several sheiks. Smaller tribes may have only one.
When there is more than one sheik, a complicated social formula determines who has greater authority and influence within the tribe.
Age is not necessarily a determining factor in authority or importance. Sheiks are responsible to their tribes for conflict resolution, promoting the welfare (economic and social) of the tribe and developing good relationships with neighboring tribes.
News reports from Iraq said that over the past 10 to 12 months sheiks throughout the Al Anbar Province have been working with U.S. commanders to help stop Al Qaeda fighters in their respective regions. Did you see this collaboration in or around Al Qaim? If so, what type of results did you see?
The collaboration began in Al Qaim with very positive results. Sheiks encouraged their members to join the security forces and provide intelligence regarding terrorists.
Sheiks publicly proclaimed their support for the local governmental institutions through both word and actions.
The members of the tribes are very respectful of their sheiks and supported their sheiks' decisions and advice.
By the time our battalion left Al Qaim, close to a third of the population was being policed and protected exclusively by Iraqi Police and Army personnel. The population of Al Qaim grew from approximately 170,000 to 230,000 during this same period.
Why are the sheiks working with U.S. commanders?
The sheiks in Al Qaim were tired of the violence that follows the terrorists. They believed that supporting terrorists negatively impacted their responsibilities to their people to provide for their welfare.
Members of the U.S. Congress and Senate have voiced their frustration with the Iraqi government's inability to move forward with legislation and general civic restructuring to make their country safer.
Was that inaction taking place at the city level? Was Al Qaim's mayor, Farhan T. Farhan, working to make his particular city safer and to rebuild the Al Qaim's infrastructure?
That inaction did not take place in Al Qaim. In fact, on Feb. 22, 2007, we closed the Civil/ Military Operations Center in Al Qaim because the local government was capable of performing all of its functions without our direct support or involvement.
Mayor Farhan and the city council worked hand-in-hand with the provincial government and the sheiks to receive millions of dollars for improvements and repairs to infrastructure in Al Qaim while we were there.
Were the Iraqi troops under your control taking responsibility for their city?
Absolutely. Specific example: March 22, 2007, the Iraqi police in Al Qaim were attacked by two suicide vehicle bombs at two separate locations in a 45minute period of time. The attacks occurred in areas that were not policed or controlled by Marines.
Both attacks were detected and defeated before they could cause serious casualties. Only four Iraqi police officers were injured. Their injuries were minor and treated on scene by Iraqi medics.
The mayor immediately declared a curfew, directed the police chief to reinforce all police positions and patrols and then coordinated with the Iraqi Army brigade commander for additional support.
He accomplished all of this through his Joint Coordination Center without any U.S. assistance. The Iraqis reported these incidents to my Command Operations Center within minutes of their occurrence.
I called the mayor and asked him how I could help. He told me that all he needed from us was an inspection team to conduct postblast analysis at the two locations to see if we could gain any forensic evidence that might help our combined investigation of the event.
The Bush Administration announced earlier this month that Congress will not be able to review until November a status report on the impact the additional U.S. troops, also known as "the surge," have had in Iraq.
As a commander on the ground in Iraq, did you receive additional troops? And did you see a change in your area since those additional troops arrived there?
Our battalion was one of the units extended in order to enable the surge. We did not see additional troops in our specific area. However, the surge resulted in two additional Marine battalions in the Al Anbar Province.
Finally, is there anything readers should know about what's happening in Al Qaim that was not asked?
Once again, I would like to thank you and your readers for their interest and their support. Their Marines and sailors do amazing things on a daily basis, and it is heartening to know that Americans are interested and care about what they do.
Shuster lives in Oceanside, Calif. He and his wife, Corinne, have been married for 19 years. They have two children, Erin, 17, and Matt, 14.
Ellie