thedrifter
11-27-07, 07:29 AM
HADITHA, Iraq -- It may be impossible to predict history as it is happening, but some of the battles fought in Iraq are certain to become legendary. Generations from now, school children will learn of the heroes who fought in Fallujah and Ramadi, battling in extreme conditions when their country needed them most. Haditha, another Anbar city once caught in the grip of yesterday’s violence, is now becoming a city of progress and transition.
Without question, Haditha is known for its fierce battles. Many have given their lives in an attempt to reclaim peace in this northern area of the province. It was in this city that six Marines were killed in an ambush during 2005. Days later, 14 Marines died when their armored vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. The city was a hotbed for terrorists where Marines confronted their enemy in the streets, houses and farm lands. But, if there was ever a place that could paint the picture of the progress being made in Anbar, it’s here.
A battalion of more than 1,000 Marines recently moved into Haditha. Most of them are reservists from New Orleans’ 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment. Others are attachments from Houston’s 1st Bn., 23rd Marines, or active duty Marines from various commands throughout the Marine Corps. Regardless of where they came or their status, their mission is clear.
“The main effort now is continuing to train the Iraqi security forces so we can transition into Iraqi control,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Jarrard, Company L commander.
Many parts of Anbar have already seen the transfer of command from coalition forces to Iraqi Army forces. Recently, the 7th Iraqi Army Division, the newest division in Iraq, took control of their area of operations, which includes Haditha. Marines here are getting ready to slow down operations and assist their Iraqi counterparts. This is the focus for much of the Marines in Iraq. The days of house-to-house fighting seems to be a part of Anbar’s past, making deployments of today much different from those just last year.
“A year ago, we were fighting in the streets every day, (evacuating) Marines who were wounded in action,” said Jarrard. “Now, the Marines patrol the streets and the people are talking about problems, which are nice problems to have. ‘Hey, can we get the roads paved,’ it sounds kind of like our neighborhoods back home. The problems are problems that every city has in the world. They’re not the problems of a city in the midst of a civil war.”
Haditha is located on the western edge of the Euphrates River, covered in palm trees and flat, green pastures. More than 70, 000 Iraqis call this city home. These days, it looks and feels like any other city; people here travel by taxi, walk the markets at dusk, cheer at local soccer matches on weekends and play in school yards during the day. The landscape is everything but a chaotic battlefield.
The problems no longer lie in the shadows or in suspicious vehicles, but rather in rebuilding mosques, getting the townspeople comfortable with their policemen, making sure fresh water runs to each home, turning a city devastated by bombs and bullets into a livable community for the people here.
“It’s not the normal kind of combat operations,” said 1st Lt. Steven Dobb, the 1st platoon commander for Company L. “It’s more of a peacekeeping role almost, because the insurgency is not here anymore and what we are trying to do now is build a community.”
Dobb’s platoon patrols the northern end of the city, near the dam. His Marines walk the winding streets of Haditha’s neighborhoods every day. They meet with locals, hand out supplies and get the Iraqi police comfortable with citizens of different tribes. The community is growing and the progress is easy to see.
“The people here are trying to turn it around,” said Lance Cpl. Michael Mathes, infantryman, 1st platoon, Company L. “Every day we come out here on patrol, we see them either trying to rebuild the streets or the sewer lines. They always have some kind of project going on to try and better this place.”
The most evident sign of stability here lies just south of 1st platoon’s outpost and the newly opened water treatment plant. Construction workers continuously move earth, swing hammers and lay rock, fashioning a neighborhood for Haditha’s newest residents.
“With all the rebuilding going on south of us, it looks like the people want to keep the security up, want to keep this a safe place,” said Dobb. “They feel safe enough to bring their families here and they’re investing a lot of money into this place.”
It is not easy to understand how far Haditha has come unless its past is understood. The sounds of bombs and mortars have been replaced by car horns and school children. The images of modern homes and open-air markets have replaced bullet holes and exploding vehicles. This is why the Marines came and why they are still here.
“I think all of the Marines look at the progress that is being made and feel like they’re an important part of the future of Iraq,” Jarrard said. “Peace and security equals prosperity for these people, and in an extended way the prosperity of Iraq equals security for America. The parents of these Marines should be proud of these Marines and the job they’re doing.”
Without question, Haditha is known for its fierce battles. Many have given their lives in an attempt to reclaim peace in this northern area of the province. It was in this city that six Marines were killed in an ambush during 2005. Days later, 14 Marines died when their armored vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb. The city was a hotbed for terrorists where Marines confronted their enemy in the streets, houses and farm lands. But, if there was ever a place that could paint the picture of the progress being made in Anbar, it’s here.
A battalion of more than 1,000 Marines recently moved into Haditha. Most of them are reservists from New Orleans’ 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment. Others are attachments from Houston’s 1st Bn., 23rd Marines, or active duty Marines from various commands throughout the Marine Corps. Regardless of where they came or their status, their mission is clear.
“The main effort now is continuing to train the Iraqi security forces so we can transition into Iraqi control,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Jarrard, Company L commander.
Many parts of Anbar have already seen the transfer of command from coalition forces to Iraqi Army forces. Recently, the 7th Iraqi Army Division, the newest division in Iraq, took control of their area of operations, which includes Haditha. Marines here are getting ready to slow down operations and assist their Iraqi counterparts. This is the focus for much of the Marines in Iraq. The days of house-to-house fighting seems to be a part of Anbar’s past, making deployments of today much different from those just last year.
“A year ago, we were fighting in the streets every day, (evacuating) Marines who were wounded in action,” said Jarrard. “Now, the Marines patrol the streets and the people are talking about problems, which are nice problems to have. ‘Hey, can we get the roads paved,’ it sounds kind of like our neighborhoods back home. The problems are problems that every city has in the world. They’re not the problems of a city in the midst of a civil war.”
Haditha is located on the western edge of the Euphrates River, covered in palm trees and flat, green pastures. More than 70, 000 Iraqis call this city home. These days, it looks and feels like any other city; people here travel by taxi, walk the markets at dusk, cheer at local soccer matches on weekends and play in school yards during the day. The landscape is everything but a chaotic battlefield.
The problems no longer lie in the shadows or in suspicious vehicles, but rather in rebuilding mosques, getting the townspeople comfortable with their policemen, making sure fresh water runs to each home, turning a city devastated by bombs and bullets into a livable community for the people here.
“It’s not the normal kind of combat operations,” said 1st Lt. Steven Dobb, the 1st platoon commander for Company L. “It’s more of a peacekeeping role almost, because the insurgency is not here anymore and what we are trying to do now is build a community.”
Dobb’s platoon patrols the northern end of the city, near the dam. His Marines walk the winding streets of Haditha’s neighborhoods every day. They meet with locals, hand out supplies and get the Iraqi police comfortable with citizens of different tribes. The community is growing and the progress is easy to see.
“The people here are trying to turn it around,” said Lance Cpl. Michael Mathes, infantryman, 1st platoon, Company L. “Every day we come out here on patrol, we see them either trying to rebuild the streets or the sewer lines. They always have some kind of project going on to try and better this place.”
The most evident sign of stability here lies just south of 1st platoon’s outpost and the newly opened water treatment plant. Construction workers continuously move earth, swing hammers and lay rock, fashioning a neighborhood for Haditha’s newest residents.
“With all the rebuilding going on south of us, it looks like the people want to keep the security up, want to keep this a safe place,” said Dobb. “They feel safe enough to bring their families here and they’re investing a lot of money into this place.”
It is not easy to understand how far Haditha has come unless its past is understood. The sounds of bombs and mortars have been replaced by car horns and school children. The images of modern homes and open-air markets have replaced bullet holes and exploding vehicles. This is why the Marines came and why they are still here.
“I think all of the Marines look at the progress that is being made and feel like they’re an important part of the future of Iraq,” Jarrard said. “Peace and security equals prosperity for these people, and in an extended way the prosperity of Iraq equals security for America. The parents of these Marines should be proud of these Marines and the job they’re doing.”