thedrifter
03-27-08, 10:30 AM
U.S. starts breakdown of outposts in Ramadi
By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, March 27, 2008
Marines in Ramadi have begun dismantling some of the combat outposts credited with helping calm what was once among the most violent cities in Iraq.
According to Marine Corps officials in Anbar province, the “demilitarization” process is another sign of the calm that has enveloped the city over the past year and a half. Ramadi had been the heart of the Sunni insurgency, with militants mounting attacks on U.S. and Iraqi targets daily.
Now, taking down the combat outposts is hoped to have a positive economic impact.
“The people will have more freedom of movement and civil-military operations projects will allow people to return their businesses to the surrounding neighborhoods,” 1st Lt. Matthew Johnson, a company executive officer with the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, was quoted as saying in a news release.
The first outpost to be “demilitarized” was Joint Security Station Steel, officials said.
Marines cleared the outpost of barricades and concertina wire that had previously been used to fortify the station. The station had been built in October 2006 by soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division and occupied a month later by the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment.
“Just walking down the street doesn’t do you anything but get you shot at,” Capt. Adam Rudy told a Stars and Stripes reporter in November, shortly after the outpost had been built.
The outpost was the centerpiece of an “inkblot strategy” that created several small outposts in dangerous quarters of the city, gradually spreading a U.S. security presence. Now, less than two years later, that strategy has appeared to pay off in Ramadi.
“We started out constantly patrolling when we first got here, mostly by ourselves,” Marine Lance Cpl. Chris Hopkins said of the improvement.
“After months of hard work alongside the [Iraqi police], they’ve taken the lead role and we’re serving more as advisers.”
Ellie
By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, March 27, 2008
Marines in Ramadi have begun dismantling some of the combat outposts credited with helping calm what was once among the most violent cities in Iraq.
According to Marine Corps officials in Anbar province, the “demilitarization” process is another sign of the calm that has enveloped the city over the past year and a half. Ramadi had been the heart of the Sunni insurgency, with militants mounting attacks on U.S. and Iraqi targets daily.
Now, taking down the combat outposts is hoped to have a positive economic impact.
“The people will have more freedom of movement and civil-military operations projects will allow people to return their businesses to the surrounding neighborhoods,” 1st Lt. Matthew Johnson, a company executive officer with the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, was quoted as saying in a news release.
The first outpost to be “demilitarized” was Joint Security Station Steel, officials said.
Marines cleared the outpost of barricades and concertina wire that had previously been used to fortify the station. The station had been built in October 2006 by soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division and occupied a month later by the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment.
“Just walking down the street doesn’t do you anything but get you shot at,” Capt. Adam Rudy told a Stars and Stripes reporter in November, shortly after the outpost had been built.
The outpost was the centerpiece of an “inkblot strategy” that created several small outposts in dangerous quarters of the city, gradually spreading a U.S. security presence. Now, less than two years later, that strategy has appeared to pay off in Ramadi.
“We started out constantly patrolling when we first got here, mostly by ourselves,” Marine Lance Cpl. Chris Hopkins said of the improvement.
“After months of hard work alongside the [Iraqi police], they’ve taken the lead role and we’re serving more as advisers.”
Ellie