thedrifter
10-13-06, 08:02 AM
With Charlie Company in Ramadi
By ANDREW LUBIN
Bucks County Courier Times
HURRICANE POINT, Iraq —Three Marines were killed Monday. They died in a massive explosion that destroyed their Humvee. They were Charlie Company 1/6 and all outbound phone and e-mail communications are restricted until their families are notified back home.
I'm in the Marine headquarters in Ramadi. Lt. Col William Journey commands Charlie Company, 1/6, manned with young men from Florida to California to Maine. Built on the far edge of town, the base is equipped with Humvees, seven-ton trucks, and M1 Abrams tanks.
There are two battles being fought here, both equally important in the scheme of “winning.”
THE GOAL
You might remember the “Hearts & Minds” program from the days of the Vietnam War. “We need to make this place livable again,” said Major Scott Kish, commander of the base Civil Affairs Group. “We need to help them find jobs, send their kids to school, and be able to shop without fear.”
Staff Sgt. John Kilby wants to see a Iraqi trained to do his job. To him that would mean the Iraqis had stepped up sufficiently to take back control of their country.
Early Monday, Kish, Kilby, two Marines and I traveled to one of two big dams that control the Euphrates River in this part of Iraq. We met with the Iraqi engineer who is responsible for controlling the faulty sluice gates for both dams. During the rainy season, the sluice gates are needed to control the river's water levels.
They discussed what was needed to repair the system's controls, as well as how to coordinate future meetings.
There's no local phone system in Ramadi, cell coverage is a sporadic and both sides need to move through town in armed convoys.
Born and raised in Ramadi, the engineer has seen the Euphrates out of control, and appreciates the Marines' assistance in mastering the flood-control system.
A “DISRUPTION” PATROL
I went on an afternoon mounted patrol with Weapons Company Captain Todd Mahar. He has family in Upper Southampton.
“We do these daily,” he explained. “We drive slowly through a selected neighborhood and let them see us engage and interact with the people.”
The column of Humvees crept slowly through a neighborhood. Then we stopped, got out and knocked on doors to meet the residents. We stayed a few minutes, checked ID cards, questioned them about their water and electric and tried to get information about others in the neighborhood.
After dark, when the Ramadan fast is broken, we'd offer the children candy and toys.
Our neighborhood drive-through is interrupted by a shot and the Marines respond quickly. An aggressive response will either boost neighborhood morale or change an attitude.
Andrew Lubin of Morrisville is an author and journalist who writes on international relations and the military for newspapers and magazines nationwide He has appeared on FOX, ABC, CNN, and Patriot Media, and recently reported on the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon for *************. Lubin is the author of “Charlie Battery; A Marine Artillery Battery in Iraq.”
October 13, 2006 7:51 AM
Ellie
By ANDREW LUBIN
Bucks County Courier Times
HURRICANE POINT, Iraq —Three Marines were killed Monday. They died in a massive explosion that destroyed their Humvee. They were Charlie Company 1/6 and all outbound phone and e-mail communications are restricted until their families are notified back home.
I'm in the Marine headquarters in Ramadi. Lt. Col William Journey commands Charlie Company, 1/6, manned with young men from Florida to California to Maine. Built on the far edge of town, the base is equipped with Humvees, seven-ton trucks, and M1 Abrams tanks.
There are two battles being fought here, both equally important in the scheme of “winning.”
THE GOAL
You might remember the “Hearts & Minds” program from the days of the Vietnam War. “We need to make this place livable again,” said Major Scott Kish, commander of the base Civil Affairs Group. “We need to help them find jobs, send their kids to school, and be able to shop without fear.”
Staff Sgt. John Kilby wants to see a Iraqi trained to do his job. To him that would mean the Iraqis had stepped up sufficiently to take back control of their country.
Early Monday, Kish, Kilby, two Marines and I traveled to one of two big dams that control the Euphrates River in this part of Iraq. We met with the Iraqi engineer who is responsible for controlling the faulty sluice gates for both dams. During the rainy season, the sluice gates are needed to control the river's water levels.
They discussed what was needed to repair the system's controls, as well as how to coordinate future meetings.
There's no local phone system in Ramadi, cell coverage is a sporadic and both sides need to move through town in armed convoys.
Born and raised in Ramadi, the engineer has seen the Euphrates out of control, and appreciates the Marines' assistance in mastering the flood-control system.
A “DISRUPTION” PATROL
I went on an afternoon mounted patrol with Weapons Company Captain Todd Mahar. He has family in Upper Southampton.
“We do these daily,” he explained. “We drive slowly through a selected neighborhood and let them see us engage and interact with the people.”
The column of Humvees crept slowly through a neighborhood. Then we stopped, got out and knocked on doors to meet the residents. We stayed a few minutes, checked ID cards, questioned them about their water and electric and tried to get information about others in the neighborhood.
After dark, when the Ramadan fast is broken, we'd offer the children candy and toys.
Our neighborhood drive-through is interrupted by a shot and the Marines respond quickly. An aggressive response will either boost neighborhood morale or change an attitude.
Andrew Lubin of Morrisville is an author and journalist who writes on international relations and the military for newspapers and magazines nationwide He has appeared on FOX, ABC, CNN, and Patriot Media, and recently reported on the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon for *************. Lubin is the author of “Charlie Battery; A Marine Artillery Battery in Iraq.”
October 13, 2006 7:51 AM
Ellie