Baghdad civic leaders meet with Army on reconstruction
by Pfc. James MatiseBAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, April 22, 2003) - Leaders of the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade met with more than 60 neighborhood leaders in Baghdad April 19 to discuss reconstruction progress and preparations for self-government.
Col. Michael S. Linnington, 3rd Brigade commander, chaired the "town hall" meeting and represented the Army's position and role in Iraq's reconstruction. Pfc. Ayman-Girgis Makram, a chemical specialist with Company C, 2/44th Air Defense Artillery, who speaks fluent Arabic, translated his message.
"I am very happy to be here and look forward for us to discuss any issues," Linnington said.
Linnington relayed to the local leaders the progress being made elsewhere in the country in setting up a national interim government to oversee the reintroduction of democratic elections in Iraq.
"Over the next several weeks, an interim Iraqi authority and power will come into this country. That is a temporary authority that will allow the Iraqi people to elect their own government," Linnington said. "We will not elect the Iraqi leader. We will not hire the Iraqi leader. We are here for security and safety. The Iraqi people will elect your own leader where every man and every woman gets one vote."
The Iraqis discussed what they wanted in local leaders and how they would like to choose them, as if asking Linnington's permission.
"We do not want them to be tribal leaders, we want them to be educated men," said one Iraqi. "We want to move house by house (to conduct elections) and we want these to be done by the Iraqi people."
Linnington told them the leaders they ultimately choose, and how they are chosen, is entirely up to them, but it is also up to them to carry such plans out.
"My forces, few as they are, do not have the resources to establish door to door elections. That's why I promise only the security and establishment of basic services," he said. "That is all I can offer. But if you want to do that, if that is what your people want, that is fine by me."
Linnington and the leaders focused on progress made in establishing a safe environment so people can return to work and school, restoring basic public services, and the establishment of a civilian police force.
"Common things are what they're asking for, such as medical assistance, utilities, electricity, gas stations to be reopened, and schools," Makram said. "Of course the major thing is security because they don't have any security but us."
Electricity is still largely unavailable, and the local power plant manager and his crew were still working with Army engineers Saturday, but were "very close" to having the plant operational, Linnington said.
"It takes seven megawatts of power to kick start (the plant)," he said. "Yesterday we generated 2.2 megawatts. Not enough. Today, or in the next two days, we will start generators for the necessary seven megawatts."
While 3rd Brigade delivered a limited number of medical supplies to local clinics April 18, Linnington recognized that the city needed more, and said several world organizations should be moving in the necessary aid within a few weeks.
"We have to be patient. I don't want to promise you anything that I cannot personally deliver," Linnington said. "But I can guarantee one thing. The medical and humanitarian assistance will not go only to the rich."
A local police force is in the works, and should be self-sufficient before too long, which will give locals the power to provide their own security when American troops leave, Linnington said.
"The American military men and the Iraqi policemen are working side by side," he said.
With enemy weapons caches continuing to be a large security issue, Linnington suggested creating a turn-in point where locals could give up their weapons in exchange for some sort of reward. One Iraqi suggested having people turn in weapons at the local churches or mosques.
"That's a wonderful idea," Linnington said. He asked the man to help create a message to be distributed by loudspeaker.
"In this area alone, we have destroyed 85 caches," Linnington said. "In an area just three kilometers away we took away 2,000 pounds of plastic explosives. Ask the people to tell us where these weapons are and we will continue to find them. 80 percent of weapons we take back have been identified by the people."
Several Iraqis said they had heard rumors of American soldiers on patrol entering homes to search for weapons, as well as thieves illegally occupying family residences, something Linnington said he would address.
"It is not the US military intent to go home by home and confiscate weapons," he said. "If there are any cases of soldiers entering the homes of people, let me know and we will rout them out. If there are thieves occupying people's homes, let me know and we will rout them out, too."
The Iraqis also discussed clearing the streets of debris such as destroyed vehicles or other military equipment.
"I would welcome an attempt or effort by your people to remove equipment and bring it to a central location," Linnington said. "I do not have the heavy equipment to do this. But I can provide security forces to go with your men to make the removal."
One man stood up and asked harshly about being able to get back stolen automobiles, loudly jangling a set of car keys above his head.
"I will ask that we add to the announcements for loudspeaker for everyone to return any stolen vehicles," Linnington said. "In the future when the police force is established, we will establish checkpoints where they will be able to catch the stolen vehicles. That is the best I can offer at this point."
While not everyone got a chance to speak, Linnington said he hoped that creating a forum and talking about the community's concerns would help strengthen their relationship and put the locals' worries about American intentions to rest.
"We want to continue to make friends with the Iraqi people," Linnington said. "Mutual trust is the only way to go."
Makram, whose gift of the local gab has made him the gateway for endless dialogue with the Iraqis since the start of the war, said the general consensus of the locals was that they appreciated these town-hall style meetings where they can sit down with the American forces and decide how to rebuild, and that they found the meetings productive.
"The people are very trusting and are opening to us. They're very happy they get the right to speak," he said. "To them, it's a very great moment because for the first time they get to speak and people are listening."
Not everyone shared the positive attitude toward the meeting. A young man who did not want to be identified because of his prior military service explained through broken English that while things were better with the regime gone and Americans in the city, the meetings did not appear to help the situation.
"No, meeting is not good," he said. "Too much talk."
Makram said some people find the democratic process odd, and that others who come are often associated with the prior regime - something that bothers the locals and can tend to make the meetings less productive.
"There are some unwanted people, who are still loyal to the Ba'ath Party, and that's what makes people aggressive," he said. "But it's better every day. People always want to come and they want to talk non-stop."
Makram said he was glad to see such astounding progress made with the citizens toward rebuilding, but he felt it was nowhere near over for the Americans, who face the responsibility of helping the Iraqis live without the infrastructure of the Ba'ath Party regime.
"We got a hell of a job to do to get these people to stand on their feet," Makram said.
(Editor's note: Pfc. James Matise is a 101st Airborne Division journalist.)
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