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NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

April 28, 2003
Release Number: 03-04-195


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


1-3 AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY, SOF, ASSIST TOWN WITH FIRST ELECTION

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The recently elected city council of Abu Gharyib, a town of over a million that lies on the outskirts of Baghdad, met with officials from the town's municipal service and leaders from 1st Battalion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment Wednesday to discuss restoring services and order to the town.

The citizens of the town elected a city council last week in the first free election in recent Iraqi history, said Lt. Col. Mark Garrell, commander, 1-2 ADA. Soldiers from 5th Special Forces Group who have been working with the townspeople for over eight months helped them with the elections.

"This is a very historic day," said the Fayetteville, N.C., native. "This was the first election like this in the history of Iraq."

The battalion assumed control of Abu Gharyib Apr. 13 and went to work immediately trying to contact officials in charge of the hospital, the police and fire departments, and public utilities, Garrell said.

It helped considerably that Special Forces soldiers had been in the area before the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, said Capt. Mike, the Special Forces team leader. They developed a rapport with the townspeople before being accepted by the town's elders. As the relationship between the Iraqis and the Americans developed, the Special Forces team helped them set up an election without American influence.

"We were sent here to help win the hearts and minds of the people," Mike said. "We were sincere, and they responded to us. As time passed, they realized we were here to help."

Mike said at first the heads of the families wanted the soldiers to lead them, but that was not his team's goal.

"We told them if they led, we would support them," he said. "It's all about them, not us. After 36 years under Ba'ath Party leadership, they're scared, and they don't really now how democracy works. But for the first time, they have an assembly elected through a democratic process."

"There are two theories to this kind of work," Mike said. "You can get things going with the civil leaders or the elected government. We went with the leadership aspect, and 3rd ID did the nuts and bolts."

Garrell said it helped both groups "legitimize" each other, since those running the services weren't selected by the people, and those chosen by the people didn't fully understand all the issues confronting the people of Abu Gharyib.

The main concerns voiced by the council were security and water for the hospital and pay for the policemen, who hadn't been paid in over two months. Garrell told the council he would work fast to address the issues he could and take the issues he couldn't fix up his chain of command.

Garrell told them the Army couldn't solve all of their problems and they would need the Iraqis' help with every task.

"In order for us to help you, you must help yourselves," he told them. "We don't want to lead you; we want you to lead yourselves. The peace starts here, and the peace here will spread to other areas within the city."

Mike echoed Garrell's comments, saying the Army needs to support this government because if it's seen as a success, others will follow.

"We hope this is a template, but we have to follow through by working with them," he said. "It's got to be a government of the people, for the people and by the people. We can always endorse that, but we can't do it for them. If things go well, it will be a model for how governments can be built in other cities here."