18 August 2006
Iraqis' Trust in Their Forces Key to Lasting Security
Coalition colonel highlights one Baghdad neighborhood's path toward peace
Washington – Iraqi army and police units are gaining the trust and support of area residents in one of Baghdad’s toughest neighborhoods, prompting optimism from U.S. Army Colonel Michael Beech of Multi-National Division Baghdad.
“I'm very pleased with the trend I see in the population's willingness to engage their own security forces,” Beech told journalists at an August 18 Pentagon press briefing, via videoconference from the Iraqi capital.
Since January, Beech’s 4th Brigade Combat Team from the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division has been responsible for working alongside Iraqi forces in joint security operations, training Iraqi military and police units and supporting local authorities in Baghdad’s south central Rashid District, home to 1.8 million Iraqis. (See related article.)
Beech commands 4,400 U.S. troops, as well as an infantry battalion from the Republic of Georgia, who are working together with Iraqi army and police units to implement “Operation Together Forward,” Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s initiative to reduce the number of murders, kidnappings and assassinations linked to both insurgent attacks and ongoing sectarian violence between the country’s Shi’a and Sunni Muslims. (See related article.)
Over the past three weeks, Beech’s command has focused its efforts on Dura, one of the capital’s most violent neighborhoods. His forces have conducted “intelligence-driven precision operations” to clear the area of violent elements, established joint coalition-Iraqi police patrols to protect area residents, and has worked closely with the Rashid District Council and local religious leaders to initiate a series of public works projects, empowering the citizenry and revitalizing the community. (See related article.)
After three weeks spent searching more than 3,700 homes and undertaking coalition-led cleanup efforts, Beech said that Dura now is securely under the protection of Iraq’s 6th National Police Brigade. The neighborhood’s murder rate has dropped from an average of 20 per week to only one in the past 10 days, he said.
“I walk the streets of Dura every day,” Beech said. “There are additional shops open that weren't there before. I see the Dura market has increased traffic and people [are] in the Dura market shopping every day. The feedback that I get from people on the streets is absolutely very promising.”
But long-term security, Beech said, will come only when Iraqi citizens become confident enough in the security forces that they reject those who commit violence under the false pretense of community self-defense. (See related article.)
“[I]f the people have the trust in the Iraqi security forces, and they'll contact their Iraqi security forces, collaborate and cooperate with them, then of course we can control the amount of sectarian violence that is occurring,” he said.
Building this trust has been complicated by numerous cases where Iraqi police officers have been linked to sectarian militias or even have been implicated in attacks against civilians. Beech praised the Iraqi government’s strong public stance against militias and said the police are working to find and remove corrupt officers.
Beech has helped the process along by placing specific police companies in each of Dura’s subdivisions to establish a successful community policing effort. Citizens increasingly are recognizing the police as their protectors, Beech said, as evidenced by the increasing numbers of area residents coming forward to inform the police about illegal activities in the neighborhood. (See related article.)
“It's hard not to be optimistic,” he said, but added, “At the same time, I've got to be realistic and know that we're going to experience days where we're going to have attacks and the terrorists are going to continue to try to inflict acts of violence on the population.”
Beech said that while soldiers and police continue to face daunting challenges in safeguarding the city, he continues to be encouraged by their performance and their dedication.
“As their training and experience grow each and every day, Iraqi forces are showing their willingness to take the lead in security in Baghdad,” he said.
A transcript of Beech’s briefing is available on the Department of Defense Web site.
For more information, see Iraq Update.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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