Building a Bridge With the Iraqi People

Photo By Sgt. Zach Zuber | Right now this small footbridge is the only way for residents in the Muqdadiyah area to get into town to buy and sell the things they need. The local community in cooperation with the 2nd battalion, 3rd Infantry Division are going to start building a bridge here as well as widening the roads to allow more traffic into the city and provide a better avenue for commerce.  

MUQDADIYA, IRAQ

01.17.2010

Story by Pvt. Zach Zuber 

1-2 SBCT, 7th Infantry Division

MUQDADIYAH, Iraq — Imagine being a farmer and having to walk 24 miles just to get to the nearest market to sell your crops or livestock. Then, whether they are sold or not, making the same trip back again. Or needing to get food and supplies for your family and although you have a city across the river where all those things can be found, you still have to make such a long trek.

Iraqis in the Muqdadiyah area face this dilemma daily. The Diyala River currently splits villages in the area from the markets of the city.

Members of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and the 20th Iraqi Army Brigade have collaborated together to develop a plan to fix this problem. The project calls for a bridge to be built over the river and the roads leading up to it to be expanded for use by local citizens.

"The bridge and road will allow people in the area villages to come in to the markets which will help increase our economy," said Zaid Abrahim Hassan, mayor of Muqdadiyah.

Brig. Gen. Pat Donahue, deputy commander of United States Division North, visited the location for the bridge to evaluate the assistance needed for completion of the construction.

"By coming out here I can see how important this project is to the community and report the value of it based on what I'm hearing," said Donahue.

This is also a sign of the great progress being made in the area.

"We are building confidence between our forces and the people in the area to build one team," said Lt. Col. Haban Khalil Hassan, commander of the emergency response force, 10th Battalion Iraqi Army. "This shows that everything is going well while we are working hard every day to keep the city secure."

Building this bridge can help the community move into other projects as well.

"This gives us a big chance to start other new projects also," said Mayor Hassan. "We want to begin work on a purification plant for water, a sewage plant, and improvements to our health facilities and electricity."

All these things show the great progress that is being made as a result of the partnership between U.S. and Iraqi forces.

"Iraq passed through a difficult time," said Mayor Hassan. "With the help of community organizations and coalition forces we are able to create things like this bridge that increase our security and our economic stability."

• Date Taken: 01.17.2010
• Date Posted: 01.17.2010 06:03
• Story ID: 44003
• Location: MUQDADIYA, IQ