Photo By Spc. Leith Edgar | An Imam of Wahida, Iraq, listens to members of the council of Wahida during their...... read more read more
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By Spc. L.B. Edgar,
7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
CAMP RUSTAMIYAH, Iraq – Helping the people of Iraq help themselves was the mission Dec. 5 when Soldiers of Camp Rustamiyah visited the council of al Wahida, Iraq.
The Soldiers of Headquarters Platoon, Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, who are attached to 1st Cavalry Division, met with local leaders of Wahida in a combined effort to help the community overcome some of its challenges.
"The mission today was to go out and interface with the local government, specifically the al Wahida Nahia (council) that is in the Midain Quada (district)," said Capt. Chris Boyer, team leader, Civil Affairs Team A, from CA Team C, 489th CA Battalion.
"Al Wahida is one of the better working nahia councils. They have people showing up. They sign attendance sheets. They have agendas and set committees, which work on schools, water or electricity," said Boyer a native of Natick, Mass. "We're going to work with them today to get an understanding of where they are, what concerns they have and security issues as well as sewage, water, electricity, trash – all the normal functions of a municipality,"
The meeting was one step toward helping the local government organize and become an effective force, said Lt. Col. James W. Phillips, squadron commander, 361st Cav. Squad., 2nd BCT, 2nd Inf. Div.
"If you (a Soldier) are doing something without an Iraqi partner helping or doing it, then you're doing something wrong because it's their country and their problems. We're just here to help," he said.
The Army's goal, Phillips said, is to help the Iraqis help themselves form local councils up to the ministry level.
"We're looking to improve this town in daily steps," he said. "We're working our spheres of influence to get neighborhood representatives to come to the neighborhood council."
Once the people of Iraq have civil representation, they can go about alleviating some of the problems, which currently afflict the war-torn country, Boyer said.
"This was just one of our weekly meetings we go to get a face-to-face with the local leadership and find out where they're at and what they need. Then (we) assess what they need to get to the goal of a self-sustaining democracy," Boyer explained.
The challenge for the Wahida council is reestablishing ties to the ministries of Iraq, which are located in Baghdad.
"In this quada (district) there is a lot of friction between it and Baghdad because the people feel they don't get their fair share from Baghdad province. So, it's just trying to tie them back into the lifelines of the ministries as well as the money," Boyer explained. "They (Wahida council members) are a work-in-progress, but are leaps and bounds above some of the other governing bodies we've worked with."
Though rebuilding the government of Iraq is an up-hill battle, Phillip said there is still reason to think success is attainable, from the ground up.
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2006 09:24 |
| Story ID: | 8549 |
| Location: | RUSTAMIYAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 313 |
| Downloads: | 112 |
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