As you read here first

The Sons of Iraq – local security volunteers credited with helping reduce violent attacks and terrorist influence across the country – marked two major milestones Wednesday [April 1 2009]: Coalition forces completed the final transfer of Sons of Iraq members to Iraqi control, and the Government of Iraq secured the funds to pay back wages to Sons of Iraq in four provinces.

“These are big wins, and they affirm the Government of Iraq’s commitment to the Sons of Iraq,” said Col. Jeffrey Kulmayer, chief of reconciliation, Multi-National Corps – Iraq.

The Sons of Iraq, who number about 92,000 in nine provinces across Iraq, were born in 2006 out of the grassroots movement known as Sahwah, or “The Awakening.” Concerned local citizens rallied together in their neighborhoods to counter violent acts by terrorists and insurgents. In 2007, the volunteers partnered with Coalition forces to defeat common enemies like Al Qaeda in Iraq. Security conditions improved greatly, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki approved a plan for the national government to take control of the Sons of Iraq, pay them and transition them into meaningful long-term jobs.

“Everyone in the government understands the importance of the Sons of Iraq, and their sacrifices for the good of the nation,” said Dr. Zuhair al-Chalibi, a representative of the Iraqi government’s Implementation and Follow-Up Committee for National Reconciliation, which oversees the volunteers’ transfer and transition to Iraqi control. He said the government would continue to support the “vital project and give it the attention it deserves.”

On Wednesday, the government officially took responsibility for all of the nation’s Sons of Iraq, when Coalition Forces passed command of Salah ah Din province’s 10,000 or so members to the Iraqi Army – the final group to be transferred. That event, which is to be marked by an official ceremony Thursday, came on the heels of news that the Government of Iraq would soon pay other SOI members who had been late in receiving their regular wages.

The payment delay resulted from changes to the 2009 budget, which inadvertently left out funding for Sons of Iraq salaries, Kulmayer said. Once the Council of Ministers realized what had happened, they quickly passed a resolution to delegate the Ministry of Interior to pay the salaries of the SOI from the Ministry’s budget until a resolution on the required allocation of funds for the SOI is reached in the Council of Representatives, Iraq’s main parliamentary body, Kulmayer said.

This week, the Ministry of Interior transferred sufficient funds to the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration committee, which prepares the pay rosters and writes the checks to each ISF unit overseeing the SOI. That process is now complete, and Iraqi Army paymasters responsible for disbursing the funds to SOI members will be ready to give them out starting Thursday, Kulmayer said. Those catch-up payments are in addition to the regular SOI pay date, slated for the middle of the month.

The resolution of the payments was a priority for government and Coalition authorities, who have focused on the SOI program as “the leading edge of reconciliation in Iraq,” Kulmayer said.

“Working with the Iraqi Government, we are taking a population that was separate, integrating them into the new Iraq and providing hope through a transition into meaningful employment,” Kulmayer said. “With the transfer of SOI to Iraqi control completed, we are now focusing on the transition of SOI to jobs.”

Chalibi said the government was working to ensure there were no future delays in the payment process for the Sons of Iraq. “This has to be successful,” he said. “This is a national reconciliation.”

MNF-I

The news over the last several days has covered the arrest of a prominent Baghdad leader of the Sons of Iraq, and complaints about the lack of pay. The media are reducing a complex issue to sound bites and that does a disservice to both the Iraqi government and the Coalition.

I interviewed Col. Roy Gray, director, Finance and Contracting Directorate, Ministry of Interior Transitional Team, today for a Bloggers’ Roundtable. I asked about the media reports.

The Iraqi government is into its third month without a budget. Parliament failed to pass a budget before the fiscal year began on January 1, then chose to defer any action until the results of the provincial elections were known. Iraq is operating under a “continuing resolution” at this time.

The Sons of Iraq have all been transferred to Iraqi control, through the Ministry of Defense. Their payroll, however, was coming from the National Reconciliation budget. About a month ago, the decision was made to run that payroll through the Ministry of Interior instead. Because Iraqi law regulates Ministry payroll, and the Ministry had no budget for payroll, there was a delay in paying the SoI.

Most of the SoI are paid via a contract with their leadership. Those contracts had to be run through the Interior Ministry process, and Parliament had to pass enabling legislation.

The Bank of Iraq has transferred funds that will result in SoI payroll being issued, beginning today [March 30, 2009]. This is a loan pending the passing of a budget. The National Reconciliation area of the Prime Minister’s office is still responsible for getting that pay to the SoI. All SoI will need to be enrolled as Interior Ministry employees to be paid.

So, the short answer is bureaucracy. It does not appear that any sort of anti-Sunni feelings are involved.

Remember, too, that payroll is in cash, to the individual SoI or to the leadership with which the SoI contract is written. Banking is very limited in Iraq and nearly all transactions are in cash.

More than 140 suspected criminals turned themselves into the Joint Coordination Center in the city of Balad, May 22.

Three tribal leaders from the area ended their standoff with U.S. and Iraqi forces by bringing in all men under their influence who have a criminal history.

“Today’s reconciliation is an example of local leaders taking a broad step forward in the future security and in the legitimacy of the legal process,” said Maj. Ramiro Salazar, an executive officer of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. “This is the first step of initiating the process for reconciliation with the Iraqi Government, as well as Iraqi Security and Coalition forces.”

The mass reconciliation comes on the heels of several operations designed to put an end to the insurgency that has crippled the area since 2006. The operations targeted key individuals and peripheral fighters resulting in three key individuals being killed.

According to CF, the news of these individuals’ deaths prompted fighters in the area to give up their arms and contact local security forces to surrender.

One local sheik taking part with the other members of his tribe said, “We are tired of fighting and want peace. The reconciliation process is a step in the right direction, and now there will be a common goal of peace between the government and those who had fought it.”

MNF-I

“Democracy is a new thing in Iraq,” said Sadi Kalif, the newly elected chairman of the South Rasheed Community Council. “When Saddam was in power, there were no elections. They just pointed to a person and said ‘You are in charge’.”

After years of war and terrorist activity from insurgents and al-Qaeda in Iraq, the citizens of this area south of Baghdad are learning to trust the path of democracy. They are also discovering the process begins not at the top, but in their own neighborhoods.

Members of the South Rasheed Community Council met in Bejiya May 14, where they elected their new chairman and met with Coalition and Iraqi forces. Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, responsible for the area for the past year, introduced the council to the incoming Iraqi Army commander.

Leaders on all sides acknowledged that progress in the area is only possible while strong security forces are in place.

Al-Qaeda Occupation

“Al-Qaeda occupied this area for three years,” Kalif said. “It was like the Dark Ages … We had two previous elections, but nobody showed up because of al-Qaeda. If someone participated in the elections, they might get killed.”

This all began to change last year, Kalif said. Citizens in South Rasheed took notice of community councils formed by neighbors to the north in al-Buaytha. These councils worked with Coalition forces, in large part, to obtain basic services.

“Nobody from the Iraqi government came to us to find out what was going on,” Kalif said. The Rasheed nahia, the local governing body, was similarly uninterested, he said.

“When we defeated and expelled al-Qaeda, we were almost at square one,” said Capt. Neil Hollenbeck, commander of Company A, 1-30th Inf. Regt. Because of the infiltration of terrorists in the area, he said, government officials were either unwilling or unable to provide basic services.

Community Councils Formed

With the void left in their government, some citizens resorted to illegally tapping water from pumping stations and electricity from power lines. The community councils were formed as a way for citizens to receive those basic services, as well as health care and economic help, Hollenbeck said. First, however, citizens had to make their neighborhoods safe.

“Security is the baseline,” Hollenbeck said.

The main reason that Coalition forces were able to operate successfully in the area was the Sons of Iraq, a volunteer security force which keeps the roads in the region safe and discourages terrorists from returning.

Sons of Iraq Influence

“We know al-Qaeda left because of the Sons of Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Kenneth Adgie, 1-30th Inf. Regt. commander.

Appropriately, the site of the May 14 meeting was the headquarters of the local SoI, which Kalif also leads.

After meeting with the council members, the incoming commander of the 6th Battalion, 25th Brigade, 6th IA Division, Lt. Col. Thaer Jaued, toured several SoI checkpoints in the area with Adgie and Kalif. Hollenbeck said he hoped the IA forces would have a similar relationship with the SoI as Coalition forces enjoyed.

“The first thing [Jaued] did was listen to everyone,” Hollenbeck said. “He emphasized that the SoI will remain a security force and will work with the IA the same way as they work with Coalition forces. Based on what I saw at the meeting, I have great hope that they will work together very closely.”

Kalif said the area’s citizens have been wary of Iraqi Security Forces in the past because Iraqi Police have arrested and detained people for possible ties to terrorism.

“We need to rebuild the trust between the people and the Iraqi Army,” he said.

Kalif, a former IA officer himself, was encouraged by his meeting with Jaued.

“I told him that he should start by building trust with the people as the [Coalition forces] have done in this area,” Kalif said. “When the [Coalition forces] came, people were scared. But then they found the American Soldiers to be good people. Now any Soldier is welcome in any house in the area. I want Iraqi officers to do the same.”

Iraqi Army Taking the Lead

Until connections to the Government of Iraq are fully restored, Kalif said, the IA will have a vital role to play in the region.

“One day the [Coalition forces] will leave and we need the Iraqi government to support us,” he said.

Hollenbeck said IA will succeed in the area as long as they find creative ways to solve problems which persist in the community.

“These are connections we’re trying to build with the Iraqi government, and maybe those Iraqi Army officers can do that more efficiently than we can,” Hollenbeck said.

Hollenbeck was optimistic about the council’s chances for success.

“It’s going better than I ever expected it to,” he said. “After what I saw today, there’s a much greater chance for the council to grow as a governing body.”

As the new council chairman, Kalif has many challenges, but he is armed with ideas to address them. In addition to repairing infrastructure and encouraging business growth, he wants to secure funding for a new soccer field to provide youths will an alternative to violence.

“Now I have many things on my shoulders,” he said.

MNF-I
By Sgt. David Turner, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div., PAO

The small Iraqi city street clamored with singing, dancing and rejoicing. It was a time of celebration.

Marines of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1 and local Iraqi security forces and community officials celebrated the opening of al-Tareq Ela al-Salaam, which translates to “The Road to Peace,” here, April 14.

Karma Mayor Kamal Abd Al Salam Abd Al Wahid, spoke to the crowd of people including local Iraqi security forces, Iraqi government officials, and Marines.

Sheikh Mishan, the preeminent sheikh in the area, then blessed the road as the Iraqi police moved the barriers that have been there for approximately three years.

“Due to the (observation post) being so close to the road, in the past there was a great threat of (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices) and (suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices),” said Capt. Phil Dykeman, commanding officer, Company F, 2nd Bn, 3rd Marines. “The road needed to be closed to protect the Marines that lived and operated out of OP Omar.”

In order to reopen the road to the local population, the situation in the area had to be stable enough so the risk was minimal, and combat engineers had to make new entry control points so Marines could enter and exit the observation post in a way that was safe for both service members and local Iraqis.

Engineers attached to 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines, worked tirelessly day and night to make sure that the opening of the road would go off without a hitch.

“Opening (the road) wasn’t as easy as you would think,” said 2nd Lt. Kevin Ritchie, platoon commander, Engineer Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Bn., 3rd Marines.

“We made countless round trips delivering dirt and gravel. It took about a week to build new posts and reorganize the barrier structure. The platoon was up there until the day prior making sure everything was in place. We also received help from (Combat Logistics Battalion 1) and (Combat Engineer Battalion, RCT-1). They loaned us personnel and equipment, and Trucks Platoon lent us drivers and vehicles to help us get this accomplished. It was a lot of organizations coming together to help get this done,” said Ritchie.

With the mission in Iraq now focused on turning the country over to the Iraqis, the reopening of the road is just one of the many steps to return life back to normalcy and bring stability to the region.

“We’re at the point where our convoys can pass alongside civilian traffic on (the road),” Ritchie, a native of Worcester, Mass., said. “Now the local civilians can drive through Karma like anywhere else without taking a long detour. It’s good to see that kind of consistency.”

This project was a main priority for both the local Iraqi government and the battalion.

When the road was closed, local Iraqis were forced to take a detour that was narrow and dangerous for large vehicles and added more time for them to get to their destination, Dykeman said, and the Iraqis were happy that it was opened up to them.

“The Iraqis were very happy that the road is open,” said the native of Central Square, N.Y. “There was music and dancing. The first vehicle through the road was an Iraqi Police vehicle, which is symbolic since they are instrumental in the security.”

The Island Warriors and ISF are working side-by-side on a daily basis in order to bring stability back to the region. This is all part of the mission the Marines are charged with during their deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

DVIDS