11th Public Affairs Detachment

Story by Staff Sgt. Mary Rose Mittlesteadt

KIRKUK, Iraq – The fourth Kirkuk Criminal Justice Council conference was held at the Iraqi Police Academy, Dec. 31, 2008, to discuss the implementation of the security agreement and its impact on the Kirkuk province.

The event was significant because it took place on the eve of the effective date for the security agreement and the Iraqi army commanders from the Kirkuk province were also in attendance, said Capt. Jennifer Venghaus, the command judge advocate for 18th Engineer Brigade and rule of law specialist for Kirkuk [rovince.

The topics discussed in the conference were implementation of the security agreement, Iraqi jurisdiction on coalition forces troops, arrests and search warrants and procedures for the Iraqi police to detain Iraqi army soldiers.

"It is the beginning of a new year. But it is also the dawning of a new day for Iraq," said Lt. Col. David Snodgrass, the deputy commanding officer for 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, and a guest speaker at the conference. "The people of Iraq have come through a lot of adversity throughout the past five years," he added.

The council panel, which includes all the provincial judges and Maj. Gen. Jamal Thakr Bakr, police chief for the province of Kirkuk, took turns reading their specific areas of interest within the security agreement to the attendees. After the panel elaborated on specific topics related to rule of law in Kirkuk, they opened the floor to discussion.

Snodgrass briefed the attendees on the how U.S. Soldiers in Kirkuk will comply with the new security agreement.

"The United States will recognize the sovereignty of Iraq," he said, adding that the U.S. remains committed to supporting the Iraqi security forces and the government of Iraq as they improve their capabilities.

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