Elections go smoothly in Yathreeb, Iraq thanks to a large turn-out and hard work

Photo By Sgt. Marshall Thompson | Two soldiers from Company B, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, keep watch on a polling sight in Yathreeb, Iraq, during the Iraqi general elections on Dec. 15.  

YATHREEB, IRAQ

12.22.2005

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

YATHREEB, Iraq " Over half of the Yathreeb area's 35,000 residents voted in the Iraqi general elections on Dec. 15 without incident.

Although insurgents caused disruptions at other polling sites in Iraq, calm prevailed in this community not far from Logistical Support Area Anaconda. Ideological shifts in the insurgency, a stronger Iraqi police force and Iraqi army, and hard work by the U.S. military help explain the peaceful polling.

Abd Aise Abaas, a Yathreeb resident who proudly displayed his purple finger indicating he had voted, said through an interpreter that security was his first concern in how he chose to vote. He said he doesn't feel safe in his home, but he felt perfectly safe at the polling site.

"A lot of people were there to vote, so I felt safe," Abaas said. "There's a lot of people who are behind the chaos who are starting to change their minds. They are voting just in case."

He said that having the U.S. just around the corner couldn't have made him feel any safer.

"I think both the good guys and the bad guys have come to a truce," said Staff Sgt. Mitch Lupo, Co. B fire support sergeant from the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, "basically because both of them are trying to get political recognition."

Providing oversight for the elections was the last major operation for the 100-442nd, an Army Reserve unit based in Hawaii, before they go home in early January.

Near the beginning of their tour, they noticed that a good deal of the mortar fire targeted at LSA Anaconda was coming from the Yathreeb area.

The unit conducted civic projects, infrastructure improvement operations, searches and patrols in the area until they've come to know several of the residents by name and know the area well enough to have nicknames for the stray dogs. They also helped train and equip the Iraqi army and Iraqi police in the area.

As a result, mortar fire from Yathreeb is down 50 percent and the first Iraqi general election was a peaceful event.

The Soldiers stressed, however, that the quiet elections were a result of the Iraqi police and Iraqi army doing their jobs.

"All we do is stand by to assist just in case they come up with a problem they can't handle," said Sgt. Fiti Seloti, the battalion commander's driver from Co. B of 100-442nd.

The polls started to close by 7:30 p.m. and local leaders gathered to discuss how the event could be improved next time. Confusion on voting districts required some voters to be bused to the next polling station, but the buses came often and the turn-out was still high. Lt. Col. Brian Kent, 100-442nd commander, handed out chocolate covered macadamia nuts to celebrate.

"They're happy now," said Sgt. Maj. Paul Estabrooks from the 100-442nd. "They have chocolate and an elected government."

• Date Taken: 12.22.2005
• Date Posted: 12.22.2005 08:13
• Story ID: 4167
• Location: YATHREEB, IQ