PRT officials observe Iraqi elections in Ninewa province

Photo By Master Sgt. Duff E. Mcfadden | Mike Strang, of Great Falls, Va., serves as the Tal Afar Branch Chief, Provincial Reconstruction Team, Ninewa. His office recently fielded a six-man team of election observers for the 2010 Iraqi elections in the Ninewa province.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, IRAQ

04.08.2010

Story by Master Sgt. Duff E. Mcfadden 

2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq — March 7 marked an historic moment as thousands of Iraqi voted in the 2010 national elections. While their ballots determined their elected officials, it not only shaped Iraq's future, but the fate of U.S. military forces stationed there, as well.

Mike Strang, a Great Falls, Va. resident and U.S. Department of State diplomat, is the Tal Afar, Iraq, branch chief for the Provincial Reconstruction Team, Ninewa. His office provided a six-person team that observed the Iraqi election process at polling sites throughout the Ninewa province.

While his 10-person office, located at Forward Operating Base Sykes, was in a "full-court press" as they covered the national elections, it was only one of their many missions.

"Our section includes Reconstruction, Rule of Law, Governance, Economic Development and Agriculture for the western Ninewa province. These programs were all designed to increase the Iraqi capacity with sustainable programs," said Strang.

The PRT fielded as many as 26 observation teams, which covered all 18 provinces and Baghdad during the March elections. They hoped to be able to get an aggregate sense of how the election progressed, while they reported any irregularities, through up-to-the-minute field reports.

"We had looked to see if they opened on time, how many people had voted up to that time, if there were long lines and were people lined up in an orderly fashion," said Strang.

By hosting two observer teams in Ninewa, the U.S. Department of State attempted to cover every minority area in the province. With its Sunni and Arabic majority, as well as pockets of Kurdish, Christian, Yezidi, Shabaks and other religious minorities, they hoped to "cover every single color of the wheel."

Besides the FOB Sykes observer team, they also hosted a team from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq. Each polling site featured observers from the various political parties, inter-governmental agencies, as well as other countries.

One of thsse PRT observers was Kyle Richardson, a Bettendorf, Iowa, resident and a political officer with the U.S. Embassy. A five-year Foreign Service officer who also observed July's Kurdistan elections, Richardson served as the U.S. Embassy's eyes and ears, as he reported back with field reports after each site visit.

"Our primary focus was to ensure the election process in Iraq came out well," said Richardson. "Basically, we were looking for three things. First, how was the turnout at each polling site. We arrived at different times, so we're also interested in how many voted throughout the day. Secondly, was there any evidence of fraud or intimidation?

"Lastly, we ensured the polling center was set up in accordance with the IHEC in Baghdad," he said.

The Independent High Election Council, established in 2004 by Coalition Provision Authority Order 92, administers all elections and referendums in Iraq. They established more than 8,600 polling sites throughout Iraq for the March elections. Each polling center consisted of one or more polling stations and each polling station was set up for approximately 400 voters.

"This was very much an Iraqi-led process," Richardson said. "The Iraqis managed the sites, provided the security, and tabulated the votes. We were only doing what any observer organization would do, which is observing a fair election."

Once a voter arrived at their polling site, they provided their photo identification. An IHEC employee took their ID card, ensured they were registered on the Final Voting List and at the right polling site. The voter signed in, got their ballot and was directed to the correct polling station. After voting, they placed it in the ballot box, got their fingers inked, and then departed.

The polls were open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. At the end of the day, the opaque, sealed ballot box was opened. The number of ballots were counted to ensure it matched the signed registry of voters. Independent observers then tabulated the votes and posted the results.

"Each time the Iraqis held elections, they get better at it," said Richardson. "They now have the experience, as well as better safeguards to help prevent fraud on a mass scale."

A 2001 Georgetown graduate in International Politics, Richardson volunteered for the Iraq elections. "Like most people serving in the political section, political elections are our specialty, I wanted to go to the Ninewa Province because it contains a variety of religious minority groups.

Another interesting aspect is how the U.S. Department of Defense, through the U.S. Army, supported the movement and security for both the PRT and UNAMI.

"It was a unique opportunity," said Strang. "It was U.S. Army support of the Department of Defense, who supported the Department of State, who supported the U.N. There were both a U.N. organization and Department of State organization, who observed polling sites in the western Ninewa province, during the all-important Iraqi elections."

Their initial escorts were the Arizona Army National Guard's 855th Military Police Company, attached to the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kan.

They observed sites in Ba'aj, Kathanea, Sinjar and Bulayja, before they were handed off to Soldiers of the 88th Military Police Company, attached to the 3rd Battalion, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, Fort Bragg, N.C. The 3-73 was responsible for the city of Tal Afar, where they visited the Rowad Elementary School site and finally, the Al Fahlil Elementary School polling site.

"The best part of being an observer, was the fact you get to see democracy in action," Richardson said. "Seven years ago, they didn't have elections in Iraq. This was the culmination of all our efforts."

• Date Taken: 04.08.2010
• Date Posted: 04.08.2010 16:07
• Story ID: 47862
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, IQ