Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Steven Petibone | From left, two Mosul Iraqi Army brigade commanders, U.S. Army Col. Steven Townsend,...... read more read more
by Sgt. 1st Class Steven Petibone
138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (15 September, 2006) - - Another Operation Iraqi Freedom rotation has begun, the 25th Infantry Division has assumed command of an area of responsibility once occupied by the 101st Airborne Division.
Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander, 25th ID, met with Ninewa Province Governor Duriad Kashmoula to introduce himself, his staff and establishes an understanding of issues facing both parties.
Kashmoula described issues of fuel shortages, unemployment and other urban issues that, if fixed, could help Mosul better battle the influences of anti-Iraqi forces.
According to Kashmoula, Iraqi fuel tankers left for Turkey and have not returned for the past four months. He cited that the Turkish government is playing politics and this is creating an enormous impact on the local economy. He stated that there is a link between high fuel prices, no fuel, unemployment and insurgent activities.
Mosul's chief of police, Maj. Gen. Wathic, talked about the criminal justice system. He pointed out that terrorists and insurgents are captured and not properly tried in Mosul. Many of them are set free by corrupt judges with known ties to Saddam Hussein's regime. He also stated that archaic laws that allow them to find loopholes to get freed are trying criminals.
Mixon asked that the U.S.-led Provincial Reconstruction Team, Rule of Law section, to focus on finding the facts and lend their help. He suggested that new judges would be periodically brought from Baghdad to replace incompetent or corrupt ones.
Iraqi Maj. Gen. Jamal articulated to Mixon that there are security issues having Iraq Security Forces stationed on the outskirts of Mosul. Mixon informed Jamal that he was briefed on the issues by the outgoing 101st commander, and emphasized that the Iraqi Army needs to stay in place but form a tighter working relationship with Coalition Forces and the Iraqi Police while focusing on areas where insurgents operate.
The meeting concluded with Mixon assuring that he would return to talk to Kashmoula and his staff again. Mixon's staff handed out flyers with a message of cooperation between coalition and Iraqi forces.
As a token of friendship and unity all signed a poster of coalition and Iraqi Soldiers working together and was presented it to Kashmoula.
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 09.20.2006 11:02 |
| Story ID: | 7777 |
| Location: | MOSUL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 202 |
| Downloads: | 135 |
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