Spc. George Welcome
2nd BCT PAO, 101st AD
RADWANIYAH, Iraq - To someone just passing by, the Radwaniyah area appears to be nothing more than a sleepy farming community.
Thick grass and palm tree groves indicate fertile land, and added canals and irrigation systems have no doubt helped in keeping the land so green. Waterfowl swoop down from the sky for a quick swim in the canal. Houses in the village all seem peaceful, with children playing.
But, peaceful façade aside, there is trouble afoot in Radwaniyah. Terrorists in the area have disrupted the town's tranquility, and until the arrival of Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, those disruptive activities had gone unchecked.
There is a lot going on to remedy that situation. At all times, you can find Soldiers gearing up for an upcoming mission, while others who have just come off the trail are preparing for some well earned rest. Outside fighting positions are being dug and sandbags filled in an effort to fortify the position.
There is always something going on down in "The Swamp," as it has been nicknamed by the Soldiers stationed there. Of course, it isn't a real swamp, but there are "alligators" there.
"Our mascot is the gator, so it seemed appropriate to call our patrol base "The Swamp" because that's where gators hang out," said Capt. Howard Donaldson, commander of Alpha Company, 2-502.
The Soldiers of Alpha Company acknowledge that they embark on difficult missions. They are tasked with ridding the Radwaniyah area of terrorist forces. This is no small feat, as the area had not been actively patrolled before their arrival.
"It's very active down here," Donaldson said. "Almost everyday we have some form of contact with the enemy."
Despite the inherent danger, Donaldson believes that the best way to defeat the terrorists is by conducting foot patrols.
"I think the most successful thing we do against this enemy is being dismounted," explained Donaldson. "By getting out there and getting into the mix, we get into the enemy's decision making process, as opposed to just staying in vehicles and patrolling like that."
Contact with enemy forces is inevitable, considering the number of patrols that Alpha Company runs. However, the patrols are already having a great effect as their presence has caused enemy activity to decrease.
"We patrol on a 24-hour basis," Donaldson said. "In the last three or four months, we've seen a decrease in enemy activity. We've disrupted the enemy and caused them to re-align their forces."
The Soldiers know that their presence has already had a positive impact on the area.
"Our platoons come out here for seven or eight days," said Spc. Curtis Nelson, Alpha Company, 2-502. "Enemy activity started out really heavy, we were always getting attacked, but it's calmed down since we've been out here more often."
Though the "Strike Force" Soldiers are seeing a decrease in physical attacks, the enemy is still out there, and is employing new tactics that are not aimed at Soldiers, but at the townspeople themselves.
Graffiti on a wall outside of the abandoned Rahzi Middle School threatened the people of Radwaniyah with beheading if they cooperated with coalition forces. Inside the school, more anti-coalition graffiti proclaimed "Long live the Mujahadeen".
As the Soldiers cleared each of the school's rooms, a trip to the roof would reveal a mortar round which impacted the schools roof, but did not detonate, and an iron pole stuck into an old car rim standing in the corner of the roof about ten feet away from the impact site. The Soldiers noted that the pole was perfectly aligned with a telephone pole across the street and concluded that insurgents had been using it as an aiming stake. This is a fairly accurate way to measure the direction and distance to aim and fire mortars.
According to Donaldson, the Soldiers have been getting mixed reactions from the local population. Even though the town is being threatened by terrorist forces, not everyone there is willing to help the people Coalition Forces.
"Sometimes we have locals who sympathize with the enemy forces," Donaldson explained. "But there are others (to whom) change, and a new Iraq, one that's liberated and has freedoms and privileges (is essential)."
When their time in "The Swamp" is up, the Soldiers of Alpha Company hope that their efforts in bringing peace and freedom to the region last.
"We would just like to give people more opportunities and hope for the future. I think that they are starting to see that through the elections, and will continue to see that as long as we are in the area, because that's our goal and that's what we are going to do."
| Date Taken: | 01.09.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2006 10:06 |
| Story ID: | 5015 |
| Location: | RADWANIYA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 180 |
| Downloads: | 12 |
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