HABBANIYAH TOURIST VILLAGE, Iraq - Taking a romantic walk or soaking in the Iraqi sun-rays on the lakeside beach in Habbaniyah Tourist Village, Iraq, is no longer a reality for honeymooners and tourists. It's just a structure of memories covered up by rust, dust, and a war that's left the village in a state of neglect.
Built in 1979 in Iraq's Al Anbar province near Fallujah, Habbaniyah Tourist Village was once voted as the best Middle Eastern tourist resort until the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. At that time, Al Anbar province was overrun with Sunni insurgents. refugees filled the village, and H.T.V. slowly lost its allure.
Throughout last year, Marines worked with the director of the village to try and get investors to put money into the resort and bring it back to its original state.
Brig. Gen. Juan G. Ayala, the commanding general for 2nd Marine Logistics Group Forward, recently met with Hamid Abud Tarad, the new director of Habbaniyah Tourist Village and Manager of Tourist Hotel, to discuss how they can continue the search for ways to restore the village.
"They were asking me for help with a generator, our assistance in getting investors to come down to the tourist town, and internet service," Ayala said.
He explained there is a limited amount of funding and an agreement in place where they have to work through the Iraqi government to assist the local people.
"The assistance that we're able to offer is very specific because the money that's allocated to us by law has to enhance or provide essential services to the people," Ayala said. "Water, sewage, [electricity] and those types of things will improve the quality of life for the people."
The general added that because the current Iraqi government is so new, it's important to help them, but also imperative to encourage them to help themselves.
"If we do too much they become dependent and we don't want that," Ayala said. "We're trying to influence [their leaders] to be able to provide services for the people, because at the end of the day, it's not important if Americans do it. It's important that Iraqis do it."
Ayala said the Iraqis were cordial and professional hosts. He hopes to be able to assist Tarad and meet some of the requests made by the new director.
"My hope is that we [can] give them some projects that not only help the people in the area," Ayala said. "But the big picture is we're trying to get investors in this country ... [that will in turn] get jobs going."
Although tourism is a word you rarely hear associated with a recent warzone, Ayala said the re-opening of a tourist village at this point in time symbolizes stability.
"It's a symbol that the country is getting back to the security being stable enough," Ayala explained. "If you see that they have tourists in the Sunni triangle, it's a perception. They've got people who are willing to travel into the teeth of the old Sunni triangle, which was one of the worst places two and a half years ago. Things have changed and they've changed for the better."
Ayala said that even though the area here is still dangerous, life has recently improved for civilians.
"The quality of life has improved to the point where they can think of vacations and they can think of getting away," he said.
In a stressful environment, it's important for people to have a form of relaxation and peace, especially in an area that's been at war for so long. For the people in this area to be able to think about relaxing is a vast improvement.
"This is my fourth tour, and things have really changed for the better," Ayala said. "Stability has gotten better, security has gotten better ... incidents of violence are a lot less ... I think the fact that we're talking about investments and tourists and essential services, is a good sign of progress."
The visit went well and it ended with the traditional cup of Iraqi tea.
"We thank you for everything," Tarad said. "This is not the first and last we see you. Please come here again."