Maj. Russell Goemaere
2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO
BAGHDAD --Polling materials for the upcoming Iraqi vote on the Constitutional Referendum were on the move from warehouses to polling centers in many Baghdad neighborhoods Oct. 12.
"This operation is 100 percent Iraqi," said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Lewandowski, a member of a Task Force Baghdad civil affairs team monitoring the operation. "We don't touch the ballots, we don't move the ballots and we don't secure them,"
"I would say the operation is very organized, with security working very well," said Capt. Michael Caro of Task Force Baghdad.
Iraqi Police and Iraqi Public Order Brigade forces also conducted rehearsals for security procedures with Coalition Forces. The combined forces worked through a variety of scenarios to gain a common understanding of how to react to a crisis or terrorist attacks leading up to the vote.
"From my vantage point, the Iraqi Security Forces have a good plan to protect the Iraqi people on referendum day," said Lt. Col. Steven Merkel, commander of 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.