BAGHDAD - In the past year, a neighborhood in northwest Baghdad has overcome sectarian violence and seen vast improvements in security, essential services and civil capacity.
The Iraqi media saw firsthand, May 11, that through partnership with the local government, Iraqi Security Forces and the 1st Combined Arms Battalion "Vanguard," 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, citizens of the Hurriyah neighborhood of northwest Baghdad are witnessing an improvement in their community.
In a walk-through of a busy market street, various Iraqi television stations met with civic, tribal and security leaders, as well as 2nd HBCT leaders, to see a cleaner environment and thriving shops.
"We're trying to show the people of Hurriyah, the people who live outside of Hurriyah and throughout Baghdad, the security, civic and essential service improvements in Hurriyah," said Capt. Nathan Williams, a native of Raleigh, N.C., commander, Company A, 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt. "There is a lot of misconceptions out there that security is bad and the area hasn't been prospering recently."
From 2003-2006, when the security situation was compromised by al-Qaeda in Iraq and other special group criminals, many Iraqis moved away from Hurriyah and have not had the opportunity to see that the neighborhood has undergone a continuing makeover.
"We're trying to spread the word that things have improved so people can come back to Hurriyah," said Williams. "This is a great opportunity to get the word out to the public."
Because the word came from the neighborhood's leaders and the local media, it is likely the people of Iraq will find Hurriyah's improvements more credible.
"Just like in our country, the message doesn't always get out. It has some sort of shaded lens on it if it comes from us," said Lt Col. John Vermeesch., a native of Roscommon, Mich., commander of the "Vanguard" Battalion. "If it comes from their own people then it's more believable and genuine."
Vermeesch said Hurriyah has turned around because the partnership between the Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers means more than manning checkpoints.
"The 1st Battalion, 22nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army is an incredibly effective and efficient unit and they have done great things in partnership with Company A," he said. "They conduct continuous combined area reconnaissance, combined raids against known targets and they patrol the streets together every day."
Williams added that the population of Hurriyah also sees street sweepers cleaning up trash and much of the sewage from the past has been removed.
The Vanguard Battalion works with the beladiyah, or the branch of government which deals with public works, to improve essential services.
"Essential services are good, but they need to get better; specifically sewage in [one of the areas]," said Vermeesch. "That is something we are working with the beladiyah to try and improve."
When the video camera turned off and the interviews were over, Vermeesch said the Iraqi people said the citizens of Baghdad will have a better idea of the situation in Hurriyah.
"Today's event met our intent and I believe that the right message got out to the people of Iraq that Hurriyah is a safe and stable city," he said. "As we've known from the beginning, with regard to sectarian violence, so goes Hurriyah, so goes the rest of Baghdad and I think the right message got out to Baghdad."
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