CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq -- The 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, and Kirkuk Provincial Reconstruction Team welcomed government, military, and religious leaders to the 8th Annual Partnership Dinner at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Iraq, Aug. 24, 2011.
The dinner provided an opportunity to enhance civic relationships and cooperation among U.S. forces, and the administrative and political leadership of Kirkuk province.
"Our support for the city of Kirkuk goes beyond military operations," said Col. Michael Pappal, 1st AATF commander and host of the event. "Many military, political and religious leaders representing the diverse culture of the province have all gathered here to promote cooperation and unity."
The key leaders hoped to mingle with everyone without the pressures of a structured forum. The dinner provided an opportunity for attendees to speak with each other about progress and initiatives in Kirkuk province, continued Pappal, a native of Creekside, Pa.
Dr. Najmaldin Karim, Provincial Governor of Kirkuk, was one of the first to arrive to help set the tone and purpose of the evening.
"I feel good to be at the site of such a wondrous gathering," said Najmaldin. "A social dinner like this will help make the guests feel more at ease."
These dinners have been fruitful in the past in promoting goodwill between the various ethnicities and political groups in Kirkuk, said Najmaldin. "The results of cooperation between us and the American forces will continue to be seen in the following years."
Other key leaders of the Kirkuk province, included: Imad Yochanna, Chief of the Christian Democratic Party; Mohammad Korsheed, deputy chairman of the Kurdish Democratic Party; Tahsen Kehaya, member of the Provincial Council and the Shia/Turcoman Political Party and Mullah Mustafa Hussein, provincial director of the Sunni Endowment and Imam in Kirkuk.
"The Kirkuk people have had no problems getting along with one another," said Mullah Mustafa. "We have been living like this for many years. It is groups outside of our province that want us to fight with each other."
This is the eighth time they have met like this, continued Mustafa.
"The terrorists hate when we work together," said Mustafa. "I hope this isn't the last time we have one of these (partnership dinners). Many of us are here in heart, not just in person, and we want to continue to make Kirkuk wonderful."
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