Tuesday, October 14, 2003 Good News from Iraq
First Transfer of Authority From Coalition to Iraqis
by Cpl. Todd Pruden, 372nd MPAD
BAGHDAD, Iraq � A significant event marking the return to normalcy for the Iraqi people occurred Oct. 7. Authority of a site was transferred back to the people of Iraq.
Coalition forces transferred authority of the former Al Thawath Nuclear Research facility to the Iraqi Ministerial Guard. The Ministerial Guard will oversee the security and integrity of the facility.
To kick off the ceremony, two separate formations, one comprised of the Iraqi Ministerial Guard and the other of soldiers from B Company, 1st Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division, marched from opposite ends of the ceremony area toward each other and came to a stop five feet before they would have met. The two formations showed the union upon which coalition forces and Iraqis are building. As a special guest speaker, Dr. Rashad Omar, the Iraqi minister of science and technology, said the day was monumental.
�Today marks the first change-of-command ceremony between Iraqis and the coalition,� he said. �This place (the nuclear facility) was a place of much concern and controversy. We will use it for new and better circumstances.� The prior regime utilized the Al Thawath Nuclear Research Facility as a weapons research and development site, mainly concentrating on nuclear energy. Omar said the site will be used for science and technology research.
Lt. Col T.C. Williams, commander, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, also spoke at the ceremony. He spoke of his fondness for the Iraqi people and said that their cooperation with the coalition made the event possible. �I am proud of the spirit of cooperation between the coalition and the Ministerial Guard,� he said.
The ceremony concluded with the playing of the Iraqi national anthem and a ceremonial exchange of an AK-47 assault rifle between a U.S. soldier and a member of the Ministerial Guard to symbolize the transfer of authority. �The Americans did well to give back this facility to the Iraqi people,� said Hady Bouhy, one of the 412 guards assigned to the 23,000-acre complex. �It shows great progress.�
Capt. David Zelkowitz, B Company commander, 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Division, said the change of authority is more than just another step toward normalcy for the Iraqi people. �It offers more jobs and this will definitely be a centerpiece for this area,� Zelkowitz said.
Bouhy and the rest of the guards were thrilled by the ceremony and the chance to be a part of history. �Now we can celebrate something for ourselves,� Bouhy said. �We did not have the opportunity to celebrate with the old regime.�
-- posted by Chuck at Tuesday, October 14, 2003 | E-mail | Permalink | Main |
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