Troops Coming Home

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Hope. A powerful feeling that seems to be held in the hearts of Iraqis as a major decrease in violence becomes apparent after U.S. efforts in the recent surge. The Iraqi security forces have shown much progress in recruiting, training, and leading efforts within Iraq's borders.

The recent redeployment of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division from Iraq back to Fort Worth Texas demonstrates the acknowledgement that Iraqi Military is showing promise and meeting benchmarks set forth by the Bush Administration, Congress, and assessed by the Government Accountability Office.

The 3rd Brigade will not be replaced and are only the first of a possible 5 brigades being withdrawn and redeployed in the next 8 months. However there will be a repositioning of forces within Iraq to ensure that no vacuum is created in the Diyala Province in the wake of the redeployment. The Diyala province will be absorbed into the battle space sectioned for the Army 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division.

Army Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team attributes the success in the Diyala region to the 3,000 Iraqi citizens who stood up against radical extremist organizations including Al Qaeda by assisting the Iraqi Police in the defense of their homes and roads.

These concerned local citizens also provide coalition and the Iraqi security forces with information about weapons caches, locations of car bombs and house-borne and deep-buried improvised explosive devices, and are turning in known al Qaeda fighters. “These concerned local citizens understand that the future of Iraq can be better if they get involved in ridding the province of al Qaeda and participate in the development of their own democracy,” he said.