Key Leaders Band Against Insurgents

Col. Emad Abd Ali, commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division, discusses future plans for the Mada?in Qada with 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team Commander Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George's County, Md., during a meeting Jan. 3 at the 3/1 NP division headquarters in Tameem, southeast of Baghdad.
Third Heavy Brigade Combat Team Commander Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George's County, Md., shakes hands with Lt. Gen. Abud, the Baghdad Operations Center commander, at the 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division headquarters in Tameem, Iraq, southeast of Baghdad, Jan. 3.

By Sgt. Natalie Rostek
3rd HBCT Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Leaders of the Iraqi security forces, Iraqi government, tribal sheiks and the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team met Jan. 3 in Al Ja’ara to coordinate efforts to defeat insurgents.

Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd HBCT, said the meeting sends an important message.

“There were key leaders from four major organizations, coalition forces, ISF, the Iraqi government and the citizens, all talking about killing or capturing insurgents,” Grigsby said.

The group met at the 3rd Brigade, 1st National Police Division headquarters in Tameem, southeast of Baghdad. From there, they traveled to Al Ja’ara where they sat down with tribal leaders from the Mada’in Qada to discuss security and economic issues within the qada.

After Lt. Gen. Abud, the Baghdad Operations Center commander, and Sheik Nouri Zabar Khamiss, head tribal leader of the Mada’in Qada, spoke briefly on Iraq’s history regarding violence and sacrifice, the floor was open to concerns and questions.

“I promise to take your issues into consideration,” Abud said through a translator. “I want make the Mada’in Qada more secure for all Iraqis. I want peace and prosperity for all of Iraq.”

According to Grigsby, insurgents are counting on the Iraqi people not supporting the government, therefore allowing them to hide amongst the local populace.

“The Iraqi media and the western media were present so we were talking to Iraqi people, American people and the insurgents,” Grigsby said. “The insurgents don’t have a chance.”

Grigsby said momentum has been gained in the 10 months since the 3rd HBCT deployed to the Mada’in Qada.

“Extremists can no longer hide,” he said. “They see we are working together. The Concerned Local Citizens are the populace and they are working with the ISF. They have taken the security of the Mada’in Qada to the next level.

“The game plan is falling right in order,” Grigsby said. “Violence has gone down so that we can focus more on economics and government. As a commander, I am very proud of the way things are going.”

Brig. Gen. Kareem, the 1st National Police Division commander, and Col. Emad Abd Ali, commander of the 3/1 NP were also present at the meeting.

The 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.