Obide tribes coming together to secure region, generate prosperity

Working Together
Originally uploaded by Sydney Weasel.

By Maj. Anna Friederich
2nd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Officer, 4th Infantry Division

FOB KALSU, Iraq — The southern portion of Iraq is reaping the long overdue benefits of infrastructure rebuilding and trained security forces.

Although the areas in the Karbala, Najaf and Babil provinces still have their share of turbulence, some of the success the provinces are enjoying stems from the willingness of local tribes to work together to put their part of Iraq back together, said Capt. Dave Zaino, commander, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

“We are going into areas in the northern sector of our area of operations, finding a large population who are putting the pieces back together on their own,” said Zaino.

Last week, Zaino met with Sheik Mohammed for the first time and found he and the surrounding tribes were working on a joint project on their own to improve the water system in their area. {Click on image for details}