Gen. Petraeus goes to market

Centcom:

U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, visited the Dora Market March 31 and saw the significant improvements made there since December.

“Chai for everyone,” Petraeus exclaimed with a smile as he placed some money on the counter at a small tea shop to buy tea for all who accompanied him on the trip and then some. Later he sipped tea with an Iraqi Army battalion commander and Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, whose unit is responsible for securing the Dora Market area. They discussed the visible progress in what was, just four months ago, a dangerous cluster of ramshackle buildings full of roaming death squads and criminals.

“This is still not pretty, but it has made substantial strides,” Petraeus said, noting that many of the dilapidated storefronts and houses in and around the market still show signs of the December violence in the once-vibrant economic hub of some 700 stores and kiosks. On Dec. 23, there were three shops left.

“There will be challenges here. This is an area that al-Qaeda continues to go after because it does represent success for the Sunni Arabs, and they (al-Qaeda) don’t want to see cooperation with the Iraqi government and Iraqi Security Forces,” Petraeus said. The market now has 141 stores and stands open for business, with room for many more as the situation improves. Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Forces - Iraq, was a welcome visitor to the market for Iraqi Army Lt. Col. Najm Abdul Wahed Motleq.

“I’m very honored to have the general here today to come and observe the situation on the ground here at the market,” Najm said. “This market was dead in the past and brought back to life with our presence here and with coalition forces securing this market.”

Najm’s 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division has received high marks from its U.S. counterparts for its professionalism and willingness to take on the responsibility of securing the market.

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Apparently there were no snickering reporters in the area. The media that wants to lose in Iraq has made fun of Senators McCain and Graham for their trip to a market in Iraq, but Gen. Petraeus makes a habit of going to Iraqi markets on a regular basis. Each trip is a defeat for the enemy in Iraq and an embarrassment to reporters who are hooked on losing this war.