3rd Infantry Division Operations - Fort Stewart - U.S. Army

The Surge 19
through muddy banks, thick reeds, and marshes. Groves of
date palm trees grew along the river bank villages. Man made
canals channeled fresh water to crop fields. There were greenhouses,
gardens, and farms. Cattle, goats, and sheep were
herded over roads and through pasture. Factories sat defunct,
often empty, their workers unemployed in want of cash to support
families. There was scant hope and a wounded economy.
Infrastructure was neglected. There were fallen power
lines. Oil, so vital to the economic strength of the entire nation,
and gas lines were leaking and prone to fires. Damaged
water pumping stations were insufficient. Weathered and war
torn roads and bridges made public transportation hazardous or
impassable. Schools lacked teachers because they were often
too intimidated to teach. Doctors, dentists, veterinarians, and
pharmacists were too few, leaving inadequate healthcare for the
general population. Police forces were suspect at best, often
accused of corruption. Some were alleged to be militia collaborators
on a campaign to purge communities on behalf of the
sectarian warlords.
Across Mesopotamia, Iraqis were pitted against each other.
The conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims had been
cultivated for years. Saddam's oppression of majority Shia
had birthed bitterness and hostility. Al-Qaeda's attack on the
Golden Mosque in February of 2006 had sparked a campaign of
revenge. The whole future of Iraq was in jeopardy and the decisive
battleground was right where MND-C stood, in the land
between the two rivers.
Fractured Communities
The cities and provinces of Najaf, Karbala, and Babil held
great significance to the masses of loyal Shia Muslims who had