THE COALITION TROOPS:

• There are many ways of making Iraq safer for the future. In one of those valuable initiatives, the Coalition troops continue with clearing Iraq of unexploded munition. Near Tikrit, "working closely with the 201st Iraqi National Guard Battalion, more that 30 Bravo Company 'Predator' soldiers worked with more than 40 ING soldiers for two weeks to clean up the area. More than 1,000 rounds of highly explosive artillery ammunition were destroyed during the operation." Iraqi National Guard soldiers also conducted classes in local schools to teach children about dangers of ammunition.
  


• The troops also continue to support the growth of local democracy. In Balad, the 1st Infantry Division has renovated former Baath Part headquarters at a cost of $100,000 and transformed the building into the Balad Municipal Building, which now houses both the city and district council, and a media center with a newspaper a radio station.
  


• The troops are working to restore not just the physical infrastructure, but also the human one. In Tikrit, for example, Bravo Company, 411th Civil Affairs Battalion has cooperated with the Provincial Governor to establish an "On the Job" training school: "Here, students receive job-specific training in one of several fields including masonry, carpentry, ceramics and casting, electrical and sewing. The courses last 30 days and are taught by members of the trade who are already established in the local community." The school recently graduated its first class composed 110 men and women. Each one received a $50 voucher towards starting their own business.
  


• There is also strong support for Iraq's health care system. Soldiers from Task Force 1-77 Armor (1st Infantry Division) together with members of the 203rd Iraqi National Guard Battalion were recently delivering medical supplies to the Balad General Hospital. Elsewhere, the troops are providing training opportunities for Iraqi doctors:
  

  Two Iraqi physicians doing post-graduate training were given the opportunity to intern at Charlie Company's Aid Station. These physicians had already completed a 9-month rotation at Baqubah General. Both students shadowed the provider on call, focusing on Emergency Room and Trauma practice. They also were able to get some hands-on in assisting with the medical screening for Iraqi Army recruits. They saw a significant amount of trauma, and although the interns were a little timid at first, they were anxious to learn.

• The internships are expected to continue for one student or physician per week.
  


• And there's also help for schools. In Tikrit, the 701st Main Support Battalion has sponsored two schools, the Al Barudy Primary School and the Al Barudy School for Girls, the first girls' school in northern Tikrit, among other things providing them with supplies: "The 701st MSB did not complete this project on its own. Key contributions of school supplies came from Germany, where the Wurzburg American Middle School, also sponsored by the 701st, put together packages of school supplies for their Iraqi counterparts." Says 1st Lt. Scott Preusker, the battalion civil affairs officer, of her visit to school: "The girls were very interested in speaking to the female officers and had many questions about their leadership roles in the US military."
  


• In Baghdad, soldiers from A Company, 1st Battalion, 153rd lnfantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, and Detachment 1, 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery Regiment, attached to Company A, 1-153rd, delivered the stuffed toys and school supplies to children at the Ayn Al Mali Kindergarten in the Babil neighborhood. And in Al Neida area, "the Al Sa'ad and Hamalathania schools received supplies donated by churches and the families of the 30th Brigade Combat Team. The donations were sent from the United States and included individual supplies for the students, black boards, and class room items that were given to the teachers."
  


• In addition to work on schools and hospitals, infrastructure projects continue, like this one in the village of Albu Bali, where Marines from the 372nd Engineer Group together with local contractors constructed a new water treatment plant for 500 residents.
  


• The troops are also involved in many charity actions: "The 201st Iraqi National Guard Battalion, the Police's Emergency Service Unit and Charlie Company, Task Force 1-18 Infantry gave children's clothing away to needy families in Tikrit during the second week in November. Family members in Germany and the United States sent the clothing to Iraq. They gathered it as part of Charlie Company's plan to donate to the poor at the conclusion of Ramadan." Tikrit, Saddam's home town and once very hostile to the Coalition is now relatively peaceful and quiet.
  


• In Balad, meanwhile, soldiers from the 111th Signal Battalion, a National Guard unit from Abbeville, S.C., donated numerous clothing items and school supplies to befriended local postal workers and their families. Another distribution is planned shortly. In Daquq, the 1st Infantry Division troops from the Forward Operating Base Grant have presented the town with a renovated Youth Centre:
  

  After months of renovation, the Youth Center was returned with everything from new paint and windows to ping pong tables and ten brand new computers with high-speed Internet access. Now the children of Daquq will be able to participate in several sports to include soccer, boxing, volleyball, feather ball and weightlifting with new equipment purchased for the facility by [Multi-National Force].

• And in Najaf, "Marines from the 11th MEU distributed more than $1.1 million on 22 November in condolence and collateral damage repair payments to demonstrate goodwill to Iraqis caught in the crossfire during fighting... this August. Payments began on Sept. 30 and have resulted in a total of $4.7 million paid to more than 8,300 Najafis since then. Payments will continue as long as needed to meet each valid case. Condolence payments, known as solatia, are being paid to express sympathy to those injured or who lost a family member during the fighting. Collateral damage repair payments are intended for Iraqis who experienced damage to their home, business or other property."

DIPLOMACY AND SECURITY:

• In further evidence of the fraying of relations between the insurgents and the community, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi lashed out at Islamic scholars in a taped message, accusing them of betrayal of insurgency:

"You have let us down in the darkest circumstances and handed us over to the enemy... You have quit supporting the mujahedeen... Hundreds of thousands of the nation's sons are being slaughtered at the hands of the infidels because of your silence.

"You made peace with the tyranny and handed over the countries and the people to the Jews and Crusaders... When you resort to silence on their crimes, when you refused to hold the banners of Jihad and Tawhid, and when you prevented youth from heading to the battlefields in order to defend the religion.

"Instead of implementing God's orders, you chose your safety and preferred your money and sons. You left the mujahadeen facing the strongest power in the world... Are not your hearts shaken by the scenes of your brothers being surrounded and hurt by your enemy?"

A recent internet posting, apparently authored by an insurgent commander Abu Ahmed al-Baghdadi, while boasting of recent attacks throughout Iraq, paints a worrying picture of the insurgency:

"The new message opens with a plea for advice from Palestinian and Chechen militants as well as Osama bin Laden supporters in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 'We face many problems,' it reads in Arabic, 'and need your military guidance since you have more experience.'

"The problems, the message says, are the result of losing the insurgent safe haven of Fallujah to U.S. troops. It says the insurgency was hampered as checkpoints and raids spread 'to every city and road.' Communications broke down as insurgents were forced to spread out through the country.

"The arrest of some of their military experts, more 'spies willing to help the enemy,' and a dwindling supply of arms also added to the organizational breakdown, it reads."

According to military analyst Tony Cordesman, "This particular memo asks for strategic advice, but it makes it very clear in the text that what they really want are volunteers, money and more munitions."

• Another report about the posting notes that its author is also bemoaning the heavy losses suffered by the insurgents in recent actions in Baghdad, Fallujah, Mosul, and Ramadi.

• The old Shia hot-stop of Najaf, meanwhile, is now enjoying some peaceful times: "Iraqi police are in full control of the holy city of Najaf, the governor Najaf Province said. Adnan al-Zurqi said the nearly 600,000 inhabitants in the provincial center, Najaf, now enjoy peace following large-scale disturbances in August. He said peace has returned to the province with people going about their daily work without any difficulty. Zurqi made the remarks as he laid down the foundation of a new building for the city's National Guard battalion. 'The citizens in Najaf today can perform their daily duties with ease and in peace - thanks to the National Guard,' he said."

• And in a related development, "approximately three months after decisive combat operations ended in Najaf, the 11th MEU commander declared today that Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have formally assumed local control of An Najaf province."

• Not just in Najaf but also elsewhere throughout the country, the Iraqi security forces are increasingly taking on more tasks. For example, 2,000 Iraqi National Guardsmen have been recently deployed to protect vital oil infrastructure around Kirkuk.

• American personnel in charge of training the Iraqi army are becoming more optimistic about the success of their mission. Good training is translating into good outcomes on the ground:

"Iraqi security forces performed much better in recent fighting in Fallujah and other towns than they did in battles in the spring, U.S. officials say, but some units remain ill-equipped and infiltrated by spies. "That is the initial assessment of military officials and outside analysts in the wake of two weeks of fighting in Iraq in which a Marine-led force secured Fallujah and other U.S. forces put down uprisings in Ramadi, Mosul and Baqouba."

Says Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command: "The Iraqi security forces have fought well... The way they performed in Fallujah clearly shows that there are a core of fighters in the Iraqi security forces that are prepared and capable of operating independently in war-fighting operations that does give us confidence that our efforts to train the Iraqi security force can be successful."

• The training continues both in Iraq and overseas. Some alternative ways of police training are being currently trialed: "the employment of contracted civilian International Police Liaison Officers or IPLOs, a solution that has previously met with success in areas such as Bosnia and Kosovo. Working in close association with the Soldier's of the First Infantry Division's Task Force 1-7 (TF 1-7), these IPLOs in Bayji, Iraq, provide the required expert capabilities and are helping the Bayji and Sharqat Police to become a capable, professional law enforcement agency." Read the whole article about how the IPLOs are working on the ground in Iraq.

• The Iraqi armed forces, meanwhile, can now benefit from mobile training: "The Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq began dispatching nine, five-member training teams to the Multinational Force's six major subordinate commands, Nov. 28, to assist in the training of Iraqi brigade and division senior staff officers. The teams - comprised of U.S. Army personnel - will run Iraqi Army and National Guard officers through 30-day training cycles before rotating on to new staffs at the discretion of the various MSC commands. All trainers were formerly instructors at the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College or Combined Arms Service Staff School."

• At a military base in Nu'maniyah, 140 kilometers south of Baghdad, the first batch of 6,000 troops of Iraqi rapid reaction force graduated recently. "The graduates were trained as quick reaction forces to launch defensive and offensive operations in emergencies all over Iraq." And in a more life-saving mode, "in an effort to augment the Iraqi Security Forces' battlefield and operations medical support capability, the Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq is working with Iraqi officials to finalize a 'combat lifesavers course' for Soldiers and police in service. The course - designed to teach skills in providing advanced first aid - has already ran 18 Special Police Commando Battalion Soldiers through the instruction in November with future iterations to kick off in the coming weeks."

• Overseas, "Italy has hosted 42 Iraqi army officers for studies at the Centro Alti Studi Difesa military college in Rome. The Iraqi officers consisted of captains and majors who would spend three and a half weeks in school before returning to Iraq during the first week of December." Norway, meanwhile, is sending additional 20 army instructors to Iraq. In the region, a company from the Iraqi Army's 17th Battalion, 7th Brigade, 5th Division, is also training with Egyptian troops at the Mubarak Military City training facility near Alexandria. The training will involve "individual movement technique, squad movement, land navigation, basic rifle marksmanship, rifle qualification, and platoon and company attack and defense training including live fire exercises with their Egyptian counterparts."

• Equipment continues to flow in for the new Iraqi security forces:

"Since Nov. 15, the 12-day rollout through Nov. 27 includes 2,120 riot and smoke grenades; 4,085 AK-47 assault rifles; 1,000 various-make 9mm pistols; 16 computers; 14 ambulances; 2,338,600 AK-47 rounds; 600 tactical vests; 800 9mm Glock pistols; 1,260,000 9mm pistol rounds; 1,020 holsters; 4,574 pairs of running shoes; 278 RPK machineguns; 5,292 sets of body armor; 39,486 sets of desert combat and other uniforms; 20-9mm Walther pistols; 9,839 t-shirts; 5,445 helmets; 10 Russian-made GAZ heavy trucks; 1,208 binocular pairs; 1,050 handcuff sets; more than 1,750,000 PKM/RPK machinegun rounds including 248,000 tracer rounds; 20 blunt trauma suits; 1,476 compasses; 132 GPS satellite systems; 800 MAG lights; 750 whistles; 44 rocket propelled grenade launchers; 124 PKM machineguns; 4,150 hats; 52 Chevy Lumina police sedans; 344 first aid kits; 149 vehicle and handheld radios; 2,046 canteens; 450,000 12 gauge shotgun shot and slug rounds; 991,000 5.56mm rounds; 150 riot helmets; 48 shotguns; two two-ton trucks; four Dodge Durangos; and 20 Chevy Trailblazers."

On a heavier end of the scale, the Iraqi army has received 38 French-designed Panhard M3 armored personnel carriers, donated by the United Arab Emirates. Another six are due shortly. "The Iraqi Armed Forces have recently began adding a significant armored element to its ranks with the delivery, Nov. 22, of four T-55 Russian-designed heavy tanks and 18 multi-purpose armored vehicles (MTLBs) to the Army's 1st Mechanized Brigade also located at Taji. Another 22 tanks and MTLBs are scheduled to arrive this week in addition to the six remaining Panhard M3s."

• Iraq's Air Force is also acquiring new equipment: "The United Arab Emirates delivered four Comp Air 7SL aircraft to Basrah Air Base... to be used by the Iraqi Air Force. The aircraft were a gift to help Iraq's air force continue to build its operational capability. Three more Comp Air aircraft will be delivered within the next two weeks."

• In Najaf, construction work began on a new $1.8 million barracks facility for the 405th Battalion, 50th Iraqi National Guard Brigade. "Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I) is funding the project. A local contractor was awarded the project." And throughout Iraq, the US troops will spend some $22 million to renovate 240 police stations over a six month period. One example of the initiative in action is the recent opening of a new police station at Hatamia Village: "The police station is a newly constructed building that provides critical infrastructure to the police force of the local village. Iraqi contractors built the new $65,000 facility, which was sponsored by the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry, Army Materiel Command and the 13th Corp Support Command civil affairs staff."

• Weapons and munitions continue to be recovered throughout the country, for example this mega-cache:

"Multi-national forces from the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) unearthed Nov. 22 one of the largest weapons caches ever found in northern Iraq, about 45 kilometers south of Mosul in the village of Shafa'at.

"During their patrol, Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment discovered huge stockpiles of weapons and munitions, including an anti-aircraft gun, 15,000 anti-aircraft rounds, 4,600 hand grenades, 144 VOG-17M anti-personnel grenade launchers, 25 SA-7 surface-to-air missiles, 44 SA-7 battery packs, 20 guided missile packs, 21 120mm mortar rounds, two 120mm mortar tubes, 10 122mm rockets, six 152mm artillery rounds and two 57mm artillery rounds.

"Soldiers also discovered a building full of explosive-making materials. The three-acre site is secure and still under investigation with more weapons and munitions discoveries expected."

This, however, pales next to the amount of weaponry and ammunition recovered from Fallujah - according to Marine Lieutenant Colonel Dan Wilson, "the sheer amount of caches we've found would stun you... You could literally take over this country with the number of weapons we've found."

"Marine combat engineers and explosives experts were again scouring homes yesterday amid the battered streets in south Fallujah's Shuhada district, where the day before gunmen traded shots with units trying to seize two homes that were later found to be hiding nearly 700 mortar shells...

"For more than an hour yesterday a daisy chain of marines passed mortar shells - from 60mm rounds the size of a small water bottle to large 120mm mortars and artillery shells that had to carried in both hands - to a waiting truck as a convoy of vehicles snaked its way through one ruined neighbourhood cleaning out weapons caches.

"Elsewhere, an AFP correspondent saw a captured arsenal laid out in the dirt on the edges of another neighbourhood: rockets and antiquated shotguns jumbled next to clean, well oiled assault rifles, heavy machine guns and several homemade bombs."

• The largest weapons cache in Fallujah so far has been found inside the Saad Abi Bin Waqas Mosque compound.

• Other reports note that the troops in Fallujah have uncovered nearly as many homemade explosive devices (650) as they have uncovered throughout the rest of Iraq over the past four months.

• Increasingly, local cooperation is bringing positive results - in Samarra, soldiers from the Task Force 1-26 Infantry were distributing fliers about the danger of explosive devices when ten minutes into the exercise they were approached by a local boy who pointed them to an IUD in an nearby alley. "Task Force 1-26 Soldiers investigated and found one 155mm artillery round and one 120mm mortar round, wired as a phase II IED." Read also this fascinating relation from a raid on two Iraqi villages to check for insurgent activity: "We didn't leave the villages as Warriors, but as guests."

• In other recent security successes: the arrest of over 100 suspected insurgents in Baghdad ("Among the 104 detainees, most were Iraqis but some were from Syria and other Arab countries... Nine of the total had escaped from Fallujah"); a seizure of a senior insurgency commander in the Anbar province; detaining 38 insurgent suspects in a raid near Kirkuk; the arrest of one of Al Zarqawi's top commanders in Mosul; the capture of five foreign fighters who escaped from Fallujah and were preparing attacks around Basra; the arrest of 116 suspects in a sweep southwest of Baghdad; the arrest of 57 suspects throughout Mosul and Ad Dawr, the town where Saddam was captured last year; rounding up 32 suspects and uncovering a stockpile of more than 500 artillery rounds by Iraqi and Coalition troops south of Baghdad; rounding up another 24 suspected insurgents in an operation around Tal Afar; and the arrest of 210 suspects in a week-long sweep through the so called "triangle of death".

• And from the war on terror to the war on drugs, the border police in southern Iraq seized 52 kilograms of hashish destined for Saudi Arabia.

As Archbishop Sako, quoted at the beginning of the article, says: "The Middle East needs help to rediscover peace and usher the Muslim countries into contemporary society, with its foundation of democracy and freedom. If the Iraqi model fails, it will be a disaster for everyone. These terrorist groups will gain strength around the world."

Tips for Good News from Iraq should be emailed to "GoodNewsIraq", here @windsofchange.net.