It’s been a little while since I’ve updated, so I’ll have to give an overview here and perhaps come back with some details later. The first headline is "Euphrates Fish Farm, finally!" After a few false starts, I finally managed to get over to the Euphrates Fish Farm, the largest in Iraq. The place was built in 1983; a Russian plan drawing framed on the main office wall indicates Russian involvement in design and construction. I’ve been told that the farm was "owned" by Ouday Hussein, one of Saddam’s notoriously brutal sons. The farm was privatized in 1989 and has been managed since then by Mr. Khudair, who clearly relishes all the attention from the military and the aid community. Euphrates Fish Farm has been contracted to produce six million carp fingerlings for distribution to farmers, an operation that has been underway for at least a month. Fingerlings were being loaded out on transport trucks for distribution to fish farmers in Babil during my visit to the farm. Mr. Khudair is a master of the dog & pony show. He had a room in the hatchery with glass jars with different size carp (small to large in series) and bowls with various dry ingredients used to manufacture fish feed. The hatchery itself was not operational but consisted of upwelling incubators with flow-through water and larger incubators for newly hatched larvae. The hatchery appeared fully functional although it had the feel of 1970s era technology. We also traveled out to view the large (nearly 100-acre) ponds. These ponds are about 1 km long by about 0.5 km wide and, as managed, have a capacity of about 18 tons of fish. They are also beginning to evaluate paddlewheel aeration, an innovation introduced by Duane Stone, to manage dissolved oxygen, although the low stocking densities and feeding rates mean that water quality problems are not common. I had a nice visit but could have easily spent another few hours their. Moving around and staying in one place for any length of time anywhere in Iraq presents a security problem that makes those guarding your safety nervous.
That night I took a helicopter ride from hell, not because my safety was in any way compromised, only that there were many stops, most of which to my way of thinking were unnecessary and inefficient. It took me 4 hours of flying to reach my destination, a trip that should have only taken about 45-60 minutes. Oh well, such are the vagaries of moving around this country, especially with the military.
The next day I took the "Rhino," an armored bus from Camp Victory near the Baghdad airport, to the so-called IZ or International Zone, known to most as "the Green Zone." From there, I was met by a PSD (personal security detail) from Inma, an organization dedicated to agribusiness development in Iraq (Inma means "progress" in Arabic), and taken to their compound in "the Red Zone." There I spent about a day and two nights meeting with the staff of the organization. Inma has been responsible for the fingerling distribution project as a means of jump-starting the aquaculture sector. They are also looking at funding a feed mill in Babil. I’ve mentioned their aquaculture specialist, Duane Stone, in an earlier posting, and got to spend a good bit of time with him as well as other staff. The Inma compound is a street in a pleasant neighborhood with some very nice houses, now occupied by different organizations. It probably was the place where Saddam’s buddies lived. The street was lined with tall date palms above and blast walls below. Some tough-looking Angolan guards were keeping watch on the street and on rooftops. For the first time since coming to Iraq, I heard the call to prayer from a mosque outside the compound. Staying on army bases means that I just haven’t had that opportunity. It was nice to hear it. Nearby the Inma compound was a huge unfinished "Grand Mosque" construction project with at least 15 idle cranes surrounding it. Apparently the project fell idle about 10 years ago and it has yet to resume.
I left the Inma compound early yesterday morning and was carried by the South African PSD responsible for compound security and transportation to a rendezvous with our team leader in the IZ. We then transferred to another PSD, this one run by some tough-looking Ukrainians and Serbs, for a trip to the Ministry of Agriculture in the Red Zone. We were accompanied by two gun trucks ahead and behind. We got to travel through some of the commercial parts of Baghdad as well as the area of large government buildings still showing signs of "shock and awe" from 2003. The objective of our meeting at the Ministry was to select from a group of applicants for entry into a M.S. degree program in agriculture at Texas A&M University. After exchanging pleasantries with a Deputy Minister, we asked "How many applications did you receive?" He looked surprised and said "None." It is hard to know what to make of this. It may be that Ministry staff are simply overwhelmed by all the things they have to do, or maybe they are overwhelmed with offers of money and assistance and are looking around for the best offer. It’s clear that the Iraqi government will not spend their own money when the U.S., other governments, and NGOs are offering to pay. In any case, we tried to impress upon the Deputy Minister and his assembled advisors that time is short for selecting applicants that will enter university this fall. (Due to funding constraints, the scholarship offer is time-sensitive.) They’ve rescheduled, so hopefully some worthy students will be studying agriculture in Texas this fall.
After the meeting, we returned to the IZ. We were told by someone who should know that the round trip IZ-Ministry cost $6,000. Such is the cost of doing business in Iraq!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
To Hilla by Helo
Our work in Najaf is going well. After a few days of high-level meetings we began our visits to field sites, beginning with the Mishkab Rice Research Station in the heart of the rice-growing region of the country. Rice is one of the few agricultural success stories in Iraq with yields increasing by a factor of 10 between 2000 and 2007. In part this is explained by the use of high-yielding varieties from Vietnam, the Phillipines, and Thailand. Jasmine rice is very popular here, although the most desirable rice is an aromatic variety known as Ambar. There appears to be some interest in rice-fish culture here, although the prolonged drought means that water is scarce and rice is being farmed with the absolute minimum use of this precious resource. We talked with some farmers and landowners in the area, including one who owned about 350 acres and had a sharecropping arrangement with 50 households to farm this land. Unfortunately we did not have time to explore the full ramifications of this arrangement.
In the afternoon, our team split up, with about half remaining behind in Najaf, another group going to Baghdad for meetings and then on to Mosul in the north, and three of us going to REO (regional embassy outpost) Hilla. The REO is occupied mostly by folks from the State Department and the Babil PRT, with Blackwater providing security for most movements off the compound, and the Colombian army providing security for the base proper. The main part of the facility is a hotel that apparently was a playground for Saddam at one time. I’ve enjoyed having my own room (complete with in-room bathroom and TV!) for the first time since coming here.
The helicopter flight between Najaf and Hilla was amazing. We took off from the FOB, flying over a sandy plain dotted with Bedouin encampments, before passing by the edges of Najaf. Then, off to the right appeared the beautiful gilded dome of the Imam Ali Mosque, embedded in the old part of Najaf city.
Next we flew over the "Wadi as Salam" (the Wadi of Peace) cemetery, a vast expanse of above-ground tombs and below-ground catacombs where supposedly over 2 million people are buried, perhaps the largest cemetery in the world.
We then picked up the Euphrates River, following right along the emerald ribbon about 200 feet above the water, the door gunner waving at the kids who ran out of their houses as we passed by. We had beautiful views of the small farms and agricultural landscapes of the Euphrates River alluvial plain: date plantations, wheat and rice fields, fish ponds, bright green alfalfa fields, vegetable gardens, with canals going off away from the river. When the river took a sharp bend the helicopter accordingly banked steeply. Before long we were on the outskirts of Hilla and landed at the REO.
Can we go again?
In the afternoon, our team split up, with about half remaining behind in Najaf, another group going to Baghdad for meetings and then on to Mosul in the north, and three of us going to REO (regional embassy outpost) Hilla. The REO is occupied mostly by folks from the State Department and the Babil PRT, with Blackwater providing security for most movements off the compound, and the Colombian army providing security for the base proper. The main part of the facility is a hotel that apparently was a playground for Saddam at one time. I’ve enjoyed having my own room (complete with in-room bathroom and TV!) for the first time since coming here.
The helicopter flight between Najaf and Hilla was amazing. We took off from the FOB, flying over a sandy plain dotted with Bedouin encampments, before passing by the edges of Najaf. Then, off to the right appeared the beautiful gilded dome of the Imam Ali Mosque, embedded in the old part of Najaf city.
Next we flew over the "Wadi as Salam" (the Wadi of Peace) cemetery, a vast expanse of above-ground tombs and below-ground catacombs where supposedly over 2 million people are buried, perhaps the largest cemetery in the world.
We then picked up the Euphrates River, following right along the emerald ribbon about 200 feet above the water, the door gunner waving at the kids who ran out of their houses as we passed by. We had beautiful views of the small farms and agricultural landscapes of the Euphrates River alluvial plain: date plantations, wheat and rice fields, fish ponds, bright green alfalfa fields, vegetable gardens, with canals going off away from the river. When the river took a sharp bend the helicopter accordingly banked steeply. Before long we were on the outskirts of Hilla and landed at the REO.
Can we go again?
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The Governor of Najaf
A few days ago our team made the transition from Babil to Najaf Province. The helicopter flight from FOB Kalsu was fascinating with terrific views of the agricultural landscapes of the Euphrates River valley, including lots of fish ponds, most of them small (5 acres) but some huge ones (100 acres) as well.
The contrast of where we’ve been and where we are now couldn’t be more stark. We have moved from a large military base that served as brigade headquarters with a couple thousand soldiers and civilians to a tiny base with about 100 people total, which serves as the base for the Najaf PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team). The main mission of the army units here is to provide security for the movements of the civilians into the province. There is also a small contingent of about 20 Ugandans (including the only three women here) who provide security on the base proper. The total number of American military personnel in the province is small, in contrast to the large presence in Babil. The Iraqi army "controls the battlespace," in the words of our PRT liaison here. We are now most definitely staying in the desert. A climb up a guard tower reveals a desolate sandscape in all directions.
Another contrast is that we are now working in an overwhelmingly Shiite area as opposed to a mixed Sunni/Shiite area in Babil. In fact, we are less than 10 km away from one of the holiest places in all of Shia Islam, the shrine of the Imam Ali. Unfortunately it is a "no go" zone for us so my curiosity must remain unsatisfied. The local officials we have met insist that Najaf is a safe place and have encouraged us not to where our body armor and helmets and that they would be able to provide adequate security. This may or may not be the case, but we are "high value" to the U.S. military and they are calling the shots on all our movements. I’m with the program.
On the day after arrival, we were invited to pay a courtesy call on the Governor of Najaf at his office. Doing formal meet-and-greets is a necessary part of our activities here, especially at the beginning of work in a province. I was really unprepared for the progressive outlook and intense and genuine interest in our work expressed by the Governor. He’s very much a hands-on, take-charge CEO type. In opening remarks to us he talked about the direct correlation between food security and overall security. After introductions of assembled provincial government officials by the Governor and introductions of our team by our leader, and the inevitable glass of chai, we moved to an adjacent conference room to continue the discussion. The agricultural representative on the Provincial Council made some particularly impassioned remarks, expressing his gratitude to America for the freedom they now have and for our presence in Najaf, signaling a interest in revitalizing agriculture. At this point, the councilman became quite emotional and choked back tears. It was a stirring moment.
The Governor of Najaf (C), the Director General for Agriculture (R), and the Head of Veterinary Services (L).
Shortly after this, a young woman who works in the governor’s office circulated around the room and gave each of us a card with embossed silver edges that reads:
The contrast of where we’ve been and where we are now couldn’t be more stark. We have moved from a large military base that served as brigade headquarters with a couple thousand soldiers and civilians to a tiny base with about 100 people total, which serves as the base for the Najaf PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team). The main mission of the army units here is to provide security for the movements of the civilians into the province. There is also a small contingent of about 20 Ugandans (including the only three women here) who provide security on the base proper. The total number of American military personnel in the province is small, in contrast to the large presence in Babil. The Iraqi army "controls the battlespace," in the words of our PRT liaison here. We are now most definitely staying in the desert. A climb up a guard tower reveals a desolate sandscape in all directions.
Another contrast is that we are now working in an overwhelmingly Shiite area as opposed to a mixed Sunni/Shiite area in Babil. In fact, we are less than 10 km away from one of the holiest places in all of Shia Islam, the shrine of the Imam Ali. Unfortunately it is a "no go" zone for us so my curiosity must remain unsatisfied. The local officials we have met insist that Najaf is a safe place and have encouraged us not to where our body armor and helmets and that they would be able to provide adequate security. This may or may not be the case, but we are "high value" to the U.S. military and they are calling the shots on all our movements. I’m with the program.
On the day after arrival, we were invited to pay a courtesy call on the Governor of Najaf at his office. Doing formal meet-and-greets is a necessary part of our activities here, especially at the beginning of work in a province. I was really unprepared for the progressive outlook and intense and genuine interest in our work expressed by the Governor. He’s very much a hands-on, take-charge CEO type. In opening remarks to us he talked about the direct correlation between food security and overall security. After introductions of assembled provincial government officials by the Governor and introductions of our team by our leader, and the inevitable glass of chai, we moved to an adjacent conference room to continue the discussion. The agricultural representative on the Provincial Council made some particularly impassioned remarks, expressing his gratitude to America for the freedom they now have and for our presence in Najaf, signaling a interest in revitalizing agriculture. At this point, the councilman became quite emotional and choked back tears. It was a stirring moment.
The Governor of Najaf (C), the Director General for Agriculture (R), and the Head of Veterinary Services (L).
Shortly after this, a young woman who works in the governor’s office circulated around the room and gave each of us a card with embossed silver edges that reads:
4 of July is a symbolic day for the United States of America. Where life, liberty and pursuit of happiness was declared. We respect this historical day and we congratulate you for this event. We hope a great future for the Iraqi-American relationship and look to see it grow further.
Happy Independence Day
Sincerely yours
Asaad Sultan AbuGulal
Governor of the Holy city of Najaf
Members of Team Borlaug enjoying chai with some of the governor's staff.
I talked with one of our BBAs (translators) after our meeting and he told me that the Governor is considered to be one of the best provincial leaders in the whole country. He is popular with the people because he is making investments that are resulting in visible and tangible improvements to the quality of life in Najaf. Notably there is a new international airport scheduled to open within the next couple of weeks, intended in part to serve the huge religious tourism market (20 million visitors per year to a city of 1 million!). The Governor has also invested strategically in agricultural development. There are research stations for rice (we will visit there tomorrow), dates, sheep, and desert agriculture. All the agricultural officials we have met are very committed to change, but are operating under severe constraints associated with decades of neglect and politics of the gun under Saddam.
Our team had hoped to hit the ground running. We like to get out as much as we can to visit sites, talking with scientists and farmers and everyday people. We’ve been rather frustrated because the Najaf PRT has only been here for 7 weeks and they don’t appear to get outside the wire very much. In order for us to go out, we need grid coordinates and a point-of-contact in order for a reconnaissance team to scout the area prior to making the trip. The insulation of this particular PRT has proved a hindrance to us, although to their credit they now recognize this and are working hard to get us into the field. I think we finally broke through the logjam today and have trips for the month fairly well planned out.
Time is drawing short for me. After our trip to the rice research station tomorrow a subset of us will travel back to Babil Province. The wheels are turning to get me to the Euphrates Fish Farm for a day. Then, it will be on to Baghdad for a few days before departing in about one week.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Innovators
[I wrote this blog entry before learning this morning about a security breach involving one of the military officers who accompanied us on the trip I describe here. As a result, I’ve gone back to what I’ve written and removed mention of specific people and places to reduce the potential for any negative repercussions.]
After several "extra" days in FOB Kalsu, feeling trapped behind the wire, I jumped at the opportunity to accompany one of my fellow team members to a poultry farm. The main purpose of the trip for the Civil Affairs officer who organized the visit, however, was to attend a meeting of the town council of a small Sunni community struggling to get back on it’s feet. We stopped at a nearby patrol base to pick-up a young captain who has been working directly with community leaders to help rebuild their area after decades of neglect and the more recent destructive activities of al Qaeda in Iraq. The patrol base is even more "forward" than the FOB or forward operating base where we have been staying for the last week. The base is small (two companies) but heavily fortified and the accommodations are basic at best.
The town council of this area consists of about 12-15 local sheiks. Throughout Iraq, U.S. Army Civil Affairs officers and captains at nearby bases are attempting to replace the old top-down command form of governing with bottom-up participatory decision-making. It’s not an easy task and predictably the results depend on the quality of local leaders. The captain working with this particular town council confided to me that he had been having difficulty with the group, with several meetings devolving into shouting matches. The meeting we attended was calm by this measure.
Grass-roots deomocracy-building in action.
The council leader acknowledged our presence and repeatedly insisted that he wanted to slaughter a sheep in our honor. Rather awkwardly and in what I considered to be a typically American direct way and without full appreciation for the nuance the situation required, the captain declined the offer, indicating that we had other appointments to keep. After a bit awkwardness, the meeting went on, with the council leader heaping effusive praise for the efforts of Coalition Forces, citing rehabilitation of irrigation canals, pumping stations, schools, and streets and the provision of electricity, improved plant seeds, and fertilizer as examples. They expressed satisfaction with the improved security situation, perceived to be attributable in large measure to the efforts of Coalition Forces. The U.S. military is seen as more effective than the Government of Iraq in getting things accomplished.
All this praise preceded the inevitable litany of needs. As our team has seen elsewhere, canal cleaning and power allocation emerged as priority items in this rural area. One problem occurring here is the opening of illegitimate secondary canals. In this community there are 13 "legal" and recognized secondary canals but now there are 36. This is troublesome because sections of the concrete lining of primary canals are destroyed to gain access to the water. To his credit, the captain tried to encourage a mindset of helping council members develop their own solutions for their own problems. There’s still a long way to go and it may take a generational shift for the potential of this approach to be fully realized.
One sheik demonstrated an ability to think beyond immediate and parochial needs to take personal initiative to help his local community. He collects $2 from every household and uses the money to hire workers to maintain the power distribution infrastructure (wires, poles, and transformers) in his area of influence. Unlike other parts of this area, which receive only 4 hours of electricity daily and the power distribution infrastructure is looted, the households in this community are supplied with electricity for 8 hours daily. The captain told me after the meeting that they are impressed with this sheik’s broad and innovative thinking and want to encourage him to stand for provincial elections this fall.
After the meeting, closed out by formal salutations and lots of man kissing, our convoy proceeded to the poultry operation owned by one of the sheiks on the town council. The sheik is a member of the Ghurari tribe of Sunni, well known for their skill in poultry farming. He learned how to produce chickens and eggs from his father and has been farming since 1970. He had to cease operations in 2004 because of the deteriorated security situation and only recently resumed production. Of the 18 poultry houses at his farm, only two were in operation at the time of our visit. According to the Civil Affairs captain who accompanied us, the sheik recently received a $5,000 micro-grant to buy chicks and then leveraged the grant to borrow enough to buy 12,000 chicks in an attempt to revitalize his poultry business.
An innovative poultry producer (2nd from right) talking with Chris Bailey, poultry scientist from Team Borlaug. Bilingual bicultural advisor (BBA) between them. U.S. Army Civil Affairs captain on the left.
My overwhelming impression is that this man is an innovator, a master farmer who is respected by his peers. He is clearly well-to-do; his house is large and apparently he has 4 wives and 77 children and grandchildren. Notably one of his daughters, a university graduate, serves as veterinarian for his operation. He is also the leader of an "Egg Association," with members representing 30-40 large producers but may eventually include as many as 100 members. He is clearly enthusiastic and optimistic about the future after several years of inactivity. Iraq has many people like this sheik, innovative and hopeful but lacking that initial injection of strategically placed resources to resume a normal life.
After several "extra" days in FOB Kalsu, feeling trapped behind the wire, I jumped at the opportunity to accompany one of my fellow team members to a poultry farm. The main purpose of the trip for the Civil Affairs officer who organized the visit, however, was to attend a meeting of the town council of a small Sunni community struggling to get back on it’s feet. We stopped at a nearby patrol base to pick-up a young captain who has been working directly with community leaders to help rebuild their area after decades of neglect and the more recent destructive activities of al Qaeda in Iraq. The patrol base is even more "forward" than the FOB or forward operating base where we have been staying for the last week. The base is small (two companies) but heavily fortified and the accommodations are basic at best.
The town council of this area consists of about 12-15 local sheiks. Throughout Iraq, U.S. Army Civil Affairs officers and captains at nearby bases are attempting to replace the old top-down command form of governing with bottom-up participatory decision-making. It’s not an easy task and predictably the results depend on the quality of local leaders. The captain working with this particular town council confided to me that he had been having difficulty with the group, with several meetings devolving into shouting matches. The meeting we attended was calm by this measure.
Grass-roots deomocracy-building in action.
The council leader acknowledged our presence and repeatedly insisted that he wanted to slaughter a sheep in our honor. Rather awkwardly and in what I considered to be a typically American direct way and without full appreciation for the nuance the situation required, the captain declined the offer, indicating that we had other appointments to keep. After a bit awkwardness, the meeting went on, with the council leader heaping effusive praise for the efforts of Coalition Forces, citing rehabilitation of irrigation canals, pumping stations, schools, and streets and the provision of electricity, improved plant seeds, and fertilizer as examples. They expressed satisfaction with the improved security situation, perceived to be attributable in large measure to the efforts of Coalition Forces. The U.S. military is seen as more effective than the Government of Iraq in getting things accomplished.
All this praise preceded the inevitable litany of needs. As our team has seen elsewhere, canal cleaning and power allocation emerged as priority items in this rural area. One problem occurring here is the opening of illegitimate secondary canals. In this community there are 13 "legal" and recognized secondary canals but now there are 36. This is troublesome because sections of the concrete lining of primary canals are destroyed to gain access to the water. To his credit, the captain tried to encourage a mindset of helping council members develop their own solutions for their own problems. There’s still a long way to go and it may take a generational shift for the potential of this approach to be fully realized.
One sheik demonstrated an ability to think beyond immediate and parochial needs to take personal initiative to help his local community. He collects $2 from every household and uses the money to hire workers to maintain the power distribution infrastructure (wires, poles, and transformers) in his area of influence. Unlike other parts of this area, which receive only 4 hours of electricity daily and the power distribution infrastructure is looted, the households in this community are supplied with electricity for 8 hours daily. The captain told me after the meeting that they are impressed with this sheik’s broad and innovative thinking and want to encourage him to stand for provincial elections this fall.
After the meeting, closed out by formal salutations and lots of man kissing, our convoy proceeded to the poultry operation owned by one of the sheiks on the town council. The sheik is a member of the Ghurari tribe of Sunni, well known for their skill in poultry farming. He learned how to produce chickens and eggs from his father and has been farming since 1970. He had to cease operations in 2004 because of the deteriorated security situation and only recently resumed production. Of the 18 poultry houses at his farm, only two were in operation at the time of our visit. According to the Civil Affairs captain who accompanied us, the sheik recently received a $5,000 micro-grant to buy chicks and then leveraged the grant to borrow enough to buy 12,000 chicks in an attempt to revitalize his poultry business.
An innovative poultry producer (2nd from right) talking with Chris Bailey, poultry scientist from Team Borlaug. Bilingual bicultural advisor (BBA) between them. U.S. Army Civil Affairs captain on the left.
My overwhelming impression is that this man is an innovator, a master farmer who is respected by his peers. He is clearly well-to-do; his house is large and apparently he has 4 wives and 77 children and grandchildren. Notably one of his daughters, a university graduate, serves as veterinarian for his operation. He is also the leader of an "Egg Association," with members representing 30-40 large producers but may eventually include as many as 100 members. He is clearly enthusiastic and optimistic about the future after several years of inactivity. Iraq has many people like this sheik, innovative and hopeful but lacking that initial injection of strategically placed resources to resume a normal life.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Sheik Adnan al Jenabi
The dust storm continues and is as thick as I’ve seen it. We are living in a Martian landscape. As a result, our helicopter flight to FOB Endeavor has been postponed until at least midnight. This has given everyone an opportunity to catch up on unfinished business. In my case, this allows me to provide another blog entry.
I want to tell you about our meeting this week with Sheik Adnan, who is head of the largest tribe of Sunni in Iraq, the Jenabi. Being Sunni, the Jenabi held a favorable position under Saddam and have been struggling with the effects of the war, a loss of power, and score-settling with the Shiites holding control. Sheikh Adnan is a powerful and worldly man. He was educated in Britain so he speaks excellent English. At one time, he was also an OPEC oil minister. He is being courted by the current Shiite leadership to become more involved in the government. There’s no doubt in my mind that he has the vision to be the leader of Iraq. Most of the local leaders we have met are rather parochial in their vision. Predictably they are most concerned about their particular local area or group that they lead. However, Sheik Adnan had a much broader vision about the future of the country, one that includes all groups. He told us that the current Government of Iraq inherited the worst government that existed in the world. He said, "We landed on our heads and are struggling to get back on our feet."
We visited him at his expansive house about a 45 minute drive from FOB Kalsu on the main north-south road that connects Baghdad with Basra. The team had met with him prior to my arrival in early June and he asked that the team return at the end of the month to give him our views. Ed Price, our team leader, spoke about the need to repair the irrigation infrastructure (both supply and drainage), the need for programs directed at youth, the need to provide improved seed and broodstock, the need to address plant and animal diseases, and the need to improve the extension service. While Ed talked, the Sheik Adnan made notes and listened intently, all the while fingering his prayer beads. The sheik in turn provided comments on each point in support of our findings and recommendations, putting on his glasses to refer to his notes, then taking them off again as he talked.
We were accompanied by Colonel James, commander of the Fourth Brigade here at FOB Kalsu, Colonel Shuck, James’ executive officer, Howard van Vranken, a diplomat who leads the ePRT (embedded provincial reconstruction team) for Babil, and others. Sheik Adnan’s retinue included sheikhs in traditional dress and other security and support people. At first we met in a giant room and I couldn’t hear a thing, especially with all the fans going. We moved to a slightly less giant room and I was able to hear a few words now and then, but the U.S. colonels and diplomats sitting next to Sheik Adnan were hanging on the his every word and taking notes all the while. Clearly they recognize the power he holds.
I managed to have a brief exchange with the sheik about aquaculture as we were taking our leave. I intended only to drop a passing remark about my interest while I shook his hand to thank him for his hospitality but he held onto my hand and with enthusiasm told me of his involvement in the development of aquaculture in Iraq. I learned that he was one of the pioneers of aquaculture in the country, having worked at the big fish farm near Iskandaria. He said that, next to the highly esteemed fat-tailed sheep, fish farming is the most profitable agricultural activity in the province. He was responsible for introducing some improved carp broodstock into Iraq, personally making several trips to Hungary to arrange for the transport of fish.
Of course, we had another great meal with huge platters of saffron rice and vermicelli, roasted chicken, and large chunks of fat-tailed lamb. On the side were loaves of flatbread and bowls of vegetable soup with tomatoes and eggplant. After lunch there were the obligatory multiple rounds of super-sweet tea (chai) in small glasses and more conversation. Just before leaving the sheik led us to the back garden of his house, which includes a huge coffee pot with a curved spout, the symbol of the Jenabi people. We took the obligatory ceremonial pictures and Ed presented Sheik Adnan with the token Texas A&M cap and t-shirt, which was graciously received. Another savory meal, and another memorable visit with a remarkable man.
Sheik Adnan flanked by Colonel James, commander of FOB Kalsu (L) and his XO Colonel Shuck (R), both of the Fourth Brigade, Third Infantry Division, in front of the symbolic coffee pot.
I want to tell you about our meeting this week with Sheik Adnan, who is head of the largest tribe of Sunni in Iraq, the Jenabi. Being Sunni, the Jenabi held a favorable position under Saddam and have been struggling with the effects of the war, a loss of power, and score-settling with the Shiites holding control. Sheikh Adnan is a powerful and worldly man. He was educated in Britain so he speaks excellent English. At one time, he was also an OPEC oil minister. He is being courted by the current Shiite leadership to become more involved in the government. There’s no doubt in my mind that he has the vision to be the leader of Iraq. Most of the local leaders we have met are rather parochial in their vision. Predictably they are most concerned about their particular local area or group that they lead. However, Sheik Adnan had a much broader vision about the future of the country, one that includes all groups. He told us that the current Government of Iraq inherited the worst government that existed in the world. He said, "We landed on our heads and are struggling to get back on our feet."
We visited him at his expansive house about a 45 minute drive from FOB Kalsu on the main north-south road that connects Baghdad with Basra. The team had met with him prior to my arrival in early June and he asked that the team return at the end of the month to give him our views. Ed Price, our team leader, spoke about the need to repair the irrigation infrastructure (both supply and drainage), the need for programs directed at youth, the need to provide improved seed and broodstock, the need to address plant and animal diseases, and the need to improve the extension service. While Ed talked, the Sheik Adnan made notes and listened intently, all the while fingering his prayer beads. The sheik in turn provided comments on each point in support of our findings and recommendations, putting on his glasses to refer to his notes, then taking them off again as he talked.
We were accompanied by Colonel James, commander of the Fourth Brigade here at FOB Kalsu, Colonel Shuck, James’ executive officer, Howard van Vranken, a diplomat who leads the ePRT (embedded provincial reconstruction team) for Babil, and others. Sheik Adnan’s retinue included sheikhs in traditional dress and other security and support people. At first we met in a giant room and I couldn’t hear a thing, especially with all the fans going. We moved to a slightly less giant room and I was able to hear a few words now and then, but the U.S. colonels and diplomats sitting next to Sheik Adnan were hanging on the his every word and taking notes all the while. Clearly they recognize the power he holds.
I managed to have a brief exchange with the sheik about aquaculture as we were taking our leave. I intended only to drop a passing remark about my interest while I shook his hand to thank him for his hospitality but he held onto my hand and with enthusiasm told me of his involvement in the development of aquaculture in Iraq. I learned that he was one of the pioneers of aquaculture in the country, having worked at the big fish farm near Iskandaria. He said that, next to the highly esteemed fat-tailed sheep, fish farming is the most profitable agricultural activity in the province. He was responsible for introducing some improved carp broodstock into Iraq, personally making several trips to Hungary to arrange for the transport of fish.
Of course, we had another great meal with huge platters of saffron rice and vermicelli, roasted chicken, and large chunks of fat-tailed lamb. On the side were loaves of flatbread and bowls of vegetable soup with tomatoes and eggplant. After lunch there were the obligatory multiple rounds of super-sweet tea (chai) in small glasses and more conversation. Just before leaving the sheik led us to the back garden of his house, which includes a huge coffee pot with a curved spout, the symbol of the Jenabi people. We took the obligatory ceremonial pictures and Ed presented Sheik Adnan with the token Texas A&M cap and t-shirt, which was graciously received. Another savory meal, and another memorable visit with a remarkable man.
Sheik Adnan flanked by Colonel James, commander of FOB Kalsu (L) and his XO Colonel Shuck (R), both of the Fourth Brigade, Third Infantry Division, in front of the symbolic coffee pot.
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