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U.S. Begins Erecting Wall in Sadr City

Apr-17-2008 » Filed Under: 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment

By MICHAEL R. GORDON, The New York Times

BAGHDAD — Trying to stem the infiltration of militia fighters, American forces have begun to build a massive concrete wall that will partition Sadr City, the densely populated Shiite neighborhood in the Iraqi capital.

The construction, which began Tuesday night, is intended to turn the southern quarter of Sadr City near the international Green Zone into a protected enclave, secured by Iraqi and American forces, where the Iraqi government can undertake reconstruction efforts.

“You can’t really repair anything that is broken until you establish security,” said Lt. Col. Dan Barnett, commander of the First Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment, currently attached to the Second Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. “A wall that isolates those who would continue to attack the Iraqi Army and coalition forces can create security conditions that they can go in and rebuild.”

On Wednesday night, huge cranes slowly lifted heavy concrete blocks into place under a moonless sky. The barriers were implanted on Al Quds street, a major thoroughfare that separates the Tharwa and Jamilla districts to the south from the heart of Sadr City to the north.

The avenue was quiet except for the whirring sound of the cranes and thud of the barriers as they touched the ground. Contractors operated the cranes, but American soldiers transported the barriers on trucks and directed their placement.

The team building the barrier was protected by M-1 tanks, Stryker vehicles and Apache attack helicopters. As the workers labored in silence, there was a burst of fire as an M-1 tank blasted its main gun at a small group of fighters to the west. An Apache helicopter fired a Hellfire missile at a militia team equipped with rocket-propelled grenades, again interrupting the night with a thunderous boom. A cloud of dark smoke was visible in the distance through the Stryker’s night-vision system.

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Comments For "U.S. Begins Erecting Wall in Sadr City":

These men, our sons, fathers, brothers and husbands do not get the credit they deserve from the press or the polititians for putting it on the line each and every day for 15 months, GOD BLESS THESE BOYS!!!

Posted by: Michael Mc Ginnis | April 18, 2008 7:58 AM

Thank you God for keeping my son and everyone else's son safe thus far.
Guys, make that wall solid and HIGH!

Posted by: mobeans | April 22, 2008 6:56 PM

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