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Alaska troops train for war with Iraqis and Indians
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- As the global war on terror continues, the United States and its allies continue to work together to master their counter insurgency strategies. This week at the Donnelly Training Center near Fort Greely, the U.S. Army Alaska and the Indian Army continued a two week training exercise. It's training the commander of the U.S. Army of the Pacific says both countries need.In the village of Bandsteihl, U.S. Army soldiers are trying to root out the insurgency. So they go to the one man who might be able to help them, the sheik. Though every part of it is authentic, from the real Iraqi nationals, to the Iraqi tea and bread, the meeting is actually a training exercise. Shamil Almusawi is playing the Sheiks son. He is really from Iraq and has watched the war tear his country apart. "It's very difficult to watch but what can we do? I mean its not our choice," Almusawi said. He is one of many Iraqi nationals taking part in the combined international exercise of the U.S. Army Alaska and the Indian Army at the Donnelly Training Center. Ali Hussein, another former Iraqi citizen is also taking part in the exercises. "We live a very hard life in Iraq in the past and we are here to help military people to make Iraq stable and free," Hussein said through a translator. "We believe they are doing the right job and that's why we are here and here to help them." Jean Mikha used to live in Baghdad and said she is not as sold on the plan. Like Almusawi, Mikha has had a tough time watching the war and said some of her relatives are among the casualties. Still, she said she supports the United States and is taking part in the training to teach the soldiers some of the important cultural aspects of her country. "The first thing we mention; don't search women, don't touch women because there they don't do nothing. They do housework," Mikha said. All agree they want the U.S. to finish what it started so a next generation of Iraqis can live in a strong, independent country. Like Almusawi, the U.S. and Indian soldiers want the bad guys out, and countries like Iraq to gain their independence. Lt. General John M. Brown III, the commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, said it wasn't long ago when the United States and India did not work together. "Both of our nations are involved in counterinsurgency operations. Indian soldiers and U.S. Army soldiers are in combat environments against insurgents and this is exactly the kind of training that both of our military need," Brown said. It was just five years ago when Indian paratroopers came over to train with paratroopers at Fort Richardson. "That was really the beginning of the re-engagement for the U.S. Army and the Indian Army together and in five years we've come a long way," Brown said. The exercises also contain another common Iraqi scenario, a road side bomb detonating. This time, the target of the attack is the sheik. Major Akash Karwal with the Indian Army said the real life training is invaluable to U.S. and Indian soldiers. "The two countries get to know each others tactics, this menace of insurgency is in our country for the last sixty years. So we've been dealing with insurgency most of the years in our country. So coming here and doing training tactics with the American Army has been fruitful to us and hopefully fruitful to the American Army too," Karwal said. Sgt. Jason Lewton with the U.S. Army said they are sharing their newly gained knowledge with the Indian Army. "I see them where our army was a little over seven years ago so we're training them from the experiences we've gained and they can help us from a different perspective from their experiences," Lewton said. From conquering the language barriers and learning how to react in the most tense war time situations, to continuing to improve the relationship between India and the U.S. and Iraq, the lessons from this exercise benefit everyone involved. Soldiers from U.S. Army Alaska will be heading to India in a few months for similar training in that country. Posted by: john frum 2007-09-24 |
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