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Affable Iraqi commander aids N.C. Guard
from NewsObserver.com - EFL & Fair UseFriday, May 7, 2004 By CHARLES CRAIN MUNTHERIA, Iraq -- With photographs of himself with L. Paul Bremer and numerous other American officials peering down from the walls, Gen. Nazeem Shereef Mohammad cheerfully reached into a drawer and laid on his desk a fist-sized chunk of hashish. The contraband was evidence, he said, of the successful collaboration between the N.C. National Guard and the Iraqi Border Police. Nazeem -- who like many Iraqis is known mostly by his first name -- is the patrolâs commander in the Diyala district, overseeing about 1,400 men and 150 rugged miles of Iraqâs border with Iran. When Capt. Sean Moser arrived from North Carolina with the 30th Heavy Separate Brigade, he assumed responsibilities ranging from combat operations to cooperation with Iraqi security agencies. That means developing relationships with locals. Moser found an eager ally in Nazeem. "He runs a pretty tight ship up here, especially in comparison to some of the other organizations," Moser said. In March, concern rose over weapons trafficking and the infiltration of foreign fighters. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which Bremer heads, closed 16 border crossings with Iran. Three remained open, including Muntheria, which is administered by Iraqis and run by Nazeem. "Mr. Bremer has made the security of the border a top priority," Moser said. "Muntheria border crossing is the example of how we want the border to run." ...more... And in the next sentence we find out why Nazeem is affable, competent, and a bona-fide ally: heâs a Kurd. Not all Kurds are wonderful, but... Posted by: .com 2004-05-08 |
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