| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| Sign of Progress in Iraq - FOB Courage to be Turned Over |
| 2006-07-19 |
| MOSUL, Iraq – Task Force Band of Brothers will turn over control of the former Saddam Hussein presidential compound here to Iraqi government officials in a ceremony in Mosul July 20. The Mosul VIP Residence site, built over 2.2 square kilometers and completed in 1994, contained Saddam Hussein's northernmost presidential site and includes several palaces and VIP residences, three lakes, and man-made waterfalls. According to the complex’s pre-war caretaker, it was built for Saddam Hussein’s son, Qusay. Apparently, neither Hussein nor his sons actually stayed there. The main palace has been home to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Division Main Command Post, Task Force Olympia CP, and Task Force Freedom CP, situated in one of the former regime's palace buildings overlooking the Tigris. The compound has also served as headquarters during some of its greatest successes in Iraq. Notable among those many successes was the May 5, 2003 Mosul city and Ninewa provincial council elections, the first post-Saddam Hussein election in Iraq. While serving as northern headquarters, it played host to many VIPs and dignitaries, among them: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld; Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice; Secretary of Army Francis J. Harvey; nearly every U.S. Senator; comedian Robin Williams; and actor Bruce Willis. Since the departure of Task Force Freedom in December 2005, the compound has been home to elements of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team and other coalition forces. Earlier this year, they began the task of vacating and restoring the compound in order to hand it over. |
| Posted by:glenmore |
| #4 Is that the one with those horrid, vulgar bathrooms? Gold toilet flushers covering substandard plumbing and so forth? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-07-19 17:16 |
| #3 Fort Courage? Proud to see they still keep to the traditions after all these years. Captain Parmenter, Sergeant O'Rourke and I thank you. |
| Posted by: Corp. Randolph Agarn 2006-07-19 12:19 |
| #2 When I saw "FOB Courage" I thought "Friend Of Bill Courage"? Dan Rather? Never mind. |
| Posted by: Hasshole Nastyrallah 2006-07-19 12:13 |
| #1 I hoped they'd have renamed it the Paul J. Bremer hotel and recreation center. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-07-19 11:16 |