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FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq (April 24, 2008) - Eight
months ago, opening a bank in the Rashid district of southern
Baghdad sounded like a good way to stir up trouble.
Times have changed in the area, however, and local residents now
have tangible proof of the economic resurgence in the area as they
gathered in Doura on April 20 for the grand reopening of the Rashid
Commercial Bank.
A crowd of excited faces, joined by members of the Iraqi
security forces and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers from
2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 4th Infantry
Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team, assembled around a doorway that
was secured only by a strand of ribbon.
With a snip of the scissors, the crowd of Iraqi citizens, which
had amassed hours earlier, began filing inside to use the bank's
services.
"Today is a historic day for us," said Zuhair al-Jumaily, bank
manager. "We are pleased to reopen this branch and provide services
to the residents of Doura."
With tellers already in position to begin work, the residents of
this center of commerce, known by many as the Doura market,
trickled inside through the taut security.
"In the past, Doura's situation was very bad," Jumaily said.
"Today, the area is safe and secure. The bank will serve a large
number of residents, and we are very pleased with the efforts of
the coalition forces."
Army Capt. Daryl Carter, commander of the 10th Mountain
Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion,
4th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, works with the
residents of Doura and patrols the streets daily.
"The place was basically desolate until about eight months ago,"
Carter said. "Now, if you walk down Market Road, it's a gold mine.
We can barely drive through this area without being surrounded by
people."
When the community was at its worst, many of the residents
abandoned their homes and businesses to seek refuge someplace else,
Carter said.
The lead contract manager for the opening of the Rashid
Community Bank, Ahmed al-Hadad, said he knew the residents would be
surprised when the rumor of the bank reopening spread around.
"All the people are very happy," Hadad said. "We invited
everyone that lives in the community to the opening."
The bank opening is indirectly the result of the hard work and
efforts put forth by the Iraqi security forces and Multinational
Division Baghdad soldiers in enhancing security in the area,
officials said.
"It was a pretty monumental event," said Army 1st Lt. Justin
Chabalko, a mortar platoon leader with Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment. "Since
security has been good, there has been a lot of progress in the
area." The bank's re-opening shows there is stability in the region
and also that the government can provide for its people, said
Chabalko, who hails from Hazleton, Pa.
In the afternoon, when the bank's business hours were near
completion, a nearby vehicle's loudspeaker announced the bank would
stay open until all the customers outside had been served.
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