Youth Soccer Day in Hadithah
On July 4th, more than 200 Iraqi children participated in a Youth Soccer Day hosted by U.S. Marines and Iraqi police in Hadithah.
Gunnery Sgt. Eric Johnson’s full article is available here.
From the article:
The first hour was spent posing for pictures. After the initial photo op and introductions, soccer balls were passed out. Through donations from friends and family back in the United States and from some Iraqi police officers, over 100 soccer balls were given to the kids. Along with the soccer balls, hundreds of toys, stuffed animals, and backpacks were also distributed.
[…]
Friendliness from the locals toward Marine and Iraqi forces over the last few years has been minimal. Anyone approaching a Marine or Iraqi patrol was looked at as a possible insurgent, and not allowed to get too close. The city has seen a shift in the security and the attitude of the local people. The success of the Youth Soccer Day proved the rebirth this city has seen. Marines and police alike were covered with hugging hands and grabbing fingers.
“I thought that at one point the kids were just going to mob me over,” said Cpl. Joseph Dayner, PiTT communications advisor. “I just kept pushing through the crowd passing out toys.”
The Youth Soccer Day was a testament to the successful counter-insurgency campaign 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, is conducting in the Hadithah Triad. The Iraqi police have played a large role in the city’s stability. The force is a lot larger, more professional, and the people of Hadithah readily accept them. It is a sign of hope that the situation here has turned the right corner.