Articles 1.30.2005

The Evening Star News, IN, has an article on a wounded 2nd BCT soldier. Pfc. Matt Pederson (who's unit wasn't given beyond the 2nd ID, but is the 1-503rd) was wounded along with 19 other soldiers on the 11.6.2004 suicide attack on a 7-ton truck. Pfc. Pederson suffered shrapnel wounds in several places and had his right foot amputated. He was one of two soldiers injured directly by the blast; the rest suffered burn injuries. The article follows Pfc. Pederson as he meets with his step-sister's 5th grade class. He plans to finish his service at Ft. Carson and then study construction engineering at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
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The Baton Rouge Advocate, LA, carries an article on over 1,000 people who attended a support-the-troops rally. The father of 2nd ID soldier SSG William McInnis was interviewed in the article. His father reports that SSG McInnis (whose unit isn't given beyond the 2nd ID, but a September S&S article identifies him with the 1-503rd), was wounded on 11.14.2004 when an RPG hit his humvee. The RPG failed to explode, but struck him in the leg. According to the article, "Mr. McInnis said, "He's off crutches and he's back in combat now." McInnis said he is very proud of his son."
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Several stories mention the election in Ramadi: The Associated Press reports that, although many Iraqi's voted in other regions (one report says 72% nationwide), "polls were largely deserted throughout the day in many cities of the Sunni Triangle north and west of the capital, particularly Fallujah, Ramadi and Beiji." The same article also said "In Ramadi, U.S. troops tried to coax voters with loudspeakers, preaching the importance of every ballot. The governor of the mostly Sunni province of Salaheddin, Hamad Hmoud Shagti, went on the radio to lobby for a higher turnout. "This is a chance for you as Iraqis to assure your and your children's future," he said." An AFP article claimed that in Ramadi "Three polling stations visited by an AFP correspondent were all empty," although some Sunni Iraqis were voting in Fallujah. An article from ChristianIraq.com claimed "In Ramadi less then 1% of eligible voters showed up at the polls." The Associated Press reports that a school prinicipal in Ramadi "refused to let authorities set up voting booths at his junior high school.[...] I will not let them risk my pupils' future by taking my school and then having the insurgents destroy it," he said."
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Gettyimages photographer Joe Raedle has pictures of the elections in Ramadi. Some picture do show individual citizens voting in sparse voting centers. Other photos show pictures of a destroyed humvee that "was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device a block from where voters enter the polling station January 30, 2005 in Ramadi, Iraq." The caption states that "The soldiers seated inside escaped serious injury."
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The LA Times (reg req'd) has an article on the commander of the 1st Marine Division, Maj. Gen. Richard F. Natonski (under which the 2nd BCT operates) as he met with local citizens on a street corner in Ramadi. According to the article, the citizens gave Gen. Natonksi a "vigorous, unapologetic recitation of the grievances that may lead many of them to boycott today's election."
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The Institute for War and Peace Reporting has an article on the citizens of Ramadi critizing the local police, who many blame "for not protecting them from insurgents, bandits and thieves."
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Other articles from the region:
- BBC: Iraq election declared 'success'
- Washington Post (reg req'd): Deadline for Troop Withdrawal Ruled Out