[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[House]
[Pages 2226-2227]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               LETTER FROM NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID AL-JIBOURI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I have with me a letter written by 
Najim Abdullah Abid Al-Jibouri, the mayor of Tall 'Afar, Iraq who 
saluted the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment. The mayor of Tall 'Afar saw 
that the United States soldiers were sacrificing and turning that city 
into a city that had an opportunity for freedom and prosperity, has 
carefully penned this letter, and a letter to the Third Armored Cavalry 
Regiment.
  It states: ``In the name of God, the compassionate and merciful, to 
the courageous men and women of the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment, who 
have changed the city of Tall 'Afar from a ghost town in which 
terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing 
with life. To the lion hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of 
terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets 
for many months. To those who spread smiles on the faces of our 
children and gave us restored hope through their personal sacrifice and 
brave fighting and gave new life to the city after hopelessness 
darkened our days and stole our confidence in our ability to re-
establish our city. Our city was the main base of operations for Abu 
Mousab Al Zarqawi.

                              {time}  1930

  ``The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. 
Our schools, governmental services, businesses, and offices were 
closed. Our streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them.
  ``Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death 
awaited them around every corner.
  ``Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city. 
Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of 
children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to 
kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young.
  ``This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered 
unto them the courageous soldiers of the Third Armored Cavalry 
Regiment, who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawi's followers 
after harsh fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the 
remaining butchers to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas, 
where the bravery of other Third Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers in 
Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar, and Avgani finally destroyed them.
  ``I have met many soldiers of the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment; 
they are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by 
The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.
  ``The leaders of this Regiment, Colonel McMaster, Colonel Armstrong, 
Lieutenant Colonel Hickey, Lieutenant Colonel Gibson, and Lieutenant 
Colonel Reilly embody courage, strength, vision, and wisdom. Officers 
and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and character of knights 
in a bygone era.
  ``The mission they have accomplished, by means of a unique military 
operation, stands among the finest military feats to date in Operation 
Iraqi Freedom and truly deserves to be studied in military science. 
This military operation was clean, with little collateral damage, 
despite the ferocity of the enemy. With the skill and precision of 
surgeons they dealt with the terrorist cancers in the city without 
causing unnecessary damage.
  ``God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated 
these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank the 
families. They have given us something we will never forget.

[[Page 2227]]

  ``To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our 
land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved 
ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain.
  ``They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us 
every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving 
their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable.
  ``We see them in the smile of every child and in every flower growing 
in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of 
their sacrifice for humanity and life.
  ``Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave 
Regiment, I haven't the words to describe the courage of its officer 
and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these 
legendary heroes and their brave families.''
  Mr. Speaker, there are no words that can improve upon this letter.

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