U.S. transfers FOB Callahan to Iraqis

[unhappycamper]

American and Iraqi soldiers unfurl the Iraqi flag Saturday during a ceremony to mark the handover of Forward Operating Base Callahan in Baghdad's Adhamiyah district.


U.S. transfers FOB Callahan to Iraqis
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Sunday, January 4, 2009

BAGHDAD — The United States on Saturday turned over its first large base to be transferred to the Iraqis under the terms of the new security framework agreement.

Forward Operating Base Callahan, which began life as the Sha’ab Central Market, is now back in the hands of the Iraqi Ministry of Trade.

The Americans occupied the bombed-out building in March 2007 as part of the surge strategy to increase troop levels in Iraq. They designated the Adhamiyah market as a combat outpost before upgrading it to a larger forward operating base. The last soldiers staying at Callahan left Wednesday.

"You put a police station in the baddest part of the town. Well, we put a battalion in a bad part of Baghdad," said Lt. Col. Michael Pappal, commander of 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, which last occupied the base.

The transfer is part of the security agreement, also called a status of forces agreement, that sets the framework for the American withdrawal from Iraq.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59779