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FROM: Mayor of Tall'Afar, Ninewa,
Iraq

TO: 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
U.S. Armed Forces


In the Name of God, the Compassionate
and Merciful;

To the courageous men and women
of the 3rd 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 reestablish our city.

Our city was the main base
of operations for Abu Mousab
Al Zarqawi. 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 noone 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
3rd 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
3rd ACR soldiers in Sinjar,
Rabiah, Zumar and Avgani
finally destroyed them.

I have met many soldiers of
the 3rd 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,
COL. McMasters, COL. Armstrong,
LTC Hickey, LTC Gibson, and
LTC 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.

The military operation was clean,
with little collateral damage,
despite the ferocity of the
enemy. With the skill and
precision of surgeons they
dealt with 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.

To the families of those who
have given their holy blood
for our land, we will 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
officers and soldiers. I pray to
God to grant happiness and
health to these legendary
heroes and their brave families.

NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall'Afar Ninewa, Iraq

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