II MEF takes command of Anbar ops

New era
Transition takes place


II MEF takes command of Anbar ops
Staff report
Posted : Monday Feb 9, 2009 20:21:41 EST

II Marine Expeditionary Force Forward, whose units have been rotating into Iraq for the past several weeks, has taken command of operations in Anbar province.

Maj. Gen. Richard Tryon, who commands II MEF Forward, replaced Maj. Gen. John Kelly, I MEF Forward’s commanding officer, as head of Multinational Force-West during a change of command ceremony Monday at Al Asad Air Base. I MEF units have had the run of things in Anbar for the past year, as violence in the region — and U.S. casualties — dropped to record lows.

“To Major General Kelly, a longtime friend and running mate, congratulations on a successful deployment,” Tryon said during the ceremony, according to a Marine news release. “The many meaningful contributions you and your team have made during this past year have absolutely set the conditions for success, and we will continue to march.”

The relative calm that prevails in Anbar was evident as Iraqis went to the polls Jan. 31 for the second time since U.S. forces ousted Saddam Hussein. Although several political figures were murdered during the run up to the provincial elections, the voting process was peaceful.

“By dipping your fingers in a bottle of ink,” Kelly told the Iraqi political, tribal and military leaders in the audience, “you sounded the death knell for terrorism and extremists who destroy and never build, who kill and never nurture, who want to tear down the society now and never build for the future.”


Rest of article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/02/marine_iimef_update_020909w/%2e