070831-A-2421S-021W
Army Lt. Col. John Luttrell, left, commander of 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry Regiment, talks with Ahmed Selman Abbas, gesturing with hand, chairman of the Al Furat Council, during a weekly council meeting in the Al Furat section of Baghdad. Soldiers from the unit have worked with local sheiks and tribal leaders on the council, which has brought about many programs for rebuilding the area. Initially council leaders were appointed, but recently elections were held where community members elected those they felt were best suited for the job.