U.S. Army creating jobs in Iraq's south By REBECCA SANTANA, Associated Press Writer
ABU TUBAR, Iraq - In a smoky room adorned with a few faded photos of religious leaders past, Maj. Jake Kulzer sits on a rug drinking Pepsi, a line of Iraqi men opposite him in dust-covered white robes, fingering prayer beads.
Kulzer, 34, of Minneapolis, left his body armor and helmet in his Humvee in a gesture of respect to his Iraqi hosts in this southern town.
The scene of American forces sitting casually with Iraqis is a rare sight in many parts of Iraq, especially in dangerous Baghdad and Anbar province, where the little that American troops see of the country is usually through bulletproof glass.
In the relative quiet of Shiite-dominated southern Iraq, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division is moving forward with ambitious reconstruction efforts, planning to spend $15 million in a yearlong deployment compared to $2 million spent by the units it replaced over the previous 18 months.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060823/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_life_in_the_south