December 27
By IRINnews.org
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Residents of Fallujah, devastated by a heavy US-led attack in November, are gradually beginning to return to their homes. But for the vast majority there is little left to go back to.

Since getting the go-ahead from coalition forces on 23 December to return to the city, nearly 4,000 residents who were displaced by the fighting have returned to their homes.

By Mike Ferner

He trolled for teenagers in North Carolina high schools, barked orders at recruits in boot camp, and pulled charred civilian corpses out of cars in Iraq. Now Jimmy Massey is making good on his promise to tell the whole world what he learned as a Marine.

For the first 10 years, Massey loved being in the USMC. With a quick mind and an easy manner, he and his superiors knew he’d make a great recruiter. And by the luck of the draw, he was assigned to the area around Asheville, N.C., not far from where he grew up.

“It was an advantage being a recruiter in this area. I understand the mentality of mountain people. When we’d talk about topics like the economy and industry around here, I knew what people were talking about. And too, people here usually don’t open up to strangers.”