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Quiet day on streets of Mosul

Dec-24-2005 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

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By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, News-Miner

MOSUL--Gearing up to head out on patrol to the Al Bareed neighborhood of Mosul, Sgt. Adam Smith said there usually is little enemy activity in the area.

"Except for sniper fire on Fridays," he said, only half-joking.

Then he realized what day it was.

But on this Friday, the enemy stayed inside, away from the rain and chill that made for a quiet morning for the 1st Squad of the 4th Platoon.

During the patrol, Smith handed the reins to the Iraqi army during the neighborhood visit. It's regular practice for the Iraqis to accompany U.S. forces in almost all of their activities around the city these days. This is in an effort to gradually pass control on to them. But Smith has already taken it one step further and let the Iraqi lieutenant initiate when troops meet with residents and take the lead in asking residents about enemy activity in their neighborhood.

Smith said the Iraqi troops are learning, but are still skittish and look to the U.S. troops for guidance much of the time. This was apparent as the Iraqi lieutenant looked to Smith to begin the house visits.

"Whenever you're ready," Smith said, motioning down the street with his hand. "You're in charge, brother."

The combined forces knocked on gates and were usually ushered inside to sit down and talk with the residents. Most said Al Bareed is a good neighborhood, although several drive-by shootings have occurred at a busy four-lane thoroughfare just blocks away.

Smith said some of the professionals in the fairly well-to-do neighborhood clam up and have little to say about insurgent activity one way or the other. [...]


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