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Mosul, 'Pearl of the North'

Jan- 6-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

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By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, The News-Miner

MOSUL--At 2,000 years old and counting, the city of Mosul has a legendary history of cultural and ethnic diversity. It has seen the rise and fall of countless dynasties, regimes and conquerors. Now, with a population of more than 2 million and years of unrest and insurgent activity, Mosul holds historic significance in yet another war for the history books while still being referred to as the "Pearl of the North."

Here on the western side of the Tigris River, the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team stands against insurgents while adapting to a variety of distinct neighborhoods. Tuesday, battalion commander Lt. Col. Jeffrey Kelly toured several areas to acquaint his embedded News-Miner reporter with the landscape. The areas of the town are as varied in socio-economics and ethnicity as they are in the role Kelly's command plays in the continued fight and rebuilding efforts.

Kelly's first stop was the Maresh Market, which is perhaps the largest outdoor market in the city. While most of the city's landscape and architecture is subdued in earth tones, the market offered a palette of vibrancy in the form of fresh produce. There were crates of oranges, in season now in this area, emitting a sweet, acid citrus scent. Pink apples, piles of dates, reddish-yellow potatoes, ripe red tomatoes, bales of deep green parsley, onions, eggplants, and cabbages were piled along the sidewalks in pickup beds. [...]


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