By Charles Onians
Agence France Presse, 10 February 2005
BAGHDAD: Iraqi Army Major Hadi has found the best way of ridding his country of foreign forces: going out on a joint U.S.-Iraqi patrol in Baghdad’s notorious Haifa Street district.
“God willing, my work will hasten the American’s departure,” said Hadi, a veteran of the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 U.S.-led invasion of his motherland, and today running a company of the Iraqi Army’s 303 Battalion.
“I’d like to see them leave now,” Hadi said.
The U.S. 82nd Airborne will pass responsibility for Haifa Street over to Iraqi forces next Tuesday, so for a few days American and Iraqi troops are fighting insurgents side by side.
“We’re going to explain the territory, where our patrols go, and where the troublespots are,” said Captain Eric Massey.
With the taste of independence gleaned from the Jan. 30 election still lingering, many Iraqis are eager to reclaim their country.
The U.S. Defense Department estimates that 136,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped, but the number is disputed.
“They’ve had the election and proved they can handle internal security, so they want to get out there and take control,” said Sergeant Richard Mitchell.
The Americans are surprised at the newcomers’ level of training, better than most Iraqi forces they have seen, and even jealously eye up their Walther pistols, donated by the German government.
Most of the Iraqi officers have been in the army for years, and their American counterparts are keen to stress that these are joint patrols.
“We’re not supervising but working together as we would with an American unit,” Mitchell said.
After a few minutes trudging through the rubble-strewn alleyways of this deprived area, believed to be a stronghold of Saddam Hussein loyalists and Sunni militants, two grenades are thrown down what the Americans call “Wahabi Alley,” slightly wounding one U.S. soldier.
Iraqi soldiers begin interrogating multiple suspects, unrestricted by the Americans’ need for an interpreter.
One of five suspects detained is known to the Iraqi soldiers. An officer said: “One of them is a known Wahabi,” referring to the fundamentalist Islamic sect.
Another says: “Yes, he’s a terrorist, we know his face.”
“These soldiers live in the community so they get to hear stuff we’ll never know,” Massey said.
Both American and Iraqi soldiers use the same tactic to scare off over-inquisitive inhabitants or threaten suspects: tell them they’ll go to Abu Ghraib, the prison made notorious for abuse meted out by Saddam and U.S. forces.
Two hours and nine insurgent grenades later, the joint patrol returns to base, passing in front of the Iraqi police commandos’ barracks.
The soldiers smile with pride and begin to clip the suspects round the head, touting their trophies. The commandos look on in envy.
Inside the base, the Iraqis are as unimpressed by U.S. food as the Americans are impressed by the local reaction to seeing Iraqi troops finally on the ground.
“People were bringing their kids out to see the Iraqi soldiers,” said Mitchell.
“They perform like a well-trained light infantry unit, which is what they are. I’d put them up against anybody. Except us.”
“They don’t need us to hold their hand,” said Mitchell.
“These guys feel like its their own countrymen who have turned against them. They also understand the culture better than we ever will,” said Massey.
As the suspects are taken off for interrogation by Hadi’s men, one U.S. soldier remarked: “I think they’re going to talk if they know anything.”
The Iraqi commander is also pleased with the day’s outcome.
“The Americans are good soldiers,” said Hadi. “But they’re not as brave as us.”
“It is important for us to be here, because this is the most dangerous place, and God willing we will make it better.”
“We’ll be sad to leave but in the name of progress in this area, they must take over,” said Massey.
---------------------------
Citation: Charles Onians. “Iraqi Army rids Baghdad hotspot of Americans,” Agence France Presse, 10 February 2005.
Original URL: http://dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=12544
---------------------------