| Army troops excel during joint cordon, search operation. |
| By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs |
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ATH THA' ALBA, Iraq, March 15, 2007 -- When troops from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Military Transition Team, and soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, pulled up to the site where they teamed with Iraqi army soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized), the Iraqi troops had already dismounted their vehicles and were ready to take down suspected insurgents.
Within a matter of five minutes, the Iraqi troops without any assistance from the U.S. soldiers had captured 11 suspects who were implicated in insurgent activities in the area. This was the scene during a joint cordon and search operation March 12 near Ath Tha'Alba, just north of Baghdad, in which an Iraqi informant led the troops to the safe havens of suspected insurgents. Once the Iraqi army soldiers had detained the men, they then began searching homes in the area, backyards and other places that were potential hiding spaces for weapons caches. The U.S. troops observed and only assisted in the searches if the Iraqis specifically needed their help. Although the operation was joint, very little of the operation hinged on involvement by U.S. forces, according to Capt. John Lane, operations advisor for the 129 MTT and a native of Herndon, Va. “In the past few months, the IA have stepped up a lot more becoming more independent against anti-Iraqi forces,” said Lane. “A couple of months ago they wouldn't have gone anywhere without the help of U.S. forces and now they're doing 90 percent of the work.” “The IAs are gathering all the detainees and then telling us what kind of support they need,” added Lane. “The U.S. guys are going to each house with them, standing by to help when help is asked for.” Lane also said that the majority of the help the U.S. provided to IAs during the operation involved giving IAs advice when asked for, bringing in military police dog handlers and their dogs to help find caches and calling in aviation assets for surveillance. “To see where they've come from just 10 months ago, it's a big step in the right direction,” Lane said. “This is the Iraqi army's show,” said Sgt. Michael Greenlee, a scout for Troop A, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, as he patrolled the streets here observing as Iraqi soldiers searched backyards and looked through homes looking for weapons caches and insurgents. “Once a week we come out observing how they operate, and so far, so good.” According to Capt. Robert Richardson, commander, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, who hails from Pipe Creek, Texas, the reason for IA successes has been their desire to truly want to clean the streets of insurgents during recent operations. “They want to take a more active role and they want to do this themselves,” said Richardson. “I feel as we do more of |
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| these types of operations, we can take more of a backseat in the role of security for this area at least.” “The main thing is I hope (my soldiers) see that the IA troops really are making progress, and that they're working toward the same goals that we are.” Lane echoed many of Richardson's sentiments, explaining that the goal they're working toward is helping Iraqis to take over responsibility for their country's own security which eventually leads to a free and independent Iraq and the withdrawal of U.S. troops. “They are capable of doing whatever is tasked of them, and their policing themselves is our goal, our exit strategy,” Lane said. Recently, in accordance with the newly adopted Baghdad Security Plan, Iraqi troops have been beefing up their efforts here, leading more cordon and searches as well as taking part in raids to capture known members of insurgent cells-all with the help of U.S. advisors. Much of what is being done in the villages and towns has been the results of Iraqi citizens in the towns and villages asking for increased security and help to end sectarian violence, and the Iraqi troops here are playing a major role in forming relationships with the people to do just that, said Bel Air, Md. native Pfc. Daryl Lambert, a forward observer from Troop A, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment who is now attached to the 129 MTT. “Working with the IA soldiers, like in this operation today, it's a good experience for us, because we're seeing the bigger picture,” said Lambert. “They are doing great things and helping their own people here. They're getting to the point where they will be able to find improvised explosive devices and caches without our help and that's a big step.” “I've gotten to see things that other soldiers don't get to see and I've changed my opinion, getting to know the IAs on a personal level as well as getting to know the Iraqi people in the areas where we work,” added Lambert. “They're good people, just like us, who want many of the same things we take for granted.” Detainees captured during the day's operation were held by the Iraqi security forces for further questioning. |
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