U.S. troops setting down roots in Mosul

Pfc. Dustin Reeves, 21, of Elwood, Ind., smokes a cigarette while wearing a neoprene mask to ward off the morning chill during a patrol in Mosul, in northern Iraq.


U.S. troops setting down roots in Mosul
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, February 23, 2008

MOSUL, Iraq — U.S. forces have begun pushing into insurgent-controlled neighborhoods, establishing a series of combat outposts and fortifying police checkpoints in an effort to strangle the ability of al-Qaida and militant groups to move freely in what U.S. officials call their last urban stronghold in Iraq.

Soldiers under the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment have already built five outposts and are currently erecting three more, almost doubling the number of smaller bases that were scattered around Mosul when they arrived here in mid-December.

“These were areas of the city where the populace was living in daily terror,” said Maj. Bob Molinari, regimental operations officer. “If you’re not living among the populace, you can’t provide them with anything that will convince them that you’re serious about providing for their security.”

The Iraqi government, meanwhile, has created a single command center that will coordinate all operations involving the national army, police and border guard units in Ninevah province. An Iraqi lieutenant general oversees the headquarters, which was established Jan. 15.

The tighter security measures come nearly a month after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki promised a “decisive” battle against al-Qaida and other insurgent groups in Mosul.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52723