Iraqi Police clean up the streets of Iraq

Photo By Master Sgt. Opal Vaughn | Iraqi policemen speak with a local of the neighborhood to get information about any possible bad guys living in the area during a kinetic operations mission to clear and rid the city of any remaining al-Qaida or insurgent presence, while in Mufrak, Iraq, Jan. 16.  

IRAQ

02.10.2009

Story by Spc. Opal Vaughn  

14th Public Affairs Detachment

By Spc. Opal Vaughn
14th Public Affairs Detachment

MUFRAK, Iraq - Spread across the Diyala province in Tahrir, Katun and Warhorse, Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, came together and rolled out in the early morning hours, wrapped in full battle gear, to meet up with their Iraqi police counterparts.

Without coalition force direct assistance, Iraqi policemen walked the streets, searching house by house, for any possible suspected terrorists living in the area during a mission to clear and rid the city of any remaining al-Qaida or insurgent presence, while in Mufrak, Iraq, Jan. 16.

The New Year has begun with great expectations as this potentially kinetic operation, along with several other missions in the past couple weeks have begun to actively enforce adherence to the recently approved Status-of-Forces Agreement and Security Agreement.

Although each SOFA is generally unique in and of itself, all SOFAs are identical in that they identify the specifics of how, when, and where U.S. forces will be utilized within a host country. Each SOFA is negotiated separately with the host country and will usually deal with particular circumstances unique to that country.

In the case of the U.S. military in Iraq, SOFA plays a vital role in the gradual transition of U.S. forces pulling out of the country and region within a previously-proposed three year mark. Conditionally, the goal is to have both internal and external U.S. forces out of Iraq by 2012 as per the recent agreement struck between the Iraq Defense Ministry and U.S. government officials.

But getting this far in the transition process for Iraqi security forces has often been an ongoing combined operation for some time now.

"Everything has changed in the last three deployments that I have had," said Jacksonville, N.C. native, Staff Sgt. Josh Sweeden, a squad leader with 1st Platoon, 1-5 Inf. "I've been in the military now for 13 years and this is my fourth deployment. I've tried utilizing what I know from past experiences but everything has changed and we've had to adapt to change every time we come over here."

"My last deployment, we couldn't make these guys go on patrol with us," Sweeden stated. "Now, they're leading from the front and the scene has completely changed. Back then, it seemed like most IPs were corrupt. Now it seems like they have taken control of their city [Baqubah]."

Several recent large combined operations have allowed this transition to become possible; from the initial registration of several thousand Sons of Iraq members, the official transfer of the SOI over to Iraqi security forces and, most recently, to the last payment of SOI members by coalition forces.

Recent clearing operations in Mufrak are a testament to the hard work and efforts of both ISF and CF.

"The IPs are clearing houses in Mufrak," said Sgt. Mark Norman, a team leader with Alpha Company, 1-5 Inf. "They are going house to house and ensuring none of the locals have anything they aren't suppose to have like unauthorized weapons or improvised explosive device materials; anything out of the ordinary."

"We're pretty much staying out of their way so they can do their job," Norman stated. "So we won't be leaving our vehicles unless we need to get out and stretch our legs."

One step at a time, ISF are gradually taking the steps necessary to take back control of their country.

"This clearing operation is a great step for the ISF," said Staff Sgt. Balam Carrillo, a squad leader with Alpha Co., 1-5 Inf. "I believe this operation will be effective. For the most part the people living here will feel a lot safer because we're here and it's going to help the ISF establish trust with their people."

Carrillo continued, "In the past months that I have seen, I believe the ISF are ready to take over. This is my third deployment and compared to what Iraq looked like then, it's gotten a lot better; a hundred times better. And I really feel like we've made a difference in these past couple of years."

With more constant patrols, new security check points and stations being established every day, the road home for U.S forces does not seem that far off.

• Date Taken: 02.10.2009
• Date Posted: 02.10.2009 13:32
• Story ID: 29860
• Location: IQ