Frustration and Deceit on U.S.-Iraqi Patrol in Mosul

'Like Pulling Teeth'

First Lt. Michael Baxter asks residents of a home in Mosul whether they have seen masked, armed men roaming the streets. No, no, a man answers. But the man's young son nods. (By Ernesto Londoño -- The Washington Post)
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U.S. military officials in Mosul say the Iraqi army and police have made steady progress in recent months: Iraqi soldiers now operate out of small outposts around the city and have begun conducting their own patrols. Certain police units have brought in good leads to the Americans.

But the reputation of both forces is checkered in Mosul. Residents of the predominantly Sunni city see the army, which in northern Iraq is made up predominantly of Kurds, as an extension of the pesh merga, the Kurdish regional government militia. And they've grown wary of the heavy-handed tactics of the police.

"To get the IA and the IP to go out and do something with us is like pulling teeth," said Staff Sgt. Perry G. Maynor, 24, referring to the Iraqi army and police.

As Baxter headed back to the outpost after finishing the afternoon patrol, he got word that a neighbor had reported that a mortar dud landed in his back yard. The soldiers headed toward the house. U.S. soldiers dismounted from their Bradleys. Iraqi soldiers stayed in their trucks. Baxter waved them over. "Hey, are you guys going to come out and play?" he asked.

The Iraqi soldiers stepped out. The soldiers found the dud. U.S. soldiers said they should call an explosive ordnance team, which is what they normally do in such situations, because duds are prone to explode.

Without fanfare, an Iraqi soldier reached down and grabbed the munition by a fin. Stunned, the Americans ran for cover as the soldier walked back to his truck smiling, the dud dangling from his hand.

Back at the outpost, Baxter rounded up his men for a quick debriefing. Anything to report? he asked.

"The IA suck," a soldier said.

Another chimed in, "And all the people we talked to today are liars."

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