Iraqis, Cav troops patrol Jihad 'hood

Spc. Charles Johnson, cavalry scout, Troop B, 8th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, patrols the streets of Al Jihad, a neighborhood in western Baghdad July 20.

BAGHDAD -- As members of a calvary unit began their new mission in Baghdad and were told they would be responsible for a neighborhood called Jihad, which translated from Arabic means ‘holy war,’ they were surprised to find many residents happy to see them.

The neighborhood’s name held some negative connotation on July 9, as Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, began operations in the neighborhood amidst an increase in sectarian violence in the capital.

Earlier that day, residents witnessed the killing of at least 40 Sunni Iraqis in a series of violent attacks. According to the Soldiers, many locals seemed to welcome the added security the troops provided.

“Most of the people generally seem happy when they see us – especially the kids, that’s the biggest thing for me,” said Pvt. Loudon Garvey, a cavalry scout from Nashville, Tenn.

A group of terrorists had set up makeshift checkpoints, stopping cars and buses to check each person’s
identification. They gunned down many of them in the streets.

Army 1st Lt. Frank Toomey, a 23 year-old platoon leader from Waldwick, N.J., and his team of Soldiers, assumed
responsibility of Jihad as the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team began redeploying to Fort Drum,
N.Y., after completing their yearlong combat tour here.

Toomey said his Soldiers have made a smooth transition from conducting infrastructure assessments with local Iraqi
citizens into a role supporting Iraqi security forces operating in Baghdad.

He said his unit’s primary mission is to support the ISF while they take control of the area, but that the bulk of
security work falls on Iraqi shoulders.

“We’re giving them the ball and blocking for them; they just have to run with it,” he said.

The police are gradually stepping up their security operations in Jihad by putting up more checkpoints while the
calvary Soldiers provide security for them, Toomey said, noting that insurgent attacks have shifted away from his
troops toward Iraqi security personnel.

“We’ve seen a lot of attacks focusing specifically on ISF patrols and checkpoints,” he said.

Despite all the smiles and waves the Soldiers receive, Garvey said they are well aware of the dangers lurking near
the streets of Jihad.

“It gets hard out here sometimes,” said Spc. Charles Johnson, a cavalry scout from Grayson, Ky., during a joint
patrol with the Iraqi Police, “but it feels good to know I’m contributing to the mission and helping these guys
out.”

To: 91B; HiJinx; Spiff; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; clintonh8r; TEXOKIE; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...

2 posted on 08/01/2006 5:53:42 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)

Hopefully with the combined increases in US and Iraqi forces in the capital, as they continue to 24/7 roundups and kill any that resists, things will start quieting down.
I for one, will not be pursuaded by the once a week on average suicide bomber that gets through to blow up people or in some cases some of the US/Iraqi forces.
The picture displayed to the public continues to be one sides as we obviously would expect it to be.

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