Sniper Snatch
near Ramadi, Iraq 55 miles west of Baghdad October 27, 2005 with Task Force Saber, 172nd Armor, VT National Guard
The soldiers based here at Ramadi have a problem. A sniper has been working in the area, and he is good. One soldier has been shot. Tonight these soldiers are going out to get him, and his brother too. And they are taking the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), also called the Iraqi Army, with them. It is a dark night out. A convoy moves out near midnight. Two trucks are filled with ISF soldiers, and there are other humvees and an armored personnel carrier to back them up. Other Americans are converging on the site on the ground. It�s a funny feeling being out at night. This is one of the worst places in Iraq for insurgents. Its difficult not to think every parked car and every empty trash dumpster, might hold a massive roadside bomb, called an improvised explosive device, or IED. But nothing goes off and the ISF and Americans dismount at a block of houses where the sniper and his brother seem to live. The ISF surround the place. They'll haul in every male of military age, and question them back home. Things start to drag. A one-hour operation to clear 8 or so houses turns into 1 then 2 hours. Turns out the ISF have decided to question some of the men here, before taking them back. The Americans aren�t happy but there is little they can do about it - they are officially here as advisors, and they'll advise unless things turn hairy. The problem with sitting around is there are only a few ways back out. The insurgents in this area have been known to place an ied within half an hour or less if they believe a patrol will be passing by. If the convoy is at this place and there are few ways to get out, so sitting there leaves the insurgents more time to figure that out and get an ied into one of the trash containers. Some of the alternate routes out are so badly infested with IEDs that the soldiers won�t go on them. At last the ISF bring their detainees out (it would be wrong to call them suspects when 15 or so people are randomly all caught up in the search). The detained are pushed and lifted onto a flatbed truck. The ISF pile into their armored trucks, the Americans into their armored humvees and their APC and everyone moves off, retracing their route. Twenty minutes later they are back at base. No incidents - this time. Turns out the dismounted Americans caught the man they suspect to be the sniper. No word on the brother though. One of the ISF lets off his rifle with an accidental discharge as he walks away form his truck. He gets a severe yelling from his sergeant. The Americans roll their eyes. Its the second AD of the night. Its been one of those nights, and it's now turning rapidly into day.
The soldiers based here at Ramadi have a problem. A sniper has been working in the area, and he is good. One soldier has been shot. Tonight these soldiers are going out to get him, and his brother too. And they are taking the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), also called the Iraqi Army, with them. It is a dark night out. A convoy moves out near midnight. Two trucks are filled with ISF soldiers, and there are other humvees and an armored personnel carrier to back them up. Other Americans are converging on the site on the ground. It�s a funny feeling being out at night. This is one of the worst places in Iraq for insurgents. Its difficult not to think every parked car and every empty trash dumpster, might hold a massive roadside bomb, called an improvised explosive device, or IED. But nothing goes off and the ISF and Americans dismount at a block of houses where the sniper and his brother seem to live. The ISF surround the place. They'll haul in every male of military age, and question them back home. Things start to drag. A one-hour operation to clear 8 or so houses turns into 1 then 2 hours. Turns out the ISF have decided to question some of the men here, before taking them back. The Americans aren�t happy but there is little they can do about it - they are officially here as advisors, and they'll advise unless things turn hairy. The problem with sitting around is there are only a few ways back out. The insurgents in this area have been known to place an ied within half an hour or less if they believe a patrol will be passing by. If the convoy is at this place and there are few ways to get out, so sitting there leaves the insurgents more time to figure that out and get an ied into one of the trash containers. Some of the alternate routes out are so badly infested with IEDs that the soldiers won�t go on them. At last the ISF bring their detainees out (it would be wrong to call them suspects when 15 or so people are randomly all caught up in the search). The detained are pushed and lifted onto a flatbed truck. The ISF pile into their armored trucks, the Americans into their armored humvees and their APC and everyone moves off, retracing their route. Twenty minutes later they are back at base. No incidents - this time. Turns out the dismounted Americans caught the man they suspect to be the sniper. No word on the brother though. One of the ISF lets off his rifle with an accidental discharge as he walks away form his truck. He gets a severe yelling from his sergeant. The Americans roll their eyes. Its the second AD of the night. Its been one of those nights, and it's now turning rapidly into day.
posted by Doug at 7:57 AM
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