Maj. Steve Stasevich, rear right, briefs members of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi National Police Division prior to a door-to-door mission in East Baghdad. Although this wa basically a presence patrol, many members of the Iraqi battalion said they have seen heavy fighting, including Sgt. Saddoun Hamadi, center, was accidentally shot in the wrist by a U.S. patrol in mid-April and was injured in roadside bomb blast a week later. "This is my job," he said. "If I quit, who is going to fight." (Michael Gisick / S&S)
Maj. Steve Stasevich, rear right, briefs members of the 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi National Police Division prior to a door-to-door mission in East Baghdad. Although this wa basically a presence patrol, many members of the Iraqi battalion said they have seen heavy fighting, including Sgt. Saddoun Hamadi, center, was accidentally shot in the wrist by a U.S. patrol in mid-April and was injured in roadside bomb blast a week later. "This is my job," he said. "If I quit, who is going to fight." (Michael Gisick / S&S)
The patrol of U.S. troops and Iraqi National Police received several reports of possible roadside bombs before setting out. Here, Capt. Waimen Leung, right, and a policemen check a pile of debris next to a concrete barrier. The day's biggest inconvenience, however, would turn out to be a dust storm. (Michael Gisick / S&S)
Iraqi National Police look at a small stand selling meat and other items during a patrol of East Baghdad. (Michael Gisick / S&S)
Repeating a familiar theme in Iraq, residents in the area of East Baghdad covered the patrol reported few problems in their neighborhood and blamed what problems there are on outsiders. One teen, standing a few feet from a hole in the road left by a bomb blast, said the area was "very peaceful." (Michael Gisick / S&S)
Iraqi National Police and their U.S. Army advisers look for roadside bombs during a patrol of the East Baghad area. (Michael Gisick / S&S)
Iraqi National Police officers and their U.S. advisers patrolled a neighborhood in the Al Amin district of Eastern Baghdad on Friday.
Although the patrol received reports of possible roadside bombs before setting out and turned up a handful of weapons during their door-to-door search over several blocks, the mission’s main purpose was to send a message of presence in an area that has seen frequent sniper and bomb attacks in the last six weeks.
It was also another step in the long process of training the police battalion.
"One thing that would make today’s mission a lot easier is if we just did it ourselves," Maj. Steve Stasevich told his group of U.S. advisers before setting off. "But I don’t think you guys want to be out here doing this mission in five or 10 years.
