This is cordon and knock in Tikrit

Tikrit, Iraq-
This is a cordon-and-knock in Tikrit, Sadaam’s old hometown and ironically the same kind of technique that led to his capture some miles away.

Also known as cordon-and-search, soldiers enter houses in urban areas to search for weapon caches or high-value targets. But the typical cordon-and-knock operation seems to have adapted as the violence here has lulled. It's a far cry from the bang-down, drag-out it was even a few months ago, even though raids still happen.

But tonight it's more like the Army’s version of meet and greet. Alpha Company STB of the 1/101st are old hands at this.

They strolled out of their armored Humvees into the tight city streets and greeted neighborhood men smoking and chatting on corners. Interpreters offered greetings and the party was let in like it was a normal house visit.

Clearly the locals are used to seeing US soldiers acting in this capacity- a combination of cop and community organizer.

Just last week Alpha company of Special Troops Battalion, 1st BCT of the 101st ABN, captured three targeted insurgents, and yesterday there was an IED blast a few streets over, but tonight they've started their mission early, knocking politely and more often than not, the teams are invited inside to sit down. The “talkfest” begins.

The operation has more than one purpose as almost every aspect of working with civilians here does- to search the house for weapons, (Iraqis are allowed one AK-47 per household), to register military aged males using a biometrics scanner and to talk about upcoming elections and municipal services, said Staff Sgt. Zach Semsik, 30, from Blairsville, PN.

This unit made up of ex-communication, engineer and military police soldiers has been so successful that they have recently been reassigned to focus solely on Tikrit, according to some inside and outside their unit.

“That’s 35 soldiers for a city of 1.2 million,” Sergeant First Class Bill Ferguson, 30, said. There are three other units assigned to the city, but STB probably has the most experience. The 101st Airborne soldiers have spent over seven months patrolling here.

(Biometrics including taking a picture of the iris, a thumb print and entering other relevant data of Iraqi males while soldiers explain that it will make them easier to identify.)

In one of the friendlier houses, teaming with children and at least four generations of family, Platoon leader Ferguson announced he wanted to talk about the upcoming provincial elections scheduled for October 1st.

"As long as he takes care of Iraq, we don’t care about his religion," the matriarch of the house said quickly. Ayad Allawi is a strong guy, she added. Allawi, the former interim prime minister, seems to have a lot of support in this middle class enclave, but there may have been some confusion, Allawi, as a Shia, is probably running for national office, whereas the upcoming elections are provincial and Tikrit is solidly Sunni.

But electricity and water were more on the minds of these residents than an election that’s still months away. Most say they get one hour of power for every four off, supplemented by generators if they can afford it. The Americans are careful to note how much they pay for electricity and ask who their muktar (neighborhood boss) is.

(Sgt. 1st Class Bill Ferguson, 30, records vital information on males in the family. After he offers his card and availability for any security concerns.)

The woman says local water makes her kids sick. She added it would be better if the soldiers patrolled the neighborhood with no weapons. We are tired of the fight, she said.

Ferguson smiled. Tell her it's just in case, he said through the interpreter. His rifle looked oddly out of place amidst the chai glasses and living room furniture.

“When we first got here we’d cordon-and-knock 50 houses a night starting at 11pm and ending around 5 in the morning,” Staff Sgt. Semsik said, “scaring the s--- out of everyone,” implying it was a show of force they felt necessary at the time.

“Now we’re moving to the non-lethal,” he said, but added that they’re still called to do house raids in the middle of walk-throughs like this.

As with the IED explosion on Wednesday, violence can happen at any time.

Neither did Ferguson shy from the tough questions. He asked men in each of the ten or so households if they saw anyone planting the IED. Few claimed to know anything.

It's hard to imagine what the U.S. soldiers could have done differently, they aren't Iraqis, but they tried to direct confidence toward the Iraqi police who are being targeted by insurgents more as security improves.

The conversations again shifted to lights and water. Ferguson said they had to make sure everyone was getting some power in Tikrit, as little as it was, before they could increase the offering.

But, “It’s not our right to fix everything, we have to walk with your government side by side,” he said holding his hands parallel.
(Staff Sgt. Semsik gets made fun of by a neighborhood boy who wouldn't leave him alone.)