Sold Out Warriors...

Soldiers from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment load up in their stryker vehicle as they prepare for operations.
(CDS Photos)


"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge—and more."

John F. Kennedy

Evening...

As promised here are some new photos of our warriors from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. These warriors are like brothers to Chris. They have covered his six on numerous occasions and Chris has returned the favor. They will continue to do so until they leave the battlefield.

As I look back through the photos of Chris and his team it is clear to me...he is sold out for them and will pay whatever price is needed to ensure their safety...I expect they feel the same way and will do the same for him.

The camaraderie that is built when you serve together in combat is something that cannot be described in words...you feel it, sense it, taste it - 24x7. It's what gets you through each day. It is hard for many to understand...

Before the photos, let's cover the shiny objects for tonight...

US toll in Iraq hits all-time low as month ends

ISF detain suspected AQI financier, 7 others in Diyala province

Iraq arrests 14 suspects in Qaeda bastion

Ok, linger over the pictures. Maybe you see someone you know? I see warriors who are are sold out for each other and epitomize the words in President Kennedy's inauguration speech in January of 1961.

These guys are tight...Guess that's what a year of combat ops will do to you...

What do you see?

Soldiers from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment take a break during a combat patrol in Iraq.
(CDS Photos)

Soldiers from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment share a laugh prior to heading out on patrol.

(CDS Photos)

Soldiers from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment take time out for a photo with Iraqi children.

(CDS Photos)

A soldier from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment interacts with Iraqi children during a break on patrol.
(CDS Photos)

Soldiers from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment hydrate in their stryker vehicle following a combat patrol.

(CDS Photos)

Warriors from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment relax poolside during some time off at the Forward Operating Base.
(CDS Photos)

I love you Chris and I remember every day...thank you for your service.

Be safe!

v/r,
- Collabman

Dropping the Hammer...

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. William Haney from Hammer Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, escorts a suspected terrorist after he was detained in a raid in Nahr al-Imam, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Wednesday, July 30, 2008. Twenty men were detained in the pre-dawn sweep. Nearly 50,000 Iraqi police and soldiers were involved in a U.S.-backed operation against al-Qaida in Iraq in one of its last major strongholds near the capital, a senior provincial official said Wednesday.

(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)


Fed by the Euphrates and Diyala rivers, Diyala was once the granary of Iraq and its lush orchards made it the country's orange capital, but its multi-ethnic population has proven one of the most dangerous to control.
Ali al-Tuwaijri/AFP

Happy hump day...how many of these do we have left?

Also, can I vent? Is it just me or has the month of July just dragged on? I knew this last stretch would seem longer than normal but geez...this is ridiculous. I guess August will be the same. I've been told this is not uncommon...

The photos of the siege in Diyala began to roll in earlier today. As expected, warriors from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment are prominently displayed in many of the photos.

Before the photos, a few shiny news reports that caught my eye tonight.

Iraq arrests 45 in crackdown on Qaeda fighters

Operation Omens of Prosperity begins in Diyala

U.S. combat deaths in Iraq plunge in July

Spend some time with the photos...and remember the sacrifice of our warriors.

Tomorrow night I will share some new photos of warriors from Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd SCR - Chris' tream. I love seeing photos of the 2nd SCR and based on the blog stats over the past couple of weeks...so do you all.

A U.S. Army soldier from Hammer Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment stands guard near two suspected terrorists in Nahr al-Imam, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Wednesday, July 30, 2008.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)


A U.S. Army soldier from Hammer company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment checks a list of wanted terrorists as Iraqi men are temporarily detained while their identities are verified in Nahr al-Imam, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Wednesday, July 30, 2008.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)


A U.S. Army soldier from Hammer Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment peers over a wall at detainees in Nahr al-Imam, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province Wednesday, July 30, 2008.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

A U.S. Army soldier from Hammer Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment checks a list of wanted terrorists as Iraqi men are temporarily detained while their identities are verified in Nahr al-Imam, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Wednesday, July 30, 2008.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

--------------------------

Chris I love you son.

Be safe!

v/r,
- Collabman

Glad Tidings?

Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling, commander of the U.S. forces in northern Iraq, gestures as he speaks at a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, July 27, 2008. Hertling said the Iraqi army will lead a new offensive in Diyala province, while his troops will focus on remote areas throughout the north in a bid to build on recent security gains in northern cities like Mosul and Baqouba.

(AP Photo/Selcan Hacaoglu)

On Tuesday, U.S. soldiers took up posts at checkpoints on roads leading to Baqouba but stayed on the outskirts as Iraqi soldiers and police searched buildings inside, meeting little resistance, according to witnesses. KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer

Asskri said that the security operations codenamed "Glad Tidings" would specifically target Al-Qaeda operatives and other outlaws.
(AFP Reporting)

Evening...

Well, you don't have to look very hard to see the news related to the Diyala province. It has been swirling around the net over night and today. Based on previous reporting earlier this month, along with the many photos carried by AP and Reuters, one would think the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment is involved in some manner.

I have also seen a number of names for this military action. Omens of Prosperity and Glad Tidings being the most common. Glad tidings?

Is this the first action for this restive province? Hardly. You are probably familiar with Operation Phantom Phoenix, launched in January 2008 to eradicate remnants of the al-Qaeda network in the Diyala province. Clearly, this has been a tough area to clean up.

Reporting from the past few weeks indicates our warriors from the 2nd SCR have been busy preparing the battle space for this current push. Operation Wolfpack Catseye was covered in Dialing Up the Heat.

Various feeds from different sources are linked below. All describe the op in a very similar manner...each with a unique detail or two. See what you think.

Iraqi, US forces meet no resistance in Diyala operation

US-Iraq forces begin new offensive in Diyala

Iraqi forces launch massive operation against insurgents in Diyala ...

Iraq begins crackdown in restive Diyala province

Also in Diyala, read how Fires Squadron, 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment is responsible for squadron level targets related to economics, essential services, and governorates in Diyala...and the challenges they have - Humanitarian crisis: Displaced in Diyala

Elsewhere with the 2nd SCR...

The info hounds tipped off a video from the Christian Science Monitor carrying an interview with LTC Dan Barnett, commander, 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. LTC Barnett provides a progress report on the Sons of Iraq. Sons of Iraq made Iraq safer. What's their mission now?

Reporter Tom A. Peter discusses the Sons of Iraq.

Ok, this should keep you going tonight. Please keep all of our warriors with the 2nd SCR in your prayers. The heat is on...

Chris, we love you son and think of you every day. Keep taking care of business!

Be safe!

v/r,
- Collabman

Ghost Towns and Drought...

U.S. soldiers from Fox company, 4th squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment perform a patrol on the streets of west Baquba last Sunday. (AFP/Ali Yussef)


“All of my crops failed because of the lack of rain. It is also hard to keep livestock. The problem of security is only third on my list.”

Hassan Selman
Iraqi villager in the Diyala province

Evening...

The info hounds have been busy sifting and sorting...always hunting for the latest news on the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. An interesting article, carried in the Times Online, UK, paints a predictable picture...I am not surprised...

Give it a read...and tell me what you think.

Also, more Black Widows at work...

Female suicide attackers kill 57 in Iraq

And this caught my eye: US, Iraq on track for military pact: Iraqi minister

On we go...how is your battle rhythm holding up? 15 months is a grind - no doubt about it.

Our warriors are doing it and so can you and I...be encouraged!

The Times
July 29, 2008

Iraqis' hunt for insurgents in Diyala unearths only ghost towns and drought

A wild dog was the first sign of life as Iraqi soldiers, supported by US troops, ventured into a village northeast of Baghdad.

Rifles raised, the group approached a courtyard of two mud-walled houses and a couple of huts, fearing that they could be rigged with explosives.

Instead, the buildings stand empty, all inhabitants and their belongings gone. Further searches throughout the rest of Fatamia reveal that only three or four families remained. Six months ago there were 30 to 40 families.

This eerie scene has been played out repeatedly in other villages across the southeastern corner of Diyala province, one of the country's most notorious areas. US and Iraqi commanders blame threats and intimidation by al-Qaeda fighters for the mass migration, but there is another reason for people to move into urban areas: severe drought.

Anxious to tame the province, the Iraqi Government announced two weeks ago that it was planning to launch a large offensive in Diyala. But the warning gave any insurgents hiding out in the province plenty of time to escape.

As a result, no big arrests have been made since the preliminary phase of the mission started last Friday — a frustration for the hundreds of US and Iraqi troops on the ground who must endure scorching temperatures as they trek from village to village.

“They should not have declared the operation on television because now all the top targets have got away,” one Iraqi officer said. “I think there are some people in the Government who are co-operating with the insurgents.” Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq's National Security Adviser, said that announcing the offensive was a Government tactic to show the public who was in control, and to offer insurgents the chance to switch sides.

“On balance, detailed plans are kept secret while broad statements that have a positive psychological effect for the Government are broadcast,” he told The Times, adding that anyone who fled would probably be picked up at a later date. Advance notice was given before other operations, including in the northern city of Mosul and the southern province of Maysan. Both offensives took place without much of a fight. In contrast, violent clashes erupted when Iraqi forces launched a surprise attack on the main southern city of Basra last March.

Pushing south through Diyala, US and Iraqi troops set off at dawn with tanks, attack helicopters and hundreds of mounted troops. At first, progress was slow because the roads linking the villages and hamlets that dot this terrain are littered with roadside bombs, forcing the convoy to use armoured bulldozers to cut their own path through the rutted fields.

With no insurgents in sight, the next biggest threat became heatstroke. US soldiers carrying 27 kilograms (60lb) of equipment on their back drank at least ten litres of water each day, as well as energy drinks, to avoid dehydrating.

The heat was too much for one Iraqi soldier, who had to be taken by helicopter back to his base after collapsing in temperatures that passed 49C (120F). Several US troops were also treated in the field after showing signs of heat exhaustion.

After a day, the sweep through Fatamia village was largely complete. Captain Robert Green, commander of Grim Troop from “Sabre Squadron”, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment, allowed his men and about two dozen Iraqi soldiers to take a break in the backyard of a deserted school. He, like everyone, appeared slightly disappointed at the absence of insurgents.

“It would be nice to conduct an operation and snag a few bad guys. But if they are being made to move then we are still meeting our objective by removing their safe havens,” said the 36-year-old from Texas, on his third Iraq tour. Diyala, which stretches from the eastern outskirts of Baghdad to the Iranian border, is home to a variety of sects, including Sunni and Shia Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen. Such a mix was responsible for much of the tension and bloodshed in the insurgency that gripped Iraq after the invasion in 2003.

Al-Qaeda has continued to carry out attacks, notably suicide bombings involving women, in Diyala after being driven from other enclaves over the past year. In addition, breakaway factions of al-Mahdi Army, the main Shia militia, still hold sway in parts of the province.

The Diyala offensive — which Iraqi military officers have said will start in earnest in the coming days and involve some 30,000 police and soldiers — is part of a wider plan to underpin the authority of Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister, before provincial elections that are due to take place by the end of the year.

Success on the security and political front is a key feature in talks between Baghdad and Washington on the long-term presence of the US military in Iraq. Mr al-Maliki is keen to see the back of US combat forces by 2010, but must demonstrate that his troops have the ability to take control on their own.

Mohamed Maroof Hussein, the Mayor of the nearest big town of Baladruz, said that many locals have fled their homes for fear of being unfairly arrested after rumors spread that Shia residents had been giving names of Sunnis to the authorities to get them into trouble — and vice versa. The Iraqis and Americans may have come prepared for a fight, but in the end it seems that the heat may have done their work for them. Tending to a small herd of sheep and goats, one of the few remaining villagers said that most people had left more than two months ago because of the drought, rather than problems with al-Qaeda.

“All of my crops failed because of the lack of rain. It is also hard to keep livestock,” said Hassan Selman, a married father of six, who is also planning to leave.

“The problem of security is only third on my list.”

U.S. Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in West Baquba provide security during a patrol. (AFP/Ali Yussef)

--------------------------

Chris, I love you buddy! Stay hydrated and keep your head on a swivel...

Be safe!

v/r,
- Collabman

Dog Days of Summer...

SPC Chris Stevenson, Dog Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment talks with Iraqi children in the Diyala province, Iraq.
(CDS Photos, Inc.)

"We've put out the forest fire. Now we're dealing with pop-up fires."

Army Col. Tom James, a brigade commander who is on his third combat tour in Iraq

Evening...

The dog days of summer...a phrase I am familiar with, having grown up in the heat and humidity of a midwestern state. I expect many of you can identify with the phrase too.

Our warriors operating in the Diyala province understand the meaning...and feel it every day. Some days, 24x7. If you don't believe this, check the weather readout on the right side of my blog...

Also, did you catch this report? Analysis: US now winning Iraq war that seemed lost

As I leave you with photos of "Dog" Company warriors, please continue to pray for them as they deal with numerous threats in Diyala...

Chris, I love you son...be safe!

v/r,
- Collabman

SPC Shawn Derrick, Dog Company, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment on patrol in Iraq.

(CDS Photos, Inc.)

SPC Brandon (Robo) Robertson, Dog Company, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment on patrol in Iraq.

(CDS Photos, Inc.)

SPC Shawn Derrick, Dog Company, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment takes aim with his sniper rifle in Iraq.

(CDS Photos, Inc.)

SPC Eric Strick, Dog Company, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment takes a break in Iraq.

(CDS Photos, Inc.)

Visit to Muqdadiyah...

The top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus (L), shakes hands with a soldier from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment as he gives him a coin in a base near Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008. Sunni Islamist al Qaeda has sought to stoke tensions in Iraq's ethnically and religiously mixed northern cities, such as Diyala and Mosul, after military campaigns pushed its militants out of former strongholds in western Anbar province and Baghdad.

REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)


One of the Iraqis asks the soldier how much he makes to fight here, and the soldier retorts, saying this isn’t his country. “If it was my country, no one would have to pay me.”

Scott Hadley
Ventura County Star

Afternoon...

The top U.S. Commander paid a visit to the Diyala province today, with security provided by our warriors from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. Photographers from AP and Reuters captured the visit through the following photos.

These shiny objects also caught my attention today...

US says women suicide bombers seeking revenge in Iraq

Iraq provincial elections law deadline nears


Iraqi forces aren't quite ready to take charge

Enjoy your day and the photos...maybe, just maybe you will see someone you recognize...

Lest we forget...the 2nd SCR remains right in the middle of the fight in Iraq.

Continue to support them in whatever way you can...

They are truly heroes!

Chris, I love you son...our eyes, hearts and minds are on you and the entire 2nd SCR. I remember...

Be safe!

v/r,
- Collabman

A soldier from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment provides security, as the top U.S. Commander in Iraq General David Petraeus, joins his unit for a patrol in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)


Soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment hold their weapons as the top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, joins them for a patrol in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)


Soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment provide security as the top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus (L), walks with the Mayor of Muqdadiyah, Najim Abdullah al-Harbi in the Diyala province July 26, 2008. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)



Soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment hold their weapons as the top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, joins them for a patrol in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)


The top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus (R), shares a laugh with the Mayor of Muqdadiyah Najim Abdullah al-Harbi and Iraqi Police Commander Brigadier General Muhammed, during a patrol with the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)


Soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment hold their weapons as the top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, joins them for a patrol in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)


The top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus (R), stops for a fruit juice as he joins soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment for a patrol in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)


The top U.S. Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus (C), talks to a soldier from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment as he joins the unit for a patrol in Muqdadiyah, in the Diyala province July 26, 2008.
REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ)

Combat Operations...

A US soldier with Fox company, 4th squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment shoots a lock on a door during a patrol in Al-Askari village, 30 kms south of Baquba on July 22, 2008. Around 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen will begin a military assault in the province of Diyala -- the stronghold of Al-Qaeda -- from August 1, Iraqi army and police officers said July 23. (ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images)

Evening...

I will let the photos of our warriors from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment stand on their own tonight...

Our journey continues...as do our prayers for all of our warriors with the 2nd SCR.

Chris, we love you and remember your sacrifice and courage.

Be safe!

v/r,
- Collabman

Villagers watch as Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment take positions around their house during their joint operation near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 24, 2008.
(REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment take positions during their joint operation near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 24, 2008. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

A U.S. soldier from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment secures the meeting between local tribe leaders with Iraqi and U.S. security forces near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 25, 2008.
(REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

Iraqi policemen and U.S. soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment take positions during their joint operation near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 24, 2008. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

Iraqi police and U.S. soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment take a break during their joint operation near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 24, 2008. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

A U.S. soldier from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment casts a shadow during a joint operation with Iraqi police near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 24, 2008. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

A U.S. soldier from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment holds his weapon next to a villager during a joint operation with Iraqi police near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 24, 2008.
(REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

An Iraqi man stands before U.S. Army soldiers from Hawk Company,Third Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment as they check his identification card against a list of wanted terrorists during a raid on an al-Qaida cell east of Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Friday, July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Branham, from Hawk Company,Third Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment, right, stands guard over men temporarily detained in a raid on an al-Qaida cell east of Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Friday, July 25, 2008.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

A U.S. soldier from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment shares a laugh with an Iraqi man as local tribe leaders meet Iraqi and U.S. security forces near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 25, 2008. Sunni Islamist al Qaeda has sought to stoke tensions in Iraq's ethnically and religiously mixed northern cities, such as Diyala and Mosul, after military campaigns pushed its militants out of former strongholds in western Anbar province and Baghdad.
(REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

An elderly Iraqi man smokes a cigarette as U.S. soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment secure the meeting between local tribe leaders and Iraqi and U.S. security forces near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 25, 2008. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

Iraqi children look at U.S. soldiers from the Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment securing a meeting between local tribe leaders with Iraqi and U.S. security forces near Muqtadiyah in Diyala province July 25, 2008.
(REUTERS/Damir Sagolj (IRAQ))

US soldiers from Fox company, 4th squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment patrol an area south of Baquba on July 21, 2008. (ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images)

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Branham, from Hawk Company, Third Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment, left, checks an Iraqi man's identification card during a raid on an al-Qaida cell east of Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Friday, July 25, 2008. The raid netted two suspected local al-Qaida leaders, said U.S. Army Capt. Scott Polasek. The man pictured was not detained.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)


U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Scott Malecki, right, from Hawk Company, Third Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment, rests after gathering suspects in a raid on an al-Qaida cell east of Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Friday, July 25, 2008.
(AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

U.S. Army Spc. Seth Cotrell, right, and Staff Sgt. Scott Malecki, left, from Hawk Company,Third Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment, take a smoke break after gathering suspects in a raid on an al-Qaida cell east of Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Friday, July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

U.S. Army Spc. Bradley Monroe from Hawk Company,Third Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment, leaves a home during a raid on an al-Qaida cell east of Muqdadiyah, about 90 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad, in Iraq's volatile Diyala province on Friday, July 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

An Iraqi man and a boy walk in front of a US Army Stryker vehicle with US soldiers from Fox company, 4th squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Al-Askari village, 30 kms south of Baquba on July 22, 2008. Around 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen will begin a military assault in the central province of Diyala -- the stronghold of Al-Qaeda -- from August 1, Iraqi army and police officers said July 23. (ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images)

A US soldier (R) from Fox company, 4th squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment bops a football with his head while entertaining an Iraqi child during a patrol south of Baquba on July 22, 2008.
(ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images)

As an Iraqi man (C) peeks out from a damaged residence entryway, US soldiers from Fox company 4th squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment stand guard over the site where an IED previously detonated in western Baquba, 45 kms northeast of Baghdad, on July 20, 2008. (ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images)

An Iraqi youth (C), standing in front a damaged entryway of a residence, offers a drink of water US soldier (L) from Fox company, 4th squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment as another (R) stands guard over the site where an IED was previously detonated in western Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, on July 20, 2008.
(ALI YUSSEF/AFP/Getty Images)