February 11, 2009 6:35 PM
More And More, It's The Iraqis' War
There was scattered fighting again on Tuesday in Baghdad. But the heart of the Iraqi insurgency is still west of the capital, in the battered city of Ramadi. CBS News Chief Foreign correspondent Lara Logan went there for a firsthand look at American forces and the Iraqi troops they are training.
The attack came out of nowhere ... but these soldiers of the 506th Infantry Regiment have seen it all before. Just after 3:20 in the morning, a rocket-propelled grenade hit a building and machine gunners opened up. M240 machine gunners saw at least two insurgents, and snipers on the roof also returned fire.
In the morning light, the soldiers destroyed the insurgents' firing position and braced themselves for the next attack — because despite the presence of U.S. troops in central Ramadi, insurgents still operate at will.
But about 10 miles away, in the north of the city, the picture is very different. An Iraqi Army company with a small group of American advisers have been carving out a safe area that they now control.
Maj. Michael Vesely has worked and lived side-by-side with Iraqi soldiers for nearly a year. He is a passionate believer that they can succeed.
"We've gone beyond the point of instructors and students, although there is some of that," he says. "Much of what do now is two military forces working hand in hand towards the same goal."
Since the soldiers moved in, daily mortar attacks have stopped altogether — and children are out on the streets again.
"Because the insurgents aren't here and aren't living here means we can work with schools and we can work with clinics and we can bring local contractors in to improve their standard of living," Vesely says.
Some soldiers say the insurgents have moved out of this area, but they appear to have moved to other areas. Vesely says that's typical of what the insurgents do. "That's the reporting that we get as well — they seem to be more of a transient enemy at this point, where they don't stay in one place for any length of time."
Later that night, Iraqi soldiers captured seven men who were found near one of their observation posts long after curfew. It's a reminder that even this area is not completely secure.
But it's the Iraqis who handled their interrogation — and the Iraqis who made the decision to let them go. More and more, American commanders say, this is becoming their war.
The attack came out of nowhere ... but these soldiers of the 506th Infantry Regiment have seen it all before. Just after 3:20 in the morning, a rocket-propelled grenade hit a building and machine gunners opened up. M240 machine gunners saw at least two insurgents, and snipers on the roof also returned fire.
In the morning light, the soldiers destroyed the insurgents' firing position and braced themselves for the next attack — because despite the presence of U.S. troops in central Ramadi, insurgents still operate at will.
But about 10 miles away, in the north of the city, the picture is very different. An Iraqi Army company with a small group of American advisers have been carving out a safe area that they now control.
Maj. Michael Vesely has worked and lived side-by-side with Iraqi soldiers for nearly a year. He is a passionate believer that they can succeed.
"We've gone beyond the point of instructors and students, although there is some of that," he says. "Much of what do now is two military forces working hand in hand towards the same goal."
Since the soldiers moved in, daily mortar attacks have stopped altogether — and children are out on the streets again.
"Because the insurgents aren't here and aren't living here means we can work with schools and we can work with clinics and we can bring local contractors in to improve their standard of living," Vesely says.
Some soldiers say the insurgents have moved out of this area, but they appear to have moved to other areas. Vesely says that's typical of what the insurgents do. "That's the reporting that we get as well — they seem to be more of a transient enemy at this point, where they don't stay in one place for any length of time."
Later that night, Iraqi soldiers captured seven men who were found near one of their observation posts long after curfew. It's a reminder that even this area is not completely secure.
But it's the Iraqis who handled their interrogation — and the Iraqis who made the decision to let them go. More and more, American commanders say, this is becoming their war.
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