Soldiers follow instincts as ‘weird vibe’ cuts short patrol near Sadr City area

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Staff Sgt. Mike Sobkowski talks to a man in the New Baghdad area near Sadr City. Though it has been among the quieter areas of eastern Baghdad in recent weeks, soldiers here move warily.


Soldiers follow instincts as ‘weird vibe’ cuts short patrol near Sadr City area
By Michael Gisick, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, May 16, 2008

BAGHDAD — The market in the New Baghdad area near Sadr City is one of the few places here where fighting has been sporadic enough in recent weeks for U.S. troops to embark on regular foot patrols, handing out leaflets and encouraging people to call in tips on militants.

But on Tuesday night, a small patrol of American soldiers made it only a few blocks from their outpost before deciding to pack it in.

"I don’t know about you guys, but I’m getting a bad feeling," said Staff Sgt. Mike Sobkowski, the patrol’s leader.

The other men from Company C agreed. As children followed them, begging, several old men told them it would be better if they didn’t come out. They overheard another group of men — who turned out to be Iraqi police officers — laughing and saying "Jaysh al-Mahdi."

"It’s just a weird vibe out here tonight," said Sobkowski, 37, of West Seneca, N.Y.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54833