The Iraqi Army continues to push its troops into the neighborhoods to counter al Qaeda in Iraq and its allied terror groups’ attempts to regain a foothold in the northern city of Mosul. The 4th Brigade of the 2nd Iraqi Army Division opened its newest combat outpost, called Knife, in the northern neighborhood of Rashidiyah, where attacks have increased of late. The 4th Brigade pushed out to Knife today to host a visit by Brigadier General Tony Thomas, the deputy commander for Multinational Division North, and Brigadier General Mouta’a , the 2nd Iraqi Army Division commander.

While waiting for the generals to show (they were a few hours late) there was little to do but smoke cigarettes and shoot the breeze. One intrepid soldier pulled a soccer ball from a Humvee, and the Iraqi soldiers and one of the U.S. advisors began to kick the ball around. Even Brigadier General Noor Aldeen, the 4th Brigade's commander, joined in for a bit. The soldiers played in full body armor. I was unable to capture any headers on film.