Cold Steel:*
The 51st State*
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June 2005*
Mosul, Iraq*
Assault*
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The 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, "Cold Steel", is ordered to conduct a daytime roadside patrol through the heart of downtown Mosul.*
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Mosul is Iraq's third largest city and has a rich history as the principal city of northern Mesopotamia.  The ruins of ancient Nineveh stand east of the Tigris River.  Mosul contains one of the most famous mosques in Iraq which is named after the prophet "Jonah" who was described to be swallowed by a whale in the Quran and the Bible.*
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The population is predominantly Kurdish so this patrol will probably be uneventful.  However, locals have reported that large numbers of demonstrators and agitators have been gathering over the last few days.*
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Yesterday, one of the other battalions on patrol ran into an ambush and a Stryker was destroyed with two crew members killed.  The wreck has not yet been towed away.  Violence may be on the rise in Mosul.*
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An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been made available.*
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Marginal or Decisive Victory is necessary to advance*
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