TIME: Just Who is Pursuing
Saddam?
Monday, August 11, 2003
By MICHAEL WARE and BRIAN BENNETT / TIKRIT
Any of the various U.S. military units stationed in
Iraq would be thrilled to be part of the hunt for
Saddam. And they could be at any time, should
intelligence point to his presence in areas they
patrol. The two outfits that have most aggressively
pursued Saddam in recent weeks are the 4th Infantry
Division's RAIDER BRIGADE, which controls Tikrit and
the surrounding towns, and the 101st Airborne
Division's STRIKE BRIGADE, in charge of Mosul and
environs. However, the vanguard unit seeking Saddam
is the elite TASK FORCE 20, whose exclusive job is to
hunt for Iraq's most wanted. TF20, as it is called
within the military, is a shadowy group that avoids
the press. Military spokesmen in Iraq have no
authority to comment on the unit or its activities.
It is built around the Delta Force, the military's
storied special-operations force, and bolstered with
commandos from other services, aviation units
detached from the army, and paramilitary teams on
loan from the CIA. Spotted in Tikrit last week, TF20
fighters had the classic commando look: scruffy
beards, unkempt hair, distinct black body armor and
tiny walkie-talkies.
--By
Michael Ware and Brian Bennett/Tikrit