"The Iraqis Will Be Our Eyes And Ears. This Is Their Country"

But, as Bravo Company discovered on its raid, the latest technology is no match for that old data dictum known as GIGO: garbage in, garbage out. Commanders concede they have had little success getting intelligence about insurgent movements. Locals are often too hostile or afraid of reprisals to provide info. That's where the new Iraqi forces are meant to come into the picture. "The Iraqis will be our eyes and ears," says Lieut. General Thomas Metz, commander of the Multinational Corps in Iraq. "This is their country, these are their people."

In the meantime, 1st Cavalry commanders are trying unconventional techniques. When a raid turned up a huge cache of contraband cigarettes, Formica recognized an opportunity for outreach. He had the packs distributed with special wraps printed with hotline numbers, an exhortation to report suspicious characters and the promise of a reward. A smoker called in the first bit of intelligence last week, Formica says. "Here's something you don't hear every day," he says, "but that pack of cigarettes may have saved some lives."