THE TENSION: Combat Camera: Searching for Bombs and Weapons in Mosul

Soldiers from the 552nd Military Police Company, based out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, say a group prayer at a U.S. military base in Mosul before entering the city to search passenger vehicles for weapons and bomb-making materials on Feb. 14. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Ford, platoon sergeant for 1st Platoon, and other soldiers from the 552nd Military Police Company, based out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, move down a street in downtown Mosul before stopping vehicles to search for weapons and bomb-making materials on Feb. 14. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Pfc. Miguel Laboy, a soldier in 1st Platoon, 552nd Military Police Company, based out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, pulls security during a meeting with Iraqi police in downtown Mosul, Feb. 14. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

An Iraqi policemen walks in front of a storefront in downtown Mosul as Iraqi police and U.S. military police conducted random searches of vehicles in Mosul for weapons and bomb-making materials, Feb. 14. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Sgt. Angela Mathern and her bomb-sniffing dog Vinny, both of the 51st Military Police Detachment, based out of Ft. Lewis, Wash., walk through traffic in downtown Mosul during a search of random vehicles for weapons and bomb-making materials, Feb. 14. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

A U.S. Army Humvee is parked in front of an Iraqi police checkpoint in downtown Mosul on Feb. 14 as the turret gunner pulls security with a .50 caliber machine gun while military police conduct searches of vehicles for weapons and bomb-making materials. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Sgt. Angela Mathern and her bomb-sniffing dog Vinny, both of the 51st Military Police Detachment, based out of Ft. Lewis, Wash., inspect a cart carrying propane tanks in downtown Mosul during a search of random vehicles for weapons and bomb-making materials, Feb. 14. Soldiers from the 552nd Military Police Company, based out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, pull security. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Sgt. Angela Mathern and her bomb-sniffing dog Vinny, both of the 51st Military Police Detachment, based out of Ft. Lewis, Wash., inspect a cargo truck in downtown Mosul during a search of random vehicles for weapons and bomb-making materials Feb. 14. (Photographer: Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)