BASRA FRONT LINE: Jack Fairweather in Gul Ashab on how the military wins hearts, minds - and intelligence
The three US special forces rangers dismounted from their vehicle wearing identical shades and un-reassuring smiles.
"Hello, we're to offer you our services," said the one soldier, as he signalled to one of his men to provide covering fire from a 50mm heavy machinegun on the roof of his jeep.
"We're trilingual, arms and explosives experts with full air support and medical assistance at your disposal, sir.
"We've come to debrief the local population and to provide you with useful intelligence," he said.
"Right you are," said the British officer from A Squadron, Queen's Dragoon Guards, somewhat nervously outside the village of Gul Ashab, under British control following a sweeping manoeuvre by the squadron on Monday which took them to the outskirts of Basra.
"We've got some special techniques to motivate them into helping you," said the special forces man. "You know what?" said the British officer. "I don't think that will be strictly necessary."
Yesterday the British military's equivalent of meals-on-wheels rolled into Gul Ashab less than 24 hours after its liberation to scenes that would suggest the hearts and minds of the Iraqi population in and around Basra have already been won over.
As the American special forces unit disappeared in a puff of smoke, British soldiers drove through the village handing out food from their ration packs to the villagers who had come out on to the streets to welcome them.
One man, Abdullah, had walked five miles from a nearby village with daughter to offer a message from his community: "Salam to the British." He picked up a portion of fruit dumplings with custard and sniffed at is joyously. "I don't think he knows quite what it contains," said Capt Rachel Thompson, who is attached to the unit.
"It's not much, we know, but after they've been risking their necks to tell us where Iraqi tanks are located in the area the lads feel we owe them something.
"I just hope the relief convoy comes in the next couple of days."
From the appearance of the local population the arrival of aid could not come too soon. The villagers had dressed in gaily-coloured smocks to greet the British troops, but many appeared half-starved, with rags tied around their feet.
They said the Iraqi militia had taken their shoes a few weeks ago to stop them fleeing.
"The militia know we'd run to their houses to get their food and water," said one Iraqi, pointing to the skyline where the rooftops of rich Baath party members' villas could be seen, an indication of the disparity of wealth in Saddam's Iraq.
"But now it is the militia who are running with their food and water straight to Basra," said the man with a chuckle beside his modest mud hut.
The rapture of the villagers' welcome, in marked contrast to the scenes of violence witnessed in newly liberated towns farther south, suggests that the closer the local population has lived to the Baath Party power base in Basra, the greater is the feeling of liberation.
"In Gul Ashab we have seen every day how much hurt Saddam has done, and that is why we are pleased to see the British," said Rhiad, the local doctor, "We know that you have come to help us."
Following the rioting in other towns, however - much of it precipitated by distributing aid by throwing it out of the back of container trucks - the relief convoy has been slow in reaching the areas closest to Basra because of concerns that there will be further violence.
"We've had to have a rethink of the way we give out supplies after our earlier experiences," said a senior officer with the aid convoy.
"And to some extent the perception that food and water is coming is more important than the aid itself at this stage of the campaign."
Such sentiments meant that yesterday as dusk fell the villagers of Gul Ashab were left with only the kindness of British squaddies to thank for their evening meal - for the time being.