U.S. Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Reconnaissance and Surveillance Platoon search for weapons and munitions outside a house in Jabella, Iraq, Jan 19, 2005. The raid kicked off Operation Checkmate, a fresh offensive aimed at disrupting insurgent activity ahead of national elections later this month. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sarah A. Beavers



U.S. Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit escort detainees back to a vehicle after capturing them during a raid in Jabella, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005. The raid kicked off Operation Checkmate, a fresh offensive aimed at disrupting insurgent activity ahead of national elections later this month. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sarah A. Beavers



Combat engineers from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit use metal detectors to search for buried weapons and munitions outside a house in Jabella, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005. Six CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters transported a joint strike force -- composed of elements of the Iraqi SWAT team, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance platoon and U.S. Army troops -- which swarmed the target, a crop of houses believed to shelter a number of militants and a stockpile of weapons and munitions. The raid kicked off Operation Checkmate, a fresh offensive aimed at disrupting insurgent activity ahead of national elections later this month. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sarah A. Beavers



A member of the Iraqi SWAT team provides security as his fellow team members and U.S. Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit search for weapons and munitions outside a house in Jabella, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005. The raid kicked off Operation Checkmate, a fresh offensive aimed at disrupting insurgent activity ahead of national elections later this month. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sarah A. Beavers




A U.S. Marine from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit guards prisoners captured during an early-morning raid in Jabella, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005. The raid kicked off Operation Checkmate, a fresh offensive aimed at disrupting insurgent activity ahead of national elections later this month. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sarah A. Beavers


Members of the Iraqi SWAT team run to a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter after completing a raid in Jabella, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005. Six CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters transported a joint strike force -- composed of elements of the Iraqi SWAT team, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit's Force Reconnaissance platoon and U.S. Army troops -- which swarmed the target, a crop of houses believed to shelter a number of militants and a stockpile of weapons and munitions. The raid kicked off Operation Checkmate, a fresh offensive aimed at disrupting insurgent activity ahead of national elections later this month. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sarah A. Beavers