Chris Cuomo's Reporter's Notebook: A Week in Iraq

The week began slowly with a routine operation with the Stryker brigade along Haifa Street, the infamous boulevard of Purple Hearts and the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in Baghdad.

(ABC)

The people were friendly and the kids were curious, calling everyone "mister," and yet we were being targeted by others from the same community.

How do our soldiers tell friend from foe?

I tried to gain some insight into whether this is a civil war, strangely between two groups of the same religion, or simply a power struggle in the absence of a strong government.

There is ample reason to believe it is both. We have been here nearly four years, and Iraq is still very much in transition.

I kept hearing soldiers and citizens repeat the words "new plan" and "troop surge" as if they might have magical effect.

And it may take some magic here. Cameraman Bartley Price and I witnessed firsthand what our soldiers must combat every day -- a bomb that literally shook me to my core. I'll never forget the bravery of those soldiers, the gunner saying, "I'm good" as he spit glass out of his mouth.

And I still can't believe Bartley had the presence of mind to capture so much at a time I was almost unable to think. His footage opened a window to the reality here that is rare, to say the least.

We were all moved by the suffering. I think you can often judge a situation by how kids are doing. Here, you look at these kids and it's tough to know that many hear more gunfire than music. What a cruel introduction to the world

Families that are supposedly free say they are more shut-in than ever, worrying every second about everything.

Yet, I saw signs of hope, in something as simple as the smile of a boy who could have been bred as an enemy, but is now dreaming of being a doctor.

Young students are anxious to reclaim their country and their future, and there is the relief of knowing our troops are still finding some normalcy.

They are all so special, so dedicated and determined. It was great to see that they found ways to feel a taste of home. I often found myself telling them about all the support they got at home and they needed to hear it.