More than four years later, Ahmed Kousay al-Taie, a resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan who was born in Iraq, is the only American service member still missing here. His family fears he will never be found.
At the twilight of the U.S. military presence in Iraq, a unit is dedicated to searching for al-Taie and 12 missing civilians, including seven Americans. Its mission is a key piece of unfinished business for the U.S. as it prepares to withdraw its remaining troops from Iraq by the end of this year.
Kidnappings for ransom or political motives, mostly of Iraqis but also many foreigners, were common as the insurgency gained steam after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The February 2006 bombing of a Shiite mosque by Sunni insurgents caused retaliatory bloodshed to spiral. Death squads roamed the streets."
