TIME: Just Who is Pursuing Saddam?

By MICHAEL WARE and BRIAN BENNETT / TIKRIT

Any of the various U.S. military units stationed in Iraq would be thrilled to be part of the hunt for Saddam. And they could be at any time, should intelligence point to his presence in areas they patrol. The two outfits that have most aggressively pursued Saddam in recent weeks are the 4th Infantry Division's RAIDER BRIGADE, which controls Tikrit and the surrounding towns, and the 101st Airborne Division's STRIKE BRIGADE, in charge of Mosul and environs. However, the vanguard unit seeking Saddam is the elite TASK FORCE 20, whose exclusive job is to hunt for Iraq's most wanted. TF20, as it is called within the military, is a shadowy group that avoids the press. Military spokesmen in Iraq have no authority to comment on the unit or its activities. It is built around the Delta Force, the military's storied special-operations force, and bolstered with commandos from other services, aviation units detached from the army, and paramilitary teams on loan from the CIA. Spotted in Tikrit last week, TF20 fighters had the classic commando look: scruffy beards, unkempt hair, distinct black body armor and tiny walkie-talkies.

--By Michael Ware and Brian Bennett/Tikrit