HABUR GATE, Iraq – A corrugated-iron sheet featuring a yellow sun set against bands of orange, white and green stood illuminated at the checkpoint.

Its meaning was clear: The map might still say Iraq, but we just entered Kurdistan.

Within minutes, things looked a bit more normal. The trucks the guys from the 81st Brigade Combat Team's 2nd Battalion, 146th Field Artillery Regiment escorted peeled off on their own, no longer needing the firepower the Washington National Guard soldiers provided. The roads were smoother, and craters caused from roadside bombs disappeared. Gas stations with 30 pumps advertised their ability to accept Visa and Mastercard. Brand-new cars sat in lots at dealerships with no visible security (or rolls of concertina wire).

It's hard to think of a tougher contrast of today's Iraq than the convoy Alpha Battery runs: They drive through the heart of Mosul, the most violent city in the country, and end in a semi-autonomous, peaceful area.