The evening was perfect for a ride - cool breezes after a steamy day, another brilliant orange sunset and a full, yellow moon looming on the horizon.
The Pakistani soldiers, with new blue U.N. badges pinned to their khaki uniform sleeves, weren't paying attention to the setting. They were out Thursday night looking for trouble and guns.Much of Operation Continue Hope's hope for success in rebuilding Somalia lies in the Pakistanis' ability to keep Mogadishu's streets at least as safe as they became under the Marines who just left.
Somalis worry whether the Pakistanis are tough enough. The Pakistanis know they will be tested, by chance or design. They say they're ready to hit back hard the first time to set an example.
So far, their transition period has been pretty smooth. The bulk of the 4,700 Pakistanis arrived in late April. The Marines shared patrols with them for a few days before the United States turned over control of Operation Restore Hope to the United Nations.
"We were nervous at first, but now we have enough confidence," said Lt. Arif Rehan.
The problem is winning the people's confidence and respect. Somalis view the Pakistanis as weak because they were unable to halt looters while protecting the port last year. A U.S.-led coalition was called in to safeguard food shipments to the starving.