There are lots of pictures out there that should inspire you. Try the Concord books. I suppose it depends on the unit you are depicting, but it seems to me that a roadway of some sort would make an immediate connection for an OIF dio. In the intitial invasion, after the 3rd ID got out of the southern Iraqi desert, they stuck to main raods, mostly highways, as they advanced to Baghdad. So, modern items such as guardrails, modern roadway surface and the road markings to go with it, a palm tree or two, and possibly a Saddam mural, ... just to start.
Other ideas would be civilians standing on the side of the road watching the tank go by. You could say a lot with fine nuances here (expressions on the civilian faces) from happy people to concerned people, etc. VLS sells a Middle Eastern high rise apartment that would be great for such an inner city scene.
Myself, I just finished a dio with an M1 going down the highway in Baghdad while going under an overpass (the overpasses had some of the heaviest fighting around them). I got to try my scratchbuilding skills at making guardrails, and sidewalks, asphalt, and of course the bridge structure, along with a highway sign courtesy of Gino.
If you narrowed your thoughts down, I could provide you with a few photos to help.
Bob