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| Iraq | |
| Once Skeptical, Gen. Lamb Sees Iraqi Success | |
| 2003-12-24 | |
| When Maj. Gen. Graeme Lamb, a 50-year-old Briton, arrived in June to lead the mainly European force controlling southeastern Iraq, he was skeptical. He felt that "this is going to be a lot more difficult than we realized." But as General Lamb prepared to hand his command to another British general, he said that Saddam Hussein's capture and other changes, including progress in restoring oil installations, power stations and running water, as well as the Iraqis' fast-rising prosperity, had fostered a new confidence that the American-led occupation force can eventually hand a politically stable Iraq back to its people. "Is this do-able?" he said. "You'd better believe it." The British officer described himself as neither optimist nor pessimist but "a hard-boiled realist," then offered an upbeat assessment that matched that of American generals: "I think we're in great shape." He took a jab at the press. Western reporters, he implied, had come to an early conclusion that the allied undertaking in Iraq would not succeed, and had failed to adjust. He compared this with criticism that greeted allied forces in the first stages of the spring invasion, when resistance stalled the drive to Baghdad. The plan provided for 125 days to take Baghdad, and it was accomplished in 23 days, he noted. But, he told reporters, "you had us dead and buried in seven days." The general is finishing his six-month command of an 11-nation contingent of 13,000 troops, based in Basra, that controls an area covering about a quarter of Iraq, home to five million people. He has served in front-line units in Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf war, the Balkans, Northern Ireland and the Falkland Islands, and was with British headquarters staff during the invasion of Iraq in March. The general said Mr. Hussein's capture on Dec. 13 in an underground bunker near Tikrit had lifted the shadow that his months as a fugitive left on Iraqis. "We've just buried that nail in the coffin," General Lamb said. "He's not coming back." For the insurgents, this removed a figurehead, if not a cause; for other Iraqis, particularly Shiites, the country's largest single group, it lifted a widespread fear of Mr. Hussein's restoration that had acted as a drag on the allied forces' prospects. "These are difficult waters that those who are against us swim in," the general said. At times he tempered his enthusiasm. "I sense that we're well in the corner," he said. "We haven't turned the corner — this is a huge undertaking — but we are moving forward." The general said he spoke principally from his experience in the south, where the population is 85 percent Shiite. But he based his conclusions, too, he said, on first-hand knowledge of conditions faced by fellow allied commanders: the American generals who command 120,000 American troops in military districts that account for 20 million other Iraqis, including Baghdad and the restive Sunni Muslim regions north and west of the capital. It is in these regions that more than 90 percent of the attacks on allied forces have occurred. The south has been far quieter, though General Lamb said 20 British troops had died since he took command. Progress, he said, has been rapid in meeting grievances in the south. He gave a chronicle of more than 1,000 repair and rebuilding projects involving oil installations, water-pumping stations and pipes, power stations and cement plants, as well as schools, hospitals, clinics and cultural institutions. With funds from the United States, Britain and others, he said, spending could soon rise to $250 million on infrastructure that had deteriorated disastrously under Mr. Hussein.
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| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #8 I have to agree that sniping and whining is not an attractive aspect of british culture, and I'm a brit who left for greener pastures a long time ago. Otherwise ZF is right the Americans are better team players, although this results in the brits are more tolerant of people being different which can be a good thing. One thing to bear in mind is that when these British officers talk their intended audience is UK public opinion which is much less convinced of the need to pay for a strong professional military than the US public. How would they have fared in the sunni triangle? The question is moot, because they are not there, but don't forget that they have 25 years of counter insurgency experience in N. Ireland, whereas the US military has none before afghanistan, so I wouldn't write them off as quickly as Jack. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2003-12-24 6:02:34 PM |
#7 Same here Jack, I've read through the article (quite long) and couldn't find any 'high and mighty' attitude."GEN. LAMB: Yeah, the question was about are the British forces more experienced in dealing with the Iraqi people, and therefore did the Iraqis ask us to assist? And the answer is, -- and the experience line was being questioned against my American partners in this coalition. A number of years ago, I'd have said without a question of doubt the British were very much more experienced in dealing with some of these issues. One should not underestimate just how busy the United States have been in the Balkans and elsewhere around the world in gaining some of those experiences. Put against the benchmark of where we are, I sense they're just slightly behind the drag curve. And that's a result of thirty years over in Northern Ireland, working in Africa and then working in the Middle East in particular over many years. So I sense actually we've just got a bit of an advantage over most of the forces we have here. But when I look around the sum of the experience, there are very few force elements -- and it's wrong to just judge in effect a force by the individual you'll speak -- you'll meet on the street, whether he be from Birmingham or from Baltimore. The truth is, actually both of those guys will have probably a little bit of experience. I met some paratroopers up here the other day from the British, and they'd only been in the army for two months. So they got zero experience. They come with -- (inaudible.) So it would be wrong to do that. Anyhow, 70 mins to go to christmas day, so y'all have a good one tomorrow! (I've already eaten far too many mince pies) |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2003-12-24 5:48:08 PM |
| #6 "I sense that we're well in the corner," Baby we're past the apex! Hit the gas, run thru the gears and pass anything painted in baby blue and yellow. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-12-24 5:45:33 PM |
| #5 Pretty harsh condemnation of our staunchest ally in the WoT Sniping is the British way of life - friends, enemies, whatever - Jack's just getting in a few licks of his own. I think Brits are just insecure - the incessant sniping makes them feel better about themselves. Whatever floats their boat, as long as we're on the same side. (Apropros of nothing, the stereotype of Americans being rugged individualists is wrong - Americans are actually team players, who have no problems taking risks - whereas Brits tend to snipe at every opportunity, while sticking religiously to the rule book). |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-12-24 2:54:11 PM |
| #4 Jack--Pretty harsh condemnation of our staunchest ally in the WoT (basically accusing them of being French)! What brought that on? |
| Posted by: Dar 2003-12-24 1:43:58 PM |
#3 The region's population is about 5 million, of which about 85 percent are Shi'a. The division who's responsible (for this area and civil ?) people that I have is a little over 13,000 troops. About two-thirds of these are British. The remaining third is made up of an Italian brigade, supported by the Carabinieri; a Dutch, Danish and Romanian battle group; of Portuguese police; Norwegian and New Zealand engineers; some police from the Czech Republic -- they had a hospital in the town, which did some great work -- a small contingent from Lithuanian -- Lithuania; and two explosive ordnance experts from Iceland. His whole briefing is here. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2003-12-24 8:49:16 AM |
| #2 I wouldn't take dismiss the British miltary so lightly,Jack.The Royal Marines are some of the toughest SOB's on the planet,our SEALS and Delta Boys train with the SAS.Saw a Discovery Channel docu on Royal Marine survival training,ain't something I could contemplate doing. |
| Posted by: raptor 2003-12-24 7:57:32 AM |
| #1 I often wonder how the Brits with their high and mighty view of themselves versus us would have fared in the north and sunni triangle? First, of course, they don't have the iron or horses and second the moolah but they certainly are always first to compare their own ways to ours when doodoo hits the fan. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2003-12-24 6:29:06 AM |