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| Iraq |
| W. Thomas Smith: on patrol in Al Qaim |
| 2007-08-01 |
| . . . AQI is trying to move back into the Al Qaim region which the Marines have so effectively killed or beaten out. According to intelligence, AQI is planning something “big” here in the coming days. Bohm is trying to disrupt that effort by keeping the tempo hot against them. The terrorists are operating in isolated groups out in the open flats just beyond Karabilah (some are believed to be in the city) and other tiny impoverished towns and villages here on the Syrian border. Foreign fighters are also crossing the border along with the nearly impossible to control smuggling trade of cigarettes, goats, and gasoline. Bohm tells me, “What we see as smuggling, these people see as business.” This morning, after about three hours sleep, we saddled up for another patrol: Making our presence known, visiting a couple houses, passing out candy to the boys and girls. Barking dogs followed us everywhere, and as we moved down narrow streets and alleyways, a few Iraqis peered at us from partially opened doors. Three times, we passed sheperds with their “baaaing” flocks. In all cases, there were small boys with them who seemed fascinated to be standing so close to the big, heavily armed, profusely sweating Marines as our patrol passed. And they were thrilled when one or more Marines reached into their cargo pockets and pulled out small bags of Skittles, Charms, Sweet Tarts, and various hard candies (M&Ms and other chocolates wouldn’t survive this heat). At one house, our Navy Corpsman, Dave “Doc K” Kukreja, gave some pain medicine to an elderly woman who is gravely ill with cancer. Working through an Iraqi “terp,” Doc also tried to explain issues to — and comfort — her family. . . . |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #3 wx, You mean Eastern Syria, or Western Iraq? (Western Syria is our potential debarcation point for the return home via the Med. Sea.) We can't afford to shut down all smuggling, even if it was possible, because it would make the smugglers active enemies rather than quasi-neutrals or passive enemies. Ideally trade in cigs, goats, etc. would become legitimized, and we would only crack down on smuggling of arms and jihadis. That won't happen either. So your idea has some merit - quietly monitor the trade and ID where really bad stuff is coming from (or going to) and cause those places to go away. Even if they're in Syria, Jordan, or Iran. The capitalist trader will then raise his risk premium and thus the cost of moving bad stuff, or focus on safer goods. He will be more opposed to us than before, but perhaps not to the point of doing much about it (sort of like my opposition to TSA confiscating my peanut butter.) |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-08-01 10:16 |
| #2 Keep enough drones overhead to pinpoint where they are coming from, safehouses or a camp, whatever. Then, if a tree falls at night in western Syria and there's no one left alive to report it, did it make a sound ? |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-08-01 09:51 |
| #1 Buy thier F%&^*ing cigarettes, goats, or the by products of thier herds. Then stop all movement across the border. Be a hell of a lot cheaper then losing our soldiers. |
| Posted by: plainslow 2007-08-01 09:32 |