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2007-06-26 Iraq

Understanding Current Operations in Iraq

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Posted by Alaska Paul 2007-06-26 10:37|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top
File under: Iraqi Insurgency

#1 smart man

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-06-26 13:09|| 2007-06-26 13:09|| Front Page Top

#2 For my mind, the biggest question remains southern Iraq. It is the one part of the country where US forces have never been part of the "culture" of the place.

While the British and other forces of the MNF have been there, their military culture and ours are very different in how they interact with the locals.

The British have a bad habit of thinking they understand Arabs, and this can cloud their thinking, making them too willing to accept the less than desirable, because "It is the Arab way."

The US, however, takes everything at face value. They do not assign values to people they know nothing about, good or bad. And when actions speak louder than words, a certain clarity is obtained. A sense of mutual honesty, as many of the illusions are set aside and you act polite, until evidence convinces you otherwise.

So I think, in the long run, now that much of the West has been stabilized, and Baghdad and environs, along with the North are cooled, the US will have to spend considerable time in the South.

Not especially in an aggressive manner. Just so that we become known to each other. It is to our great advantage that we do not leave a large region behind where Americans are known mostly from gossip, rumor, and tall tales.

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-06-26 18:04|| 2007-06-26 18:04|| Front Page Top

#3 Moose, we have had interaction with the south inasmuch of the supplies/logistics came in there and the Shatt-Al-Arab denizens HAVE To know things are better since we came in. If they don't lean Iranian, we can win them over, IMHO. If they do, we can solve that too....

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-06-26 18:35|| 2007-06-26 18:35|| Front Page Top

#4 Iraqis have proven that they will inform of terrorist safe-houses, as long as they feel protected in so doing. I don't believe that "hiding" is an infallible weapon. Search and destroy!

Posted by Pheang Jones9468 2007-06-26 19:18|| 2007-06-26 19:18|| Front Page Top

#5 IMHO, it always comes down to the tribes and understanding how they work in the context of their environment and local history. Some commanders I see embrace that and they do well. Others try to treat the Arab like Americans and fail. They're just not there yet. We have to incrementally deprogram them - this is a long work in project. Unfortunately our 5 second sound byte generation of morons in office & much of a particular voting block prolly won't give us the time and lee way necessary to really crack this nut.

Posted by Broadhead6 2007-06-26 21:28|| 2007-06-26 21:28|| Front Page Top

23:53 Super Hose
23:45 Super Hose
23:31 Zenster
23:26 Super Hose
23:19 Anonymoose
23:02 gromgoru
22:55 Eric Jablow
22:55 Super Hose
22:48 Super Hose
22:40 gromgoru
22:32 Rambler
22:24 Zenster
22:18 Frank G
22:16 Frank G
22:15 Frank G
22:12 Bright Pebbles
22:11 Frank G
22:09 3dc
22:08 AlGore
22:05 jds
22:04 Gary and the Samoyeds
22:02 gromgoru
22:00 Gary and the Samoyeds
21:59 Zenster