Article

2007-06-27 Iraq

U.S. military shows serious doubt in Iraq troops

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2007-06-27 10:54|| || Front Page|| [11134 views ] Top
File under: Iraqi Insurgency

#1 This is compared to Korean or Vietnamese troops three to four years into their fight for survival as a nation?

Posted by Procopius2k 2007-06-27 12:35|| 2007-06-27 12:35|| Front Page Top

#2 MSNBC, home of BDS.

Posted by mojo">mojo 2007-06-27 13:09|| 2007-06-27 13:09|| Front Page Top

#3 thanks mojo,
I noticed that too [PMSMBC]. Seems a little premature to condemn the entire "Surge" before it is over, even recognizing that some parts/units of the Iraqi Armed Forces and police have problems while some units perform quite well.

Posted by RD">RD 2007-06-27 13:27|| 2007-06-27 13:27|| Front Page Top

#4 This is more about fulfilling Harry Reid's prophecy.

Posted by Bobby 2007-06-27 13:37|| 2007-06-27 13:37|| Front Page Top

#5 As I said before, the Diyala IA forces are the least of the IA, which almost goes without saying, because otherwise there wouldn't be a problem in Diyala.

All the other IA were mediocre at best until they had spent considerable time being reordered by US Army and Marines. Now they are doing quite well, thank you.

So we should expect that there will now be intense training, equipping, more training, evaluation, practice, and more training, until the Diyala and Baghdad area IA are up to snuff.

That's what we did will everybody else.

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-06-27 13:54|| 2007-06-27 13:54|| Front Page Top

#6 While #5's opst is about the what SHOULD be, I look for some 'realignment' within the top brass. perhaps someone who's rose colored glasses have the same prescription as W's.
too late for carpet bombing, and all the testosterone has left the building.....

Posted by USN, Ret. 2007-06-27 14:01|| 2007-06-27 14:01|| Front Page Top

#7 Good discussion at a report by Bill Roggio

Scroll down into the comments to about Posted by Max | June 27, 2007 12:27 AM and read from there -- rather, just read all the comments. Good info on this topic. Seems, some generals disagree with other generals. And, it depends on where the Iraqi forces are! Dud...

Posted by Sherry 2007-06-27 15:03|| 2007-06-27 15:03|| Front Page Top

#8 To some degree Iraqi forces won't lose ground back to Al Quaeda - they'll sell it back to them. When capitalism and corruption meet, the progeny can be ugly.

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2007-06-27 17:38|| 2007-06-27 17:38|| Front Page Top

#9 There's some interesting spin going on recently. The 'surge' really is just STARTING. It took until a week or two ago to get the full complement of troops and equipment in theater.

Posted by lotp 2007-06-27 17:51|| 2007-06-27 17:51|| Front Page Top

#10 USN, Ret: I wouldn't be too pessimistic. Compare the Diyala IA with a green crew on a shakedown cruise, where to the old hands it looks like a total cluster drill while the ship is falling apart around them.

But in this case, the old crew is on its third or fourth shakedown with green crews, so they expect it to look like a mess, and know how to get things ship shape with all due speed.

(Ground pounders should not try to use naval analogies. I bet your teeth clenched at least once reading the above.)

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-06-27 18:18|| 2007-06-27 18:18|| Front Page Top

#11 Charge! Flank Speed and don't fire till you see the whites! Darn those torpedoes, they're s0000 cute, scalp 'em! Then bury the torpedo in a pigskin and drop 'em over Mekka! Wit a MOAB!

Posted by Shipman 2007-06-27 19:09|| 2007-06-27 19:09|| Front Page Top

#12 I wouldn't compare the Iraqis to the Koreans or Vietnamese; entirely different cultures and standards when it comes to martial prowess. Plus, as others mentioned, proficiency often depends on region and local commanders, tribal and otherwise. Sad but true. We can only do so much. Some IA units will be inherently better than others. Training a competent non-corrupt professional military organization will take years. It's gonna take years just to re-program their NCOs and Officers.

Posted by Broadhead6 2007-06-27 19:46|| 2007-06-27 19:46|| Front Page Top

23:39 Idols
23:28 Broadhead6
23:17 anymouse
23:17 Sock Puppet of Doom
23:14 ryuge
23:10 3dc
23:01 no mo uro
22:41 lotp
22:32 Super Hose
22:28 Barbara Skolaut
22:27 Bright Pebbles
22:26 Bright Pebbles
22:22 no mo uro
22:18 Super Hose
22:17 lotp
22:16 Steve White
22:16 Super Hose
22:07 Broadhead6
22:05 Abdominal Snowman
22:04 Broadhead6
22:03 Abdominal Snowman
21:57 DarthVader
21:51 no mo uro
21:46 3dc