Article

2003-12-17 Iraq

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Posted by Steve 2003-12-17 9:35:36 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Lt. Col. Russel deserves something from US.

Posted by Robert Crawford 2003-12-17 9:42:56 AM|| [http://www.kloognome.com] 2003-12-17 9:42:56 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Travel into and out of the Sunni triangle should be severely restricted, including the media. Snipers and ambushes can take out anyone breaking the restriction. This is how the Britts won in Malaysia. Once they are restricted the rest of Iraq can progress without being infected.

Also, as Ralph Peters says, if they don't have enough power, or fresh water for all of Iraq the Sunni triangle should be the first one to be hit by the lapse. Let them feel the pain of their own terrorist attacks on oil wells, power and water lines, etc.

Let the pain of the war be felt by the Sunni triangle and not by all of Iraq. Eventually they'll come around.

Posted by ruprecht 2003-12-17 11:01:06 AM|| 2003-12-17 11:01:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Limit energy and water supplies until the people give up the insurgents. As the security situation improves so do the services.

Posted by Tancred 2003-12-17 11:16:10 AM|| 2003-12-17 11:16:10 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Victor Davis Hanson writes of how Sherman took the war to those southerners who had supported the rebellion and reaped the benefits of slavery while remaining untouched in their deep south havens. This same fate should await those in the Sunni Triangle who have reaped the benefits of Sadam's terror at the expense of the Kurds in the north and the Shia in the south.

Posted by Sgt.DT 2003-12-17 12:00:49 PM|| 2003-12-17 12:00:49 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 US army has toughened tactics and ROE since October apparently, and these seem to be working. Why tighten them any further, with risks to hearts and minds war? Seems best strategy is differentiate among Sunni areas - in some (Ramadi, Baquba, Balad) things seem to be getting quieter, and/or we have friends. In others (falujah, Samarra, Tikrit) things are much worse. So apply the toughest tactics and ROE to the latter, and reward the former. You need a carrot as well as a stick. And doesnt USMC "small wars" doctrine say that political victory is as important as military, that youre always fighting for hearts and minds?

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-12-17 2:50:17 PM|| 2003-12-17 2:50:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 From today's Andrew Sullivan site [From the Guardian]:
In the same northern Iraqi town yesterday, about 700 people rallied, chanting: "Saddam is in our hearts, Saddam is in our blood." US soldiers and Iraqi policemen shouted back: "Saddam is in our jail."

Posted by Carlye 2003-12-17 2:53:30 PM|| 2003-12-17 2:53:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 from a dot mil website review of USMC small wars manual

'It recognizes that ultimate victory will only be possible if the root causes for resistance are addressed to the population, be they social, political, or economic. This can only be determined by a study of the history and culture of the native people and mastered by experience in country. Likewise it recognizes a psychological ascendancy in these types of operations, which speaks directly to re-directing the perceptions and beliefs of the native population, either by psychological operations, or by undercutting the insurgentsâ popular support by addressing some of the causes of dissent. Attacking those furnishing material support or improving the lives of the population, obviating their need for insurrectionists, can accomplish this. Personal conduct of US forces must be beyond reproach as âthey judge the United States and the ideals and standards of its people by the conduct of its representatives.â Even-handedness and cognizance of belligerent parties, local politics, and customs is one of the keys to creditability and success.'

Posted by liberalhawk 2003-12-17 2:53:55 PM|| 2003-12-17 2:53:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Yeah but our man Steve's is not allowed to use the SWM, it's copyright 1934 USMC.

Steve needs the BWM.

Seriously tho... yeah.

Posted by Shipman 2003-12-17 3:30:10 PM|| 2003-12-17 3:30:10 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 "It is someone wearing a Saddam mask," volunteered Waleed Ibrahim, a 25-year-old tire repairman in Fallujah.

Apparently, Mr. Ibrahim has been watching too many Pepsi commercials.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2003-12-17 4:48:07 PM|| 2003-12-17 4:48:07 PM|| Front Page Top

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