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| Iraq |
| US military wields carrots, sticks in Iraq (or Passive-Agressive a good thing) |
| 2005-09-23 |
| In a counter-insurgent war, there are carrots and there are sticks. Here in Diyala province, the carrot is a nearly $500 million investment in schools, health clinics, roads sewage systems and electricity. The stick -- at least for the time being -- is Col. Steven Salazar, 47, commander of "Task Force Sledgehammer," the 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division. Where other senior military officers lavish attention on local sheiks and work the imams, Salazar leaves that to his battalion commanders. This is not to say he doesn't try to abide by local cultural norms. In genial conversations with the province's governor and chief of police, Salazar lards his conversations with as many flowery compliments and "God willings" as anyone. He is patient and politic with callers on his monthly radio appearance. But once convinced diplomacy is not getting him anywhere, he happily abandons talk for action. The sheik in Muqtadiya, a large town north of Baquba, this week is learning what happens when he refuses a request from Salazar. The roads around the city -- roads driven on by U.S. and Iraqi forces and civilians -- have recently seen a spate of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, the roadside bombs that cause the bulk of U.S. casualties in Iraq. A U.S. commander went to discuss the matter with Sheik Allawi. "Sheik Allawi has the ability to manage this problem when he wants to," Salazar said Wednesday. The bombs did not stop. So Salazar implemented a strategy he has used throughout his area of operations, the western half of Diyala, just north of Baghdad: shut down the road on which any IED is found for 24 to 48 hours. It's a matter of safety, but also one of spreading the pain. If the local community is inconvenienced by the road closure, goes the theory, perhaps they will put pressure on the local insurgents to stop. "But we continued to have IEDs in Muqtadiya," Salazar said. "So we informed the sheik that whenever we find an IED we will eliminate every (obstacle and structure) within a 100 meters of the bomb." In this case it means date palms and small roadside shacks from which people sell sodas and snacks. But next time it could be more substantial structures. "It's completely within our (rules of engagement). Anything used by (insurgents) can be taken away, from berms to old infrastructures, whatever ... But this is really the first time we've used it. This is a little bit different," said Salazar. "We're trying to get them to see cause and effect. If there is an IED attack in the afternoon we begin interdiction that night." |
| Posted by:Captain America |
| #3 Be sure to read the whole article at the link. There is a lot more. Excellent stuff. |
| Posted by: JackAssFestival 2005-09-23 08:40 |
| #2 Loverly |
| Posted by: Glonter Shosing3652 2005-09-23 08:14 |
| #1 So we informed the sheik that whenever we find an IED we will eliminate every (obstacle and structure) within a 100 meters of the bomb I do believe he's got it! |
| Posted by: Dr H Higgins 2005-09-23 07:35 |