Article

2005-11-08 Iraq

Iraq's first multi-battalion force joins 'Steel Curtain' op

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 Steve White 2005-11-08 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Interesting choice of words. "Multi-battalion" sounds like "independent" battalions. However, if they are organized together, that is, conducting combined operations in a coordinated fashion, then they are a "brigade".

This is important, because brigade operations are very, very different from those of independent battalions. They take a great deal of skill to pull off successfully, and are a major stepping stone to having fully functional organic divisions.

For years, the US Army used the organic division task organization, which is optimal for Cold War conventional conflicts. However, the Rumsfeld conversion has re-ordered the Army to function as organic brigades--designed to fight an entirely different kind of conflict.

So how are we setting up the task organization of the Iraqi Army? We have already conducted two division-level maneuvers to train Iraqi officers in division operations. This training is priceless, as no other country but Israel in the whole region has the skill to field an organic division--their divisions are paper only.

And yet, this latest operation points to establishing brigade-sized operational zones within the country. There doesn't yet seem to be any task ordering high than battalion level, which is confusing. Are they intentionally trying to deceive about the level of Iraqi army organization, or are the Iraqis truly not yet able to function as organic brigades?

I doubt the latter, as with as many battalions as they have, and as many skilled US trainers, it seems unreasonable.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-11-08 08:43|| 2005-11-08 08:43|| Front Page Top

#2 Hey, 'moose, dont forget that this was written or edited by a journalist. On average these guys neither know nor care about the difference between a BN and a BDE. Its a "just a bunch of fools dressed alike" to your typical J-school grad.

Which, although frustrating, suits me fine in the OPSEC sense.

Posted by N guard 2005-11-08 11:28|| 2005-11-08 11:28|| Front Page Top

#3 Anonymoose

Brigades and divisions are not merely N batalions or regiments: they are combined arms entities while a multi-batalion force useually means mostly pure infantry or pure armor. A brigade is more capable but also requires more skill than a "pure" force of equivalent numbers.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2005-11-08 15:42|| 2005-11-08 15:42|| Front Page Top

00:05 Besoeker
23:39 anonymous2u
23:27 anonymous2u
23:11 MunkarKat
23:06 Jan
22:54 Jan
22:40 xbalanke
22:33 Grunter
22:31 anonymous2u
22:30 AzCat
22:25 phil_b
22:23 john
22:21 Barbara Skolaut
22:07 anonymous2u
21:53 usmc6743
21:35 Throluling Thaimp6708
21:34 Eric Jablow
21:30 Bomb-a-rama
21:26 Bomb-a-rama
21:26 Eric Jablow
21:17 Curt Simon
21:16 gromgoru
21:05 Mike
21:04 Besoeker