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2006-10-17 Iraq

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Posted by Bobby 2006-10-17 06:21|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Hopefully, they won't melt away at the first sign of trouble. I don't have much confidence in the Iraqi army or police.

Posted by ET 2006-10-17 11:00|| 2006-10-17 11:00|| Front Page Top

#2 is their "Area of responsiblity" all of Ramadi or just a part? The whole city would seem a pretty big bite for just a battalion.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-10-17 11:36|| 2006-10-17 11:36|| Front Page Top

#3 ET: The Iraqi military are being turned into top-notch "reliables", after that long-ago debacle where they ran away. The trick is once they are organized with lots of US support, they are kept under continual pressure, training, and increasing levels of combat action, along with declining US involvement. Their leaders get and keep getting additional schooling, and after a time the light dawns that they are doing it all themselves, without help. This is a superb confidence builder.

This has made especially their junior officer corps world-class, is rapidly building their NCO corps, with even junior enlisted men acting with the proficiency and confidence of seasoned combat soldiers.

Intentionally, moving into Ramadi will probably be a step down from their "highest pressure level", so they will be fully confident from day 1 in their new duty assignment.

The National Police are a much harder problem, and have been far harder to professionalize. But in the past year, they, too, have been on a continual upgrade track. Fortunately, they are always in lower pressure situations than is the army.

There have already been several instances where they police have demonstrated a willingness to fight to the death against overwhelming odds, and it doesn't take a whole lot of that to have a serious impact on the bad guys.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-10-17 14:16|| 2006-10-17 14:16|| Front Page Top

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