A Soldier's Story

[jonSlack]

Last night the Iraqi Army captured Ibrahim's cell leader and brought the two together in the same small room. For Ibrahim, this was a very traumatic moment, for he saw that the pious Muslim man, whom he followed but had not met, was in fact a 27-year-old tattooed common criminal. Ibrahim began to weep when he realized he had been deceived. A greedy and immoral man who killed for money while pretending to be religious had skillfully manipulated Ibrahim's anger at Americans. Before Ibrahim was turned over to the Iraqi authorities, I saw him teaching soldiers to use their new office computer. He was helping them to type up his own written confession. But Ibrahim's transformation is an anomaly.

Is there a Kit Carson program in Iraq or Afghanistan where guys like Ibrahim could serve?

[Steve Blair]

Is there a Kit Carson program in Iraq or Afghanistan where guys like Ibrahim could serve?

If not, there sure as hell should be.

[Rob Thornton]

Steve, I did some asking around. The closest thing we have would be turning the guy into an informant, but even that has issues - can't discuss too much about this on NIPR. I think its a great idea though and I will bring it up. Keep in mind though, the CF does not tell MOD how to recruit, they are more and more in the lead, and if that means they don't like all of our advice, then we just have to swallow hard. There are many AIF though who find out the hard way that Jihad was just about somebody getting paid. There may be a Kit Carson style program elsewhere in Iraq, I'm not sure. As for us, we missed the boat on it during the last couple of years I think.
Rob

[Steve Blair]

I think you're right, Rob, and it's a shame. There were some problems with the KCS program to be sure, but it was a step in the right direction.

[Jedburgh]

Steve, I did some asking around. The closest thing we have would be turning the guy into an informant, but even that has issues - can't discuss too much about this on NIPR. I think its a great idea though and I will bring it up. Keep in mind though, the CF does not tell MOD how to recruit, they are more and more in the lead, and if that means they don't like all of our advice, then we just have to swallow hard. There are many AIF though who find out the hard way that Jihad was just about somebody getting paid. There may be a Kit Carson style program elsewhere in Iraq, I'm not sure. As for us, we missed the boat on it during the last couple of years I think.
Rob

I think you're right, Rob, and it's a shame. There were some problems with the KCS program to be sure, but it was a step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, there is no equivalent of Chieu Hoi, as regards a nationwide amnesty program focused at depleting the ranks of the bad guys. Strickland brought that up a few months back - but it hasn't been discussed at length here on SWC.

The pathetically disjointed efforts at turning sources that Rob alluded to is not even a pale reflection of concerted amnesty program aimed at recruiting former bad guys against their erstwhile compadres.

It takes a concerted nation-wide program, with a lot of dedicated support assets - not least of all PSYOP - working hand-in-hand with the indig to leverage bad guys who may be at the tipping point over to our side. As only a nationwide program will be successful in permitting us efficient screening of the line-crossers so that we can more effectively select individuals to be "informants", act as scouts, or simply be re-integrated into "peaceful" society.