AL Anbar and DDR

[Strickland]

I was not of the impression that was the case in EVERY province in Iraq. It may be the case in Baghdad, Ninewah, Anbar, etc. Again, a WORSE scenario of murder and rape occurred in the DPR Congo, and DDR worked.

[120mm]

I was not of the impression that was the case in EVERY province in Iraq. It may be the case in Baghdad, Ninewah, Anbar, etc. Again, a WORSE scenario of murder and rape occurred in the DPR Congo, and DDR worked.

It's not the scenario; it's the belief. I can see that we are talking past each other on this. Diminish the belief that the AK in the closet is the only thing keeping the "wolves at bay" and you can then get the AK out of the closet.

I think a saner approach would be to incorporate the AK, the owner, and the armed "neighborhood watch/militia" into a political solution.

I find it ironic that world opinion sees destroying the militias and forced disarmament as "good", but forced relocation is this evil thing called "ethnic cleansing." My objections to forced relocation are melting away as this thing ratchets up.

[goesh]

People with multiple weapons in the home can't be shot on the spot and other than being briefly detained and questioned, there doesn't seem to be much happening to them. It appears the IDF tactic of bulldozing homes is against ROE so what if there were other consequences? I might be reaching here and crazy, but what about confiscation of valued goods for breaking this law? How about confiscating say the adult's beds? Their electronic gear if they have any? Chairs? Anything that is going to make them uncomfortable and pay a price. Touch nothing of the kid's stuff or any food, but make the adults suffer a loss for violating this rule. Why not take all the clothes the adults have, leaving them with what they are wearing? When multiple weapons and clips are found, take all the clips but one and 1 AK, smash up the AKs, bend the barrels and leave them on the spot where the confiscated bed used to stand, where that comfortable chair used to sit. Then post a sign outside the home that reads: "rule of 1 violated: punishment - loss of 1 bed, 1 chair and a DVD player - said goods to be sold and the proceeds donated to the Iraqi National Soccer team". The trick would be to come back in a few weeks and search the home again and if there is only 1 AK present, pay them for the goods confiscated. Conversely, when a home is randomly searched and only 1 AK is found, I don't see why platoon leaders couldn't have the discretion to pay a small token cash reward for being good citizens and obeying the law of 1. Make a PR event of this - after a bunch of stuff is confiscated, sell it and give the money to a soccer team or an orphanage. Muslims are big on helping orphans. After X number of Iraqis have been given a little cash reward for being good citizens, make a big announcement about it: "Allah Uakhbar - on this day, 51 Iraqi families were given each X number of dollars for keeping only 1 weapon in the home". I might be crazy and reaching here, but ask me if I give a da**.

I'm a civilian sitting safe in a nice stateside environment but I carry a .357 in my car. I think it would be difficult to expect good Iraqis in many areas to leave their homes unarmed. It's easy to sit safely here and spout big ideas when the reality on the ground over there is much different but the mold has to be broken in some ways and in some places. The jihadis/insurgents have your patterns and behaviors down pat, to the T.