Our Troops Did Not Fail in 2006

[Surferbeetle]

Gian,

This war is a bitch, and we will not be able MCO our way to victory, it requires much, much more of us than that.

In my opinion COIN, which is a tactic, requires total commitment to the populace. Tribal forces are very strong in Iraq, I have encountered nothing like them in the west. Iraqi’s, just like people the world over, are very astute and can easily determine if the level of commitment, security, and strength of the associated institutions which provide this security are sufficient for them to fully commit themselves and the fate of their families to. For Iraqi’s this math has not added up in the United States favor as opposed to the Tribes favor until very recently. Cause and effect points towards MNF’s change in leadership and tactics for this shift, however the Iraqi populace’s perceptions about America’s level of strength and commitment to the project will drive whether or not they continue with the current status quo or move back to Tribal strength and security. Simply put, Today is what is taken measure of by Iraqi’s and we have to be strong and committed to them each and every ‘Today’ in order to win their trust and loyalty.

Our tours are 12 or 15 months and we get to go home if we live. We get to rest at night because our fellow soldiers watch over us. When we go outside the wire every day to work our fellow soldiers watch over us. There are only ~150,000 troops in Iraq according to the press, and because of this and many other reasons we are very loyal to our own and all of us hurt when one of us falls.

Iraqi ‘tours’ are not 12 or 15 months. Who watches over Iraqi families at night? Who looks out for Iraqis when the venture out everyday? Who gives food, water, and money to families whose members do not or cannot work? I would suggest that it is the Tribe (and ~26 million Iraqi's belong to Tribes), and because of this simple fact it is apparent where Iraqi loyalties lie.

Does this state of affairs negate the sacrifices and successes those of us who have served America? No of course not, but we serve in Iraq, not America, and it is the Iraqi’s who judge, and act upon the judgment of what we do or leave undone that will determine our success or failure in that country. Nor can we freeze just one, or more, individual combat tour(s) and declare the campaign a success. We have to nug all of this campaign out.

There are no easy answers that I can see.

Steve