Sassaman Interview

[Old Eagle]

What exactly are you proposing as an alternative to helping local forces secure themselves?

[Cavguy]

Datroy,

Good summation of training "LSF" as you call it. I have lived in, in OIF 1 and OIF 05-07. Over the four year span I watched a massive evolution in competency (zilch in OIF 1, to "good" by OIF 05-07).

You seem to argue the most competent force (ours) should do COIN instead of focusing on training HN. However, this doesn't give you an "exit" down the road. So like Old Eagle, what do you propose - permanent occupation? And are we really as good as we think we are?

I think there's a mid-ground to your argument. Developing HN capacity takes time, in which the occupier must provide security. Over time one replaces the other. I agree, standing up forces rapidly and handing off without sufficent preparation invites disaster (witness ICDC performance in 2004 Fallujah I and Sadr rebellion), but contrast that with ISF performance in Tal Afar (2005-present), Ramadi, Baghdad, Basra, and most recently Sadr City. We've come a long way.

BTW, no post gets you "in trouble" as long as you can base your assertions with logical argument. RTK wasn't trying to shoot you down as much as point out that LTC Sassman's motives, character, and points must be taken into account before drawing too many lessons from his experience. Besides, tactics in 2003 Iraq has about as much relevance to 2008 Iraq as WWII. And his whining that if only he had been able to use MORE force is simply silly.