Hard Lessons: The Iraq Reconstruction Experience

[MikeF]

Thanks to all for the links and synopsis of relevant case studies. I'm still sorting through all the information. As COL Jones (Bob's World) stated in an earlier thread,

The U.S. currently does not possess a Grand Strategy of any sort, let alone one designed for the post-Cold War world we live in today.

If we look at the overall problem from that perspective, then the issue of over-spending or inappropriate use of funds is one of process deriving from the absence of grand strategy. So, I suppose we need to begin with the elephant in the room (strategy), develop the proper big government task organization (structure), and derive the appropriate doctrine (processes) equipped with adequate funding and resources (means) from congress to meet the desired endstate.

Sounds simple.

In the short term, it is probably imperative for junior officers to get smart on USAID doctrine and comparative nation-building case studies to ensure that we are honest brokers and good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars.

v/r

Mike

[Surferbeetle]

The Rand Technical Report TR 633: Guidebook for Supporting Economic Development in Stability Operations

This guidebook is designed to help U.S. Army personnel more effectively use economic assistance to support economic and infrastructure development. The guidebook should help tactical commanders choose and implement more effective programs and projects in their areas of responsibility and better understand the economic context of their efforts. It describes key characteristics of the economic environment, the key players that soldiers are likely to encounter, and who may be involved in what sorts of assistance efforts. It also provides suggestions on what to and what not to do, with examples from current and past operations. Suggestions on providing assistance are grouped into the following areas: humanitarian assistance; infrastructure and essential services; agriculture; currencies, budgets, finance, and foreign trade; private sector development and employment generation; natural resource management; and the effects of the U.S. military on local economies. To write this guidebook, the authors visited commanders in Afghanistan, conducted interviews with returning U.S. military officers, drew on their own experiences in Iraq, Liberia, and the Balkans, and tapped the substantial literature about effective economic assistance.

[MikeF]

After we established a reasonable level of stability in Zag, we started working with the local leaders to re-establish essential services. We deliberately tried to do it as cheaply as possible for two reasons:

1. We were an economy of force mission so most resources and funding went to Baghdad and Baqubah.

2. I had a standing philosophy that we shouldn't waste US taxpayer's dollars.

I've observed several units using metrics of how much money they spent with no regard to Return on Investment (ROI) as if that was an indicator of success. To me that was absurd.

Anyways, instead of spending several hundred thousand dollars to build schools and medical clinics, we met with the local doctors and teachers and either reopened the old facilities or turned existing buildings into the new facility. We paid the professionals to go back to work, the IA to pull security, and we provided CL VIII supplies and school supplies.

At the time, we did it on the fly. Most of the ideas stemmed from some of my sharp Staff Sergeants. In retrospect, it was pretty successful. Below is a link to two of my boys coordinating the efforts.

http://www.realmilitaryflix.com/public/313.cfm

After all the death and violence we observed throughout the civil war and the surge, this transition was welcome for the boys. They felt like they were starting to see some fruits from their labor.

v/r

Mike