US Troops Leaving Iraqi Cities

[carl]

Here is a link to a story in today's Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...062600301.html

The story states that a new rule will prohibit US troops from using MRAPs in urban areas during the day. I can't understand why such a rule would be implemented.

Could it be the primary purpose of the rule is to increase the vulnerability of US troops going into the cities in the hope that it will make them reluctant to go? It is as if JAM wrote the rule.

[jmm99]

from carl
It is as if JAM wrote the rule

Probably not - although that would be a very direct form of Lawfare (by infiltration and subversion) at the operational level. I suspect that it is another example of political (perhaps some policy) considerations driving the vehicle - although someone's military concept of best practices in transition may also have much to do about it.

This ties in with the thread on Afghanistan ROE Change, where Uboat posed an intelligent question:

What I have been wondering is, is this policy really General McChrystal's? Or is something that has been quietly dictated to him by someone higher in the COC? Civilian casualties aren't just a liability to our operations in Afghanistan, they are a political liability to our elected officials. Airstrikes in particular look bad on TV. Perhaps it is my cynicism speaking but this could be an attempt to become a more effective COIN force or it could be political expediency.

I've no answer for that one, or for this one. It may be political, it may be military or it may be both - only the flies on certain walls know (not even The Shadow knows - which dates me to late 40s and early 50s radio).

[Tom Odom]

Here is a link to a story in today's Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...062600301.html

The story states that a new rule will prohibit US troops from using MRAPs in urban areas during the day. I can't understand why such a rule would be implemented.

Could it be the primary purpose of the rule is to increase the vulnerability of US troops going into the cities in the hope that it will make them reluctant to go? It is as if JAM wrote the rule.

This is OBO (Overcome by Odierno). see:

Military: No Ban on Use of Mine-Resistant Vehicles in Iraq

By Ernesto Londoño
Washington Post Foreign Service
...Lt. Col. Brian Maka, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said in an e-mail Saturday that the information provided by the officers regarding the ban of MRAPs during daylight hours was "absolutely wrong."

He said the military would "not exclude using the appropriate force protection measures when conducting our operations."

Overall the movement from the cities is going well.

Tom

[Blackjack]

This is OBO (Overcome by Odierno). see:



Overall the movement from the cities is going well.

Tom

OBO Operations haha Hows things in Tal'afar Tom? Oh and an aviation question for you. How I like it! I wonder how this pull out form cities going to affect the air plan in Iraq? I mean up where you are in MND-N land FOB Daimondback is where most of the rotary and UAV air assetts come from. Q-west maybe?

[Tom Odom]

Blackjack

I am MND-B POLAD so my haunts are generally Baghdad and environs. I was up at MND-N on a visit to our 3rd BCT.

Tom