How would you change our current( military )strategy in Iraq to get the job done?

Scott G

The current strategy seems to be working better. I would first change our engagement policies and not "toggle the pickle" unless there is a VERY SLIM chance of collateral damage. And let the people know we did not take the shot because of our concern for them,it would be difficult for me to turn in people a few houses away when I know that a 5000 lb. bomb could be dropped and my property and family could be lost as well.this would make people more willing to cough-up the bad guys.I also think that if you pick a few dedicated people in it for the long haul (a few years or more) not a young kid who is a "tourist" being there one year surviving enough to go home in a year, you could get the job done with 1/4 fewer troops. it takes at least 6 to 8 months to gain the locals trust and learn about your new culture and way of local life. The Iraqis are like you and I and are proud of their culture and country.It is hard to trust people who seem totally different than you come into your country blowing everything up saying we know what is good for you and then leaving when you just get to know them only to start over again with the next bunch of noobs. With that said, I have the utmost respect for Gen.Patreus and all troops serving.But the real challenge is "political" strategy HERE and ABROAD!!! God Bless and good luck to all those involved in this Nobel cause.

styx 45

Being that i'm in the army and i know about this first hand I have this to say. First of all, no peace treaty is possible. It's an insurgency, that means that people from other country's come in and cause a bunch of havoc and mayhem before they die. Second, the UN will not do anything. They dont like the idea of the us being there any ways. and finally... the best way to finish this off with the least amount of death. Get rid of all the journalists and let us do our job. It's that simple.

I am required by law to say that my opinions are my own and in no way reflect the views of the us army, the government, or any other branch of the armed services. I speak of my own behalf and that is all.

regerugged

The US is getting the job done. Attacks by terrorists are way down. How is it that you do not know this?

Bill

First of all, the job needs to be defined. How will be know when we're done if nobody knows what "done" is?

The Iraqis need to be given a clear date by which they must take responsibility for their own security. We also need to keep in mind that the U.S. armed forces aren't designed to be occupying forces (in essence, police).

This open-ended stuff encourages hand-writing and "we're just not ready yet." If we're requiring "no terrorist acts" as the standard for leaving a Middle Eastern country, we may as well just declare it the 51st state.

Do we have a responsibility to them? Yes, but at some point we have to say that we've met it. At some point we have to say that Iraqis have a responsibility to themselves. It's a duty of nationhood. Otherwise, they're just a U.S. protectorate.

nigelshiftright

It's not a problem that can be solved militarily. Any clear understanding of the situation would have to admit that as the first premise I think. Even Saddam Hussein's brutal dictatorship could, at best, only keep a wobbly lid on a boiling pot, which burst the very second he was no longer able to sit on it.

Given that the US military is not in the habit of being the Gestapo, I see no military solution to a civil war of this nature.

contact_wraith

It's a power grab going on in Iraq and inter-faction warfare. More like a mob war then anything else.

The biggest problem is lack of law. Now if you could establish laws that might help.
I would focus on smaller towns and districts rather then "hot zones". This would limit the spread and build support for law and decrease support for rebels.
I would also bring the Iraqis back to the US for boot-camp and train them then send them back when they are ready. This training in a war zone is stupid. Could you study if your campus or school was being shot at and bombed?

Charles S

Get the journalists away from all our military operations. We do not need news of every camel fart. The only journalists present should be from Stars and Stripes. Stop threatening our Soldiers and Marines with courts martial every time they blink. Let them go after the enemy as they have been trained to do. If the enemy is firing from a building, let our warriors level it with artillery or air strike. Phuque all the PC BS and bring back Shock and Awe type retaliation against all insurgent activity. For every suicide bombing, they see a Mosque reduced to rubble. Attack a military convoy, lose a Mosque. Kidnap anyone, lose a Mosque. Destroy what the enemy holds dear every time they do something heinous until they have nothing. Likely they will stop the BS before they lose more than 6 Mosques. Let there be no sanctuary for the enemy, and criminal penalties for anyone that freely gives sanctuary to the enemy. If the enemy is found in a bldg, the bldg is destroyed, period. Same as done to crack houses in the USA, arrest all parties and level it. Few will offer sanctuary when there is risk of losing property. If a neighborhood is a hornets nest, surround it, let no one out but women, children and known friendlies. Kill the rest. Stop trying to be popular, seeking approval from the rest of the world. Allow our warriors to fight to win. Accommodate the would be Martyrs and kill them. When the others see we are serious, they will have decision to make. The enemy is playing on our desire to be seen as playing fair. This war will end when we stop fighting by the rules and start to brawl nasty. A street fighter will beat a boxer because he has no restrictions. Take off the gloves and get ready to rumble!!!!!! We win every fight, lets win this war and be done with it !!!!!!!!!!!! Allow our warriors to fight to win or bring them home and phuque it next time the sand box needs help.

eric l

Negotiate a peace treaty with all the waring factions except AlQuida.

rance42

Each attempt has tried to do just that. The current one is working and finally winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqis and their clerics. It is also changing world views as in the case of Al Jezeera, they are in deep trouble with Al Qaida and the Taliban for reporting accurate news.

Well said styx 4: thank you for serving.

slappingpenguins@sbcglobal.net

the job is un-do-able

Michael

this war is exactly like Vietnam, we would push our forces to take certain ground and the politicians would put pressure on it and make us pull back and the soldiers would have just seen their best friend die for nothing, thats why those guys came back so traumatized, what im saying is, the politicians make the military soft by trying to keep everything fair. this is war. i totally agree with styx, kick the media out and let our forces do what they do.

johnhdavisjrusa20

Leave.

withdraw.

this is not abusive but really its been long enough now. I know nothing of your policies but i am australian and we are right there beside you and so far the only people ive seen die are ours and yours.

Peace is the strategy

ThomasS

Sad to say, but install another "moderate" dictator that can keep his uneducated masses in check. They had their chance with "freedom" and seem to have blown the opportunity. If three different muslim sects/regions can't get along with each other, we don't need them combining to have a common enemy (us). They only respect power, not really fairness, not anything that supposedly we hold dear. That's just how they were brought up. They are not based on our style of constitution, they are a theocracy first and foremost. Their only value seems to be "god", and we won't be replacing that for them any time soon.

We should leave there as soon as possible, the longer we stay, the more terrorists we create. If China came over here, meddled with our government, captured our leader(s), and blocked trade, put us in debt for rebuilding us, and attempted to take our natural resources, perhaps a family member or friend was killed, I guarantee, every one of you would be a "terrorist". We were not greeted well for very long, mission was accomplished when Saddam was captured, we should have left then, leaving UN or NATO forces to maintain the peace.

Our soldiers are not peace keepers, they are honorable warriors, they should be defending us, our borders, not some other country. I don't mind the conflict in Afghanistan, those are the people that attacked us. Bring OBL's head back.

All we are doing, is adding to the civil war, another thorn in the side. No one has jobs there, no one has electricity for the entire day, the schools are trashed, entertainment is nowhere to be found, news is censored, and they are desperate and desperately bored or vengeful.

And if we go into Iran, things will be the same there. We can't afford to do that. Get out of their faces, keep very close eye's and intelligence on them as well, and leave it at that.

Colin Powell knew this was going to happen before we even went there. Too bad no one in power listened.

panzerfahrer81

I would turn over control to the UN and prepare to pull our troops out as quickly as possible considering their safety and the logistics of accomplishing said goal, most likely have them out around Dec., 2008. That's just my two cents on the issue.

ali198724

destroy iran

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: