News from Iraq. Off Topic Discuss News from Iraq. in the Other Topics forums; This was sent to me by my former Marine buddy. I believe it. I guess the media kind of forgot about all the stuff reported in this article. I guess ...

[Tbone]

This was sent to me by my former Marine buddy. I believe it.

I guess the media kind of forgot about all the stuff reported in this article. I guess they've got more important things to report on. Like if Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears are wearing underwear today. Or that global warming will kill us all in about 7 million years. This is kind of long, but very informative.


The war I witnessed for more than five years in Iraq is over. In July, there were five American fatalities in Iraq, the lowest since the war began in March 2003. In Mosul recently, I chatted with shopkeepers on the same corner where last January a Humvee was blown apart in front of me. In the Baghdad district of Ghazilia -- where last January snipers controlled streets awash in human waste -- I saw clean streets and soccer games. In Basra, the local British colonel was dining at a restaurant in the center of the bustling city. For the first time in 15 trips across the country, I didn't hear one shot or a single blast from a roadside bomb.
In Anbar Province, scene of the fiercest fighting during the war, the tribal sheiks insisted to Barack Obama on his recent visit that the U.S. Marines had to stay because they were the most trusted force.
The war turned around in late 2006 because American troops partnered with Iraqi forces and tribal auxiliaries to protect the population. Feeling safe, the population informed on the militias and terrorists living among them. Then, in the spring of 2008, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki attacked the Mahdi militia of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr that controlled Basra and half of Baghdad. The militia crumbled under pressure from Iraqi soldiers backed by coalition intelligence and air assets.The threat in Iraq has changed from a full-scale insurgency into an antiterror campaign. Al Qaeda in Iraq is entrenched in northern Mosul, where it may take 18 months to completely defeat them.
By employing what he calls his "Anaconda Strategy," Gen. David Petraeus is squeezing the life out of al Qaeda in Iraq. The mafia-style militia of Sadr has been splintered.The competition among Iraqi politicians has shifted from violence to politics, albeit yielding a track record as poor as that of our own Congress. After failing for two years to deliver basic services, both Shiite and Sunni politicians are stalling on legislation to hold provincial elections because many of them will be defeated. While irritating, these political games have not blocked U.S. gains.Americans should praise rather than slight our military's achievements.
Civil war has been averted. The Iraqi army has thrown the militia out of the port of Um Qasar, thus ensuring stable oil exports. Al Qaeda fought to make Iraq its base in the Arab Middle East. Instead, it is being hunted down.Iran has emerged as the major threat to stability in Iraq. While its goal was to control a weak Iraq after the American army was driven out, Tehran overplayed its hand. Iran supplied the rockets to attack Iraqi politicians in Baghdad in April and supported Sadr's militia. But hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Shiites died fighting Iranians in the '80s, and those memories are still fresh.
In southern Maysan Province, American and Iraqi units are waiting to hunt down terrorists returning from Iranian training camps. Iraq, backed by some American forces in remote desert bases, is poised to emerge as a regional counterweight to Iran.Yet the progress in Iraq is most threatened by a political promise in the U.S. to remove all American combat brigades, against the advice of our military commanders. Iraqi volunteers working for a nonsectarian political party in Baghdad asked me, "Is America giving up its goals?" It's an unsettling question.With victory in sight, why would we quit?
The steady -- but not total -- withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq is freeing up forces to fight in Afghanistan. But Afghanistan is not the central front in the war on terror. Al Qaeda is hiding in Pakistan, a nation we are not going to invade.The Iraqis aren't yet confident enough to stand entirely on their own; al Qaeda's savagery still imposes too much fear, while Iran is training terrorists next door. In counterinsurgency, the people must know they are protected.
Gen. Petraeus has proven that intimidation can be defeated by placing American soldiers among the population. Wars are won by confidence, but also by procedures that take time to mature; and the Iraqi offensive against Sadr's militia in Basra last April revealed an atrocious Iraqi command and control system.We are withdrawing as conditions permit. For instance, in the infamous Triangle of Death south of Baghdad, Col. Dominic Caraccilo has spread his rifle companies across 22 police precincts. Over the next year, he plans to pull out two of every three companies, leaving the population protected by Iraqi forces, backed by a thin screen of American soldiers.If implemented on a countrywide scale, this model would reduce the American presence from 15 to five brigades over the next few years. They can be comprised of artillerymen, motor transport and civil affairs as well as infantrymen. By calling these residual forces "Transition Teams," we can remove the political argument in the U.S. about the exact number of combat brigades, and allow our commanders flexibility in adjusting force levels. This change of names rather than of missions is a way to save face and bring Americans closer together.
The problem is not American force levels in Iraq. It is divisiveness at home. While our military has adapted, our society has disconnected from its martial values. I was standing beside an Iraqi colonel one day in war-torn Fallujah when a tough Marine patrol walked by. "You Americans," he said, "are the strongest tribe."
But we cast aspersions on ourselves. The success of our military should not be begrudged to gain transitory political advantage.In 1991, our nation held a parade after our military liberated Kuwait. Over the course of more than five hard years, our troops have brought stability and freedom to 25 million Iraqis, while crushing al Qaeda in Iraq. Regardless of disagreement about initiating the war back in 2003, Americans should unite to applaud the success of our troops in 2008.
A stable Iraq keeps faith with the million American soldiers who fought there, sets back Iran's aggression, and makes our enemies in Afghanistan and elsewhere fear us. It's time we stopped debating about yesterday and displayed national pride in our soldiers.
Mr. West is a former assistant secretary of defense and combat Marine. His third book on the Iraq war, "The Strongest Tribe: War, Politics and the Endgame in Iraq," is out today from Random House.

I believe it as well. I still work training soldiers and most of my buddies on active duty have multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. The enemy we face is much more adept at manipulating and using our own media than we are. The only headlines you read are doom and gloom instead of all the good our military is accomplishing both combat and reconstruction wise. Of course Pelosi and company assist the enemy daily which our press corps is more than happy to report to the world. Good post Tbone. Thanks, Clif

[JCourneyaP]

Yeah I also have buds over there. I have no problem believing it.

[shovelmike]

Thanks T-Bone. I'm forwarding it to a lot of people.

[evoKENevo]

Good stuff,Tbone...everyone in the world needs more of it...thanks !

[unfknblvbl]

As most of you know I spent 12 months in Western Al Anbar Province on a remote COP (Combat Out Post) on a Transition Team training Iraqi Border Patrol Agents. We went through everything with them. If they had a meeting with the local Sheik we went with them, we ate with them, we patrolled with them, we taught them marksmanship, how to run logistic convoys, how to account for personnel and gear, how to suck up personal pride and ask Higher Headquarters for more money, fuel, gear they were short on, etc. The biggest break down they face is corruption. Iraq is a corrupt country, they are bred and born with corruption in their blood.

Of the 12 months I was there we were not shot at once, we did not have one IED discovery, we were not hit with any IED's while on patrol, there were no VBIED's, suicide bomber attempts, no sniper fire, not a damn thing except for silence and wild dogs barking. We did a 800 mile patrol through the Sunni Triangle (one of the most dangerous areas at that time in Iraq), we arrived at Hiit at sun up (on purpose and a known hot spot for insurgent activity at the time) no nothing except for friendly waves from local shop keepers, children, and residents.

When we would patrol the local village the only fear we had was one of the local kids maybe trying to take a piece of our gear. The adults wanted to feed us, the sheik wanted us to sit down and have Chai with him, the kids wanted us to play soccer with them. Is the war....IMO....Yes. Do the Iraqi military forces need help...Yes. Transition Teams are a good concept and work.

[Tbone]

Much greater post than mine unf. Personal experience always is best. Glad you made it safely through and hope you have many more years of ridin'.

[unfknblvbl]

I wasn't trying to take away from your post, but add to it. Thanks TBone...Many happy years of riding ahead of me as long as I can keep it rubber side down....lol!

[Tbone]

Originally Posted by unfknblvbl

I wasn't trying to take away from your post, but add to it. Thanks TBone...Many happy years of riding ahead of me as long as I can keep it rubber side down....lol!

Oh goodness no. I wasn't saying that. I truly mean what I said. As a peacetime Marine that served with many RVN vets, I can definitely appreciate your experience and service to our country and Corps. Thanks.
Mike

[4cams]

Originally Posted by unfknblvbl

As most of you know I spent 12 months in Western Al Anbar Province on a remote COP (Combat Out Post) on a Transition Team training Iraqi Border Patrol Agents. We went through everything with them. If they had a meeting with the local Sheik we went with them, we ate with them, we patrolled with them, we taught them marksmanship, how to run logistic convoys, how to account for personnel and gear, how to suck up personal pride and ask Higher Headquarters for more money, fuel, gear they were short on, etc. The biggest break down they face is corruption. Iraq is a corrupt country, they are bred and born with corruption in their blood.

Of the 12 months I was there we were not shot at once, we did not have one IED discovery, we were not hit with any IED's while on patrol, there were no VBIED's, suicide bomber attempts, no sniper fire, not a damn thing except for silence and wild dogs barking. We did a 800 mile patrol through the Sunni Triangle (one of the most dangerous areas at that time in Iraq), we arrived at Hiit at sun up (on purpose and a known hot spot for insurgent activity at the time) no nothing except for friendly waves from local shop keepers, children, and residents.

When we would patrol the local village the only fear we had was one of the local kids maybe trying to take a piece of our gear. The adults wanted to feed us, the sheik wanted us to sit down and have Chai with him, the kids wanted us to play soccer with them. Is the war....IMO....Yes. Do the Iraqi military forces need help...Yes. Transition Teams are a good concept and work.

I looked up were the Amtrackers were and was very impressed. You guys are doing a great job and I'm very proud to be a part of this history. You guys sure have some nice riggs compared to what we had in the 60's. God bless you all, Yat Yas.