RE: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,170430,00.html

Good.
Maybe that means I won't have to go back to that $hithole.

The way to go...one cautioned but heavy step at a time. In many ways this is, indeed, a significant & great step, as Anbar is the keystone turnover. As this is being accomplished, our forces must insure to make this turn-over stick....& by the way, this format of discussion, correction & reply is still the best & easiest for most to converse & understand...consider bringing it back....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 8950331,

It's about dam-ed time! They have had since 2003 to assume control of 18 provinces and they are just now meeting the halfway mark. I have no sympathy for the Iraqi Army. It is time to get off your azz and assume control of your own country!

guess that means ill get to go to afghanistan next year instead of going back there again Ramadi was cool ,al asad sucked though

quote:

Originally posted by JimSorber:
It's about dam-ed time! They have had since 2003 to assume control of 18 provinces and they are just now meeting the halfway mark. I have no sympathy for the Iraqi Army. It is time to get off your azz and assume control of your own country!

Jim, with all due respect, this is one of the things we can't afford to do too quickly at the expense of doing it R-I-G-H-T, . . .

If memory serves, the Iraq army needed time for their officer corps to get enough experience to make them effective leaders, . . . (just like OUR army) and the only way to do that is with experience and mentoring/oversight.

Just sayin.

The Iraqis are not ready to handle something like Anbar

I spent time in AL Asad and AL Taqaddum 05-06'. I have seen their "training". Typical laziness, will not listen to orders, etc.. When the time comes they drop their weapons and scatter, just like they have always done.

thats good as long as they can hold it....

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAmerica:
The Iraqis are not ready to handle something like Anbar

Is that opinion based on your vast experience with the Iraqi Army. They are getting there, and I think they can handle it. But what do I know, I just train and equip them.

quote:

Originally posted by SgtSchaeffersMom:

quote:

Originally posted by JimSorber:
It's about dam-ed time! They have had since 2003 to assume control of 18 provinces and they are just now meeting the halfway mark. I have no sympathy for the Iraqi Army. It is time to get off your azz and assume control of your own country!

Jim, with all due respect, this is one of the things we can't afford to do too quickly at the expense of doing it R-I-G-H-T, . . .

If memory serves, the Iraq army needed time for their officer corps to get enough experience to make them effective leaders, . . . (just like OUR army) and the only way to do that is with experience and mentoring/oversight.

Just sayin.

Plus ethnic cleansing takes time, so does building concrete blast-walls to segregate the population.

quote:

Originally posted by Squizzer:

quote:

Originally posted by SgtSchaeffersMom:

quote:

Originally posted by JimSorber:
It's about dam-ed time! They have had since 2003 to assume control of 18 provinces and they are just now meeting the halfway mark. I have no sympathy for the Iraqi Army. It is time to get off your azz and assume control of your own country!

Jim, with all due respect, this is one of the things we can't afford to do too quickly at the expense of doing it R-I-G-H-T, . . .

If memory serves, the Iraq army needed time for their officer corps to get enough experience to make them effective leaders, . . . (just like OUR army) and the only way to do that is with experience and mentoring/oversight.

Just sayin.

Plus ethnic cleansing takes time, so does building concrete blast-walls to segregate the population.

....sounds like shades of Ireland....

quote:

Originally posted by nspreitler:

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAmerica:
The Iraqis are not ready to handle something like Anbar

Is that opinion based on your vast experience with the Iraqi Army. They are getting there, and I think they can handle it. But what do I know, I just train and equip them.

This is good to hear from someone who's over there and doing the work. I hope they do well for everyone's sake.

Hope they are better than the ARVNs were.

quote:

Originally posted by nspreitler:

quote:

Originally posted by TeamAmerica:
The Iraqis are not ready to handle something like Anbar

Is that opinion based on your vast experience with the Iraqi Army. They are getting there, and I think they can handle it. But what do I know, I just train and equip them.

I think I'd have to go with your assessment LT. Thank you for your service.

quote:

Originally posted by ceastes:
Hope they are better than the ARVNs were.

my research has led me to believe that 80% of them were in fact loyal to the north,.,... actually seen it on the history channel about it... that and the editor in chief of time mag in sigon was a col in the north vietmese army...

When the locals see the advantage TO THEMSELVES to take control of their country and their lives, the troublemakers will be run out and violence will subside.

That's starting to happen.

They just need to know that they will NOT be Abandoned.

Their loyalties always lie with those that HELP them get what THEY want.

What they want is to be left alone and in charge of their own lives.

That's human nature.

Regardless of your experiences, that human nature is universal.

They are starting to see that we are NOT the Bad Guys.

A lot of this generation is always in a hurry.

They yell at the Microwave to "Hurry Up".

I call them the "Microwave Generation".

Nothing good happens quickly.

Everything has its consequences.

Hopefully, the heads in charge are thinking far enough ahead.

As the Zen Master says, "We shall see."

quote:

Originally posted by 3385606:
When the locals see the advantage TO THEMSELVES to take control of their country and their lives, the troublemakers will be run out and violence will subside.

That's starting to happen.

They just need to know that they will NOT be Abandoned.

Their loyalties always lie with those that HELP them get what THEY want.

What they want is to be left alone and in charge of their own lives.

That's human nature.

Regardless of your experiences, that human nature is universal.

They are starting to see that we are NOT the Bad Guys.

A lot of this generation is always in a hurry.

They yell at the Microwave to "Hurry Up".

I call them the "Microwave Generation".

Nothing good happens quickly.

Everything has its consequences.

Hopefully, the heads in charge are thinking far enough ahead.

As the Zen Master says, "We shall see."

Then if it is working out this well...I would suggest we DROP some of the provisions we're attempting to ram down the Iraqi's throats in the "Security Agreement." Provisions such as US forces being allowed to arrest any Iraqi citizen, at will, without charges. On the one hand, as you point out, we want to be seen as "those that HELP them get what THEY want. But with some of the provisions I have seen, it would appear to strip away their sovereignty. I don’t think we can have it both ways.

It looks like the process is working, without the help of our politicians. Hopefully what we've done will "take".

Ol Doc makes a point about arrests.

But, I believe that's in areas under Primary US control. I've seen instances where local police and military matters are typically handled by the local forces, but only in areas where the locals take the lead. If US forces catch someone "red-handed", they are almost immediately turned over to the local forces, usually a less than desirable option for the bad guys. Besides, our guys have better things to do than be jailers. I don't believe we actually arrest just to harrass the locals ... Do you???

This process IS working.

The legitimate Iraqi Gov't has already disarmed and marginalized the Mahdi Army, Al Sadr's proxy Army for Iran.

Also, the oil output of Iraq is well over 2 million barrels per day right now. The plan is to get that up to over 3 million barrels per day by the end of the year.

They just amended their policies to allow foreign investment in their oil production to increase output even more.

There are some major US oil companies bidding for that opportunity. That increased oil production is good for the Iraqi economy and the lowering of oil prices and stability of world supply.

But, you can be assured that those companies will not invest if we pull out and Iraq falls back into civil war.

A stable and democratic Iraq is the best opportunity to keep Iran in check and to increase and stabilize the world oil supply.

Think about THAT when you vote in November.

IMHO...