Options in Iraq
04-13-2007, 10:18 AM
#1
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Options in Iraq
Cut and run.
Run, without cutting first.
Cut. Just cut. No running.
Stand very still, then run suddenly—without cutting.
Stay the course.
Alter the course—but only slightly. Without cutting and running.
Stay the course—for a while. Then cut and run.
BY DAVID CASSEL
- - - -
Run, without cutting first.
Cut. Just cut. No running.
Stand very still, then run suddenly—without cutting.
Stay the course.
Alter the course—but only slightly. Without cutting and running.
Stay the course—for a while. Then cut and run.
BY DAVID CASSEL
- - - -
04-13-2007, 12:42 PM
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Originally Posted by 06WRX4ME
honestly we should leave a little FOB out there and pull the majority of the troops out.
what I've been saying since we pulled saddam out of his spiderhole.
04-13-2007, 12:48 PM
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i did some stuff over there and we are wasting tons and tons of money and making the gas prices so high at the same time. we need to pull out the troops, money, and equipment and focus on our kids and education and all the other problems in the USA.
04-13-2007, 05:00 PM
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Originally Posted by 06WRX4ME
...we are wasting tons and tons of money and making the gas prices so high at the same time. we need to pull out the troops, money, and equipment and focus on our kids and education and all the other problems in the USA.
04-18-2007, 12:10 AM
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I left Iraq last month. Some people would like to think they are doing me (the military) a favor by protesting the war or lobbying for the safe return of all US personnel currently deployed. I say "Don't do me any favors". Al Quaida was born from Wahhabist Islam, which thrives throughout the middle-east (mostly the poor and uneducated are suduced by it's teachings, whereas most of the Imams that preach it are western educated). This is the strictest form of Islam which preaches the destruction of Western civilization. I just can't see how people can sleep at night, or feel comfortable raising their children in a world were people are being trained to destroy anything western and die for it's cause. I do my job because I love it and I believe in what I am doing. I didn't join the military for college money. Like my fathers before me that proudly walked into a recruiters office on December 8th 1940 after Pearl Harbor was attacked, I joined September 12th 2001 because some well trained, motivated Jihadist terrorists attacked thousands of innocent people in our homeland. I don't have a desk job. When I am in Iraq, I am actively pursuing the enemy and sending them to a place where they can do us no harm. So have a nice warm cup of coffee this morning, have a great day at work, but the minute you go to sleep, know that I am standing outside your door doing my job protecting you from the people that want to take everything you have away from you. STAY THE COURSE!
04-18-2007, 07:10 AM
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Originally Posted by 06WRX4ME
i did some stuff over there and we are wasting tons and tons of money and making the gas prices so high at the same time. we need to pull out the troops, money, and equipment and focus on our kids and education and all the other problems in the USA.
Coming from a soldier I can't deny the fact that there's a lot of work to be done on the home front. As far as Iraq is concerned, I'm actually writing my thesis on exactly that. Conventional troops really have no place in this war as far as combatting terrorism and insurgents is concerned. I think we need to send the majority of our support guys home. If Iraqis want medical equipment, food, etc... they can get it. Drive to Kuwait or fly to Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world and do it like every other country on the face of the earth. That said, we need to reduce the coalition foot print as much as possible. Patrols driving around do little more than remind the indigenous people that the Americans are still there and they present targets. IEDs would be a thing of the past if we didn't give insurgents such prime oppurtunities to use them. As soon as they see that they may have to sit there for days before even getting a chance to use it they'll stop. I advocate the use of Special Operations forces where and whenever possible. Their ROE doesn't restrict them from doing what needs to be done and they can act on intell in a proactive manner due to their training and support (B teams). Let the ING and police, Ministry of the Interior, etc... do all the day to day stuff. That said we're fighting a much more winable war, the cost is dramatically reduced and we don't have 40 year old fathers with their own business' away on their 3rd tour of duty.
04-18-2007, 06:28 PM
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Originally Posted by EuroScuby
I left Iraq last month. Some people would like to think they are doing me (the military) a favor by protesting the war or lobbying for the safe return of all US personnel currently deployed. I say "Don't do me any favors". Al Quaida was born from Wahhabist Islam, which thrives throughout the middle-east (mostly the poor and uneducated are suduced by it's teachings, whereas most of the Imams that preach it are western educated). This is the strictest form of Islam which preaches the destruction of Western civilization. I just can't see how people can sleep at night, or feel comfortable raising their children in a world were people are being trained to destroy anything western and die for it's cause. I do my job because I love it and I believe in what I am doing. I didn't join the military for college money. Like my fathers before me that proudly walked into a recruiters office on December 8th 1940 after Pearl Harbor was attacked, I joined September 12th 2001 because some well trained, motivated Jihadist terrorists attacked thousands of innocent people in our homeland. I don't have a desk job. When I am in Iraq, I am actively pursuing the enemy and sending them to a place where they can do us no harm. So have a nice warm cup of coffee this morning, have a great day at work, but the minute you go to sleep, know that I am standing outside your door doing my job protecting you from the people that want to take everything you have away from you. STAY THE COURSE!
Secondly, take the "war on terror" concept. How on earth do you expect to fight a traditional war (a-la Iraq) whilst trying to fight what amounts to an ideology? Yes, Iraq is a hot-bed for terrorists now, but being in Iraq is only creating more terrorists, not less. Our war in Iraq amounts to a new world war which we are trying to fight in an old world manner. Iraq ? the heart of terrorism. We should be focusing on winning Afghanistan, and not allowing the Taliban or Al-Queda to take hold again.
-Jeff
04-18-2007, 06:31 PM
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Originally Posted by 1reguL8NSTi
Coming from a soldier I can't deny the fact that there's a lot of work to be done on the home front. As far as Iraq is concerned, I'm actually writing my thesis on exactly that. Conventional troops really have no place in this war as far as combatting terrorism and insurgents is concerned. I think we need to send the majority of our support guys home. If Iraqis want medical equipment, food, etc... they can get it. Drive to Kuwait or fly to Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world and do it like every other country on the face of the earth. That said, we need to reduce the coalition foot print as much as possible. Patrols driving around do little more than remind the indigenous people that the Americans are still there and they present targets. IEDs would be a thing of the past if we didn't give insurgents such prime oppurtunities to use them. As soon as they see that they may have to sit there for days before even getting a chance to use it they'll stop. I advocate the use of Special Operations forces where and whenever possible. Their ROE doesn't restrict them from doing what needs to be done and they can act on intell in a proactive manner due to their training and support (B teams). Let the ING and police, Ministry of the Interior, etc... do all the day to day stuff. That said we're fighting a much more winable war, the cost is dramatically reduced and we don't have 40 year old fathers with their own business' away on their 3rd tour of duty.
We are trying to fight a 21st century war using 20th century techniques.
04-18-2007, 06:59 PM
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Bin Laden attacked the Twin Towers for a very significant reason. Not only was it a sign of our economic strength but it was an act that he knew would cause us to go to war. He wants us to fight the war we are fighting, a war of attrition and furthermore, a war that is costing us billions of dollars. Bin Laden is more than the "martydom seeking murderer" people give him credit for. He is actually a great tactician. He knows he cannot defeat us militarily but he also knows that a war that doesn't have the complete support of the homefront and a war that requires a substantial amount of capital hurts us worse than anything. Right now we're playing into his hands.
This war is won by squad leaders and lieutenants and ODAs that gain the support of locals and in doing so, give us the intel we need to take down the people who facilitate attacks on both the indigenous personel and coalition forces. Getting on the level of the average Iraqi or Pushtun is where the actions at. Truly helping the locals denies the insurgents a home field advantage and causes them to resort to violence, indoingso exposing themselves to weapons they stand no chance of combatting.
This war is won by squad leaders and lieutenants and ODAs that gain the support of locals and in doing so, give us the intel we need to take down the people who facilitate attacks on both the indigenous personel and coalition forces. Getting on the level of the average Iraqi or Pushtun is where the actions at. Truly helping the locals denies the insurgents a home field advantage and causes them to resort to violence, indoingso exposing themselves to weapons they stand no chance of combatting.
04-19-2007, 02:33 PM
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04-19-2007, 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Magish
How on earth do you expect to fight a traditional war (a-la Iraq) whilst trying to fight what amounts to an ideology?
-Jeff
-Jeff
Do as they would do to us.
Convert them or kill them.
04-19-2007, 03:36 PM
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Let me expand on my last post:
In the Wild West, the US Army had no concept how to win peace with the natives, especially the Navajo.
Traditional doctrine & tactics were failing.
Kit Carson was ordered to take captive any Navajo woman or child that gave up, but to kill on sight all males.
Further, Carson's outfit practiced a scorched earth policy whilst persuing the Navajo; corn & other crops were destroyed, sheep & goats killed, houses torched.
He even went so far as to cut down & torch the peach tree orchard that the Navajo's had used for many years.
Guess what: The Navajo aren't a threat anymore.
Yes, war sucks.
But if you're gonna do it, do it right.
In the Wild West, the US Army had no concept how to win peace with the natives, especially the Navajo.
Traditional doctrine & tactics were failing.
Kit Carson was ordered to take captive any Navajo woman or child that gave up, but to kill on sight all males.
Further, Carson's outfit practiced a scorched earth policy whilst persuing the Navajo; corn & other crops were destroyed, sheep & goats killed, houses torched.
He even went so far as to cut down & torch the peach tree orchard that the Navajo's had used for many years.
Guess what: The Navajo aren't a threat anymore.
Yes, war sucks.
But if you're gonna do it, do it right.
