Through a Glass Darkly

[Janett_Reno]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19748690...wsweek/page/0/


In a conflict that’s much more like a global counterinsurgency than a conventional war, government priorities have to change, says Kilcullen. “About 80 percent of effort should go toward political, diplomatic, development, and informational activity,” he writes, with only about 20 percent going to the military. “At present,” he notes, “the U.S. defense budget is approximately half of total global defense spending”—that is, half of all the money spent on defense by every government in the world combined. The U.S. armed forces employ about 1.68 million uniformed members. But the State Department only has about 6,000 Foreign Service officers. As Kilcullen notes, there are more musicians in America’s military bands.

For Al Qaeda, propaganda is not an afterthought; it is the core of the strategy. The bombings, terrorism and insurgent activities all feed into its “information war.” “Contrast this with our approach,” says Kilcullen. The United States typically plans “physical operations” first, then crafts “supporting information operations to explain our actions.”


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Which brings us back to President Bush, alas. Kilcullen does not criticize him, but you can draw your own conclusions. The invasion and occupation of Iraq that Bush now describes as the beginning of this ideological war was carried out, in fact, with utter disregard for the ideological consequences. Bush literally decided to shoot first and ask questions later. So, as he continues trying to explain, as an afterthought, he finds no other solution than to keep fighting, whether or not progress is made on the ground, much less in the war of ideas.

[Usually Lurkin]

Full retreat, total surrender. That's the best ideology.

[dude1394]

Typical of a party that likes to kick the cans down the street.

[dude1394]

Yea let's give up the iraqi's to genocide.

http://fightin6thmarines.vox.com/lib...-nutshell.html

In other news we were recently asked by a media outlet how things were going in Anbar province. The change over the past year has been amazing. Hell, even the change since we got here in January has been noticeable. The sheiks and the tribes they lead have thrown in their lot with us despite a constant murder and intimidation campaign by Al Qaeda. Our approach to counterinsurgency is working and is an illustration that given enough time, ordinary men and women -- the Iraqis we work with every day -- will say "Enough violence is enough." They're tired of their children dying, and of fearing for their lives just because they had the nerve to try to keep their neighborhoods safe.

I could go on for pages. I think if you talk to the vast majority of Marines out here you'll see that the optimism we're pushing out is legitimate. One anecdotal bit is that we have to really campaign to get mainstream media outlets to our AO. Why is that? Because it's freaking calm out here. Mike Yon came out here for almost a month and didn't have anything to write about. He filed a couple of very minor dispatches but he writes about open warfare -- it's what "sells the papers" for him. We still have a little bit of "bang bang shoot 'em up" but the recurring story out here is that the Anbar people have thrown up their hands and seen that we are the good guys.

The bottom line is that we are freaking winning out here. And the really astonishing thing is that Coalition Forces aren't the main effort -- we're simply an enabling factor. The Iraqi people, the moms and dads of Iraq, are the ones who are winning this war.

[dude1394]

Those Iraqi's aren't worth anything. Let's let Al Queda torture them and their children. Just like the democrats did the South Vietnamese.
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/0...ldiers-mi.html

I got your letter a while ago. Thanks for writting. It's always great to read letters from home. How's everything going? We're doing ok out here. Not much going on at all really...

...So, a while back I told you to remind me about a story I needed to tell you. I suppose everyone who's been here has stories just like this, but this is mine and I'll share it. I met a gentleman who shall remain nameless. He is an Iraqi citizen who owns and operates a crane for the government. I needed a crane, and since I don't know how to use one ... I needed an operator for the crane. This gentleman worked harder for me than three of my own Soldiers. I shouted orders at him all day long and he did nothing but the finest work. He simply would not tell me no. At the end of the day I shook his hand and said "Shukran" which is thank-you in Arabic. He very humbly said you're welcome, he touched his heart and said goodbye. The next day was more of the same, eight hours out in the burning sun and he would not quit or say no. That day, my Soldiers brought him and his worker lunch. We went inside where the sun wouldn't get to us, and I let him eat his lunch in the cool quiet sanctuary. After he finished his meal, I finally got to introduce myself in arabic. I said "ismee John, shismek?" He gave me his name and that opened the door for more conversation, and this was the moment that I'd been waiting for since I was told that I'd be leaving for Iraq.


He said "Sir, when we come here to work we feel safe. It is when we go home at night that we are afraid."


Not only did now I understand why this gentleman, who was twice my senior, would work so hard for me, I finally understood my purpose, my directive, my mission. It is simply to make this man feel safe if only for a little while. If my presence here brings five more minutes of peace to this man, I'll feel I've done something worth while...

[Flacolaco]

He said "Sir, when we come here to work we feel safe. It is when we go home at night that we are afraid."

I wish we could see more of this on the evening news. These are the faces that should be on the tv. But I guess if you don't have to think about the real people who are asking for help, it makes it easier to fire away at politicians.

Also, if you highlight stuff in different colors, it makes it like 3 or 4 times more important than if you don't.