U.S. Army Changed by Iraq, but for Better or Worse?

The Washington Post ^ | July 6, 2004 | Thomas E. Ricks

[neverdem]

Some Military Experts See Value in Lessons Learned; Others Cite Toll on Personnel, Equipment

Not long ago, a report surfaced on a Friday that a roadside bomb in Iraq had been hidden inside a dead dog. By the following Monday, the general who oversees the Army's training centers recalled, Army trainers back in the United States had copied the trick.

"It's a truly dynamic curriculum" at the training centers, changing as new tactics emerge in the fighting in Iraq, Lt. Gen. William S. Wallace said in an interview.

Fifteen months of combat in Iraq are leaving an imprint on the U.S. military. All the services are changing, but the Army especially is undergoing radical change as a result of the unexpectedly difficult occupation, in which it has suffered nearly 6,000 casualties.

The strain on Army troops, families and equipment has been extensively reported and is likely to intensify as some units head back to Iraq for a second tour. "The war in Iraq is wrecking the Army and the Marine Corps," retired Navy Capt. John Byron asserts in the July issue of Proceedings, the professional journal of Navy officers. "Troop rotations are in shambles and the all-volunteer force is starting to crumble as we extend combat tours and struggle to get enough boots on the ground."

[Consort]

Too soon to tell. The changes are still ongoing.

[neverdem]

From time to time, I’ll post or ping on noteworthy articles about politics and foreign and military affairs. Let me know if you want off my list.

Try BugMeNot.com to avoid reegistering at WaPo.

[agincourt1415]

Washington Post, Barf alert

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Wars tend to cause problems, what else is new?

LA Times is doing its best to match the negativity of its major competition also.

[neverdem]

Did you read the article?

[neverdem]

I thought it was an interesting article.

[MinorityRepublican]

Seems like we need more grunts. It's nice to have technology but without the boots on the ground, we will only fail.

[Eaker]

There is no question that the Army personnel system is stressed. "I think the Army is in terrible shape," said retired Army Lt. Gen. Jay M. Garner, who served last year as the Bush administration's first administrator in postwar Iraq. "I think people are worn out, equipment is run down and we've overstressed the reserves. We're drastically short [of] infantry and MPs because the Army is too small."

I sure am glad that we are letting them know that they are winning.

In the Army, the biggest long-term changes may be in how it trains -- if the lessons learned in counterinsurgency stick. After the Vietnam War, noted retired Army Lt. Col. Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr., who wrote a book on the Army and Vietnam, "we got out of the counterinsurgency business."

I sure am glad that we are letting them know that we were beaten once and should have known better than to attack terrorism. Also that we don't learn from our own mistakes and should have simply surrendered.

I know that when they show up at my home I will surrender my weapons for their use, my wife for rape, my kids for slavery and me for death.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Looking at the hard copy, not the website of todays Los Angeles (Slimes) we have an article above the Fold on the right hand side:

U. S. Response to Insurgency Called a Failure
Some top Bush officials and military experts say the Pentagon has no coherent strategy. Little change is expected with Iraqi's new sovereignty.

So THERRE!!!!!

Article has a picture (small) with a Terrorist head wrapped in a red cloth manning a machine gun on a tripod stating :
Tough Target... Us forces have not adapted well to the guerrilla warfare practiced by Iraqi insurgents, experts say!!!!

[Squantos]

Is the Mom up with this ? You better run that past her Eeeek !.........:o)

Articles such as this have been written in every conflict .......no biggie. Just Liberal losers at work trying their best to heap camel chit on the cheeple !

Stay safe !

[cyborg]

Since when is the Compost so concerned?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

here is another example of the media at work....

See my post just above on the LA Slimes.

[Eaker]

Is the Mom up with this ?

If I attempted to surrender (which I wouldn't) TheMom and TheKids would just roll their eyes and keep shooting!!!

[Squantos]

Color me confident but the less the GOP bitches and the more crap the socialist rats whine the more I sense a landslide for GW.....

And now that Liberty is up against a self confessed war criminal , enemy sympathizer and butt ugly boy toy. Along with his ambulance chasing smiley little gator. I just think Nov 4th is gonna be a really bad day for terrorists and a good day for America.

Stay safe !

[agincourt1415]

Capt. John Byron, Let me guess a Clinton Administration Military Man, from the same cloth as ZINNI.

This line was enough evidence of leftover Clinton Military Opinion of the situation "Troop rotations are in shambles and the all-volunteer force is starting to crumble as we extend combat tours and struggle to get enough boots on the ground."

Typical Washington Post, putting everything in the WORST POSSIBLE PERSPECTIVE.

[Tamzee]

U. S. Response to Insurgency Called a Failure

Ouch! And lemme guess... all unnamed sources and insinuation :-(

These liberal news rags couldn't be working more effectively against America if they were on al Qaeda's direct payroll.

[ArrogantBustard]

Pravda on the Potomac isn't concerned about the United States Army ...

They're just taking an opportunity to Bash Bush. For that hobby of theirs, any stick will do.

[Tamzee]

This is a NRO article related to this issue...

Hapless Foot Soldiers? The New York Times's unyielding advocacy for America's enemies.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well the expert they use for the thesis is Andrew Krepinevich of the Center of Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, an expert on counter insurgency warfare.
He says" What gives you a sense of confidence we're going to become a lot more competent at something we haven't shown a great deal of competence at doing for a year".

Some top American officials bristle at the criticism and say the US led coalitions plan has been consistent from the beginning to bring security to Iraq in preparation for an eventual hand-over to Iraqi forces.

"Our strategy is not complicated. It is to train Iraqis as quickly as we possibly can and as efficiently as we possibly can....