[zarf]

Occupation force.

[WOSG]

ah, 500,000 occupation force is one possible approach.
call it #1.

The other was to has a smaller force and use lots of proxies. That was the DoD plan, ie, let the peshmerga and some of former army help us. That is what we did in Afghanistan. call it #2.

The third approach is to have a force that reflects #2, but then to disband the militias and armies that could make it work, with lack of Iraqi security force and int'l help. ooops, that's what we did, giving us worst of #2 and #1. we've now gotten some unfriendly militias filling in the vacuum created.

I dont think a heavy ocupation force was the right approach at all, but I understand that we need more security forces that are reliable 'in-country'.