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Understood. But we've made several large mistakes in Iraq

1) Disbanding the Iraqi Army. We should have made them responsible for security. They had 3 corps of soldiers available.

2) Paying for stuff in dollars instead of the iraqi currency. We shot a large hole in what was left of their econimy whith that one.

3) We have missed many opportunities to create "good will" with the locals because of state department weenies who aren't in Iraq.

These obsevations come from a buddy of mine whose an Air Force intel guy who has spent a lot of time in country.

"3) We have missed many opportunities to create "good will" with the locals because of state department weenies who aren't in Iraq."

There may be particular issues in certain places, but the "good will" efforts are much more than you apparently know of.

I have pictures, stories, and even forwarded E-mails from Iraqi civilians which are in conflict with any notion that "good will" is not being applied over there.

"These obsevations come from a buddy of mine whose an Air Force intel guy who has spent a lot of time in country."

I'm an Army Intel guy - 17 years worth. I've been "in country". I'll be back later this year. I know many AF "Intel guys" - and as sharp as some of them are, I have to lay it on the line and tell you that they, as a group, tend to be very spoiled and left-leaning in comparison to other Services' personnel.

The reason is the Air Force's sense of priority and value that they, as a Service, place on creature comforts and instilling a sense of grandiose privelege in being one of their precious, chosen Airmen.

Don't get me wrong - I appreciate the value and skill sets the Air Force brings to the battle. I'm just telling it like it is based on my 17 years. I've spent about half my career in a Joint-Service environment with all four Services and DoD civilian personnel as well.

Air Force guys are good at their jobs, I'll say that. Their priorities (self-sacrifice, especially) and political leanings, however -- well, I have to call much into question in that regard.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket being carried by an Airman with an opinion.

1) Disbanding the Iraqi army was the right thing to do. A good number of those committing acts of Terrorism in Iraq are former members of the Ba'ath party and Ba'ath army stooges. If we were currently using Saddam's army instead of the ING I would doubt they would be so successful in combating the terrorists. Perhaps the mistake was not disbanding the army or dismissing the Ba'athist but letting these guys go home.

2) Studying post-war economies of Europe and you'll see pictures of people with wheelbarrows of paper money going to buy bread. We did not see pictures of this from Iraq (if it happened I'm sure we would know). The economy of Iraq needed stability especially after 12 years of economic discord. Using a currency rock solid around the world that would not be deflated by events in Iraq actually was the right choice. The dinar did not wildly deflate because it was not battered by the post-war situation. If the US dollar was not used there would be no value to the dinar, no wealth, and no means of conducting business.

3) Weenies?

What, enforce the law with Saddam's troops? That's insane. Only reason to keep the Iraqi Army together would have been to get them all concentrated so one MOAB would have done the job.

"Where have all the Americans gone?" BOOM!

1) Disbanding the Iraqi Army. We should have made them responsible for security. They had 3 corps of soldiers available.

While you may know what you are talking about, I choose to believe that those in the Pentagon knew a little more than we did about what was the right thing to do over there. Hopefully they have intelligence that we don't.

I don't like it when Kerry speaks against our government to the troops while we are at war, and I won't do it myself (without absolute proof they are willfully wrong). Do they get everything right? Of course not, how could they know everything that may and may not happen?