[al_again]

A good read. I'm of the opinion that Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Bremer over simplified the problems facing post-war Iraq. As it turns out, the likes of Zinni and Powell had better ideas. The short of it, disbanding the Iraqi army and eliminating all Bathists from every level of government was a huge mistake.

Ah well, the old saying of hindsight certainly applies here as well. Hopefully we can get the right people in place to adapt, overcome, and win this conflict.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The French kept the Japanese Army to keep order in SE Asia after WW II.

[cinives]

Did we keep the German Army after WW II intact, or did we disband it, develop de-Nazification procedures and start again ?

Would you keep the Baathist army without finding out where each and every member's loyalties lay ? And, would you confine them under guard in barracks or let them go home and apply again for the new Army ?

Seems like you are a little short on the logistics and consequences of what you advocate.

[Tolik]

De-Baathification was needed and was a right thing to do.

Look for the difference between Germany after the fall of Nazism and Russia after the fall of USSR: deNazification happened, de-communization did not.

Understanding local sensitivities is good, if you read them correctly. We heard so much about the "Arab street" rising up. Did not happen. The correct interpretation was that they respect the power and will, or like Osama said, the "strong horse".

What was not done, but in hindsight looks like a good idea, was to keep Iraqi army in barracks, paying them money to do nothing to buy us time to sort them out. But no way to keep the Baathist infrastructure: we don't need to be called hypocrites deservedly.

What I do like about our Army is that they learn and adapt quickly. Cynically speaking, no peace time exercise can substitute for the real war experience. This "benefit" surely does not come cheap (in blood and money) but may become priceless later.

[NAVY84]

What Iraqi Army? They melted away and were not heard from again (Other than the ones who joined the insurgency) until we stopped paying them for not showing up!