[jackieaxe]

Mr Silverback: this is from the General P manual: 1-109. By its nature, insurgency is protracted. The conduct of counterinsurgency always demands consid erable expenditures of time and resources. Even if people prefer the host-nation government to the insur gents, they do not actively support that government unless they are convinced the counterinsurgent forces have the means, ability, stamina, and will to win. The insurgent’s primary battle is against the indigenous government, not the United States, but American support can be crucial to building public faith in that gov ernment’s viability. Insurgents and local populations often believe that a few casualties or a few years will cause the United States to abandon a COIN effort. Constant reaffirmations of commitment, backed by deeds, can overcome that perception and bolster faith in the steadfastness of American support.

The bolded part to me reads, as we keep dying, the population come around to our way of thinking. The whole manual talks to turning the other check.

I hope you have had your coffee.

[Mr. Silverback]

The bolded part to me reads, as we keep dying, the population come around to our way of thinking. The whole manual talks to turning the other check.

The bolded part says what it says: If Americans show commitment, the local population sees that freedom can win, and the enemy sees that his fight is futile. To be blunt, given all the forms of commitment one can have, it takes a pretty bloody minded (or biased) person to see "show commitment" as "waste your men's lives so the locals know we're serious."

You have stated on this board that you support an immediate pullout, which is the ultimate lack of commitment. You have apparently forgotten what our lack of commitment in Somalia got us. The rest of us haven't.

I hope you have had your coffee.

I have, and I still think you're pimping body count. Show some respect.