Posted on 01/02/2008 4:54:11 PM PST by SandRat
PATROL CAMP CORREIGDOR, Iraq — If the United States wants to reduce its presence in Iraq, more involvement in local communities at the lowest level soldiering must be accomplished.
That was the opinion of 1st Lt. James Watson and Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Maurin.
During a break in patrolling, the officer and noncommissioned officer leaders of 2nd Platoon, Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) out of Fort Campbell, Ky., expressed their personal opinions of what is happening in Iraq.
Early on New Year’s Day in Iraq — it was still two hours before Arizona would ring in 2008 — the platoon mounted up and headed out on a five-hour patrol, visiting sheiks, Concerned Local Citizens checkpoints, and driving through the countryside looking for problem areas.
After sunset, the platoon would go on another five-hour patrol.
The platoon leaders, who are both in their early 30s, looked at their missions as twofold — to ensure no insurgent attacks and helping the local population in the pre-dominantly farming area.
Calling the Concerned Local Citizens checkpoints a “glorified neighborhood watch,” the 33-year-old Maurin said the group is important for the security of “three little villages” in the troop’s area of responsibility.
The 14-year Army veteran said his previous deployments to Iraq were hot with combat that “took the lives of many of my friends.”
Maurin said the number of platoon soldiers he came with this time “is the same people I want to take home.”
In an area that was given the name Triangle of Death for its constant deadly attacks on U.S. forces, Maurin said soldier skills are now directed in ensuring a peaceful solution to Iraqis problems.
No one is foolish enough to think Iraq’s problems will go away overnight, he said. The continuing mistrust between Sunni and Shi’ite people will be hard to overcome.
Iraq “is so cultural driven, and you can’t remove cultural biases quickly,” the platoon sergeant said.
Watson said Iraq lacks a fair judicial system, and this doesn’t help Sunni and Shi’ite reconciliation.
“They don’t have a very strong (unprejudiced) legal tradition,” the officer said.
Nations go through various phases as they develop, and even the United States lack times of fairness, said the 32-year-old officer with four years in the Army.
Revenge is not unique to Iraq, Watson said. For example, he said, the United States had the Hatfield and McCoy feud about 100 years ago.
Although some believe there is a potential for Iraq to become a Muslim theocracy, Maurin said he believes most Iraqis will not accept that.
“I see a separation of church and state, like we have,” he said.
Units such as Bravo Troop are reaching out to small communities. The unit has a number of committees, and Watson heads the roads function, finding ways to repair a critical infrastructure in a major agricultural area in Iraq.
The disenchantment of Iraqi people with al-Qaida in Iraq telling them what to do has helped the situation in their area of responsibility. Maurin said the area of operation was once a death trap.
“But AQI (al Qaida in Iraq) screwed up,” he said.
That provided an avenue for the United States to counter the foreign fighters and insurgents to America’s advantage, the non-commissioned officer said.
Although the U.S. forces are doing something different as part of the troop surge program, which includes reaching out to the local population, such efforts were successful in some areas after Iraq was defeated in 2003. Both soldiers said the efforts should have become a permanent part of overall operation earlier, instead of abandoning smaller sites.
Iraqis should not think the U.S. forces are going soft, they said.
“We’re still going to go after the bad guys,” Maurin said.
Watson said the program includes a new tough, but fair, sheriff in town.
If someone creates a problem, they will face a strong reaction, Maurin added.
“We’re going to let them know if they do something stupid, we’re going to shoot them in the face,” he said.
The Iraqis need to look at the U.S. forces as a bunch of super heroes, the NCO said.
The lieutenant said judicious use of strength is a good thing and appreciated by most Iraqis.
Relating a story about a sheik whose life had been threatened by one of the Concerned Local Citizens guards, Watson said the village leader complained to the Americans about the incident, since the program is paid for by the United States.
The sheik discovered the man was not fulfilling the stipulations of his contract to be part of the Concerned Local Citizens and was sending an underage boy to do the job while collecting the salary. The man had another job and failed to show up for some of his shifts.
The man told the sheik, with lack of respect, he would kill the leader.
Once the soldiers got wind of the incident, the man was warned that if anything happened to the sheik, he — the man who threatened the leader — would be the first one to be visited.
The actions used by U.S. troops depend on circumstances. It could be a mailed fist or a velvet glove.
“Soldiers have to be prepared for the bad,” Maurin added.
Too many American soldiers have died in Iraq for the Iraqis to be free, he said.
But it should be remembered “the enemy has a vote,” which means they can upset the apple cart again, Maurin said.
A mindset change is happening as soldiers and Iraqis see a potential bright outcome, he said.
But it gets down to the people with the boots on the ground, those who know what is happening locally, Maurin said.
“It’s a platoon level fight over here,” he said.
SENIOR REPORT Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.
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All battles, no matter what the scale, are fought at the Squad level!
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