Posted on 03/12/2006 7:36:24 PM PST by gleeaikin
After spending 8 months in Gulf War I (Aug. 1990 to April 1991) with an elite unit, and now in Afghanistan this soldier has definite opinions on the Iraq/Afghanistan war, politicians and supporting our troops. The threat of civil war in Iraq and the outbreak of suicide bombing in Afghanistan heighten concerns here at home. Here is a front line assessment of implications for the future.
Question: Recent reports indicate that Iraq Sunnis are turning on Al Qaeda. If they are driven out of Iraq, what are the implications for action in Afghanistan?
Answer: "Most likely suicide bombers have made it into Afg. already. Watch for reports of arrests or actual bombings. In many cases it is getting harder and harder to be a suicide bomber in Afg. The communities, even in the cities, are too closely knit. Everybody knows everybody. Someone will identify the new people who don't belong there. The only place Al Qaeda has any credibility is in the countryside where there are no US troops.
"The US Army is the goose that lays golden eggs. We have plenty of money and we spend it. Halliburton is nickel and dime compared to money we waste on local contracts. However, it does buy us friends. The people who have spent some time around us know that we are a good meal ticket and we are not here to turn them into Christians, make their women prostitutes, or eat their children. We are generally decent people. We go to great lengths to respect their culture and not impost our ways on them. However, we are not to be messed with. We are the sleeping giant with great resolve.
I don't see this war ending any time soon. AQ is still out there and they still have supporters. It really doesn't matter what any of these politicians say--we are stuck here. The minute we leave things will start to fall apart.
The worst thing we can do to AQ is to show any potential supporters that US is the one that is going to butter their bread. There is no money in Jihad. These people want JOBS, a HOME and a nice FAMILY. AQ will not bring them peace and prosperity."
Q: In a recent interview after the bombing of the golden mosque, Daniel Pipes expressed concerns about the reactions of Turkey and Iran in the event of the breakup of Iraq. Do you think his pessimism is justified?
A: "I really think Turkey is more concerned about being part of the European Union. [Would not want to make EU mad by invading an Iraq Kurdistan.] They will simply have to live with a border problem that is much like our problem with Mexico.
The Shiites in Iran and Iraq are of different tribes. They have long standing tribal animosities. Yes, they can put this aside in the interest of business (there is a lot of trade along the border) but I don't see an alliance. Besides, they will have their own oil [the Shiites in an independent southern Iraq] and will be fairly independent. Remember, everybody wants their own fiefdom. And don't forget the old Iran-Iraq war was fought in their back yard. There is more tension than teamwork there."
Q: What thoughts do you have on the US political situation regarding the Iraq/Afghanistan warfare?
A: I am very much against my views being used to advance a political agenda. Right now the Dems are reaching out to disgruntled vets--not because they care about vets, but because it advances their own political ambitions. Both sides are to blame for the sorry state of affairs in this war. Both sides also use the military as a mere political tool for their own purposes. Wa have a saying, "there is no justice--just us." If you don't have a dog in this fight then you are just on the outside looking in. No politician has a dog in this fight. Honestly, of this is such a noble cause why don't the children of these politicians join the Army? Only we here and our people back home are sacrificing in this war. For anyone else, this war is just a story on the evening news."
Q: A few weeks ago 4 US military were killed near Kandahar. What are your thoughts on that?
A: "In the minds of many the war is over. We have 12 conditions we must meet before we are allowed to do anything useful. All missions must be approved by the Afg. government. We are no longer allowed to operate at will. These 4 guys died because of this. These guys should never have been alone out there like that. They should have been accompanied by a light infantry company. However, we would need a full light infantry division here full time to provide that sort of security to units all over the country. I am not sure the politicians or the American people are willing to pay for a Cold War sized Army. Nor does anyone seem to have the stomach to do what must be done. It seems like everyone seems to know how to run the war better than the people who do this for a living. We are restricted by State Dept. nicities and political correctness. As a result our people get killed. A lot of the guys who go outside the wire are engaged in little more than combat tourism. Remember, we really aren't allowed to do anything useful here."
Q: What do you see for the future of the war and the outlook of the American people?
A: "In Afghanistan I don't see this war ending any time soon. AQ is still out there and they still have supporters. It really doesn't matter what any of these politicians say--we are stuck here. The minute we leave things will start to fall apart.
I just don't think we (as a people) have the will to do what must be done. Armies kill people and break things, and that is not a reality that the American people are comfortable with. I really can't see Alexander or Patton fighting this war the way we are. The ground rules are being set by the State Dept. and we have to follow them.
The problem is that the strategic vision and the tactical reality on the ground do not mesh. We cannot fix what is wrong in this part of the world. The fact of the matter is that these people have more real freedom than we do. [I think he means in Afg.] For the most part anarchy is the norm--not chaos--just the absence of government. What holds these people down is in their own heads. They are slaves to their culture and customs. We cannot liberate these people from their own mind."
Q: What do you see as the future of the war?
A: The war has no clear goal and as such is, it cannot be won because we have yet to define the conditions for victory. The global war on terror is all things to all people. It is whatever people want it to be on any given day. We do not have a clearly defined goal. What are the conditions for victory? When is the war over? When can we go home? This is a forever war."
Q: What can we at home do to support the troops?
A: "How about everyone who "Supports the Troops" volunteer for a nice tax increase to pay for the war? How about a military pay raise? Aren't we worth it? How about some better equipment? How about giving every returning vet a good JOB?"
"When you treat a "war" like a peace keeping mission or police action and you constantly change the soldiers on the ground rules of engagement, and dont let them defend themselves against clear threats stemming from mosques and foreign fighters shooting and running back over the border with syria you have a clear problem. There is a reason why we haven't won a real "war" since ww2."
The guys I know who in the sandbox now are not reporting this sort of thing to me. Maybe your news is old?
I disagree, because they wont stem the flow of foreign fighters via the damascus network. Syria has training camps, we see them and know they are there. They are transporting thousands of algerians, saudis and other terrorist through Syria and WE are not doing shit about it.
If you don't secure your borders you are not a nation. We don't get that here in America, and the Iraqis and the Coalition forces dont understand this. We have moved more troops to the western region but too few are there. Ramadi is a rats nest and should have been nuked. So you kill a lot of innocence, but think of all the terrorist that are camped out and being harbored by the sunnis. There is a vast network in the Anbar province we can't break up.
Thanks for the excellent insights.
I'm a bitter veteran though, but uhm seriously if the border with Syria is never secured there won't be peace.
Much of the Syria boarder is now the responsibility of the IA. That is the part that the Marines are not defending. There are a number of layers of defense on the Syria boarder, as you are probably awaire (it is in the public domain and not classified).
You are correct we are not attacking the Syrian camps, but I don't know if we are prepared to tackle a war with Syria right now, so border protection is the option that is open.
I wouldn't call that not doing anything....
I read somewhere recently, that one of the things the Iraqis are doing, with our help is secure the border with Syria and capture the foreign fighters coming through.
Of course anyone should question anything they think questionable. But when people make comments straight out of the mainstream media playbook, that’s what I find highly questionable. (Remember, the mainstream media has permanently ruined its own credibility with forged documents and the reckless use of “anonymous sources,” as well as extreme bias in general.)
From this post, here are some questionable quotes:
“why don't the children of these politicians join the Army”
“we have yet to define the conditions for victory”
“we have yet to define the conditions for victory”
“a nice tax increase”
These clichés are identical to something Soros, Hillary or any other extremist leftist would say.
“Armies kill people and break things, and that is not a reality that the American people are comfortable with”
The logic here is that Americans won’t fight to defend themselves, which as an assertion in itself is a bizarre fabrication.
“The problem is that the strategic vision and the tactical reality on the ground do not mesh”
“It seems like everyone seems to know how to run the war better than the people who do this for a living”
This guy is a soldier, not a commander. He doesn’t run the war, yet he’s making comments about the strategic vision? His comments are the exact opposite of “those who do this for a living” such as General Pace who stated things are going very, very well in Iraq.
Correct... Zarqawi's network stems from Bosnia/Kosovo, Turkey, Lebenon, Jordan and Syria to Iraq... he has a straight pipeline that needs to be stopped some where.
I'm not saying they don't believe in what they are fighting for...but you are exactly right about them seeing politicians as obstacles.
My understanding is that the Marines and IA are working it.
Yep, as my son calls them, "old men with grey hair, arguing all day long."
I will be communicating with my son regularly. It usually happens on weekends. I will ask him when he thinks the locals in Afg. will be able to take care of themselves. I will also ask what we (US military) can do to support.
I am wondering if you are active military and where you are located. You can private reply if you don't want that info out there. I know that in GWI, when his unit had their new tanks, I had to run to Home Depot and buy several quarts of brown and beige paint to send him because they needed to camoflage their tanks. How is that for "military" support!!
Kind of like this wars vehicle armor, and vests situation.
How long since you've been over there. In the past few weeks, the Iraqi Sunni tribes have turned on AQ and the Desert Protectors (tribesmen) have been doing a pretty effective job in stopping the flow.
Here is a news article about it. Not sure how effective they are though. I just don't have the visibility.
http://www.newsone.ca/westfallweeklynews/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=155476
Terror camps in Syria sending terrorists into Iraq.
We may not be doing anything about it, but it sound as though the Iraquis/Sunnis finally are. See recent FR posts "Some Sunni Arabs Turning Against AlQaeda in Iraq" and "Sunni Insurgents 'Have Al-Zarqawi running for cover'."
Good post, thanks.
They're being more and more effective. They don't bother turning these guys over to us or the Iraqi forces, they just kill them.
There is no such thing as an "ex" Marine.
You reek, and I mean positively reek, of troll.
When do you think the locals will be in a position to take care of themselves? What can we (US military)do to support them until then?
The $64,000 question. Way to many people think WWII when they should be thinking Cold War.
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