[arthurus]

these guys are effectively on our side. They helped train the Iraqis to fight in yhe old Soviet nanner. Their military careers ended with the end of the USSR and their ideas have not likely been updated since then. That means total central control, no individual unit initiative permitted, etc. They just helped make the Iraqi army efficiently incompetent.

[plusone]

I see your point, but don't sell the Ruskies short. Anyone who wants to disparage the Red Army should watch the movie "Enemy at the Gates". These people can endure hardships that would kill us. Of course, this speaks more for Russian hardiness than it does for the military genius of centralized command. The Red troops fighting the Germans would be shot by their own commanders for not advancing against German positions, even if they didn't have guns or bullets to fight with! Treated like cannon fodder.