I would like to respond to this thread from the perspective a NCO in the US Army PSYOP field currently in Baghdad.
1. We are not allowed to target the corrupt Iraqi Security Forces. Even though we know they are complicit in IED atacks against us.
2. Iraqi’s have cell phones. On these cell phones they download videos. Not Paris Hilton are some other dingbat, but videos of Sadr and AQI chopping the head off of someone. Recently I saw one where they tortured a teenage girl, then chopped her head off with a sword. It apparantly wasn’t very sharp, it took a few swings. Then they threw cinder blocks on her head and body. Iraqi’s carry stuff like this around, it’s no big deal to them.
3. We are not allowed to target the enemy with effective information. Might upset them. So PSYOP in Iraq has become essentially ‘Tactical Newspaper Delivery Boys’ delivering bundles of Baghdad Now, which most Iraqi’s spit on and don’t read. But it is the status quo.
4. The Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army is so corrupt they are a joke. But the wusses at the big FOB’s say we can’t address that issue...too sensitive. No...too sensitive. Bombs are planted that target us and these so called security forces know who, when, where. They warn the enemy and for all intents and purposes, are the enemy. But we are too PC and weak in leadership to do anything about it.