The U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq have gone populist, empowering a “movement” of local sheikhs, former insurgents and ordinary Iraqis—encouraging them to take up arms and patrol their communities for themselves. “Concerned Citizens Groups,” which military representatives describe as similar to “neighborhood watch groups,” have become a centerpiece of U.S. strategy. The model takes its inspiration from the summer’s “Anbar Awakening,”… return to article
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Reader Comments (3)Page 1 of 1 pages‘...the strategy is “fundamentally unpredictable.”’
Well, sounds like real life — everywhere. Why is it we hear so many people looking for guaranties and sure things? War is the last place to expect it.
If you want predictability install a dictator and give him total power.
Wait a minute — that’s where this all began.
Posted by whattheheck on Nov 12, 2007 at 3:56 PM Today I attended a detailed presentation of the 13th Wisconsin, a Civil War regiment serving as support and mostly stationed behind the battle lines. Except for the names of individuals and geographical locations the story could have been taking place right now in Iraq.
Emotions were high both for and against the North and the South throughout the central states where they were deployed. Civilians were intimidated by guerrillas each wanting to impose their power and influence.
No one could be sure who was for them or against them. Harsh penalties were instituted against combatants without uniforms and private property was given no consideration.
The outcome was uncertain to everyone involved.
Posted by whattheheck on Nov 14, 2007 at 1:55 AM “According to Ret. U.S. Lt. Gen. William Odom, the situation is becoming one in which the U.S. army is ‘arming the enemies of the government whose election and legitimacy we sponsored.
‘The muddled, contradictory and ludicrous nature of this policy would deserve a horse laugh if it were not so tragic,’ says Odom, who served as the Army’s senior intelligence officer under Reagan. There is ‘no example where stable states were created by diffusing weapons and power to local and regional groups.’”
May be, General. But if you want justification for planting enduring bases on foreign soil because of the chaos that “seems” never to end, it’s a hard strategy to beat.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/iraq.htm
Posted by Kuya on Nov 15, 2007 at 8:38 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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