A Note on Iraq

Sorry for the recent delay. Sometime paradise is to compelling to blog!

Before I return to bloggin about the joys of Thailand, a note of seriousness.

PREFIX for those who claim the 2nd Iraq war was "illegal" and other such stuff.
Iraq violated the terms of the cease fire agreement at the end of the 1st Gulf War. In fact, they violated the terms on a daily basis.Without all the drama of WMDs and whatever else it's that simple: The 1st war NEVER ended and a state of conflict continued to exist between Iraq and the allies form the 1st war.

Also, once The UN Security council authorized force in the 1st war they cannot stop the primary parties from continuing the fight without a direct revocation of that authorization. Colin powell giving speeches and presenting what in hindsight looks like dubious evidence of WMD production was all a show and completely unnecesary from a legal standpoint. It was necesary from a political standpoint in that The Bush admin. was trying to muster public support and using the corrupt institution of The UN as an available avenue.

That covers those who like to throw out propaganda phrases,"illegal war," instead of argument.

Prior to the war, I was in favour of the invasion. Not for grand political reasons or grand religious reasons. I was in favour because I saw with my own eyes the absolute face of evil one day (around 2000/1) in the Iraqi/Kuwait desert. That face WAS Saddams Republican Guard. Thieving, coldblooded, murderers. So I supported the invasion but was still uneasy in that I wasn't sure Bush and co. had a plan for after the military victory. Now my fears have come to their worst realizations.

Now back to the topic (justifications for a war which was already entered into 4 years ago aside):


I agree with some that the "war" proper was already fought and won. US Forces are now engaged in a police/nationbuilding/stabilization role for which they are neither trained nor equipped.

US Military forces, Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen are the Best trained and equipped military force that humanity has ever seen. They are the best at what they are trained to do. (This is said with much much respect for numerous British Forces I also had the honour of working with. They just dont have the same scale of force) BUT, one needs to ask the question, "What are they trained and equipped to do?"

They are trained to kill. It's that simple.
If you want a simpler answer: They are trained to put ordnance on target.
And guess what, they are great at it. Whether it be the pilot dropping a laser guided bomb or the Marine rifleman in a small unit firefight, they do that job exceeding well. Why? Because the treasure and experience of ou nation was put behind them in the training and equipment.

Now what are they doing?
Learning on the fly to conduct counter insurgency?
This is a job suited for either guerrillas or Special Forces NOT GI Joe regular army/marine.

Policing a nation which either can't or won't police itself?
This is a job for dedicated, experienced peacekeepers or POLICEMEN.

Building a nation?
This is a job for politicians and diplomats NOT soldiers/sailors/marines/airmen.

Taking crash courses in IED defusement?
This is a job for dedicated EOD (explosive ordnance personell) trained workers.

Occupying a restless nation which is becoming more and more hostile to our prescence?
This has never been either something our forces are either good at or wish to do.

So where does that leave us? Well it leaves the military holding a giant bag (dropped in their laps by politicians with minimal forethought) containing a giant [censored] sandwich and expecting them to take a bite every single day.

When I hear talk from the left about "End your illegal occupation! End your war of aggression!" all I hear is blah blah blah with no readily available solutions or plans.

When I hear talk from the right with their "Don't cut and run!" "Stay the course! "We're winning!" "It's getting better!" "One more push!" all I hear is blah blah blah blah with only poor or self decieving solutions.

IOW Both sides smell like they are full of BS and we have still left our troops in the middle with the [censored] sandwich.

I don't proclaim to have all the answers for extracting ourselves from this horrid situation. I have some suggestions though.

1) Stop the feckin talking points meaningless political BS from both sides.

2) Have realist military and political leaders (from every spectrum) examine it in a nonbiased light. (Yeah yeah I know, that's what the Baker Iraq commision was supposed to do) Oh yeah and lets try to do it right this time.

3)Lets start asking soldiers/marines/sailors/airmen for their suggestions. (Not another fecking general or admiral with a career at stake but [censored] groundpounders.)

4) Stop generalizing this situation as either a grand "crusade against radical Islam" OR an imperialistic enterprise of the evil USA. (See point 1)

5) How about a gradual withdrawal from the populated areas of Iraq to the Southern Borders (ports and oilfields). Create one, or several, very large military base(s) and let Iraq sort themselves out. We can maintain our strategic prescence protecting the oilfields and maintaining a bulwark against any Iranian forays into Iraq. We would still be there but NOT fighting in the streets everyday for a nebulous cause against both our enemies and supposed friends.

Sure this idea has some problems but it seems to accomplish several key objetives:
A) We haven't "cut and run" for those who abhor such thoughts.
B) Our force would be supremely adept at defending a base stronghold (not within a city) aainst all attackers in open territory.
C) We still have a significant military force in place to guaratee ours and much of te world's strateic interests in the region.

Thanks for reading and if you only take one thing away from this, please start the process of rational discussion vice pointless namecalling and propagandizing on both sides.