INDC in Iraq: Fort Apache, Fallujah
posted at 11:38 am on February 12, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Another great one from INDC Bill about the difficulties of building a civil police force inside a war zone. There’s heroism to spare among the local Iraqis — as one Marine says, “Would people back home come back to work the next day after being shot in the head?” — but they need more American advisors. (Some cutting-edge biometric identification technology wouldn’t hurt, either.) Bill himself is ambivalent about whether it’s going to work or not, although he suspects if success does come, it’ll come when Fallujans accept the Patriquin plan.
Some of it, like the description of the Iraqi SWAT team, you’ll enjoy. Other parts, not so much. The takeaway:
“We’re on the baby steps right now. We’ve finally got ‘em to where they’re halfway doing their job, going out there and doing their job, but if we pull out right now, they’re still halfway depending on us. If we pull out right now, let’s just say things will go straight back to where they were. There’s been a lot of progress here,” said Lance Corporal Nathan Yeager.
CBS’s embed in Baghdad has a report out today about the police in that city. She’s as ambivalent as Bill is, but with the added fear of sectarian loyalties influencing the squad. That’s a much bigger worry in a mixed city like the capital than in Anbar, I’d imagine.
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This is what you get when you try to wage a policicaly correct war!
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on February 12, 2007 at 11:58 AM
We need to give our military the support and means to finish the job correctly.
ChrisIansNana on February 12, 2007 at 12:02 PM
If Bush does not change the rules of engagement this war is lost. We need a leader badly. Someone who will stop the murder trial of Marines in Camp Pendleton. Someone who will close the friggin borders. Someone who will release the 2 border guards from prison. Someone who will clean the illegal aliens out of this country.
As much as I hate to say it but this ISbecoming more and more like Viet Nam. Did you know in Viet Nam we could not bomb Air Bases in North Viet Nam because of rules of engagement? THat is only one example of the foolish rules used to handcuff our troops in Country.
Wade on February 12, 2007 at 12:17 PM
Oh, to have a president with balls.
One who would say to the Senate, “Damn you for considering a resolution to give aid and comfort to an enemy that is killing American men and women on the battlefield.”
The momentum on the war is THERE, it is waiting to be SNATCHED UP by the White House. The TABLES COULD BE TURNED IN AN INSTANT.
For lack of balls, a presidency was lost, for lack of a presidency, victory in a war was lost, for lack of a victory in a war, a region was lost.
PS What would Reagan do?
Labamigo on February 12, 2007 at 12:18 PM
AMEN! and pass the ammunition!! Bush had a set to get us in this war but he better find a set of brass balls to finsh what was started plus
ChrisIansNana on February 12, 2007 at 12:49 PM
Bush is a ‘nice’ president.
We need a ‘ruthless’ president. One who will authorize the kind of ROE we need (and not this PC bullcrap).
Someone who will challenge Kennedy when he claimed the torture is only under ‘new management’.
Who will call Murtha out when he convicts our soldiers before the facts are even in.
Bush is not ruthless enough.
CrazyFool on February 12, 2007 at 1:03 PM
I thought part of the surge strategy WAS changing the ROE?
honora on February 12, 2007 at 1:27 PM
All the more reason why we need a strong Republican to be elected in ‘08.
Tony737 on February 12, 2007 at 1:46 PM
These have absolutely nothing to do with each other. It doesn’t matter how many people we ’surge’ if the rules about how we are allowed to attack the enemy do not change. It would be much simpler to just change the Rules of Engagement.
Lawrence on February 12, 2007 at 2:10 PM
Bush is turning into his father. It is one thing the left has right. He doesn’t listen, he is elitist and gives to much deference to those in power, and he doesn’t communicate/consider what his base is saying to him.
There is sticking to your guns and there is blindness to the world around you. On a lot of issues Bush has crossed this line.
Bill C on February 12, 2007 at 2:15 PM
From USAToday interview with Bush, 1/22/07. My recollection is that Bush also stated this in his SOTU.
Q: What specifically do you see in (al-Maliki) to make you think he is, in fact, the right guy for Iraq?
A: The Iraqi government has put out benchmarks. They have said they’re going to move brigades into Baghdad, which is necessary to have the security plan work.
Last time … Iraqi battalions didn’t show up in Baghdad, and there weren’t enough troops to clear and hold. And so the prime minister, in the plan that he submitted to his people and worked with us on, said, “I will commit three brigades.” And he said he has done so.
Secondly, he said the rules of engagement will be changed. In other words, Iraqi troops and U.S. troops will be able to chase down these death squad leaders and these people that are wreaking havoc on some of the neighborhoods inside of Baghdad, regardless of their political affiliation. I said that’s important. And then notice the other day that 500 or 600 (Shiite) militia have been brought to justice as a result of … primarily Iraqi-led operations with U.S. help.
And so those are two areas right there on the security front where he has said he’s going to do something, and he’s beginning to do it. What matters to me is what happens on the ground.
Thirdly … we’re beginning to see some progress toward an oil law. And my point to … the government, particularly Prime Minister Maliki, is we appreciate you saying you’re going to do these things and now is the time for you to do them, and he’s beginning to.
honora on February 12, 2007 at 3:00 PM
Wade on February 12, 2007 at 8:28 PM