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Fifth Column
Why We Cannot Win
2004-09-24
Before I begin, let me state that I am a soldier currently deployed in Iraq, I am not an armchair quarterback. Nor am I some politically idealistic and naïve young soldier, I am an old and seasoned Non-Commissioned Officer with nearly 20 years under my belt. Additionally, I am not just a soldier with a muds-eye view of the war, I am in Civil Affairs and as such, it is my job to be aware of all the events occurring in this country and specifically in my region.
Before I begin, let me state that I'm retired soldier who's not currently deployed in Iraq, but who pays attention to what's going on. I'm not an armchair quarterback, either, and all my political idealism fell out sometime in the Pleistocene era. Additionally, I spent my time in the Army in MI, so I probably have as good or better an idea of how things actually work than a civil affairs NCO.
I have come to the conclusion that we cannot win here for a number of reasons.
I've come to the conclusion we don't have a choice. See Rantburg articles dated between 9-11-01 and today, inclusive.
Ideology and idealism will never trump history and reality.
But necessity and self-preservation will...
When we were preparing to deploy, I told my young soldiers to beware of the "political solution." Just when you think you have the situation on the ground in hand, someone will come along with a political directive that throws you off the tracks.
There are more weapons in the arsenal than tanks and guns. And it would seem to me that civil affairs should in fact be concentrating on the political solution, since the bangers have already done their work. Civil affairs is by definition a clean-up job...
Posted by:Murat

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