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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bilow who wrote (103234)	6/28/2003 3:10:51 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

In the final analysis, this is a battle for hearts and minds. Our actions in Iraq are losing hearts and minds. Nor is their a path to a way out. My goodness.. How could anyone disagree with such a broad statement? But of couse, the devil lies in the details, doesn't it? You were wrong then, and you're still just wrong. Hello??!! The context of that statement referred to sweeps of Sunni areas, not Shiite or Kurds. But I will restate that I want the Iraqis to take on these duties as quickly as possible. Only Iraqis can truly understand the extent to which they can successfully carry out these sweeps. And that requires the election of localized governmental representatives. We're making quite a few mistakes in this post-war civil affairs effort. We're not "winning the peace" that I can see because it seems there is too little understanding of what is required to form a national government. If we truly wish to see Iraq form a stable government, we have to create stability and political authority at the local level. As for the killing of the British troops, I would say that lack of discipline, cultural misunderstanding, and proper procedures resulted in a local back-lash. It would appear that the British troops were pointing their weapons at children and butt-stroked an Iraqi woman who protested this. We have to get these combat troops out of the policeman role. They aren't trained for it, and they resent having to do it. That requires recruiting local security from the various clan and tribal leaders, as well as those who command general respect from the population. Combat troops should be used only when local power brokers request them, as well as to provide security for civil affairs and foreign civilians working on humanitarian assistance. This might lead to some street battles between rival "gangs" (because this is what they really are), but that's for the local Iraqis to hash out.. Out job is to prevent it from growing out of control, and to act as leverage between factions. Those who cooperate together and work to rebuild the nation receive support from the US/UK. Those who don't will find their rivals provided that support. Hawk