NationStates Jolt Archive

... here is what you have to believe:

You either have to believe that the insurgents will suddenly decide to abandon armed struggle in favor of something like hippy-dippy crystal gazing and meditation as they suddenly decide to help rebuild their country to a political/economic model that they absolutely reject..... or you believe the Administration when they say that the US will build up an Iraqi domestic security service capable of quashing the insurgency and maintaining order. This has, after all, been the much stated goal - building up the Iraqi police and Army to manage their own homeland security.





In other words, you have to believe that the proper exit strategy is for the US to train and equip a force capable of defeating an adversary that they are incapable of defeating themselves. Training and equiping a force stronger and more effective than the US Army.




Anyone buying that as viable?


Frankly - I think they'd have better luck trying the hippy-dippy crystal gazing.... or anything other than the route they are following. Because clearly it is a losing strategy.

The trouble is Iraq was a horrible mix of Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and other Middle Eastern sects. Saddam kept it together by force of will and being not very nice. Now the whole place is a unholy mess with an unwanted occupier and people running amok with anything they can get their hands on.

The trouble is Iraq was a horrible mix of Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and other Middle Eastern sects. Saddam kept it together by force of will and being not very nice. Now the whole place is a unholy mess with an unwanted occupier and people running amok with anything they can get their hands on.


Why is this a suprise? Everybody was saying that this would happen before the war.

Should some strategy to deal with this not have been made before rushing to send in the tanks?

Trying to build an Iraqi version of the ARVN army will wind up being just as effective as the last time it was tried - which is to say: "not at all".