Relearning Counterinsurgency Warfare, page
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Topic started on 29-12-2004 @ 03:27 AM by xpert11
I found the long but brillant article that sums up the problem the USA and its allies face in Iraq

Quotes
Presumably steeped in counterinsurgency warfare, Task Force 121 and other units operating against Iraqi resistance have learned the lessons of past modern wars. They will not simply sweep towns. This won't defeat an organized insurgency. Instead, the enemy's organization must be targeted to defeat the clandestine organization attempting to impose its will on the Iraqi people.

Let us not forgot the most important aspect of the war is the people and winning over the population.

Despite unparalleled improvements in military intelligence, the United States does not seem to have the depth and breadth required in human intelligence (humint) and cultural intelligence arenas. Arabic linguists are lacking. Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Stephen Cambone, discussing intelligence shortcomings documented in an internal report, might have understated the problem, admitting, "We're a little short on the humint side; there's no denying it

I think that this is the U.S military greatest weakness in this case the lack of human Intelligence. U.S military leaders forgot that high tech weapons are only as good as the people who use them.

One cannot understand the theory and practice of counterinsurgency warfare without understanding the socio-political-economic intricacies of the "cause" which insurgents use to mobilize support. Without a cause, the insurgency cannot persuade the population to join or assist in the campaign.
Dose anyone outside of Iraq know what the insurgents want other then U.S troops out of Iraq?
I am amazed that took less then a generation for the "lessons" and experiance of counterinsurgency warfare to be lost..

Other points raised in the article include encourging media that supports the Iraqi government. I also think the yanks need to re think there tactics in Iraq using massive amounts of fire power against the insurents is not a good way of winning over the population.
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