SOME REFLECTIVE THOUGHT ON THE IRAQ SITUATION

ON THE U.S. MILIATRY STANDING DOWN AS IRAQI FORCES ARE ABLE TO STAND UP:

It has been some time since George W. Bush’s proclamation that the (Iraq) mission was accomplished.

That said, it is time for a bit of reflective thought on what has transpired since that misguided statement.

ON THE U.S. MILIATRY STANDING DOWN AS IRAQI FORCES ARE ABLE TO STAND UP

Part of the Bush Administration’s exit strategy calls for the creation of a 300K Army. According to this plan, as this massive army gains proficiency, it will incrementally assume responsibility for Iraqi security.

Recent testimony before the Senate Armed Services committee by General John Abazaid provides ample evidence of the intractable problem facing this administration, notwithstanding the haphazard efforts at training an Iraqi force to a level that they will be able to provide the new “democracy” with physical security.

Upon reflection, this plan, in part, underlies such prognostications that “we could be in Iraq for as long as ten or more years.” Why is that so? Well, hidden beneath such estimates is the reality that building a minimally effective army will take at least that long to develop, and the emphasis is on “minimally effective.”

How, you might ask do I arrive at such a conclusion? My conclusion is based on personal experience and after-the-experience reflection.

I speak to the experience of 22.5 years of service with the United States Army. Having retired a senior non-commissioned officer in 1979, I have had plenty of time to reflect upon this experience that informs the above noted conclusion.

Speaking from personal experience, I recall becoming a junior non-commissioned officer after two and one half years after enlisting.
Upon reflection, I must admit that while I demonstrated leadership skills and potential for advancement, it was probably 8 – 10 years of learning the ropes and schooling, and the honing of leadership skills before becoming a truly effective non-com.

That said, consider the range, in number of years it takes to make a senior executive (One through Four stars general) military officer. In today’s armed forces, the years of service experience ranges from 25 to 45 years.

The combination of senior enlisted and officer experiences explains why the U.S. Armed forces are considered to be one of the most formidable military forces in the history of mankind.

If we accept my observations as credible, then we must question the development of an army, from scratch, to an effective force in under 10years as being just plain dumb and calls into question the motivations senior military officers directly involved in Iraq.

It is tragic that we have a “go along” to “get along” senior officer staff that is fully aware of just how ridiculous the proposed “stand up, stand down” exit strategy is.

What is more tragic is the fact that many of these involved general officers all proclaim their concern for the welfare of the service men and women facing the horrors of this conflict who are dying and being horribly maimed and disfigured because they are concerned for a military career that is at an end anyway but, nevertheless, lack the backbone to stand up to their civilian numskulls who develop and foist such dumb policies on the general populace.

Food for thought

the brotherman

What the Bush Aministration Has Wrought

Recent discoveries that this "rump" administration is invading the privacy of America's citizens, notwithstanding descecrating the Constitutuion, by first; evesdropping on the international telephone calls "only" to be discovered, second; that they have collected the telephone records of millions of Americans. Third; this bunch of less than truthful bandidits were revealed to now be listening to domestic phone communications also.

Well folks! Guess what? In a monkey-see-monkey-do imitation of the federal government, the Rhode Island State Police have requested that the state allow it to evesdrop on the citizens of Rhode Island. Which one of America's county sheriff's departments or some city police department will be next to demand permission to listen?

Remember the "slippery slope?" Remember "Nero fiddled while Rome burned?" Remember the population of German Jews believed (individually) that it could not happen to him/her, while Hitler was destroying their businesses, pinning identification badges on them, rounding them up and shipping them off to the concentration camps while sitting idly by?

Wake up American, what in the h... is it going to take? This adminstration will be in control for another two years. What's next.
Thebrotherman