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Originally Posted by 9th Engineer
But on the other hand after hearing report after report about Iraqi civilans either attacking crews of downed helicopters or calling in armed insurgents to kill them I'm finding my sympathy drying up very quickly.
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Goes right back to the same problem. Either we install sufficient troops to solve this problem, OR we get out. We have too few boots in country - as commander after commander has said. We don't provide security. We all but encourage civil war. We still have not disposed of massive munition dumps because we don't have enough troops. Now we shoot at anyone because we created an insurgency - fired the military and police in direct violation of basic military doctrine. Almost all reconstruction projects have halted or have been sabotaged.
So after only making things worse - not even doing any post war reconstruction for seven months, permitting looting, and lying about Mission Accomplished - now we must either fix the problem or get out. No way around basic facts. Either we put enough boots in country to fix a problem we created, or we get out - let the Iraqis decide that maybe they must take responsibility.
It is irresponsible to blame all Iraqis for the actions of a few. But then that same 'they are all alike' mentality got us into this mess.
We had six to 12 months to improve things. We did nothing because a mental midget said Americans don’t do nation building. So now a status quo – 150,000 troops – too few boots – will somehow repair damage created by a mental midget leader? Get real. What is happening in Iraq has been well proven in history. Is it their fault that a president listened to political rhetoric rather than voices of informed non-political types? If I was in Iraq in their position, then I to would probably be doing the same thing. Life in Iraq has never been worse. Less people died under Saddam. Saddam also provided electricity, water, and sewers. About 1000 Iraqis are now killed every month in civil war. At least hundreds are kidnapped. And then Americans go around shooting 50 cal bullets everywhere. You would blame Iraqis for creating this situation? Get real.
Why will Sensitivity Training solve a problem where virtually every Iraqi is now a potential threat? Good morning Vietnam - deja vue. Or do you forget those lessons from history? Either we get in or we get out. The status quo is a guarantee of failure. Sensitivity training will not solve this problem.