We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:48:50 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification As part of the CENTCOM program to push the military's story into more places, spaces, and Google, I've been offered the chance to interview a Marine doing Civil Affairs work in Iraq. While I've got an idea of what I'd like to ask - I figured more viewpoints would provide a better spread of questions than a whole lot of detail questions about his weapons... (okay, I'm not going to be *that* bad) - but I'd like your input - whether by comments here, or email. And if you're a troll of any stripe, or an anti- that's fine. You're... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html Wed, 06 Sep 2006 06:52:40 -0600 Has there been any change in how the Corps and the DoD in general treat CA/PR units now compared to, say, 2000? were they the red headed step children of the services then, but getting begrudged respect now? Is there a difference in what's expected out of Civil Affairs now compared to then? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50148 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50148 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 18:59:03 -0600 Um, Frank, those are directions, not questions! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50134 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50134 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:29:55 -0600 Ask regular, every-day Iraqi citizens (both Shiite and Sunni) these questions: 1) What do you think would happen if the US "redeployed" American and coalition forces outside of Iraq, based on an arbitrary timeline instead of security benchmarks? Would you feel more safe, or less safe? 2) What do you think will happen if the US / UN / EU fail to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons? Will Iraq be safer, or less safe? 3) Would you like to see Saddam and the Baathists back in power, or are you glad that SOMEONE finally effected regime change and tried to create the conditions for you to govern yourselves? 4) Do you think UN sanctions or continued UN inspections would have ever forced Saddam to give up his desire and programs to develop nuclear weapons? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50131 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50131 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 14:09:15 -0600 As part of working with the locals has the military tasked anyone to monitor / interact with the local bloggers? The brothers running Iraq The Model, for example, provide valuable insights into what the people in Bhagdad are talking about. While many of the area bloggers would, I'm sure, be somewhat hesitant about how much they'd be willing to work with the Coalition I'm sure they'd all be willing to be on an email list giving them the sort of info you want to get out to the people. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50130 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50130 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 13:47:04 -0600 How much of a barrier does language and the differences in culture present to discussions with the local community leaders? Have you been able to build strong relationships with key members of the community, or is this something that constantly needs to be attended to? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50112 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50112 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 10:35:34 -0600 Curious as to the state of the telecommunications infrastructure... Are they focusing on re-building / re-habbing the limited existing copper cable, or going for a cellular wireless solution? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50109 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50109 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 09:14:48 -0600 I am wondering how the bidding works for the projects, and what you have in place to screen contractors to make sure they are the real deal and not a front for a terror group? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50103 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50103 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 09:05:18 -0600 Considering that most of the homegrown Sunni bad guys come from Anbar province, what do you think is the percentage of the population around Al Asad that actually want Iraq to become a functioning democracy? It seemed to me, when I was working near Fallujah, in late 2003, there wasn't enough good guys in that community to worry about collateral damage; which is, apparently, the opinion CENTCOM finally came to, and Al Asad is just down the road from there... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50094 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50094 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 08:15:35 -0600 John, I don't have a specific question per-se, but what I am curious to learn is whether the troops stationed in Iraq (or at least near where Corporal Sweet is located) get a sense of what life is like for the Iraqis in their area when there are not troops patroling the neighborhood. In other words, is there any insight to what a day is like in the life of an Iraqi when there are no American troops present? Even in the US, people behave differently when figures of force are present (i.e. when there is a large police presence, for example) than when there are no dangerous men with leathal weapons around. Just as the journalists there are chasing stories and thereby get a distorted view because they are seeking out the chaos, I wonder if the troops also get a distorted view because their very presence affects the attitudes of the people they encounter, and I am seeking to understand if this is indeed the case. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50093 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2006/09/send_in_your_questions.html#comment-50093 Wed, 06 Sep 2006 08:04:29 -0600