I know in this crowd that Mike Yon’s latest piece has probably gotten lots of views. But there’s something in there that I think is critical to point out beyond the MSM leaving out crucial details of the LTC arresting the Iraqi GEN or the bravery and intelligence of Crissman. It seems a bit tangential to me, but important.
This shows the value of cooptation, talking, and working with former insurgents/bad actors in Iraq. Something I know is real unpopular in some cliques that frequent The Castle, fighting words for some of the more (and less) esteemed personages who grace this space.
[The rest of this is in the Flash Traffic/Extended Entry]
This is why talking to insurgent groups is a *smart* play by The Coalition and not throwing in the towel. Why? Insurgent groups/revolutionaries always get much play out of taking real problems for the general populace and championing them. By cooptation of one group we take that issue out of play from the broad coalition of terrorists/insurgents. We make the Coalition the protector of the people, and the insurgents/bad actors those who are the ‘occupiers’ and seen as the disruptive element, which means they get ratted out right quick(see, ratting isn’t always a bad thing boys and girls.)
This GEN did that for the Coalition in Hit. He ended the threat of AQI for them, a real problem, and something sectarian forces would use as a reason to exist. Little real juice to be used in the propaganda mill and you don’t have a force capable of operating like Mao says it would, and that means a real easy target---as LTC Crissman’s working his and other forces to roll-up groups that were about to resist the change shows. He brought about real and good change for Hit, but he couldn’t end his bad actions that probably part. But it created faith in the Coalition by showing it to be the real champion of the people instead of some sectarian group or terrorist outfit.
This is how it can and sometimes must be done. Long, slow, aligning with one bastard to get a job done and then moving on when his ego gets to big for his britches. You make little friends this way. It kind of goes against what Boyd wanted with his admonition of ‘Mean what you say and do what you say.’ Sort of, but only if we say we’re getting to the end state tomorrow with this cast of characters; which is something we should not be saying. We should be saying, “We’ll keep people so long as they are making things better than the day before. Once they become an opponent of progress they’re done.” We did that with Noriega.
Yeah, it’s a real unpopular method. People still toss up things like Pinochet and others in our faces to show we’re two faced. It has a severe downside in the form of potential and realized blowback, look at modern S. American politics and policies.
It is things like this, people centric warfare that got MUCH play in the recent COIN FM, that give me hope that the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train. Rock on, LTC Crissman.
--ry
