Why Iraq Has No Army

http://isteve.blogspot.com/2005/11/why-iraq-has-no-army.html
from JoeUser Forums
Good article here by Steve Sailer. Click here for link


By Steve Sailer

James Fallow's Atlantic report on the failure of our vaunted "training" efforts in Iraq is online. The article focuses more on the poor job we've done in training Iraqis, rather than the notable lack of effort the Iraqis have made to get trained. It took the U.S. only about 15 months after the declaration of war in 1917 to reach the point where we could hold our own against the Germans on the Western Front and only 18 months to where the German General Staff could see Germany was doomed. The Iraqis don't have to fight Germans, they just have to fight Iraqis (and a few outside Arabs), and disorganized, poorly armed ones at that.

My guess would be that while Shi'ite Iraqis are willing to draw pay for training, when it comes to actual fighting, they would, on the whole, prefer we do the fighting and the dying for them. The Shi'ite attitude towards his American "allies" and his Sunni enemies appears to be: "Let's you and him fight."

General Patton said, "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. You won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." But the Shi'ites have got Patton beat. By malingering and goldbricking, they are persuading the poor dumb Americans to make the the poor dumb Sunnis die for the good of Mesopotamian Shia'stan.

But Fallow's portrait of the lackadaisical job we've done just getting ready to train Iraqis will make you ashamed to be an American.

One big problem is that training Iraqis is bad for your hopes of getting promoted in the U.S. Army, so nobody good wants to do it. And the language problem remains a gigantic stumbling block 32 months after the invasion. But the lack of effort is most striking.

The fish rots from the head. Fallows writes:

All indications from the home front were that training Iraqis had become a boring issue. Opponents of the war rarely talked about it. Supporters reeled off encouraging but hollow statistics as part of a checklist of successes the press failed to report. President Bush placed no emphasis on it in his speeches. Donald Rumsfeld, according to those around him, was bored by Iraq in general and this tedious process in particular, neither of which could match the challenge of transforming America's military establishment...

"There is still no sense of urgency," T. X. Hammes says. In August, he pointed out, the administration announced with pride that it had bought 200 new armored vehicles for use in Iraq. "Two-plus years into the war, and we're proud! Can you imagine if in March of 1944 we had proudly announced two hundred new vehicles?" By 1944 American factories had been retooled to produce 100,000 warplanes. "From the president on down there is no urgency at all."

Since last June, President Bush has often repeated his "As Iraqi forces stand up ..." formula, but he rarely says anything more specific about American exit plans... Vice President Cheney sounds similarly dutiful... Donald Rumsfeld has the same distant tone. Condoleezza Rice and Paul Wolfowitz have moved on to different things.


I've known a couple of dozen people in the marketing research industry (not the most dynamic of businesses) who could get the job done better than the top two dozen people in the Bush Administration. Bush is what he was with the Texas Rangers, a marketing man focused on polishing the organization's facade, but with no talent for or interest in the boring operational side. He's an empty suit. Cheney was supposed to handle operations, but he's been a bust.

Another problem is that Iraq is a quite different culture than ours. Fallows touches on many of my favorite themes.

The ethnic and tribal fissures in Iraq were another big problem. Half a dozen times in my interviews I heard variants on this Arab saying: "Me and my brother against my cousin; me and my cousin against my village; me and my village against a stranger." "The thing that holds a military unit together is trust," T. X. Hammes says. "That's a society not based on trust." A young Marine officer wrote in an e-mail, "Due to the fact that Saddam murdered, tortured, raped, etc. at will, there is a limited pool of 18-35-year-old males for service that are physically or mentally qualified for service. Those that are fit for service, for the most part, have a DEEP hatred for those not of the same ethnic or religious affiliation."


Obviously, America is an insular country with little interest in foreign cultures. But, it's important to realize that while diversity and multiculturalism are advertised as making us more aware of the outside world, they've actually made it harder for us to understand other cultures. Why? We're told to "celebrate diversity" but we all know that means: "Don't think analytically about diversity."

Diversity and multiculturalism inculcate in Americans cautious habits of ignorance, lies, and euphemisms when it comes to thinking about ethnic groups. These days in the land of the free and the home of the brave, your career can be ended by saying the wrong thing about any politically powerful group (and there are so many noe, including Arabs), so things that need to be said go unsaid.

For example, how often has the fact that half of Iraqis are married to their first or second cousins come up in the American media? It has substantial implications for Iraqi culture and politics, but looking at Google, most of the items are references to things written by either me in the American Conservative, Randall Parker (ParaPundit), or John Tierney of the NYT. And we're quoting each other!







My published articles are archived at iSteve.com -- Steve Sailer


posted by Steve Sailer at 11/23/2005
4,479 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Nice bit of regurgitated anti American propaganda here Good Point. Cindy Whatsername would be proud...

If you're up for a few facts, I'll give you a few to start with and you can decide what it means for yourself.


Iraqi army troops from the 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, captured three insurgents Nov. 22 in Baghdad, military officials reported.

Iraqi troops from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division, discovered two roadside bombs Nov. 22 near Iskandariyah.

More than 30 suspected terrorists and a large cache of money, weapons and material were captured during the joint operation, which was launched Nov. 21 under the name of Operation Old Baldy. Participants in the operation included soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, and "Rakkasans" from the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

Link


On March 25, 2005 soldiers from the 8th Iraqi Army Division seized a 3-ton cache of TNT and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition following an Iraqi army raid near Jurf al-Sakher. 121 suspects were also detained in the raid.

In total the raid led to the confiscation of:
3 tons of TNT
624 rifles
250,000 light ammunition rounds
22,000 medium ammunition rounds
193 RPG launchers
300 RPG rockets
27 82mm mortar tubes
155 82mm mortar rounds Link


the brigade's 22nd, 23rd and 24th battalions were assigned to provide security in Mosul, even as American units were leaving. The 22nd and 24th battalions were to share sectors with American units but often work alone or with limited U.S. support.
Link

Troops from 20th Battalion, 8th Brigade Iraqi Army detained two individuals suspected of insurgent activity and seized a number of weapons during a cordon and search operation near Tal Afar in early April, 2005. The weapons seized included two machine guns, 70 mortar charges, and 10,000 rounds of small arms ammunition. Weapons and ammunition were confiscated for future destruction. Link

Iraqi Intervention Force troops from 23rd Battalion, 6th Brigade assumed full responsibility for central Mosul during a transfer of authority ceremony in Mosul Mar. 7, 2005. The ceremony took place on a military base formerly occupied by Coalition Forces, and officially shifted authority from soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment to the 23-6th IIF. According to military officials the transfer occurred due to the readiness of the 23-6th to assume the responsibility. They have demonstrated through the numerous successful independent operations they have performed capturing insurgents and seizing weapons.
Link

Troops from the 19th Battalion, 8th Brigade Iraqi Army detained three individuals suspected of insurgent activity during a cordon and search operation west of Tal Afar in early April, 2005.

In early March 2005 the Iraqi Army's 19th Battalion, 8th Brigade conducted cordon and search operations in Ayn Zalah. They detained five suspects, all of whom were arrested by local security forces. Three of the men subsequently were identified as being on an Iraqi army "most wanted" list. Link

The 22nd Battalion with the other battalions of the 6th Brigade, deployed to Mosul for the January elections, was expected to stay no later than Feb. 15. But shortly after the elections, the unit received new orders. Instead of returning to its base near Baghdad, the brigade's 22nd, 23rd and 24th battalions were assigned to provide security in Mosul, even as American units were leaving. The 22nd and 24th battalions were to share sectors with American units but often work alone or with limited U.S. support.
Link



Of course, what you decide says much more about yourself than the information itself.

My regards to Steve Sailor.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
You know, ParaTed2k, when my son turned six, we threw him a birthday party, and one of the games my wife and I had the children play was "Guess how many jelly beans are in the jar." I'm willing to bet you would have cleaned up at that game, as you are quite the bean-counter. You can write all the statistical figures that you want coming out of Iraq, but what does it all mean if an American can't even set foot outside the Green Zone without masses of support? When terrorists can detonate car-bombs any time they want, anywhere they want? What does it all mean if the SCIRI is the most powerful political block in the country? What does it mean when Shiite assassins can kill Sunni clerics with impunity, as the Sunni assassins can do to Shiite clerics? What difference does it make how many weapons caches are uncovered and destroyed when there is no one stopping the influx of materiel and men across the Syrian, Saudi, and Iranian borders?

If you weren't aware, I'm a war veteran myself. In fact I was a counter-insurgent in my home country of Rhodesia. I was living in the United States with relatives for about seven years before I returned home at the age of fifteen (although I told everyone I was twenty) to fight in the Bush War against the communist rebels. If you were just to go by numbers of killed or captured, you'd say there's no way we could have lost. I kept my own tally on my 303 Enfield before I swapped it for an enemy SKS, before later getting an FAL. But Mugabe is in power there now, taking land from whites at will (with few words and even less action to be seen or heard), and disposing of black and white opposition alike.
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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
you are quite the bean-counter.

You can write all the statistical figures that you want coming out of Iraq...


You post a claim that there is no progress in Iraq, then when someone brings forward concrete numbers as to the effectiveness of that same army you dismissed, you accuse him of being a bean-counter and having no touch with reality.

Which is it, GP? Is it quantifiable or not? Because if it isn't quantifiable ever under any circumstances, how can you claim there is no standing army in Iraq?

but what does it all mean if an American can't even set foot outside the Green Zone without masses of support?

If you weren't aware, I'm a war veteran myself.


The progress in Iraq is slow going. Slower than anyone expected. But there is quantifiable, hard evidence of an effective army in Iraq. And it ain't the Americans. It ain't the insurgents, either.

But you already have those numbers.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Actually, GP, you kind of missed my point. I didn't list these to count beans, or coup or even try to make you look foolish. I listed these just to show that yes, there is a military in Iraq, yes the members are participating in their own nation's defense, and no, they aren't just sitting around collecting a paycheck, hoping our troops will do all the work.

Actually, if you get right down to it, even in the U.S. Army I met a lot of guys who would be just as happy doing that third one. ;~D

As for your experiences in Rhodisia, I think it would be great to hear about them. You have the inside track on what could be great blog fodder there. Especially if you kept the Bush Bash Bus in low gear, I'd read those pretty regularly. If you have posted such stories, let me know.

Being an Enfield .303 owner myself, we could even get together and talk guns... and have a great time!

~~~~~

Now, in reply... true there are areas in Iraq where troops can't go without major security. There are even areas where IEDs, mortars and other attacks happen on a regular basis. But you know what... I can also think of areas in the U.S. where the cops (and Paramedics don't go without major back up), and the body count is even higher than in Iraq.

Does this mean we shoud abandon the US???

If you're ever in the Sheboygan area, look me up!
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
You post a claim that there is no progress in Iraq, then when someone brings forward concrete numbers as to the effectiveness of that same army you dismissed, you accuse him of being a bean-counter and having no touch with reality.

Which is it, GP? Is it quantifiable or not? Because if it isn't quantifiable ever under any circumstances, how can you claim there is no standing army in Iraq?


First of all, the only time the administration says we'll be leaving in Iraq is when the Iraqi Army has the ability to operate independently of US forces. As of the beginning of October, Genral Abizaid declared that only one battalion of Iraqi forces is capable of operating without US assistance--about 500 troops. After all this time. In the midst of all the McNamara-like number-crunching, we need to realize that numbers need to be places in the proper context. Again, while something is better than nothing, we are still in a mess. There can be no progress if there can't be security. Again, when one can't even walk the streets of the capital city without risking kidnapping and execution, most likely to be broadcast around the world; when you cannot control sectarian violence; when the enemy can bomb whoever they want every single day, how does the discovery of a weapons cache in March change the picture? When two roadside bombs are defused, how does that change the fact that dozens more do detonate each day that kill and maim our troops?

The progress in Iraq is slow going. Slower than anyone expected. But there is quantifiable, hard evidence of an effective army in Iraq. And it ain't the Americans. It ain't the insurgents, either.

But you already have those numbers.


Yes, and I have it right here:
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: General Abizaid, there was a report sent over, I think last June, that three of the hundred Iraqi battalions were fully trained and equipped, capable of operating independently. What is that number now?

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID: The number now is, if you're talking about level-one trained --

SEN. JOHN McCAIN: Yeah.

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID: It's one.

SEN. JOHN McCAIN: At one battalion?

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID: Right.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/july-dec05/hearings_9-29.html
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
Actually, GP, you kind of missed my point. I didn't list these to count beans, or coup or even try to make you look foolish. I listed these just to show that yes, there is a military in Iraq, yes the members are participating in their own nation's defense, and no, they aren't just sitting around collecting a paycheck, hoping our troops will do all the work.


First, let me say this: I'm not saying any of this to attack anyone here personally.

I abhor the idea that American troops are dying to fight to empower people who passionately hate us, and who may very well come back later to attack us, or inspire others to do so. And I have no faith in Arabo-Islamic tribal culture that infects Iraq, no faith that it will produce a stable, liberal, society that can help us fight terrorism, and I don't mean liberal in the left-wing, Michael Moore sense.

Actually, if you get right down to it, even in the U.S. Army I met a lot of guys who would be just as happy doing that third one. ;~D


It's a shame you can find them everywhere.

As for your experiences in Rhodisia, I think it would be great to hear about them. You have the inside track on what could be great blog fodder there. Especially if you kept the Bush Bash Bus in low gear, I'd read those pretty regularly. If you have posted such stories, let me know.


Some of the experiences I don't care to share. Those usually involve being under attack and a comrade or family member being maimed or killed. The commies tended to be really poor fighters, so there's no shortage of stories of killing the enemy. abilities. When I was younger it was quite common for me to talk about killing an enemy so graphically and non-chalantly that friends refused to eat lunch or dinner with me.

Being an Enfield .303 owner myself, we could even get together and talk guns... and have a great time!


In retrospect I actually didn't care for that rifle very much. It was about 50 years old, and that was about 30 years ago. Rusted barrel, cracking wood, warped sights, etc. But it did its job, regardless. Sometime during the dry-season in '76 we got ambushed by some ZANUs, and it became obvious to me that a bolt-action would not do. So I picked up one of the dead asshole's SKS rifles and his ammunition too. There was plenty of commie ammo available, since there were no shortages of dead rebs. I loved that folding bayonet too.

Now, in reply... true there are areas in Iraq where troops can't go without major security. There are even areas where IEDs, mortars and other attacks happen on a regular basis. But you know what... I can also think of areas in the U.S. where the cops (and Paramedics don't go without major back up), and the body count is even higher than in Iraq.


Fair enough, but no American cities are under US military occupation, although I think a few would probably benefit from it. As for the body count...I doubt it. Except maybe Detroit, or Pre-Katrina New Orleans. Baghdad had about 250 murders a month even during the Saddam regime.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Some of the experiences I don't care to share.


Understood.

The rest we'll just agree to disagree and look forward to either agreeing, or butting heads again soon. ;~D