Jul
08
2008
|
Memo to Murtha: It is Called COIN |
|
|
|
Written by JD Johannes
|
|
Tuesday, 08 July 2008 |
Representative John Murtha (D-PA 12), has an illuminating explanation for why the surge has worked so far.
"I'm not sure whether it's because the Iraqis are just worn out, but certainly the way they're doing it today makes a big difference."
As if the insurgents would have worn themselves out if we had withdrawn as Murtha proposed in 2005 and the coalition's continued presence had only a tertiary effect on wearing out the insurgents.
In the interview Murtha doesn't really elaborate on who exactly is 'worn out.' Iraqi insurgents or the Iraqi people?
In my travels through the Euphrates river valley last Summer it was obvious many ordinary Iraqis were sick and tired of Al Qaida in Iraq and the insurgency.
In Baghdad ordinary Iraqis were tired of Jaish al Mahdi and the Takfiris.
Some of the Iraqis who were getting tired of it all were ones formerly aligned with various insurgent groups. When you wear out the enemy to the point they switch sides, it is called winning. Counter Insurgency is not a maneuver warfare--it is a slow grind wearing down an opponent.
If Murtha had his way , we would have been out of Iraq in 2006. He obviously wore out way before any Iraqis.
What Murtha can't seem to figure out is that it was the coalition's presence, aggressive tactics and Petraeus' counter insurgency strategy that "wore out" the enemy.
|
|
