The insurgent hides in plain sight.

Geneva Conventions, the so-called rules governing warfare, require combatants to wear uniforms or, at a minimum, bear arms to distinguish themselves from civillians.

The insurgent will not do this, for it would eliminate his only advantage--invisibility.

To take away the invisibility of the insurgent, make a perfect list.

Abraham Lincoln wrote, when laying out the strategies for winning an election--

"Organize the whole state, so that every Whig can be brought to the polls...
...Divide (the) country into small districts, and... appoint in each a subcommittee.
...Make a perfect list of all the voters and... ascertain with certainty for whom they will vote.
...Keep a constant watch on doubtful voters, and... have them talked to by
those in whom they have the most confidence.
...And on Election Day, see that every Whig is brought to the polls."

So to must the counterinsurgent follow these steps.  An entire nation or province is too large, but a Company sized area of operations can be organized and a perfect list, complete with photos and possibly biometric data, developed and their family and political loyalties ascertained with a degree of certainty.

A constant eye can be kept on those who are suspicious.  Have them talked to by those whom they trust and the counterinsurgents trust.

If evidence is obtained that they are insurgents, do not arrest them right away as they may unwittingly lead you to more.

Bill Ardolino files a report from Sadr City.

Read the whole thing. 

THE MISSION was a gambit, a dangerous trap and it was fitting that it kicked off on April Fools Day. 

In the Spring of 2005, the 6-lane highway running from Fallujah to Abu Ghraib was a nesting ground for IEDs--the roadside bombs that have killed and maimed so many Soldiers and Marines. 

It was the mission of Vengeance Platoon, a mixture of active duty Marines from Camp Lejeune and reserve Marines from Kansas City, to eliminate the IED threat on the highway. 

At that time, there were very few from-the-factory up-armored humvees.  The armor on the one I was riding in consisted of a kevlar pad duct taped to a 1/3 mild steel 'saloon door.'  A door that, like the swinging doors of the old west saloons, only covered only 3/5 of the opening. 

That armor would do nothing to slow down the shrapnel from an IED made from a 155mm artillery shell.

Any smart man can catalogue the errors of others.  A wise man can learn from those errors.

It takes a truly brilliant man to overcome those errors.

Dr. Joseph Collins, a retired Army Colonel, former Deputy Ass. Sec. Def. and now professor at the National Defense University has published a paper that many smart men already have published. 

He even looks at ways to possibly learn from those errors.

And for that he will earn much ink and air-time . 

But I am not a pessimist looking backward.  Or an optimist looking forward.