Iraq war; Armies are made to fight armies?

Question

The American Military. A well trained, well funded war machine. Designed to defeat any army in the world. BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM: we aren't fighting an army! We are fighting rebels lurking in the shadows. An army in Iraq fighting WITH the Iraq army; who exactly are we fighting? If we were smart, and not just trying to flex our military muscle, why don't we infiltrate the terrorist cells with terrorists (special ops) of our own. Armies are not made to defeat terrorists. Until we realize this, troops and citizens will continue to die faster than terrorists. The war will never be "won" in this generation. Any thoughts?

Answer 1

And don't forget we're a goody two-shoes army, carrying the Geneva Conventions in our back pocket. We're not as ruthless army as seen by the Soviets in their put down of the Checoslovakian (sp) rebellion, altho they did have their hands full with the Afhgans....

Answer 2

We are fighting a classic gorilla conflict. The problem with "taking the gloves off" is that it further alienates the people. A gorilla war can only be won by depriving the enemy of a safe haven within the population. Each and ever heavy handed act that the military does furthers their cause. They act against us in ways that are calculated to provoke a harsh response from our troops. We need to be training our people not in "ethics" but in not being stupid enough to play the enemies game. We need a large footprint of ground forces to maintain order combined with a large civil affairs program. The Special Forces should revert to their original mission and work with the average person in Iraq.

Answer 3

Of course we aren't fighting an army and that is PRECISELY why we should NOT be constrained by ANY "rules" or bullshit emanating from the UN, Geneva Conventions or ICC. You don't see terrorists fighting according to any rulebook. We are making a huge mistake and losing a lot of American lives unnecessarily by listening to whiny liberals -- no matter where they are from -- say we "just have a higher standard" or we "should not be lowered to their standard." Last time I looked, the name of the game was to WIN and not waste our soldiers' lives. We should take off the gloves and do WHATEVER it takes to save lives and win. We dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to do that. It was horrific, sure, but not to do something when you CAN stop the madness is NOT the answer. as a bare minimum, we should equip and allow the Iraqi goverment we support to do WHATEVER it takes.

Answer 4

Vietnam, Part II

Terrorism is a tactic, not an enemy. And will never be defeated by any army or police force

The conditions that give rise to terrorism must be dealt with politically with as much effort as eliminating "terrorists."

Invading Afghanistan and Iraq had nothing to do with eliminating terrorism and will have no such result.

Answer 5

We have to shut down Iraqi borders to prevent foreign fighters comming into Iraq. We have to make more offensive reconnisance patrols to seek out hiding terrorists. We also have to do more support and stability missions to win the hearts of neutral civilians. We have to train Iraqi police and Army to be able to do all these on their own or everything will be back to where it was once we leave.

Answer 6

The volunteer military is the perfect answer. that's not contained in the rustic's perfect interest to stress those who do not favor to serve into the militia. This us of a became in accordance to Liberty and a draft is a contravention of liberty. i'm slightly bias regardless of the indisputable fact that. i'm retired from the U. S. military and that i'd not favor to have a guy in my platoon who did not volunteer to be there. Volunteers piss and moan adequate without someone who legitimately has a acceptable to piss and moan being there. Conscription is violating someone's' acceptable to liberty.

Answer 7

Sound like a good idea, and is probably happening already, but armies also provide security to people and places, provide humanitarian relief to places hit by natural disasters, and a million other things that your SF guys don't do.

Answer 8

Do you think they would report the secret infiltrations on the news? Give a picture of the secret special agent.

And I think we are doing a pretty good job.

Answer 9

the mid east has been at war for many generations, they probably don't remember why. so for these many years of fighting why would anyone believe we could resolve anything in the mid east in three years. My vote is to dig up Truman, at least he'd know what to do.