I see documentaries of the U.S. military patrolling the streets in Iraq trying to play the police role. It isn't working out well. They don't appear to be properly trained in that area. Nor should they be. Do you think that is the main reason for failure in Iraq? Cops shouldn't try to play soldier and soldier shouldn't try to play cop. Occupation is a VERY hard thing to pull off.
2006-09-18 09:37:01 · 11 answers · asked by cannonball 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Good point. I think it is partly to blame. As a USAF Security Force member (retired), I was tasked with training Army troops, at our base for police duties. They had the mind of an infantryman, and couldn't grasp, or want to I should say, the clear difference in duties between the two. I would play out scenerios where there were decisions that would have to be made, and without fail, the troops would end up "terminating" the suspect. I dunno. They were nice guys and all but....
2006-09-18 11:48:25 · answer #1 · answered by amish-robot 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, it could work. We occupied Japan after WWII, and it turned out ok. Its just that Iraq is a different animal. The level of animosity towards the US in the middle east and most Arab countries is, well, let's just say its very high. Plus factor in the three different groups of people living there(Kurds, Sunni, Shia) and the eminent civil war between them, and we're no longer just "occupying" or "policing" there, we're just getting caught up in the middle. There are many reasons for our failure in Iraq. Its not the troops fault, its the leaders in place that are meant to keep our forces efficient. FYI, there are similarities between our military and police. It is, IMO, easy enough to transition between the two. Besides, you did know that every branch has MP's right? Though there are hardly enough to do the kind of job you're talking about.
2006-09-18 16:45:45 · answer #2 · answered by Jay 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok, first of all Iraq is not a failure. I am over here and I see whats going on daily. Secondly, our troops are not playing the police. They are patrolling and seeking out insurgents, these insugents hide like rats and cockroaches.
Lastly, we not an occupying force. We are attempting to secure the country for the new Iraqi government to gain strength and provide for themselves. If you want history, look at Germany and Japan after World War 2. We occupied those countries for many years, sunk billions or dollars into them to rebuild and gave control back to their respective governments after the they could control the countries for themselves.
Jeesh, get your facts straight !
2006-09-18 18:39:56 · answer #3 · answered by Baghdad Pete ! 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The insurgents and Sunni tribes have managed to turn a US type of war into an insurgency type. Obviously, Rumsfeld wasn't able to see this, although some of our generals did make him , or tried to make him aware of this.
I suppose age played a part in Rumsfeld's inability to listen, or perhaps it was his corporate dictator type arrogance that would not allow him to accept an idea that wasn't his; a common malady amongst gereatrics.
If GWB has had a single failing, it was to put a post retirement aged civilian, with no combat experience, in charge of the best trained and finest equipped military complex in the world, and make it look like a bunch of rookie cops, chasin the bad guys.
2006-09-18 17:36:22 · answer #4 · answered by briang731/ bvincent 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Iraq is not a failure. Try actually talking to someone who has served there and not looking to the liberal media for information. No one said it was going to be easy. We will need to be there a long time.
If the politicians would quit tieing the hands of the military, they would be able to do their job more efficiently and we could leave Iraq sooner.
2006-09-18 16:42:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
In a nutshell, Yes. Also the failure can be attributed to a type of insurgency that has never been dealt with before. They have experts from Nam and Korea trying to make policy for Muslim insurgents. Islam is more powerful than communism!
2006-09-18 16:41:22 · answer #6 · answered by El Pistolero Negra 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Here's what's REALLY going on with Iraq!...
http://www.strayreality.com/Lanis_Strayreality/iraq.htm
2006-09-18 18:52:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the main reason of our failure in iraq is the lies that the army was told, imagine yourself told you'll be back in a month or two then you are forced to stay there for a year or two,
aint that a good reason for failure ... !
2006-09-18 16:52:09 · answer #8 · answered by ? ? 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
part of the reason,there finually seen thing the way i been saying that 6 year from now our kids will see a lot of grown up angry who lost parent/friends mideastern grown up kids who will be the next wave,that the secound part of this war is to rebuild make better and make friends to takeaway that anger, or like a flame is going to grow hateing america,
2006-09-18 17:01:19 · answer #9 · answered by aqua 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If not, then it is at least one of the contributing factors, imo.
There are probably a lot of mistakes that have been made since this thing started years ago.
2006-09-18 16:44:35 · answer #10 · answered by willow oak 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋