Iraq is Hopeless!
Or at least that's what our AJC blog on the 48th in Iraq seems to want to convey.
My hurried response is below. Last time I took the AJC to task in their blog, they refused to print my comment. We'll see if they censor critism again.
My comment in response to their 'article':
It gives me great hope that Iraqi volunteers are willing to risk their lives for their country's fledgling democracy despite their lack of equipment, ammunition and armored vehicles.
I believe I've read accounts about other areas of Iraq where the local police and new army are taking the lead in day-to-day operations and the US acts mainly in support.
I expect that the state of readiness of local forces varies wildly. In southern Iraq and Kurdish territory, I expect the relative calm has greatly aided our ability to train the Iraqis to keep the peace. Most of the issues we hear about in the news are taking place between Bagdhad and Syria. Lots of relative strife and conflict there.
I would have liked to have read in this article about what successes the Iraqi local police/army have achieved to help balance the perceived hopelessness of getting the Iraqi's trained/equipped.
And who's to say that the Iraqi's must have armor and helmets to combat the insurgency? If they have guns and ammo - they can and will still take the fight to the enemy.
They apparently don't lack for ALL types of ammunition based on this article's reporting weekly self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Their likely is a supply problem with 'exotic' ammunition like grenades for grenade launchers and not the ubiquitous Ak-47. And pistol ammunition? Again, why are they not using the AK-47? Even the officers? Or is the pistol, minus the ammo, their backup weapon.
And keep in mind, we don't need the Iraqi forces trained to handle the Cold War Soviet Union. We need them ready to take on the local and foreign terrorists.
*** UPDATE *** 05NOV2005 2:46 PM
It's now 2:46 PM in the afternoon (Granted I posted the comment early this Saturday morning) and my comment hasn't been posted/approved yet. Guess the AJC doesn't appreciate having their world view challenged or their inattentiveness to detail pointed out.
*** UPDATE *** 06NOV2005 3:00 PM
Well, I have to give them the benefit of the doubt being a weekend and all. They finally got around to approving the 'comment' I submitted. Good for the AJC.
My hurried response is below. Last time I took the AJC to task in their blog, they refused to print my comment. We'll see if they censor critism again.
My comment in response to their 'article':
It gives me great hope that Iraqi volunteers are willing to risk their lives for their country's fledgling democracy despite their lack of equipment, ammunition and armored vehicles.
I believe I've read accounts about other areas of Iraq where the local police and new army are taking the lead in day-to-day operations and the US acts mainly in support.
I expect that the state of readiness of local forces varies wildly. In southern Iraq and Kurdish territory, I expect the relative calm has greatly aided our ability to train the Iraqis to keep the peace. Most of the issues we hear about in the news are taking place between Bagdhad and Syria. Lots of relative strife and conflict there.
I would have liked to have read in this article about what successes the Iraqi local police/army have achieved to help balance the perceived hopelessness of getting the Iraqi's trained/equipped.
And who's to say that the Iraqi's must have armor and helmets to combat the insurgency? If they have guns and ammo - they can and will still take the fight to the enemy.
They apparently don't lack for ALL types of ammunition based on this article's reporting weekly self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Their likely is a supply problem with 'exotic' ammunition like grenades for grenade launchers and not the ubiquitous Ak-47. And pistol ammunition? Again, why are they not using the AK-47? Even the officers? Or is the pistol, minus the ammo, their backup weapon.
And keep in mind, we don't need the Iraqi forces trained to handle the Cold War Soviet Union. We need them ready to take on the local and foreign terrorists.
*** UPDATE *** 05NOV2005 2:46 PM
It's now 2:46 PM in the afternoon (Granted I posted the comment early this Saturday morning) and my comment hasn't been posted/approved yet. Guess the AJC doesn't appreciate having their world view challenged or their inattentiveness to detail pointed out.
*** UPDATE *** 06NOV2005 3:00 PM
Well, I have to give them the benefit of the doubt being a weekend and all. They finally got around to approving the 'comment' I submitted. Good for the AJC.
posted by Ga Mongrel at 6:56 AM
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