The end is neigh…..

“British troops have ended six years of combat operations in Iraq, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced Thursday, praising his military’s accomplishments and sacrifices in a mission that was not popular at home.

Brown spoke after meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at Brown’s Downing Street office in London.

Today marks the closing chapter of the combat mission in Iraq,’ Brown said.  ‘The flag of 20 Armoured Brigade will be lowered as British combat patrols in Basra come to an end and our armed forces prepare to draw down.’

Since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, 179 British service personnel have been killed in Iraq. In the southern city of Basra, the British military held a ceremony to honor those who died during the war.”

[source: armytimes.com]

Timeline:  British forces in Iraq

2003

20 March: Royal Marines launch an amphibious assault on the al-Faw peninsula in southern Iraq as the US-led invasion begins. The UK’s commitment to the campaign peaks at 46,000 troops in March and April.
6 April: British forces enter Basra, Iraq’s second city.
9 April: Helped by American troops, cheering Iraqis pull down a statue of newly-deposed dictator Saddam Hussein in a square in central Baghdad.
1 May: Standing on an aircraft carrier underneath a banner reading “Mission Accomplished”, then-US president George Bush declares that major combat operations in Iraq have ended. By the end of the month, the UK’s military involvement has been cut to around 18,000 troops.
23 June: Six British soldiers with the Royal Military Police involved in training Iraqi police officers are killed by an angry mob near the southern city of Al Amara in Maysan province.
14-16 September: Baha Mousa, a hotel receptionist in Basra, is beaten to death while in the custody of British soldiers from the former Queen’s Lancashire Regiment.
13 December: US forces arrest Saddam Hussein in a hiding place near his hometown of Tikrit.

2004

May: The number of UK military personnel in Iraq drops to 8,600.
30 September: Responsibility for Iraq’s territorial waters is transferred to the Iraqi Coastal Defence Force, which later becomes the Iraqi Navy.

Read the full story

I think I took an interest in the following report because I was stationed on the U.S. military’s largest logistical base in Iraq during my deployment.  The base was a well oiled machine of supplies, troops, and equipment.  If the U.S. military knows how to do one thing, it’s logistics.  Moving equipment fast and with efficiency.

Logistics is something most people consider a secondary concern for a military but in reality, the supply corp is the heart of any military.  I was honestly a little shocked, when reading about the Iraqi logistical problem.  I assumed this would be a top priority of the coalition forces when prepping the Iraqi military to stand on it’s own two feet.

Apparently, we’re leaving this challenge for the Iraqis to figure out for themselves:

There was the time the Iraqis spent millions of dollars on ammunition from Romania, only to discover that it was defective or didn’t fit their U.S.- or Russian-made weapons. Or when the Iraqis bought portable kitchens which didn’t work in the field.

[...]

“They are at the basic level. They can feed themselves. They can fuel themselves. They can arm themselves,” said Australian Brig. Gen. David McGahey, who heads the U.S.-led task force aimed at helping the Iraqi armed forces fend for themselves after the eventual pull out.

But “giant gaps” remain in the Iraqi supply system, particularly a shortage of mechanics for vehicle maintenance and repairs, that may take “years and years” to close, he added.

Other challenges, commanders say, is a lack of modern technology to track parts and services. Iraq uses an antiquated paperwork system.

[...]

The Iraqis had long depended on American logistics and supplies as their main lifeline in the fight against militants and their own struggles to rebuild.

Since late last year, however, the U.S. has stopped fueling and feeding the Iraqis.

“We are not giving them parts. We are not giving them fuel. We are not fixing it for them,” said Army Col. Ed Dorman, who works on logistics and supply for Multi-National Corps Iraq.

And a larger problem besides an antiquated record keeping system and shortages in technical repairmen is the corruption:

The Iraqi army pays its brigade commanders a weekly cash stipend to feed troops. The U.S. military has praised the program for putting money back into Iraqi communities.

But reports have surfaced of some commanders putting dozens of soldiers on leave every week to pocket unspent money.

“They get the same amount of money if they have 25 people there or 50 people there,” said the military official.

Please read the complete article here.

I mean really, are we surprised at all?

In the age of computerized high-tech warfare, it is not just American hardware available on the black market. Now there is also vital technology and information up for grabs and — as military officials here and in the U.S. fear — leaking into the wrong hands in this region where the Taliban and elements of Al Qaeda have a known presence.

I was recently able to purchase a U.S. military laptop for $650 from a small kiosk, which is known as the “Sitara Market,” on the western edge of the sprawling open-air markets on the edge of Peshawar.

The laptop, which has clear U.S. military markings and serial numbers, contained restricted U.S. military information, as well as software for military platforms, the identities of numerous military personnel and information about weaknesses and flaws in American military vehicles being employed in the war in Afghanistan.

[...]

NATO supply convoys have been repeatedly attacked in the last six months and looted periodically inside Pakistan en route to military bases in Afghanistan. These attacks are a major source for the military equipment that ends up in Sitara market, according to Pakistani and U.S. officials.

But there are other avenues as well. The shopkeeper selling the laptop, who did not reveal his name, said the laptop offered to GlobalPost was brought in by one of his “suppliers” who specialize in smuggling across the Afghan border.

“I’ve had two or three like this come in the past few months,” he said about the laptop glistening on a glass counter under the sun.

It was displayed in the shop amid racks of combat fatigues and Kevlar vests and tool kits. A few shops down, U.S. military issue stabilized binoculars are on sale for about $100 and a night vision mount for an automatic weapon went for approximately $300. Gore-Tex boots and Oakley sunglasses line the displays of several nearby shops.

[source: Military.com]

I have no idea who started this list but it’s brilliant and oh so true (My favs are highlighted):

How to prepare for deployment to the Middle East

1. Sleep on a cot in the garage.

2. Replace the garage door with a curtain.

3. Six hours after you go to sleep, have your wife or girlfriend whip open the curtain, shine a flashlight in your eyes and mumble, “Sorry, wrong cot.”

4. Renovate your bathroom. Hang a green plastic sheet down from the middle of your bathtub and move the showerhead down to chest level. Keep four inches of soapy cold water on the floor. Stop cleaning the toilet and pee everywhere but in the toilet itself. Leave two to three sheets of toilet paper. Or for best effect, remove it altogether. For a more realistic deployed bathroom experience, stop using your bathroom and use a neighbor’s. Choose a neighbor who lives at least a quarter mile away.

5. When you take showers, wear flip-flops and keep the lights off.

6. Every time there is a thunderstorm, go sit in a wobbly rocking chair and dump dirt on your head.

7. Put lube oil in your humidifier instead of water and set it on “HIGH” for that tactical generator smell.

8. Don’t watch TV except for movies in the middle of the night. Have your family vote on which movie to watch and then show a different one.

9. Leave a lawnmower running in your living room 24 hours a day for proper noise level.

10. Have the paperboy give you a haircut.

Read the full story

The French television run website ‘The Observer‘ has posted a fascinating article about the U.S. military’s use of video games to teach soldiers how to interact with Middle Easterners in Arab countries.

It ain’t no “Call of Duty”, that’s for sure:

I was asked to provide my opinion for the article (Yes, that’s my pic on the website. yay!) and here’s what I had to say about my deployment to Iraq with the U.S. Army:

“It was shocking how ignorant we were when we arrived. We, as Americans, are incredibly disconnected from the customs of other cultures. We are simply not aware of the world beyond the American shores (for the most part), and being culturally ignorant is our Achilles heal in many respects. While these military training programs seem elementary or comical to other more “culturally enlightened” groups, to Americans they are valid and educational.

They weren’t used when I was in Iraq. Every unit undergoes intensive training and processing called mobilization for between one to four months prior to their boots hitting Middle Eastern sand. During mine, I only remember watching one video in that time. It’s one thing to read a list of cultural “dos and don’ts” (boring!) and another thing to have it in your face. Visual stimulation enhances memory and interest. Also, I think virtual games appeals to a new generation of young adults who have been spoon fed television and the internet most of their lives anyway.”

What do you think?

I’ve written a lot about the Balad, Iraq burn pit (with my personal photos) that has poisoned the soldiers and civilians stationed next to it at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.  Questions are being asked my the soldiers who are reporting mysterious illness that are naturally being linked to the smoke plume that burned plastics, paint cans, BODY PARTS, and all other forms of nastiness 24/7.

We finally have an official response from the U.S. Army and, surprisingly, General Petraeus himself:

“As part of the on-going occupational and environmental health surveillance program, a second comprehensive study of the air quality at Joint Base Balad was conducted and the results will be published soon and help guide recommendations for the frequency and extent of future air quality monitoring,” Petraeus wrote.

He also said service members have health monitoring data included in their medical records.

The Joint Staff and other agencies will “continue to collect air, water and soil samples for scientific analysis in an effort to monitor potential exposure levels to our personnel and local Iraqis,” Petraeus wrote.

This quote by Petraeus tells us two things:  First, the military acknowledges the problem and is monitoring it.  Second, the military confirms that soldiers will have notations in their medical file which tells me that the military is willing to “bone up” to future health problems that could be linked to the burn pit.

My only concern is that the findings will NOT be representational of the air quality from 2003-2006 prior to incinerators becoming opperational and won’t be procide accurate data.  The only study (that we’re aware of) that was published is now classified by the military for “opperational security”.

More to come as I’ve been advised by a CNN producer that the burn pit story was finally publicised today on CNN at 4pm CST.  I wasn’t able to catch the broadcast but I’m on the hunt for the video online.  If you come across it, leave a link!

Nearly everything is in a damn crisis these days.  Prepare yourself for crisis overkill because the Army isn’t far behind:

Krepinevich’s report [pdf] is titled “An Army at the Crossroads.” But a more appropriate title would have been an “Army in Crisis.” In the report he writes: “[The Army] risks a catastrophic leadership failure of a kind not seen since the late stages of the Vietnam War, a failure that took the Army over a decade to repair.”

His central message is alarming: the quality of the Army’s soldiers is in sharp decline, from enlisted personnel to NCOs to officers. It’s a “particularly discouraging” trend for the Army as it is happening despite the service’s “increasingly aggressive” use of financial incentives including bonuses and a salary increase of 33 percent between 1999 and 2005.

The Army has lowered standards to fill recruitment quotas, including weight and body fat restrictions, number of high school graduates and is allowing in more recruits with moral waivers. Krepinevich sees troubling signs of a repeat of the Vietnam era “shake-and-bake” sergeants, with the widespread promotion of inexperienced enlisted soldiers ill suited to the challenge of leading small units in combat.

None of his findings are a surprise.  We’ve noticed a sharp decline in the quality of soldiers for years now while trying to maintain recruitment goals.  Strange how it coincides with the Iraq war.

But read on.  It’s actually a brilliant article in the need for our Army to reinvent itself… again:

There are not enough hours in the day to train soldiers to be competent, let alone excel, at the very different skill sets demanded of every mission. The difference in competence between line infantry and artillerymen turned motorized infantry doing “cordon-and-knock” operations in Baghdad is night and day. The Army can have either a culture and language expert who can operate effectively amongst tribal cultures or a top drawer tank company commander skilled in fire and maneuver.

Krepinevich says the Army has no choice but to produce specialized soldiers as warfare, particularly irregular warfare, has grown far too complex to do otherwise. The Army has specialized for decades, he notes, with Special Forces, airborne, air assault and high end warfare optimized units. That specialization should be weighted toward irregular warfare, since the national strategy and pretty much every other planning document says the U.S. is in an era of persistent irregular warfare.

[source: Military.com]

I’ve always held the opinion that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is the most idiotic military policy in history. Not only does it infringe on civil rights, it also weakens a military that relies on volunteer soldiers. I think the most famous example are the Army Arabic translators who were discharged for homosexuality during the most crucial need for their skills.

We’ve been hearing a lot of “change” rhetoric from President-elect Obama this last year. I’m sure everyone’s whispering their suggestions to Obama these days.

How much pull do you think over 100 retired generals and admirals will have regarding our military’s disgraceful “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy:

“As is the case with Great Britain, Israel, and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality,” the officers wrote.

As for Obama’s opinion, don’t expect the policy to change any time soon even though he spoke out against ‘Dont ask, Don’t Tell’ during his candidacy. It’s quickly becoming a very low priority for his cabinet:

While Obama has expressed support for repeal, he said during the presidential campaign that he would not do so on his own – an indication that he would tread carefully to prevent the issue from becoming a drag on his agenda. Obama said he would instead work with military leaders to build consensus on removing the ban on openly gay service members.

“Although I have consistently said I would repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ I believe that the way to do it is make sure that we are working through a process, getting the Joint Chiefs of Staff clear in terms of what our priorities are going to be,” Obama said in a September interview with the Philadelphia Gay News.

Because the process has worked SOOOO well in the past.

Forget about “Be all you can be” and “An Army of One”, the new military recruitment angle is actually worth paying attention to.  It’s about acknowledging the honor and value of serving your country (not exactly a new concept) and it’s also about sympathy:

[video]

Granted the ad above focuses more on reaching out to soldiers returning home from deployments (which you’ll be guaranteed to experience as a new recruit), but the IAVA commercial also serves as a recruiting tool.

Check out the latest Army brainchild:  “Straight from Iraq“, where potential recruits can ask questions of soldiers who have been deployed.  Sounds like a sweet deal, right?

Just be cautious of the disclaimer you’re agreeing to after filling out your name, zip code, and email address:

The above disclosure is voluntary.  All information will be used strictly for recruiting purposes.  The authority for the collection of this information is Title 10, United States Code, Sections 503, 505, 508, and 12102, and EO 9397. For more information, please review our Privacy and Security Notice.

Which means the Army can do anything they damn please with your information.  Then again, if you want to enlist, then you’ll want to be contacted anyway.

So, is glorifying the “Iraqi deployment experience” going to work?  For guys ages 17-24, definitely!

There’s been an ongoing discussion here between myself and reader “An_Arab” about how justified the insurgents are or or not in attacking U.S. troops, and how justified the U.S. is in fighting the insurgents.

But with the security agreement between the U.S. and the government of Iraq that would allow U.S. troops to continue operating in Iraq still pending- meaning that if it’s not signed by Dec 31st all U.S. activities in Iraq would have to cease until an agreement is reached, and an incoming President Obama who has pledged to withdraw combat troops within 16 months of taking office, there is still one thing on everyone’s mind- the security of Iraq.

Something that was reinforced today in Baghdad, not in an attack on U.S. forces, not with a placed roadside bomb, but in twin violent suicide bombings that killed at least 28, injured roughly 68, and destroyed store fronts, and a bus full of school girls.

A suicide bomber struck Monday in a crowd gathered at the site of an explosion that moments earlier had damaged a bus filled with schoolgirls, with both blasts killing at least 28 people and wounding 68 others, authorities said.

Also Monday, a female suicide bomber attacked a security checkpoint in downtown Baqouba, killing five people including a local leader of Sunni group opposed to al-Qaida, police said. Fifteen other people were wounded in that explosion, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad.

The twin blasts — the deadliest in Baghdad in months — occurred during the morning rush hour in the mostly Shiite Kasrah section of Azamiyah neighborhood in the northern part of the Iraqi capital. They shattered storefronts along a crowded street and set fire to more than a dozen cars.

Police said the first explosion damaged a minibus carrying young girls to school. The second happened when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt in the middle of a crowd that had gathered around the vehicle.

Associated Press Television News video showed the minibus pocked with shrapnel marks with the floor soaked in blood. Girls’ shoes were scattered about amid the wreckage.

Ahmed Riyadh, 54, owner of a nearby grocery, said called it a ”vicious attack” that ”did not differentiate between Shiites and Sunnis.”

”We are fed up with such attacks and we want only to live in peace,” he said. ”The politicians should work hard and set aside their differences to stop the bloodshed.”

Nothing I can say in debate can illustrate nearly as well as this that the insurgents are not “justified” in their violence.  There are no political aims gained from events such as this.  This is violence for the sake of violence.  The average person on the street in Iraq doesn’t want violence no matter who is initiating it, they want what every person wants, peace and prosperity.

While I don’t agree with every move the U.S. military has made in Iraq, I could never sympathize with anyone who would kill so indiscriminately.  So there it is dear readers… better than any argument I could ever make, illustrated in real life.