A new tactic by the US military: These U.S. Raids In Iraq Look Real, But They Aren’t

They stage raids of “friendly” businesses to be able to check that money they give is being spent appropriately. If they went in normally it would make the business a target of the insurgents.

Quote:

But given the hostility toward the U.S., officials aren’t advertising their role. “The only way things will work is if the U.S. contribution is totally invisible,” says Maj. Christina Nagy, a civil-affairs officer from the 82nd Airborne Division. “I have people with higher ranks than me always wanting to have a ribbon cutting. I just listen and think, ‘Sure, if you want the companies to get immediately shot or blown up.’”

I think the tactic is a good idea, under the circumstances. But, it’s very sad it’s at this point. I really think the US military is doing things as well as could be expected now, but the constant policy screw-ups in the first 3 years of this war are making the job 1000 times more difficult now. It’s important to note that the difficulties are of their own making.

How can the military be expected to help rebuild this country, which would be the best way to shink the insurgency, when they’re so hated they can’t be seen to be helping? I’m generally not a fan of the idea to completely pull out of Iraq; The US created this mess and they need to fix it. But I’m seeing fewer possibilities of any ways to succeed. It’s obvious to everyone, except perhaps the White House inner circle, that this will never be won militarily.

I think the only real option, which would never happen, is for the leader of the US to make significant efforts to convince Iraqi citizens (not the insurgents) of their desire to help them. No one in Iraq believes that anymore. Until they believe that, and therefore are not willing to fight against them in mass numbers, there can be no success. The US can’t just go kill all the people willing to work/fight against them because that act directly brings more people into the group.