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In case you hadn’t notice, US casualties in Iraq are way down. This is not by accident. The US military has an attack database installed in their internet that covers all of Iraq. An investigation team carefully reviews each attack on US forces. The team researches what kind of attack it was, how effective it was and how effective US counter-measures were. It also makes recommendations against future attacks. All US commanders have access to this database.
Yankee ingenuity developed effective counter-measures. The attackers have no such research facility available to them. So even as they changed their tactics, US commanders changed faster.
In addition, the US has spent time in developing good intelligence sources. Many would-be attackers have been either arrested or killed. The prices that mercenaries charge their patrons to attack US troops have gone through the ceiling. Insurgents have discovered that attacking US convoys can get you killed.
The US military of the 21st century is staffed with amazing people. After-war success was due to troops on the ground improvising and learning as they went. They have done a stupendous job!
US success in Iraq has not gone unnoticed by our potential adversaries like China, Iran, Syria or North Korea. They are amazed and wary of how quickly the US defeated the Iraqi army and how quickly the US quelled the insurgency.
You’ll notice that most of the attacks now are on the Iraqi Police. The US is finding a little difficulty instilling some of the same out-of-the-box thinking and initiative into the IP. Under Saddam, initiative and creative thinking could get you killed.
I have great respect for the bravery of the IP. In spite of the tremendous casualties they have taken, they continue to show up for work. Americans should revere the IP highly. They are taking the hits that would otherwise be directed at US forces.
Posted by Ted at March 9, 2004 9:24 PM