COIN: How to talk to Iraqi officers
In the April issue of Army magazine, Capt. Brennan Speakes relates that: The Iraqi army officers who spoke to us at the COIN academy said that their biggest problem with the U.S. soldier was the lack of respect we show to Iraqi senior officers. I made it a hard-and-fast rule that an officer was an ...
In the April issue of Army magazine, Capt. Brennan Speakes relates that:
The Iraqi army officers who spoke to us at the COIN academy said that their biggest problem with the U.S. soldier was the lack of respect we show to Iraqi senior officers. I made it a hard-and-fast rule that an officer was an officer no matter what. Don't let your soldiers even start down that road. Use the golden rule -- it works."
I'm a little surprised that seven years into this, such lessons are considered necessary. But better to say them than not.
In the April issue of Army magazine, Capt. Brennan Speakes relates that:
The Iraqi army officers who spoke to us at the COIN academy said that their biggest problem with the U.S. soldier was the lack of respect we show to Iraqi senior officers. I made it a hard-and-fast rule that an officer was an officer no matter what. Don’t let your soldiers even start down that road. Use the golden rule — it works."
I’m a little surprised that seven years into this, such lessons are considered necessary. But better to say them than not.
Meanwhile, the prolific Gary Anderson elaborates in SWJ on his comments here yesterday. Take away:
Some of the Green Zone dwellers think the post-election jockeying between the various political factions will be American style "horse trading" as we saw in the health care debate; they have sold this line to the Washington Post and New York Times. This is bunk. Iraqi politics is a full contact sport, and blood will be shed. Nor will the battle be primarily sectarian. It will be a Shiia-on- Shiia affair. If it doesn’t end up in a civil war, it will look like a Chicago gang war before it is over."
More from Foreign Policy
Is Cold War Inevitable?
A new biography of George Kennan, the father of containment, raises questions about whether the old Cold War—and the emerging one with China—could have been avoided.
So You Want to Buy an Ambassadorship
The United States is the only Western government that routinely rewards mega-donors with top diplomatic posts.
Can China Pull Off Its Charm Offensive?
Why Beijing’s foreign-policy reset will—or won’t—work out.
Turkey’s Problem Isn’t Sweden. It’s the United States.
Erdogan has focused on Stockholm’s stance toward Kurdish exile groups, but Ankara’s real demand is the end of U.S. support for Kurds in Syria.
Sign up for Morning Brief
Foreign Policy’s flagship daily newsletter with what’s coming up around the world today. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
