Holy crap, they have mortars now...

Big events this week. Our Iraqi Army Division is going to be the first in the Iraqi Army to shoot mortars. While this may not seem like a big deal, the event itself is very symbolic. We went out to watch the preparation and rehearsals, and we lived to tell about it.

Iraqis will do what they always do-- make a big show of it. The presentation that will happen on Monday in front of the Iraqi Minister of Defense and a slew of IA Generals and other politicians to demonstrate this new capability includes a formal brief from an excessively cheesed up reviewing stand, lots of painted rocks, flag carrying motorcades, and even a band, all leading up to a live 120mm mortar mission shot by Iraqis, followed by an air assault on an objective using an Iraqi commando company and Iraqi Mi-17 helicopters. This demonstration is particularly significant in that it proves the IA is able to incorporate more complex systems and handle more responsibility for their own defense.

The crews trained for 30 days prior to the events. And all involved were waist deep in rehearsals for the event for four days. A lot of hard work and training went into them being able to do it. And yesterday, they proved their capability. The hit the target, danced and yelled a bunch of stuff in Arabic. I swore on several occasions the two helicopters involved were going to crash into each other. The attack seemed like somebody just dumped two helicopters of guys out on an objective and they just spilled all over the place. There were a hundred things that went wrong with it by American standards. But they were doing it on their own, and they were learning.

There are many who are hesitant to give the Iraqis this capability. A whole bunch of people in Baghdad (most of which never leave the FOB) will lose their minds when they find out the Iraqis are shooting mortars and using helicopters. No doubt, there are Iraqis who already know how to shoot mortars. The downside of this capability, and the fear of many in the coalition, is that there is a lot that goes into shooting mortars; you don't just drop rounds in the tube and hope they land where you want them to land. Airspace has to be cleared, as does the place where you want the round to land. There is a lot of math involved. Ammunition and weapons systems have to be accounted for, and the IA is not known for lock-step security when it comes to weapons. There are similar concerns for conducting an air assault safely. There is a high amount of potential for catastrophic disaster.

But if we ever want to go home, we have to accept the risk and provide them with such capabilities. I equate it to a teenager learning to drive: Sooner or later, you have to let them get behind the wheel, and you have to be prepared to accept the consequences if and when bad things happen. We have to let them grow up on their own terms and crash, and be ready to bail them out of jail when they get arrested if need be.

Hope you are well. Thanks for reading.
Ron