So as our Counterinsurgency Doctrine tells us, people are the center of gravity. Occasionally, we will 'target' the people by conducting an operation intended to generate information, or public support, or influence a particular demographic one way or another. These are now called non-lethal operations, or sometimes on a bigger level they are called Stability Operations, and they are a permanent part of our capability as a force. We haven't always done this; in fact when I was a Lieutenant, we used to joke about how we were too good for Operations Other than War as they were called at the time. We now do Stability Operations quite a bit-- mostly because by spending some cash and being careful how you act, it can go a lot longer than a usual shooty shooty operation that often has more consequences than benefits.
In an effort to develop our Iraqi Army (IA) Brigade, we are attempting to get them to try one of these operations, and today we (my US Battalion Commander and I) tried to pitch the idea to the IA Brigade Commander. We were immediately confronted with resistance.
"That's not the Army's job."
"I don't have any assets to do a project like that."
"I don't have money like the Americans do."
"My Division Commander won't let me."
He pretty much thought up a thousand reasons why he couldn't do it, until we explained an example:
Me: "Saydi (Arabic for sir)-- what's your worst neighborhood?"
IA Brigade Commander: "Al Dorito" (fake name)
Me: "Ok, here's what we do. We go into Al Dorito and your soldiers pick up the trash and use your trucks to haul it away. You get Division to bring in some front end loaders from the Engineer Battalion to scoop up the big piles of trash. We bring in some sewage trucks to suck the sewage out of the streets, and we use your water trucks to hose the streets down. The Americans show up with some pallets of bottled water for the IA to pass out, and along with the water they get a flyer inquiring about some bad people we want to know about with a tip line on it to call if they see anything. We put up a big banner of the failed attempted market bombing where your soldiers stopped the woman from detonating the bomb and she blew herself up instead-- we put up a picture of her looking sad in her hospital bed, again with a tip line. We put up some more signs about how all if this was coordinated by the local government, which is working hard to restore services and make things better, and how the terrorists won't do this for you. Your S2s (intelligence officers) are there to work sources and gather information. Get a band to play music."
Bam. Nonlethal targeting explained.
He sat quietly for a few seconds, and when he realized how it isn't nearly as hard as he makes it out to be, he agreed to do it.
Subsequent meetings were scheduled to plan it out, but it looks like it might work. We'll see.
Hope you are well-- take care.
Ron
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Sir: While I rarely post, I do keep up with your "journal" as it helps me to understand some of the workings of your job there. My oldest grandson and his wife are deployed there in different areas and I receive blurbs of information from them also. My grandson is known to you; he has a great deal of respect for you and has often asked if I have read your notes. I hope that you will retain these postings in the form of a journal/book...if for no other reason than to pass them along to your children...they are an important part of your history as well as our American history. Your notes have helped this "ole Granny" pass my grandkids' time in Iraq with a somewhat easier heart.
Thank you for this and your service to America; your homecoming to Texas and your family will be warm and most welcome.
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