Put up or Shut Up

Most that have known me in my career know that I can be more than critical of my higher headquarters. Well, with the promotion came a big combo plate of "whatcha gonna do now that you are in charge?" My new position has me in charge of all of the operations for the Brigade, in a completely different section of the country. I am now "them" and "those guys."

Regionally I am more southern now, and I have never been to this part of the country. Add to the madness, I was the furthest removed from the Brigade's operations-- my old unit was detached and was working in Baghdad. So the irony is they took the guy who was most ignorant of everything going on in a four province area and told me to get busy. The joke's on me now.

It has been an interesting week, and I still struggle to understand the Brigade's unique problem set. Luckily the guy I am replacing is still around and walking me through it. I learn a little more each day the more I read and visit and talk to folks. The next month or so is going to be rough until I can figure things out.

The problem is different here. The part of the country we are in is extremely Shiite, and there is a good chunk of it to the east that really wants us to go home. Baghdad was in was more secular, and while there were people who didn't like us, it was about what you would expect for a big city. Stuff up there for the most part is going well, minus the occasional car bomb. Some places here are doing fine, investment is coming, and there is potential and progress. Most of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) are demonstrating more capability every day, and training, advising, and mentorship continue. US Soldiers continue to demonstrate the right way to do things through action every day, and it is beneficial. Some ISF, however, aren't ready. That is a complicated problem to explain that involves religion, tribes, outside influences, and a high level of animosity. But for the most part, the ISF is ready for us to take the hand off the bike seat.

Here, I think part of the problem is bitter hatred for anyone who isn't in the tribe or who hasn't lived here for at least 2000 years. Some say the violence is increasing, but I bet if we leave it will pretty much fix itself. There is a lot of foreign meddling on many different levels with different interests, and we may be a big part of the problem. If we left I am not sure the violence would be exported to other parts of the country due to the regionality of the people. I think Iraq is almost ready for it to become what it will become. We have to leave to let this happen, and we have to allow it to get ugly so it can get better. It will likely take a long time, which sucks for the Iraqi people. But much in the same way the US became what it is, warts and all (civil war, civil rights movement, great depression, government corruption, you get the idea) Iraq has to have its catharsis.

I hope we aren't around to see it.

Take care-
Ron