I'm off for a little bit of leave. Kinda nice the Army sends you home for two weeks during your tour, but it sure is a pain in the butt getting there. I left my office Wednesday morning, but I likely won't get home until 9 or 10pm on Friday night. And these clothes already stink...
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/15/world/middleeast/15iraq.html?_r=2&hp
Attached is a good article about what's going on in Iraq, particularly southern Iraq, and our recent frustrations. Not sure if we will stay or go. I'm kind of fond of going myself, as I think our current force has done all it can do, and we have some other obligations to handle at home first. Just as America had to fumble into its current existence, so must Iraq. Iraq needs to become what it will be. One downside to us leaving the Iraqi security forces don't quite realize yet-- once we leave, and the Iranians stop shooting at us, they will start looking for someone else to shoot at, and the regional problems will then really begin to come into play.
Hope this finds you well, and if you are in Austin in the next two weeks, stop by for a visit.
Ron
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Happy July 4th
Hope you have a good one. Raise a glass for us, we're still here, and now we can finally say it, the bad guys are Iran:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/07/03/iraq.us.militia.attacks/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Here's another link about what we were working on the past couple of weeks-- getting the Iraqis to do something about the influence. The article is more or less accurate, but as with most Iraqi operations, the Iraqis got a vote in how it was going to happen, and what was envisioned by US forces was disconnected from what the Iraqis executed:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/world/middleeast/02iraq.html?_r=1&ref=michaelsschmidt
I think our Division Commander we are partnered with wants to do more, but politics are alive and well in Iraq. They are in a tough spot as everyone picks sides and chooses who to hitch their wagons to-- and it's clear here in southern Iraq the US is not the team to publicly go with.
On another note, we refined our drawdown plan for Iraq. I shouldn't post it here, but why not:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/07/03/iraq.us.militia.attacks/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
Here's another link about what we were working on the past couple of weeks-- getting the Iraqis to do something about the influence. The article is more or less accurate, but as with most Iraqi operations, the Iraqis got a vote in how it was going to happen, and what was envisioned by US forces was disconnected from what the Iraqis executed:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/02/world/middleeast/02iraq.html?_r=1&ref=michaelsschmidt
I think our Division Commander we are partnered with wants to do more, but politics are alive and well in Iraq. They are in a tough spot as everyone picks sides and chooses who to hitch their wagons to-- and it's clear here in southern Iraq the US is not the team to publicly go with.
On another note, we refined our drawdown plan for Iraq. I shouldn't post it here, but why not:
I think it's gonna work great.
Ron
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