**UPDATE**: Altering U.S. Strategy in Iraq
Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr. has an article in the Sep/Oct 2005 issue of Foreign Affairs, titled "How to Win in Iraq", in which he discusses a strategy that would see U.S. troops reducing their footprint/activity in major offensive - hit and run - operations and focusing more on protecting Iraq's critical infrastructure and government. It provides one possible example of the strategy which I elluded to in my first post here, "A Conservative Argument for Leaving Iraq".The primary point of such a strategy would be to deny insurgents the "fuel" of having U.S. forces so ever-present for target practice ("adding fuel to their fire), while focusing more on both consolidating and broadening support for U.S. policies amongst the general population (i.e. winning hearts and minds).
Excerpts:
....U.S. and Iraqi forces should adopt an "oil-spot strategy" in Iraq....
The oil-spot strategy, in contrast [to a focus on simply killing insurgents], focuses on establishing security for the population precisely for the sake of winning hearts and minds [which is essential to winning this war].... An oil-spot approach [would be one] in which operations would be oriented around securing the population and then gradually but inexorably expanding to increase control over contested areas....
....The security operations would facilitate reconstruction, offering Iraqis the promise of a better life. Sustained security would also ensure that the benefits of reconstruction would endure, rather than be sabotaged by the insurgents....
....Although securing [Iraq's less violent, relatively stable provinces] as well as key national infrastructure and previously secured areas should be the military's first priority, the four unsecured provinces cannot simply be abandoned to the insurgents.-Andrew F. Krepinevich Jr. Foreign Affairs. September/October 2005.
posted by The Analyst @ 12:04 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home