A wonderful friend came visiting with his wife and son last week. He gave me a copy of Michael Yon’s book, Moment of Truth in Iraq. The book had moved him, and he, generous soul that he is, gave me his copy. Michael Yon is well known to those who have been following the independent reporting of the Iraq war on the internet. On Amazon.com the book has garnished 88 five-star reviews and 8 four-star reviews. Be sure to read the publisher's letter at the Amazon site. I totally agree with him when he wrote:
Just wait until you read the Chapter "High Noon" (my favorite), the story of the American soldiers who have to arrest a corrupt but politically popular Iraqi police chief we had put in office in the first place because he had been a real hero in fighting the terrorists. He had to be removed by Americans to show the Iraqis we really did believe in the rule of law. The whole thing could have blown up into a one-town civil war with hundreds dead on both sides. Won't tell you how it ends, but you will be amazed and very proud.
Here are some excerpts that I marked as I read. (I have not included excerpts from the "High Noon" chapter just mentioned -- that's for readers of the book) :
On the American soldier’s thirst for mail:
Mail is more important then even hot showers or hot food… People at home probably have no idea how much their little cards, letters, and goodie bags boost morale. Countless walls around Iraq are wallpapered with cards and letters. Soldiers and marines especially love the cards from kids. There is nothing better over here than reading two-dozen cards from kids who can barely hold a crayon. If a kid sends a card, rest assured that card will be stuck on a wall somewhere, and it will bring a smile to many a soldier and marine. (pp. 24-25)
Part of counterinsurgency is soldiers letting themselves be Americans in the most romantic sense of the word. The American soldier is the most dangerous man in the world, and the Iraqis had to learn that before they would trust or respect us. But it was when they understood that these great-hearted warriors. . . are even happier helping to build a school or to make a neighborhood safe that we really got their attention. (74)
On the American soldier as an example to the Iraqi soldier and policeman:
Iraqi forces that used to flee would now stand and fight, partly because their American trainers would stand and fight with them. The Iraqis were amazed that American officers and sergeants would lead from the front into the worst situations. .. Seeing how American officers and sergeants behaved, the Iraqi jundis (soldiers) began to hold their own leaders in contempt. Iraqi soldiers might be a lot of things, but cowards they are not. (217)
On the necessary American strategy:
The challenge of counterinsurgency is to discover why the people are protecting the insurgents and offer a better deal. (75)
“Our values and the laws governing warfare teach us to respect human dignity, maintain our integrity, and do what is right. Adherence to our values distinguishes us from our enemy. This fight depends on securing the population, which must understand that we—not our enemies—occupy the moral high ground. This strategy has shown results in recent months…. (66)
On the relationship of clean windows and trusting the soldiers associated with the vehicle:
If you are going on a combat mission and soldiers have not cleaned all their windows to a sparkle, do not go with them. Soldiers with dirty windows are not watching for tiny wires in the road, nor are they scanning rooftops. They are talking about women, football, and the cars they will buy when they get home. I will not go into combat with soldiers with dirty windows. (96)
Michael Yon discusses great American field leaders who inspire their men and effectively mentor their Iraqi counterparts.
During my time in Anbar, I saw how much the Iraqis respected
Rakene Lee and the other marines who were all courageous, tactically competent,
measured, and constantly telling even the Iraqis to go easy on other
Iraqis. By showing that the strongest
soldier is also disciplined, just, and compassionate, soldiers like SSG Lee
were winning the moral high ground in
How is it that a group of commanders know how to run a city?
Because they do it all the time, even at home. The American military governs
city-states—bases—all over the world. A
commander who runs an American military base in
must deal with local political leaders; base commanders abroad must be
international diplomats.” (143)
Even during the outrages of the Fallujah-flattenings and prisoner rape-torture debacles, Iraqis never turned against us the way they would later turn against al Qaeda. We were never completely evil in their eyes. Dumb, overbearing, disrespectful, but not evil. Even during the worst of times, we would pay for people’s houses we flattened, and often treat Iraqis—whose ailments had nothing to do with war—in American clinics. (182)
Do Iraqis hate America?
Iraq does not hate America. If they hated us, I’d be urging an immediate troop withdrawal, because there would be no hope of winning this war. If the Iraqis hated us, we would be fighting the Iraqi Police and the Iraqi Army. Instead, we’re fighting alongside them.
Several times I have told Iraqis, ‘One day
Iraqis have an affinity for things American. You see it everywhere. There’s a gym in the Dora neighborhood of
southern
American soldiers and Iraqi kids
There are lots of kitchen accidents in
I like what Yon wrote about the important role mechanics play in Iraqi. In my own life experience, I esteem mechanics hugely. Yon writes:
People who look at mechanics and think they only turn
wrenches and get greasy from the safety of bases do not know the mechanics of
the British and American armies. The
mechanics’ jobs may be even more inglorious than infantry, and even when
commanders recognize the courage and critical value mechanics bring to battle
after battle, nobody ever seems to believe it.
The poor mechanics seemed resigned to a life of obscurity, but this
writer can vouch that without them, in risking the roads of
Should
Iraq is one nation. Those who suggest that Iraq should be partitioned, noting Iraqis often do not get along and the Sunni-Shia rift is profound, miss the crucial reality that Iraqis consider themselves foremost to be Iraqis. The conflicts between Iraqi Sunni and Shia are largely political, not theological. Al Qaeda, now the main instigator of civil war, is thoroughly discredited and strategically crushed in Iraq. Today, al Qaeda’s attempts to incite sectarian violence only backfire. Iraqis are willing to fight for Iraq.” (223)
Will al Quaeda win?
“Al Qaeda will continue to land blows against our Iraqi allies and us, but there will be no caliphate. Al Qaeda has lost Iraq. (199)
Will
We have created the conditions for peace in
and start walking the streets. The
higher truth is that we are so close to winning, winning in the big sense of
seeing Iraq be free and democratic, united and at peace (by local standards),
that it would be a crime to hold back now. .. nearly all the hardest work has
been done. (225)
Whoever becomes our next president in January 2009 must be
prepared for an uptick in violence in Iraq
shortly after the
inauguration. Insurgency is political
war, waged on the news cycle, and our enemies might well try to create an
illusion of strength. If the new
president is panicked by an illusion and pulls our troops out, we and the
Iraqis likely will pay the price for decades, perhaps generations to come. If we precipitously withdraw our troops, all
of the tremendous progress we are seeing will be lost The region could descend into chaos. (225)
We can win this war.
And if we do, it will be a victory of the same magnitude as the fall of
the
and others “against” Iraq. It will be a victory for freedom and
justice. It will be a victory for Iraqis
and for the world, and only then will it be a victory for us.
A stable, reasonably democratic, and friendly Arab country will have been established in the heart of the Middle East. Al Qaeda will have been defeated not only militarily but morally, rejected by the very Muslims they claim to represent.
We can win. But we can still lose.
What about American soldiers?
American combat soldiers don’t want pity. They’re ready to fight to the end; they just don’t want it to be for naught. They have been fighting for two nations, one of which didn’t seem to notice. The Iraqis noticed.