Comments on: An Increasingly Effective Description

By: Dave Price

Dave Price — Sun, 25 May 2008 08:07:08 +0000

True, the blame may lie above the Army per se, with its civilian commanders.

By: Martin L. Shoemaker

Martin L. Shoemaker — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:37:42 +0000

Agreed, Dave. Effective vs. ineffective is all that counts when you’re the one living with the results. But there are reasons why the British Army was ineffective that have nothing to do with competence.

By: Dave Price

Dave Price — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:06:09 +0000

Well, regardless of cause, they didn’t get the job done.Â A failed philosophy can be just as deleterious as a rifle that doesn’t fire.

By: Maniakes

Maniakes — Sat, 24 May 2008 19:45:42 +0000

I’d like to join Martin’s defense of the British Army. My understanding is that it was more a matter of "wouldn’t" than "couldn’t" — the British made a strategic and political decision to minimize engagement against the militias, probably on the theory that increased fighting would hurt the already shaky support back home for the war, and that the collateral damage from the fighting would lead to more resentment among the local population. The Iraqi Army can afford to be more aggressive because of who they are (fellow Iraqis)Â and who their political base is.

By: Dean Esmay

Dean Esmay — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:53:30 +0000

It could all still blow up in our faces.

Especially if we cut and run and abandon these people–again.

By: Martin L. Shoemaker

Martin L. Shoemaker — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:51:49 +0000

"Basra is a particularly good example â€” the IA accomplished in weeks what the British Army couldnâ€™t in years."

In defense of the British Army: they answer to a divided populace, many of whom don’t give a rat’s patoot about the lives of ordinary Iraqis as long as they can use Iraq as a political argument. The IA answers to a much more united populace who wants the violence stopped so they can have better lives. The two armies operated under different rules of engagement.

Plus the IA is much less subject to the "foreign invaders" slander, so they get more local cooperation.

This is not to belittle the great work of the IA. I simply think that, in other circumstances, the British Army would’ve acquitted themselves quite well.