Some real "on the street" info

Enough of my second hand info.
Go to www.iraqthemodel.com and get some real insight into what's happening on the streets of Baghdad. The guys who write this blog have been doing it since just after the war. They've been published in the Wall Street Journal and are in there today. It's pretty exciting stuff, and the troop surge is just getting started. We've pushed about three thousand Iraqi army soldiers through pre-deployment training in the last 25 days. By the end of May, there will have been another 4000 soldiers pass through here on their way to Baghdad.

In addition to the Iraqi soldiers training here before going to Baghdad, I learned recently that Besmaya is going to be the temporary home of one of the US combat brigades moving into Iraq. This is good news on many fronts. My soldiers and Marines will get mail on a more regular basis and we'll have access to some of the amenities that we've not had for the last 9 months. The brigade will consist of about 3,000 soldiers, so there will be a small PX (military version of a Target-type general merchandise store) and we may even get a pizza place and a Green Bean Coffee stand. Life will be good. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad now, but some diversity will be nice. (All this talk of food is making me hungry!).

In addition to the selfish benefits, the additional combat power will make a big difference in the area. More boots on the ground, and boots that stay for a while, make a difference. One of the most significant differences is the ability to disrupt the command and control of the bad guys. To be effective, the insurgency must be able to pass information and supplies to it's various field soldiers. When the leaders can't communicate, the soldiers fall into disarray. They either give up and get jobs or they do something stupid and get caught or killed. Either way, as long as they aren't planting bombs or shooting at guys.

Another significant and not-to-be-underestimated impact is relationship building. If you work the same roads and villages for a while, you get to know who the leaders and residents are, and more importantly, they get to know you. Once that trust begins to grow, information follows. Most Iraqis want a peaceful and prosperous country. One of the main points the sheiks wanted us to get was that they weren't bad guys, and they didn't want us to judge all of them if there were some bad guys in their villages.

I'll be leaving around the time the main body arrives, so I won't get to see the full effects, but I'm still excited they're coming to "my" base (Besmaya will always be "my" base) and that we've been able to support their advance elements as they construct the base.

DI