French Report Analyzes US Military Performance in Iraq

[theliberalavenger]

From Le Monde, translated into English:

http://nuralcubicle.blogspot.com/2005/05/peer-review-french-military-looks-at.html

[bennywhale]

1. It is a good compilation of the obvious. the American commanders ignored

from the start the advice from the British based on their experiences in peacekeeping roles in the Balkans and Northern Ireland. The escalation of violence was predicted due to the behaviour of the American military and so it happened.

The British on the other hand have a largely courteous relationship with the population, often enjoying tea and hospitality. They instantly met with local tribal leaders for their advice and input, even if they didn't use it, following Saddam's fall. Thus recieved a begrudging respect from some local leaders in return. The death rate per soldier has been much lower as aresult. Even when taking into account the "calmer" area they control.

[teryang]

2. Interesting article

The British thesis is interesting, "smile, shoot, smile." No doubt European sophistication is born of the colonial tradition and more worldly viewpoint. Could American troops ever get over being "ugly Americans?" Not likely.

But ultimately, the French and British lost their empires despite their sophistication and cleverness. Therefore, smile, shoot, smile fails in the end as well. The French lost in Vietnam first. The US didn't learn. Changing to "sensitive invaders and killers" won't make a difference after the horrors inflicted on the Iraqi people.

However, the French and British sophistication pays off when you are on a peace keeping mission which didn't start with a brutal war terminated with a genocidal cease fire violation, ten years of bombing and sanctions resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths, followed by an unjustified invasion.

[reality based]

3. Smile, shoot, smile may fail to maintain an empire in the long run

but it makes establishing normalized relations with the former colony easier and quicker. The US has a problem understanding that a good guy vs, bad guy paradigm for its foreign relations is not in its own best interest. I used to think this was attributable to a lack of maturity that we would eventually grow out of. Now I think it is a collective neurosis for which we need help in overcoming.

[Wright Patman]

4. Actually the GOP has ignored its own advice

and attempted "nation building." For years the Repukes told us the U.S. military doesn't "do peacekeeping" and is only to be used to "kill people and break things."

Looks like they were right. Too bad they let the neocons get control of their figurehead in office.

[0007]

5. One hell of an article. It was right on and the comments that

followed were priceless.

Especially the last comment about the Kurds and their trust of the U.S.