Is the surge backfiring? (Time)

[The Count]

Increasingly across Iraq, U.S. forces are leaving the comfort and safety of their fortified mega-bases and establishing small combat outposts and patrol bases like the one insurgents struck outside Baquba that left 20 soldiers wounded as well. Some patrol bases are well protected with blast walls and large numbers of troops. Others are little more than abandoned houses that a few platoons circle with Humvees while hunkering down inside. As a reporter frequently embedded with U.S. forces, I've visited many such patrol bases, and the sense of vulnerability at them is all too palpable. The paratroopers tasked with controlling the volatile territory on the outskirts of Baquba knew they would face attacks from insurgents in the area as they stepped up their presence by manning such patrol bases. But they saw little choice, since the ongoing surge strategy calls for U.S. forces to abandon the old notion of return-to-base patrols in favor of living full time in deadly areas.
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1614091,00.html

[bemildred]

1. They were in an abandoned schoolhouse.

The outpost was wiped out. Around 30% KIA. They were told this would happen, I remember reading about it. It is nice that Time is starting to report on it, but it isn't some new scientific discovery that nobody could have forseen. It's what happens when you let incompetent propaganda hacks have control of things that are none of their business.

[Solly Mack]

2. backfiring? lololololol

even the best of plans can backfire...but let's not call the easily anticipated consequences of a piss poor plan "backfiring"

Gee, none of the brainiacs could anticipate that the less defended posts would get attacked? None of the brainiacs saw this coming?

[lectrobyte]

3. I thought at one point our soldiers were operating like that, i.e.,

out in decentralized areas, but they switched to the "return to base" mode after losses became too high a year or so after "Mission Accomplished."

[Toots]

4. Getting a bit more like Vietnam all the time I guess.

FOBs is what they were called way back then. or Forward Operating Bases with names like LZ Heartache, LZ Jane, LZ Mooney...One thing that is different I bet is we had to live with the constant outgoing artillery and I do mean Constant...but then again we were up against a real Army. Uniformed troops, in fact the third largest Army in the world at the time. These guys in Iraq are up against civilians, women and children....

[Jacobin]

5. Just give them a few more Friedman Units

and everything will be fine. :eyes: