Soccer Dad: Changing of the guard in iraq

January 5, 2007

Changing of the guard in iraq

via memeorandum Bush to Name a New General to Oversee Iraq

President Bush has decided to name Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus as the top American military commander in Iraq, part of a broad revamping of the military team that will carry out the administration�s new Iraq strategy, administration officials said Thursday.

What's memorable about Gen. Petraeus was how he handled the Mosul area when he was in charge. Here's how the abstract of a Sept 2003 article in the NY Times reads

American military based in northern Iraq is driving force in region's political and economic reconstruction; Maj Gen David H Petraeus of Army's 101st Airborne Div has become dominant political figure in Mosul and surrounding areas; he, rather than civilian-led occupation authority in Baghdad, worked out agreement between local sheiks and Iraqi customs officials to restore trade with Syria; from beginning Petraeus approached so-called nation-building as central military mission and he was prepared to act when civilian authority in Baghdad was still getting organized; under Petraeus, 101st established Iraqi governing council for city of Mosul and larger Nineveh Province even before L Paul Bremer 3d arrived in Baghdad; 101st also established employment office for former Iraqi military officers, found grain silos for local farmers and trained local police; northern Iraq does not present as great a threat as Sunni triangle near Baghdad, but it does have its dangers and challenges; photo; map (M)

(A full possibly unauthorized version of the article appears here.)

Perhaps that's why Ralph Peters is enthusiastic about this appointment.

Outside the Beltway, though, sounds a cautionary note.

Petraeus achieved, as an NPR reporter put it this morning, �rock star� status in Iraq with the 101st. His stint heading up the training of Iraqi security forces, however, was far less noteworthy. While I�m willing to chalk that up to the enormity of the task, it doesn�t lend confidence that he�ll work miracles with another star on his shoulder.

(As far as training the security forces here's an interesting look at the process by embedded blogger Bill Ardilino for the Examiner.

Navy corpsmen are a key component of a Marine Police Transition Team, an elite advisory unit responsible for equipping and training local Iraqis to take back the city from the confusing alliance of foreign terrorists and local insurgents currently sowing havoc.

In addition to the medical treatment they provide their Marines, also critical is the lifesaving care given to the Iraqi Police, who are subject to murderous intimidation outside of police headquarters, and who take traumatic injuries at an exponentially higher rate than their advisors. The professional care and personal concern shown by the corpsman go a long way towards forging trust and rapport between the Fallujan cops and their American advisors.

(via memeorandum)

Blogdigger tags: Iraq, David Petraeus.