Lessons for Iraq

One of my buddies is working a short job in Fort Leavenworth, home of the Center for Army Lessons Learned. One of the documents hosted at CALL is found elsewhere online, which led me to another site, which led me to this:

You will enter Iraq both as a soldier and as an individual, because on our side a man can be both a soldier and an individual. That is our strength -- if we are smart enough to use it. It can be our weakness if we aren't. As a soldier your duties are laid out for you. As an individual, it is what you do on your own that counts -- and it may count for a lot more than you think.

American success or failure in Iraq may well depend on whether the Iraqis (as the people are called) like American soldiers or not. It may not be quite that simple. But then again it could.

Great, timely advice from the Pentagon, eh?

Curiously, the opening line from this document might create a different context: "You have been ordered to Iraq (i-RAHK) as part of the world-wide offensive to beat Hitler." Looks like it could be interesting and still-relevant reading.