US must stop yelling at Iraqis, says general

[cal04]

The US troop "surge" in Iraq is being jeopardised by the failure to launch an equivalent offensive on the hearts-and-minds front, according to the general in charge of working with the civilian population.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Lieutenant General Jack Stultz, the head of the US Army Reserve, gave a stark warning that not enough use was being made of civilian affairs officers under his command.

They are charged with talking to ordinary Iraqis and co-ordinating infrastructure projects.

(snip)
Gen Stultz said that some Reserve officers developed a closer relationship with Iraqi soldiers than did their active counterparts. "You can't treat everyone as if they're an American soldier. Everyone's culture is different."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/24/wiraq124.xml&DCMP=EMC-new_24062007

[jpgray]

1. I'd say it's almost too late to respect Iraqis, though it's still worth doing

Most Iraqis will see it as a sign of weakness, sort of saying that "We wanted to ignore you and trample all over you and enforce our own ideas on you, but now that it hasn't worked I suppose we can see eye to eye on this." Not the best situation for building trust. But though it won't work as well, it's still better than the alternative.

[yurbud]

2. way past too late. Like, "sorry I shot your dog and napalmed your baby. Let's have a beer."

[CJCRANE]

3. The US military

is simply not designed or trained for nation-building.

And B*sh, Colin Powell, Condi Rice etc knew that.