Hey, Let’s Train The Iraqi Soldiers

Ken AshfordIraq, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

Things have gone to hell in Iraq, especially in the fight against the Islamic State group (ISIS) in Iraq. The strongest evidence of this is the recent takeover of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province by ISIS forces.  Although Iraqi soldiers “vastly outnumbered” their opposition in Ramadi, they quickly withdrew last week, leaving behind a half-dozen tanks, a similar number of artillery pieces, a larger number of armored personnel carriers and about 100 wheeled vehicles like Humvees.  All of those things are now in the hands of ISIS.

Obviously, the soldiers need training.  Or a backbone.  Or something.  So….

President Obama’s decision to open a new base for an additional 450 American military trainers and other personnel in Anbar Province in Iraq is designed to give a badly needed lift to the Sunni tribes and Iraqi troops who have been struggling to hold their own against the Islamic State.

Most see this as a first step, at best.

Seems to me that we failed training the Iraqi soldiers.  We’ve been training them for 13 years.  Another 450 isn’t going to do it.

Look, this is how Vietnam went.  We kept pouring soldiers — uh, trainers — in there, thinking that would fix the problem.  If the domestic army (whether it be South Vietnam or Iraq) isn’t going to stand up for itself — hell, get out of there.

So what if Iraq falls to ISIS?  Bad for them, yes, and bad for the Iraqi citizens.  But it’s not OUR country.

I don’t know.  I’m missing something.  But it seems to me we haven’t learned anything.