Minds And Hearts

If you want to understand why we're not winning in Iraq, read this column by Gordon Dillow in the OCregister.

When you refuse to allow your military to do the job it's trained for and instead subject them to life threatening situations on a daily basis, you play right into the hands of the enemy. Let's take the gloves off and decide that we are going to fight to win.

Here's an excerpt from the article.

"For every charge of excessive force by American troops, such as the allegations about the killings of civilians in Haditha, there are hundreds of unreported and unheralded examples of American Marines and soldiers showing astonishing restraint in their use of force.

Again, in counterinsurgency warfare, where battle is waged not only in the streets but in hearts and minds and TV news broadcasts, perhaps that is sound policy. If the goal is to win over the people, and not just to kill the enemy, perhaps there is no alternative."

Whatever happened to, "When you've got them by the balls, their minds and hearts will follow."