CAMP PENDLETON, Calif., Dec. 10 — No force has a tougher reputation than the United States Marines. But the marines who are headed to Iraq this spring say they intend to avoid the get-tough tactics that have been used in recent weeks by Army units.
Marine commanders say they do not plan to surround villages with barbed wire, demolish buildings used by insurgents or detain relatives of suspected guerrillas. The Marines do not plan to fire artillery at suspected guerrilla mortar positions, an Army tactic that risks harming civilians. Nor do the Marines want to risk civilian casualties by calling in bombing strikes on the insurgents, as has happened most recently in Afghanistan.
"I do not envision using that tactic," said Lt. Gen. James T. Conway, the commanding general of the First Marine Expeditionary Force, who led the Marine force that fought its way to Baghdad and will command the more than 20,000 marines who will return to Iraq in March. "It would have to be a rare incident that transcends anything that we have seen in the country to make that happen."
The increase in guerrilla attacks on American troops in Iraq has prompted Army units in the so-called Sunni triangle in central Iraq to adopt a hard-nosed approach — and spawned a behind-the-scenes debate within the American military about the best way to quash the insurgents.
In Iraqi society, which emphasizes personal relationships, the constant rotations have made a difficult job that much harder. So have some tactics: in April, soldiers from the 82nd Airborne based themselves in Falluja and were fired on during an anti-American demonstration. The troops fired back. Iraqis say 17 people were killed and more than 70 wounded, many of them civilians who never fired on the American troops. The 82nd Airborne has disputed that account.
~
Marine commanders have stressed the need to be sensitive to local traditions. Marines here have been told to remove their sunglasses and look Iraqis in the eye when they speak with them. A select group of marines also been selected for intensive Arabic language training. The marines will use Iraqi, not American names, to delineate the zones assigned to specific Marine units and will try to align them with Iraqi administrative districts. To limit the disruption to the local populations, the Marines also plan to set up their bases outside of Iraqi cities.
"We will try to go and restore a degree of civility," said General Mattis. "If they choose to fight, they are going to regret it, but we also believe that part of the physicians' oath that says first do no harm. If to kill a terrorist we have got to kill eight innocent people, you don't kill them."
posted on December 12, 2003 01:47:05 PM new
Our Marines and our Army are on the same side, helen. OUR side...unlike some others I know.
--------------
The article also says:
In an interview at his headquarters at Camp Pendleton, General Conway was careful not to criticize the Army. Still, he indicated that he plans to pursue a very different strategy.
"I don't want to condemn what people are doing," General Conway said. "I think they are doing what they think they have to do. I'll simply say that I think until we can win the population over and they can give us those indigenous intelligence reports that we're prolonging the process."
posted on December 12, 2003 02:17:21 PM new
helen - It's easy for anyone to say what they're going to do when they're not in the 'thick' of things. IMO, the Army has been doing a fine job....as we see by the less frequent US soldier deaths you usually report on, daily, since Iron Hammer went into effect. The 'Hammer' was working.
Never hurts to try new things to see if they can improve any situation. But once this Marine commander is no longer 'state side' and is actually on the ground having HIS troops shot at, his vision may change.
posted on December 12, 2003 02:42:31 PM new
It's been a failure, linda..The goal is to establish Peace.
Fear (Operation Iron Hammer) breeds hostility and more terrorism not peace.
Just today...
Four hours ago, two wounded and 1 killed in Iraq
One hour ago, 1 killed in Iraq
Roadside blasts wounded two Polish sappers in Iraq and killed an Iraqi policeman as US overseer Paul Bremer predicted an upsurge in attacks in the six months leading up to the country's independence
A series of explosions also peppered the US headquarters in Baghdad, a day after an American soldier died in a suicide truck bombing and mass resignations almost halved the first battalion of the new Iraqi army.
posted on December 12, 2003 03:16:02 PM newI could go on
....and I have no doubt you will continue to do so.
But anyone who reads the papers/listens to the news is well aware that since Iron Hammer started, there have been less US soldiers killed. Which doesn't work well for your agenda....as then it would be less likely people would want us to withdraw from Iraq.
The GOAL, helen, is to take down those who supported Saddam and his regime ....AND to help the Iraqi's establish a new government.
It won't matter whether it's the Marines or the Army....they're all working towards the same goal.
posted on December 12, 2003 03:48:06 PM new "It won't matter whether it's the Marines or the Army....they're all working towards the same goal."
Of course they are.
The point, linda is that the strategy will change from IRON Hammer to Velvet Glove...according to the article that I posted. You are so defensive of the status quo which in this case is a miserable failure. Any tactic that takes into consideration the good will and independence of the Iraqi people will succeed over one that is reminiscent of a Nazi operation by the same name.
posted on December 14, 2003 06:50:18 AM new
No, colin. I considered the author, the publication and decided no to bother. Since you asked, I'll try to read it sometime today.
