| Forward Progress For years, President Bush has prematurely heralded missions accomplished and corners turned in Iraq. But now it is Bush's critics who are peddling an implausibly rosy forecast: namely, that Iraqis are ready to stand on their own and could do a better job of stabilizing the country without an American presence. Meanwhile, the administration seems to have finally realized that there will be no single moment at which Iraq turns the corner, just a slow process that yields incremental steps toward stability and democracy. Today's election was one such step. The election was quite an accomplishment, both because of the massive Sunni Arab vote and the competition among the Shia, at least some of whom seem prepared to penalize the United Iraqi Alliance for the weak performance of Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari and his government. It was that rarest of events in the Arab world: an election where no one knows who is going to win, and where all parties were reconciled to the necessity for a coalition government afterwards. Read the rest from Patrick Clawson here: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC06.php?CID=880 |
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Iraq Is Not Vietnam
When american ground forces paused briefly during the march to Baghdad in 2003, critics of the war were quick to warn of a "quagmire," an oblique reference to the Vietnam War. Virtually as soon as it became clear that the conflict in Iraq had become an insurgency, analogies to Vietnam began to proliferate. This development is not surprising. Critics have equated every significant American military undertaking since 1975 to Vietnam, and the fear of being trapped in a Vietnam-like war has led to the frequent demand that U.S. leaders develop not plans to win wars, but "exit strategies," plans to get out of messes.There is no question that the Vietnam War scarred the American psyche deeply, nor that it continues to influence American foreign policy and military strategy profoundly. centcom's strategy for the counterinsurgency effort in Iraq is an attempt to avoid making Vietnam-like mistakes. Proponents of other strategies, like "combined action platoons" or "oil spot" approaches, most frequently derive those programs from what they believe are the "right" lessons of Vietnam. It is becoming increasingly an article of faith that the insurgency in Vietnam is similar enough to the insurgency in Iraq that we can draw useful lessons from the one to apply to the other. This is not the case. The only thing the insurgencies in Iraq and Vietnam have in common is that in both cases American forces have fought revolutionaries. To make comparisons or draw lessons beyond that basic point misunderstands not only the particular historical cases, but also the value of studying history to draw lessons for the present.
http://www.policyreview.org/134/kagan.html
Profile of a Killer
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is the most wanted man in Iraq. How did this high school dropout tie the United States down in its deadliest conflict since the Vietnam War? From the slums of Jordan to the battle of Falluja, this is how it happened.http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3264
Police Practice "The List" A Warrant Service Strategy
Located in southeastern Virginia, the Newport News Police Department serves a population of over 180,000 in a jurisdiction covering nearly 70 square miles. With a force of just over 400 full-time law enforcement officers, the department found itself plagued with thousands of outstanding warrants. To help remedy this, it decided to publish "The List," as citizens referred to it, in the local newspaper. The alphabetical, two-page announcement containing the name of every person who had an outstanding warrant in the city of Newport News ran only for 1 day, but the results proved long lasting.http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/2005/nov2005/nov2005leb.htm#page22
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| BREAKING NEWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
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House acts to stop illegal entrants, workers Bill tightens border controls but puts off guest worker program The House acted Friday to stem the tide of illegal immigration by taking steps to tighten border controls and stop unlawful immigrants from getting jobs. But lawmakers left for next year the tougher issue of what to do with the 11 million undocumented people already in the country. The House legislation, billed as a border protection, anti-terrorism and illegal immigration control act, includes such measures as enlisting military and local law enforcement help in stopping illegal entrants and requiring employers to verify the legal status of their workers. It authorizes the building of a fence along parts of the U.S.-Mexico border. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10498525/ Mauling Death Sets Off Review of Dog Laws A Virginia lawmaker is proposing tough legislation to punish dog owners whose pets injure or kill, following a fatal attack on an elderly widow by three roaming pit bulls. Dorothy Sullivan, 82, was attacked March 8 while walking her small dog, Buttons, in her own front yard in.. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20051218/D8EIRV4G1.html
Border Patrol forced to negotiate tough terrain
Better policing of U.S.-Mexico boundary leads migrants to dangerous routes
Border Patrol forced to negotiate tough terrain While law enforcement agencies say they are doing everything they can to muscle steroids off playing fields and out of gyms, the drugs remain readily available and, until last week, could be bought .. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6809149/ Teens arrested for plotting deadly school attack California boys planned Columbine-like massacre, fellow classmate says Two teenagers were in custody for allegedly plotting to carry out a Columbine-like massacre at their former high school next Valentine's Day, authorities said. The former Quartz Hill High students, whose names were not released, were arrested Thursday after searches of their homes turned up knives, ammunition, a gas mask and bomb-making instructions downloaded from the Internet, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10515995/
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| JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL |
SECURITYBlackwater USA is looking for highly qualified, subject matter experts for several overseas opportunities. Applicants for the following positions:Coordination Officer The Coordination Officer will serve as the primary liaison between Iraqi officials, Coalition Forces, and US Government officials. This individual will fill a key position that will be critical to the transition of management of training and camp programs to the Iraqi government. General Requirements: VIP Protection Trainers Blackwater USA is looking for highly qualified, subject matter advisors and trainers to assist in the training of Iraqi security personnel. Individuals will be expected to liaison between Iraqi, Coalition, and US government officials. General Requirements: Training Department Head Blackwater USA is seeking a highly qualified manager to oversee training being conducted in Iraq. This manager will be responsible for a wide spectrum of financial and logistic reporting as well ensure that the training is being conducted as required by the contract. This position will support a multi-phase, multi-year contract in Iraq. General Requirements:
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Official: Al-Zarqawi mistakenly released in Iraq Troops reportedly detained terror mastermind but didn't know his identity Iraqi security forces caught terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the Fallujah area last year but released him because they didn't realize who he was, the deputy interior minister said in an interview broadcast Friday. The deputy minister, Maj. Gen. Hussein Kamal, told the Lebanese Broadcasting Corp., that Iraqi police "suspected this man" and detained him "along with other members" of his group. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10491463/
US, Europe step up planning on Iran Secretary of state argues secret plan was legal and necessary Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday President Bush's secret order to allow spying on people in the United States was legal and necessary to prevent terrorism, but lawmakers from both parties called for Congress to investigate. Rice, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," said disclosure of the eavesdropping could jeopardize terrorism investigations. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10507330/ Imminent Attack Might Affect Torture Rules Sen. John McCain, who pushed the White House to support a ban on torture, suggested Sunday that harsh treatment of a terrorism suspect who knew of an imminent attack would not violate international standards. The Arizona Republican said legislation before Congress would establish.. http://apnews.myway.com/article/20051218/D8EIPTJ00.html Michael Chertoff: 'What The Hell Is Going On?' In Washington, a struggle to find answers to terrible questions. The lowest moment, Michael Chertoff recalls, came at about 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1, three days after Katrina struck. An NPR interviewer asked the secretary of Homeland Security what he was doing about the thousands of people stranded at the Convention Center. Chertoff had no good answer. Hanging up from the interview, he turned and said to an aide, "What the hell is going on with the Convention Center?" Chertoff called his beleaguered FEMA chief, Mike Brown, and was told that there were only 1,500 people there. He ordered Homeland Security's Operations Center to "get some eyeballs" on the situation. Still, the answer came back: only 1,500 people. On the third go-round, Chertoff asked the head of the Federal Protection Service to take a look personally. This time the reported number shot up, to 10,000 to 15,000. Why the discrepancy? The earlier inspectors had failed to look in rooms "deep inside the building," says Chertoff. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10511927/site/newsweek/ France nets 3 with 'indirect links' to al-Zarqawi Police: Suspects believed to be in terror group related to al-Qaida in Iraq French counterterrorism agents on Thursday arrested three people suspected of belonging to a terror group with "indirect links" to al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a police spokeswoman said. The roundup near Paris came in connection with a similar sweep Monday near the capital and in the northern Oise region which netted 25 suspects, said national police spokeswoman Catherine Casteran. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10475924/
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