sysops please delete this copied thread

Every engagement is different. Just because the Brits have been relatively successful in the south doesn't mean they would fare as well in the Sunni triangle or that the US wouldn't do as well as the Brits if we were in their areas. Different opponents, different motives and attitudes. Remember the Shias were victims of Saddam's reign of terror while the Sunnis were the biggest benefactors. They are motivated by an entirely different point of view.

The areas have different intensity. It is now irrelevant, unfortunately, whether that is because the Sunni triangle was always going to be tougher or whether the Brits have more experience of CI. Just one fact: In July 2003 the Brits moved hundreds of armored Land Rovers from Northern Ireland to Iraq in anticipation of urban violence. Months, years later, the US military still could not provide armored Humvees for all our troops. Experience does pay. And all we have done is consistently ignore their advice and whine on about how more difficult the Sunni triangle is. What matters NOW is that we learn from each other whatever needs to be learned. I am sick and tired of hearing about how "different" the Sunni triangle may be. The Brits have lost soldiers every year for the last 60 years (except 1968) in Counter Insurgency Ops in over 17 countries on four continents; they have been "thinking" CI for decades and if they care to provide one shred of information which saves a single US life then we should damn well use it. Otherwise we may find ourselves fighting this thing alone.