NYT: Pentagon to Raise Importance of 'Stability' Efforts in War

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/international/middleeast/20military.html?pagewanted=print

Pentagon to Raise Importance of 'Stability' Efforts in War

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 - The Pentagon's leadership, recognizing that it was caught off guard by difficulties in pacifying Iraq after the invasion, is poised to approve a sweeping directive that will elevate what it calls "stability operations" to a core military mission comparable to full-scale combat.

The new order could significantly influence how the military is structured, as well as the specialties it emphasizes and equipment it buys.

The directive has been the subject of intense negotiations in the Pentagon policy office and throughout the military; the deliberations included the State Department and other civilian agencies, as the order aims to push the entire government to work in greater unison to plan and carry out postcombat operations.

The directive also envisions sending abroad more civilian officials, including State Department personnel, to help the military establish the peace and rebuild after combat.

[Lindsay]

1. Unfortunately, their State Department cronies are

as inept as their Pentagon cronies.

Same shit, different department.

[aquart]

2. Yes, war is a famous stabilizing force.

[Frances]

3. I thought Geogie said in 2000

that he was against "nation building." This sounds like nation building to me.

[teryang]

4. these people haven't learned a thing

you can't starve bomb and invade the heart of Islamic culture and expect "stability." Only an idiot could conceive of such planning or even think it were possible.

Failure was inherent in the very notion of invading and occupying Iraq. Of course, war profiteers and illegitimate leadership have other priorities.