Thanks to the outstanding website, Big Hollywood, for informing us of a long due documentary on “The Surge.”
First, the trailer.
Understanding the Surge – The Trailer from ISW on Vimeo.
The author of the piece at Big Hollywood states the following:
The documentary will be released on Monday, November 9th, and available as a free download at UnderstandingTheSurge.org, as a generous gift by The National Philanthropic Trust and the Ware Family Foundation. This way, everyone can hear the real story of the Surge. As the director and co-writer of this film, I hope audiences will take a look and see for themselves, there are some important lessons to be learned.
Here’s hoping our elected leaders are tuning in.
I wholly concur!
There is a time line of events from the website Understanding The Surge, as a reminder of why the surge was needed, along with the brilliant and simple counterinsurgency plan that accompanied it.
For detailed info on how events in Iraq transpired, from the re-invasion in 2003, through the insurgency, to the current status of security in Iraq, the pdf available from the Brookings Institute Iraq Index is invaluable. There are graphs showing the rise and fall of violence in Iraq, as well as many other valuable surveys and polls to illustrate how effective the surge has been, and why it is viewed by many now, and even more in the future, as an historic military accomplishment.
I wrote about the pending surge back in Jan 2007, Why 21,500 Additional Troops Is Actually Enough (As A Force Multiplier).
I believed in the plan and the leadership at the time, and feel my confidence was well placed.
We now have a video record of the actions in this documentary, and I will mark my calendar for Monday, 9 Nov 09, to see this film in its entirety.
*Cross-posted at Nuke’s.*
I can’t help but fear that the withdrawal of troops from Iraq will result in a collapse of the infrastructure they have worked so hard to build, as various terrorist and fundamentalist factions will fight to gain a position of power as soon as the support system is removed. I can’t help but draw an analogy between the foundling Iraqi government and a child just gaining confidence in walking who will fall as soon as s/he realizes the supporting hand has been withdrawn.
The question which worries me is: Is the Iraqi government now stable and strong enough to stand on its own against the onslaught of insurgency which is bound to occur as soon as their “bodyguards” (i.e., our troops and the troops of our allies) are removed? (Thanks in advance to anyone for sharing your opinion.)
Tracy, no one can be certain, but I like their chances. Currently, any U.S. military actions have to be approved by the Iraqi government in advance, and they are serving in a support role to the Iraqi security forces.
They have a fledgling Air Force and Navy under development, and their Army and police have their own training facilities and trainers, with the coalition forces assisting.
I highly recommend setting aside some time and viewing the Brookings pdf linked to in the post. They have public opinion polls that have been tracking for years, and the trend is upward, even for the Sunnis, that life is getting better.
The Iraqis first must take ownership of their nation and its responsibilities, and I saw much more of that ownership during their last election.
Thanks, NO2L, I did open the link to get an overview of the material and will most certainly return to read it in-depth when I have a bit more time.
I would be very happy to see the Iraqi people with a fair and secure government that seeks to protect the rights of all of their citizens, along with a solid national security to protect those rights from insurgents who wish to oppress to impose the agenda of a few. I know our troops who are currently serving, and have served, in Iraq would be exceedingly happy to see this, too.
Tracy, what has been accomplished is remarkable, considering how Iraq was arbitrarily designed as a country in the beginning, as well as the dysfunctional years under Saddam.
A free and successful republic of Iraq is a threat to the neighboring monarchies and to Iran. There may well be challenges they have to face in that regard, but there will always be challenges to a free nation.
Perhaps you didn’t see this report a few weeks ago, but our troops in Iraq are bored.