Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

July 5, 2008 8:49:45 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

Back to the grid

'Petraeus Generation' Is Making Muslim Allies

Posted Mar 17, 08 7:45 PM CDT in World    Most Covered

(Newser) – US officers in Iraq and Afghanistan are learning to talk first and shoot later—a sea change for CO's trained to win by force, Newsweek reports. But their early gun battles only sparked insurgency and mired them in baffling street battles. Now, says David Petraeus, “You can’t kill your way out of an insurgency." A generation of US officers is absorbing Muslim culture and trying to make allies of insurgent foes to win.

Commanders are even leaving mega-bases to live in Iraqi communities. "Stop by, don't drive by," Petraeus tells them. Newsweek recounts the triumphs of one captain in Iraq who has recruited and built the trust of powerful locals who once battled US troops. He calls it a rocky road, with allegiances often hanging on a thread, but he’s learned that human intelligence is built from the ground up.

Source Newsweek

Editor Recommended

Related News

  • Obama Restates Iraqi Plan After Charges of Flip-Flop

    Jul 3, 08 10:57 PM CDT
    Obama Restates Iraqi Plan After Charges of Flip-Flop Barack Obama today reaffirmed his commitment to withdraw American troops from Iraq in 16 months, hours after being accused of backtracking on that pledge. Obama triggered a flurry of speculation—and ridicule from the McCain camp—by saying earlier in the day he might "refine" his war policies after speaking with military leaders. After the brouhaha, he called a second press conference to insist that the 16-month time line remains his goal, the Wall Street Journal reports. More »

  • US Deaths in Afghanistan Hit Record

    Jul 2, 08 7:54 AM CDT
    US Deaths in Afghanistan Hit Record More troops from the United States and coalition countries died in Afghanistan last month than at any other time since the 2001 invasion. For the second month in a row, deaths among American-led forces were higher in Afghanistan, where 46 servicemen died, than in Iraq, where 31 were killed. The greater death toll in Afghanistan comes despite a significantly increased NATO military presence there, reports the New York Times. More »

  • Admit It, Mac, You Misspoke

    May 30, 08 7:49 PM CDT
    Admit It, Mac, You Misspoke John McCain has been dabbling in truthiness this week, Michael Dobbs blogs in the Washington Post. McCain said US troops were “drawn down to pre-surge levels" in Iraq, and cities like Mosul were "quiet"—but in fact, troop levels remain higher than before the surge, and Mosul's quiet is often broken by car bombs and other fatal strikes. More »

  • US Sent 43,000 'Unfit' Troops to War

    May 8, 08 12:03 PM CDT
    US Sent 43,000 'Unfit' Troops to War The US has sent more than 43,000 troops deemed medically unfit for combat to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, USA Today reports. Since 2003 soldiers deemed non-deployable by medical officers have shipped anyway, according to Pentagon documents, with unit commanders overruling doctors. “It is a consequence of the consistent churning of our troops,” says one veterans advocate. Among National Guard and reserve troops, 5%-7% were deemed unfit. More »

  • Petraeus to Head Centcom

    Apr 23, 08 10:49 AM CDT
    Petraeus to Head Centcom Gen. David Petraeus was tapped today to be the next commander of US Central Command, in charge of military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. If confirmed, Petraeus would replace Adm. William Fallon, who stepped down over disagreements with President Bush over Iran policy, the AP reports. "I don't know anybody in the US military better qualified to lead that effort," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. More »

U.S. soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat team, 3rd Infantry Division carry an injured Iraqi volunteer civilian 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, March 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
U.S. Commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, speaks at the Pentagon in Washington in this Sept. 13, 2007 file photo.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
An Iraqi girl carries her brother as U.S. Army soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment patrol a market in the Azamiyah neighborhood, north Baghdad, Feb. 11, 2008.   (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Two US soldiers of Charlie Company, 1st Platoon, 1-15 Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat team, 3rd Infantry Division, patrol at Salman Pak city about 30 miles, south of Baghdad, March 3, 2008.   (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
prev    next
play

Threads (1 of 3)

Tags

Iraq war  • Afghanistan  • David Petraeus  • troop surge  • human intelligence


Loading...

Loading...

Related Threads: Troop Surge in Iraq, US Military

Next story from this section »

Today's Most Popular


Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »