Saw the recent Frontline documentary on PBS today, its about a company of soldiers in Iraq, the trials and tribulations they face. I think its a fair and balanced look at it. From what I got out of it is that the work they do is incredibly dangerous, and everyone has incredible courage and fortitude to survive it. For example, one part of the company the camera crew 'bonded' to was called the Misfits. A few days after the crew gets there the Misfits are ambushed, and one person got shot by a sniper. He got up, shot the sniper, and then collapsed, mortally wounded. The Misfits were then ordered out of the combat area, but still wanted to return to avenge his death. So, it was couragous for the soldier who was mortally wounded, to rise up and shoot his enemy, and it was couragous of them to want to go back and continue the fight.

Another problem was that the local shiek was corrupt, allowing a major insurgent effort to be established in his area, and making the local venders pay him for a new marketplace that the US military setup and paid for. The US built the new marketplace, but nobody would go inside, for fear of siding with the US, and because of the Shiek.

Still another problem was the effect of the occupation on the normal citizens, miles long gas lines, due to interruption in supplies by insurgent attacks, lots of collateral damage when the insurgents and US forces clash, etc. The company was on a major op when suddenly the company's doctor shot a dog while the camera crew was filming it, claiming the dog was about to attack him, when clearly that was not the case. The good side of the op was that several dozen were arrested, a major weapons cache was found in one of the mosques (by the Iraqi national guard), and the attacks on US forces stopped.

I guess its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the people hate the occupiers, and everything we do is spurned or thwarted; they attack with little reciprocation, because the US forces don't know who is behind the attack, it's a cascade of events. I don't think the war will be won in the next few years, but hopefully by the end of 5 years. I think the turning point will come this year or next, either the attacks will escalate or diminish. The people need jobs, infrastructure, etc. The disparity between the rich (Saddam's ilk) and the poor (everyone else) is just astounding.