Marines Iwo

Crosshairs

Military Matters in Review

by Fred Edwards

Fred Edwards
Archives | About | Fred's Books | Award-winning Essay | Writer's Digest Award | E-mail

The mission of Crosshairs - Military Matters in Review is to enhance the military defense of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. This ambitious goal covers every aspect of U.S. and foreign military matters. It has filled my library of current sources with more than two dozen topics from which I draw to write my columns, such as:

* U.S. Armed Forces

* Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran

* Pakistan

* China

* Russia

* Western Pacific

* Latin America

* Energy

* Space

* Special operations

* WMD

* Islamic extremists

* Problem regimes such as Syria, North Korea, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban

The latest column is to the right. To see previous columns click here for the online archives.

Thank you for your interest.

Fred Edwards


Fred's book: The Buffie Brigade. Big Ugly Fragile Elephants, glazed, crazed and grazed in Vietnam.

See review by Armed Forces News

Buy from Amazon.com $10.95 plus shipping and handling


Here's a better deal! Get a special copy of The Buffie Brigade autographed by the author. $10.95 plus $2.00 handling. Click on book image to order.


Fred's book: The Bridges of Vietnam; from the Journals of a U.S. Marine Intelligence Officer

Buy from Amazon.com $18.95 plus shipping and handling
A better deal! Get a special copy of The Bridges of Vietnam autographed by the author. $18.95 plus $2.00 shipping. Click on book image to order.


Special from the publisher of Armed Forces News

"Fred Edwards has proved himself on the battlefield as an effective military leader and in the newsroom as a talented writer, superb reporter and keen-eyed columnist. As our Senior Associate Editor, retired Marine Lt. Col. Fred Edwards is an insightful observer of the military, whose global perspective provides readers with a deeper understanding of the issues that both divide and separate us in today's world."
Don Mace
Publisher
Armed Forces News


Armed Forces News provides military personnel with the latest news to inform them about their pay and benefits, as well as to alert them to developments in their military careers.


Letters to the Editor
From W. F. G., a retired U.S. Air Force colonel living in California: "Fred, Your columns are always topical and right on target."

From M. C., a retired U.S. Air Force general living in California:
"It is nothing short of astounding that you find time to do so much for our country . . .a towering contributor. You have a grand touch in helping us all tell our public about the commitment and sacrifice of our current generation in defending the national security interests of this nation. Warmest regards"

Letters regarding the Dec. 19, 2008 issue, "Purging the Pirates."

From D. M. in Virginia. "In a word, Fred: Brilliant. I have followed this issue in detail for many weeks and I think your idea is spot on. It is a very difficult problem and all these armchair Rambos don't have a grasp of how really tough the problem is. I think it will take first the international political will and then land attacks and indefinite occupation in the Somali lands and harbors to bring things under reasonable control. But even then it might be too late. Militant Muslims are about to grab Somalia for themselves. But we have to do something."

From A.T. in Florida. "Fred. I'm glad that you put in print what so many may be thinking. My first thought when I first heard about the most recent spike of piracy in that area was "Blackhawk Down" . I only hope that no one lets a fiasco like that happen again. Perhaps some of the other powers that aren't involved in our current wars can be made to take the lead."

Free Subscription! To receive future columns by e-mail click here and sign up.

Green Zone gets the green light

It sends a powerful signal that American warriors can soon depart Iraq

by Fred Edwards

Jan. 2, 2009 -- At one point it was called a "quagmire." Many mistakes were made, but America's leaders got their act together. And along with the other nations forming the "coalition of the willing," they have given some 50 million Iraqis a chance for better lives than they had any hope for just eight years ago.

The status of forces agreement effective New Years Day replaced the U.N. resolution under which the U.S. government had been operating since the invasion. The agreement says Iraq may request help from the U.S. military "for limited and temporary support" in providing security for Baghdad's Green Zone, but otherwise the 3.5-square-mile zone on the banks of the Tigris in central Baghdad has become Iraqi territory.

The Republican Palace in the zone lost its American flavor when the United States handed over security control to the Iraqi government. As the Iraqi flag was hoisted at the palace entrance, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said, "It is our right to consider this day the day of sovereignty and the beginning of the process of retrieving every inch of our nation's soil" He added that "The palace is the sign of Iraqi sovereignty and it is a message to all Iraqis that our sovereignty has returned."

The Americans, however, are not leaving the Green Zone overnight. Both governments agree that the American withdrawals will be gradual. Although the zone will be run by the Iraqi Baghdad Brigade, U.S. checkpoint equipment will remain and the checkpoints will be coordinated with American forces.

Nevertheless, the traffic light remains green, and here's why:

* In the past four months forces from 19 coalition countries have departed the country -- Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Tonga and Ukraine. * British forces have transferred control of Basra airport, a main military base in southern Iraq, to Iraqi officials.

* Britain and Australia -- which had the second and third largest contingents respectively after the United States -- have signed their own bilateral agreements with Iraq and expect to depart at the end of July.

* Under the American-Iraqi status-of-forces agreement, American combat troops will leave Iraqi cities by the end of June, and will completely clear the country by the end of 2011. Nonetheless, thousands of American uniformed troops are expected to remain behind as trainers and advisors. (Whether incoming president Barack Obama's previously announced target of May 2010 will be a factor remains to be seen.)

* The U.S. transition already has started. In an area south of Baghdad, once called "the triangle of death," a combat brigade of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division is being replaced with a task force of 800 to 1,200 trainers and advisers. Granted, there's no free lunch for some Americans, but the light remains green, and the traffic cops are changing uniforms from American to Iraqi.

The light was already changing before Christmas of last year. On December 21, Army Brig. Gen. David G. Perkins, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, reported that the number of daily attacks in Iraq had dropped nearly 95 percent since the previous year. He explained that, Iraq had suffered an average of 180 attacks per day a year earlier, but over the past week, the average number was 10. He added that the country's murder rates had dropped below levels that existed before the start of American operations in Iraq. In November, the ratio was 0.9 per 100,000 people.

Another bilateral arrangement was signed by President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Called the "Strategic Framework Agreement," it formalizes economic, diplomatic, cultural and security ties between the two nations. President Bush said the pact establishes a common vision for future U.S.-Iraqi relations which will bring greater stability to Iraq and the region through trade and investment.

"Throughout the past eight years, I've seen the tremendous talent and courage of those who wear the uniform," Bush said. "Their efforts have overthrown tyrants, made our nation safer, put terrorists on the run, and opened the door to liberty for more than 50 million people."

So the Green Zone handover signals an enormous success. Of course much remains to be done, and we can expect setbacks and more bloodshed, but for now the light is green.
The content of Crosshairs - Military Matters in Review may be copied or retransmitted for information purposes, but may not be used for any commercial purpose without my written permission. Please credit the source as "Crosshairs - Military Matters in Review" at www.milmat.net by Fred Edwards.
Free Subscription! To receive future columns by e-mail click here and sign up.

Fred Edwards is a military columnist and journalist. He has contributed articles to more than two dozen periodicals and has written six books. His most recent are The Buffie Brigade and The Bridges of Vietnam: From the Journals of a U.S. Marine Intelligence Officer.

Check these questions for the author about:

The Buffie Brigade

The Bridges of Vietnam

Top