One view from the field

Ouch. Let the swiftboating begin. Maybe the Romney boys can pitch in with that war effort.

Some notable excerpts:

What soldiers call the “battle space” remains the same, with changes only at the margins.

Futility is the word for it.

These civilians highlighted their own predicament: had they informed the Americans of the bomb before the incident, the Iraqi Army, the police or the local Shiite militia would have killed their families.

As many grunts will tell you, this is a near-routine event. Reports that a majority of Iraqi Army commanders are now reliable partners can be considered only misleading rhetoric.

Wingnuts may say that we need to crack down, that we can't "win" unless we are just as feared and brutal as the insurgents. What a win that would be!

[W]e see that a vast majority of Iraqis feel increasingly insecure and view us as an occupation force that has failed to produce normalcy after four years and is increasingly unlikely to do so as we continue to arm each warring side.

B-, b-, but an armed society is a polite society!

The ability of, say, American observers to safely walk down the streets of formerly violent towns is not a resounding indicator of security.

Take that, Pollack and O'Hanlon!

[T]he most important front in the counterinsurgency, improving basic social and economic conditions, is the one on which we have failed most miserably.

Damn Saddam provided electricity, water, and sewerage better than we do!

We need not talk about our morale. As committed soldiers, we will see this mission through.

An amazing bunch of guys.