Bill Ardolino continues his excellent reporting on his month-long embed in Iraq. The message from an interview with a Fallujah Military Transition Team (MiTT) leader is the same message Bryan Preston and I heard from our embed unit in western Baghdad and the same message President Bush and Gen. Petraeus continue to underscore: It’s going to take time.

Speaking of our embed unit, one of our commanders was featured in a big photo on page 2 of yesterday’s USA Today. The photographer highlighted Lt. Col. Steve Miska’s Arabic name tag, which should be familiar to MM.com readers and Hot Air viewers:

Flashback MM.com Jan. 17:

The USAToday piece does a good job portraying the hands-on work of counterinsurgency, tactical changes, and the establishment of combat outposts in the middle of Baghdad’s battle zones. They also recreate a map that looks very similar to a slide we were shown during our Dagger Brigade briefing:

Lt. Col. Miska emphasizes the locals’ lack of confidence in the government, which we witnessed in our interactions with local Iraqi Army troops, neighborhood council leaders, and fire department employees. Capt. Stacy Bare, the civil affairs officer who led several of the dismounted patrols we accompanied the troops on, is also quoted in the USAToday article on the need for time:

Once predominately Sunni, Ghazaliyah is now about evenly split because Shiite militias have pushed Sunnis from their homes. Shiite militias grew in strength, and residents lost faith in the Iraqi government and its security forces, many of whom were seen as siding with Shiite militias.

“That’s the missing link right now,” says Lt. Col. Steven Miska, 38, deputy commander of a brigade in west Baghdad. “People have absolutely no trust in the government.”

The plan is to win that confidence back by moving troops out of large bases, many of which are equipped with post exchanges, fast-food franchises and large dining halls that sometimes serve steak and lobster. “We’re getting away from the FOB mentality,” says Capt. Stacy Bare, a civil affairs officer in western Baghdad, referring to the massive forward operating bases that have sprung up in Iraq.

In the past, a rush to turn the fight over to Iraqis and begin withdrawing Americans helped strengthen militias and increase violence. “It can’t be just a surge for three to six months and leave,” says Bare, the civil affairs officer.

An officer from another unit underscored the point:

Some American officers chafe at tight deadlines they say have more to do with U.S. politics than the complexities they face here. “I don’t have a timeline imposed on me,” says [Lt. Col. James] Nickolas, pointing out that insurgencies often take years to defeat. “I’ve got my mission.”

Reuters reports on the Dems’ anti-”surge” build-up and quotes President Bush:

“Our men and women in uniform are counting on their elected leaders to provide them with the support they need to accomplish their mission,” he said. “Republicans and Democrats have a responsibility to give our troops the resources they need.”

The one precious resource they are asking for and which the instant-gratification Congress seems least willing to give:

Time.

***

Must-read: Mudville Gazette on the “surge.” That’s how I’m going to refer to it from now on, too.

Previous:

Hot Air in Iraq: Civilian Help Wanted
Hot Air in Iraq: Khadimiyah Dismounted Patrol
Hot Air in Iraq: Khadimiyah Blanket Drop
Hot Air in Iraq: Hurriya’s Mosques
Hot Air in Iraq: Iraqis speak to America
Hot Air TV in Baghdad
Bryan Preston: COIN Toss
Bryan Preston: Assessing Baghdad
Baghdad photo album
Back from Baghdad

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