Diffused War’ Model For Afghanistan?

Dod Buzz ^ | 11/12/2009 | Greg Grant

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

What did the U.S. military offensive against Shiite militias in Sadr City in April 2008 and the Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza last December have in common? A lot, apparently, and both operations are being held up by their respective militaries as models for a new way of battling irregular fighters in urban strongholds.

Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus likes to put up a PowerPoint slide in public briefings detailing the forces, intelligence and surveillance assets involved in the Sadr city battles as representative of a new way of fighting. “This is the answer,” Petraeus said at a conference this summer, “this is how we fight, when we can, with all of the assets that we have.”

In spring 2008, Shiite militias were lobbing rockets and mortars into Baghdad’s Green Zone, American bases and Sunni neighborhoods. The American offensive that shut them down included a high-low mix of special operations and regular troops on the ground conducting targeted raids by infantry and heavy armor teams and aggressive sniping, supported by a fantastic array of electronic eyes overhead, and a network of spies and informants in the shadows. “We’re taking those lessons from Iraq and trying to apply them in Afghanistan,” Petraeus said.

RAND analyst and historian David Johnson, who has spent the past two years examining Israeli military training and operational adaptation, says leaders in the Israeli Defense Forces are pointing to “Operation Cast Lead,” that targeted Hamas in Gaza, as the new way to battle irregular enemies. That war was fought in a very similar approach as the Sadr City operation.

[onedoug]

"Don't worry Masīḥī. The Americans would never abandon us."

[gandalftb]

These tactics won't work in Afghanistan. The jihadists are learning not to bunch up and use women and children for resupply. Far less dense battlefield, very hard to contain and shape.

Technology and combined arms will carry over well, though.

[gandalftb]

These tactics won't work in Afghanistan. The jihadists are learning not to bunch up and use women and children for resupply. Far less dense battlefield, very hard to contain and shape.

Technology and combined arms will carry over well, though.

[SunkenCiv]

What did the U.S. military offensive against Shiite militias in Sadr City in April 2008 and the Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza last December have in common? A lot, apparently, and both operations are being held up by their respective militaries as models for a new way of battling irregular fighters in urban strongholds.