Counterinsurgency expert visits Commando operations

Photo By Christina McCann | Dr. David Kilcullen (left) asks a question of Lt. Col. Michael Infanti, commander of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., before visiting the Yusufiyah, Iraq Joint Security Station June 3. Kilcullen, counterinsurgency advisor to Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Forces in Iraq, visited much of the 2nd BCT's area of operations June 2 and 3.  

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

06.05.2007

Story by Christina McCann 

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division Public Affairs

By Spc. Chris McCann
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division PAO

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq — Recruit more Iraqi soldiers and increase their divisions from 11 to 20, is what a counterinsurgency expert said he would do if he was in the shoes of the Multi-National Forces – Iraq commander.

Dr. David Kilcullen, an authority on counterinsurgency, was appointed to advise the MNF-Iraq commander, Gen. David Petraeus. Kilcullen visited the Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., to take stock of the "Commando" brigade's progress June 2 and 3.

Kilcullen served 21 years in the Australian army and has led Timorese troops, was a special advisor for irregular warfare during the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review, and remains a reserve lieutenant colonel in the Australian army.

2nd Brigade Combat Team Commander Col. Michael Kershaw, a native of Huffman, Texas, escorted Kilcullen around the area, which included stops at Patrol Base Dragon, the Yusufiyah Joint Security Station and the Mahmudiyah Iraqi Army Compound.

"They've done a great job just setting it up," said Kilcullen of the JSS. "They've got the Iraqi army and Iraqi police working together, which is a great start, it's a good setup with the IPs doing municipal law and order, and the Iraqi army doing rural security. The next step is to set up a joint operations room where they can plan operations together."

He observed that U.S. forces' performance is improving, although the situation has – at least temporarily – taken a turn for the worse.

"Your progress since the beginning of the year is substantial," Kilcullen said. "The trick now is putting the Iraqi structures into place. It's about sustainment and expectation management."

• Date Taken: 06.05.2007
• Date Posted: 06.05.2007 08:15
• Story ID: 10670
• Location: BAGHDAD, IQ