The New York Times runs a great piece suggesting that the 101st Airborne, based in Northern Iraq, has successfully adapted to the role of nation-building. My favorite paragraph:
First Lt. Joe Florczak, 23, of Chicago, pushed his Kevlar helmet back a bit when asked what jobs he had had since his tank-killing Humvees pushed north into Iraq from Kuwait in March. “I’ve been a rifle platoon leader, a police officer, a police trainer and a labor negotiator,” he said, describing his dealings with Iraqi security forces and civic leaders.
The story also has this devastating quote:
“The N.G.O.’s have been a disappointment,” said Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the 101st Division, speaking of nongovernmental organizations. “Don’t get me wrong, the truck bomb at the U.N. headquarters was horrific. But they seemed as if they were very, very quick to bail out of here, compared to the risks they have run in a variety of other missions.”
I’ve been a big fan of Petraeus for some time, so it’s good to see his storied unit get the credit it richly deserves.
David Adesnik has more (posted by Daniel Drezner)
The Dish 