Questions I would ask the US Generals in Iraq

On the Today show, Matt Lauer did a story with one of the US Generals there - sorry I did not get his name. He asked a lot of good questions - but I always want more.

I wish he had asked another question about the "mission." I think most Americans perceive the mission now as "suppress the insurgency (we cannot kill it), and survive until there are enough Iraqi troops to do a reasonable job against the insurgency." And we don't really believe that will happen any time soon. So do we just keep grinding through our troops until that happens? Do we really believe that an approved Iraqi constitution is going to significantly change these parameters?

Why don't we have more precise metrics of Iraqi capability? Maybe for security reasons - but does SOMEONE have them? And do the Iraqi's have weapons and armor and vehicles to match the staffing they need?

Another question that Americans don't have a good handle on - we perceive the insurgency as primarily attacking through IED's and car bombs. We don't hear of many American soldiers (or Iraqi's) being shot (which is good). Is this an accurate description? What else are the US troops doing? Presumably going out on raids, rounding up suspected insurgents? What would happen if the troops WEREN'T there? Increased, real attacks by insurgents on Iraqi's? So our mere presence prevents that?