Tactical to Operational to Stategic

I have been asked why many of my posts begin at the tactical level and proceed to a strategic objective. Please let me elaborate.

Whenever a country employs its instruments of National Power (namely diplomatic, informational, military, and economic instruments) they should be tied to overarching strategic goals and objectives. As such, all tactical operations, especially in a counterinsurgency (COIN) environment have to be examined in the context of whether they are accomplishing operational goals and objectives which will ultimately lead to strategic objectives.

The President's strategic goal in Iraq is a unified democratic federal Iraq that can govern itself, defend itself, and sustain itself, and is an ally in the War on Terror. For the Middle East, change the word Iraq in the previous sentence to Middle East and one can clearly see the President's strategic goal for the region. For the broader Global War on Terror, change the words Middle East to Non-functioning Gap. The President will use all instruments of national power to move towards this strategic goal. For this purpose; however, let's focus on Iraq, the central front of the War on Terror.

Operationally, this strategic goal is translated into military, economic, and diplomatic objectives. The overarching military objectives in Iraq has always been to clear, secure, hold, and rebuild areas and regions within this country. Tactically, the military clears, secures and holds areas. Once areas are cleared and secured, State Department assets can begin to rebuild. Rebuilding promotes economic growth and employment while promoting a strong central government who, by rebuilding, is providing essential services to members of its country, enhancing its political (or diplomatic) prestige. With essential services provided, commerce will flourish, promoting the democracy, hence the government is in a sort of feedback loop. Security promotes economics which strengthens the government which promotes further security.

In a COIN environment, we not only have a strategic corporal, but we also have tactical successes which lend directly to strategic security and goals. The term "strategic corporal" states this very fact. A corporal is the smallest element of leadership within a tactical formation. His actions have far reaching strategic consequences in a COIN environment.

Similarly, small tactical actions also need to be examined for their strategic consequences through the operational framework of the region.

This is why I often bring small tactical actions through the operational framework of a region and into the strategic objectives laid out by the President. It is only by doing these mental calculations can we see whether tactical actions are nested appropriately into the strategic objectives.

Hence, the battles in Mosul which have netted almost 1,500 insurgents of which about 300 are "wanted" or Tier 1 or 2 insurgents, are looked at operationally throughout Iraq in conjunction with battles in Sadr City, Basra, and Diyala to see if operationally, we are moving in the right direction given the strategic goals in Iraq.

At times, these strategic goals in Iraq are discussed in broader goals for the Middle East in general. In addition, at times these strategic goals are looked at in terms of the non-functioning gap as a whole, which is where the Global War on Terror focuses.

Since our enemy has made Iraq its central front in the battle we call the War on Terror, Iraq, more than any country, provides easy examination of whether or not tactical actions are having the desired strategic affect. Its location, in the heart of the Middle East, and its ethno-religious make up, having Shiite, Sunni, and Kurds, helps us better understand how these different ethno-religious groups perceive our tactical, operational, and strategic actions.

The Global War on Terror's center of gravity is Iraq much as Baghdad, operationally, is the center of gravity in Iraq. Simultaneously, Mosul is tactically now the center of gravity for Al Qaeda as is Sadr City tactically the center of gravity for Sadr's Mahdi Army.

In conclusion, by stepping up and down the goals and objectives ladder from strategic to tactical and examining all these actions within a country's instruments of national power, we can see if tactical actions are having the desired strategic affect in an area or region. This very fact is why I often look at tactical battles and translate them to the broader strategic objectives in a region and at time the strategic objectives of the War on Terror in general.

Taleban are worn down, say British troops

From Times Online.

British troops in southern Afghanistan have “worn down” the Taleban and forced them to abandon many of their key strongholds in Helmand province, a senior commander said yesterday. Brigadier Andrew Mackay, commander of 52 Brigade, said: “The Taleban are now suffering from a lack of manpower and that is why they are having to rely on foreign fighters. They are also now operating outside their normal areas because they lack support from the local populations.” There is evidence that the Taleban are now having to adopt new methods of attacking British and other Nato troops. There have been more asymmetric attacks and suicide bombings in places such as Kandahar in the south. Brigadier Mackay said that the use of more foreign fighters had damaged the Taleban's relations with the Pashtu people living in the area. Up to 80 per cent of the population is now under government protection, according to the latest military assessment. Three thousand extra US Marines are joining Nato forces in southern Afghanistan to concentrate on defeating the Taleban in Garmsir.

Several articles are stating how the Taliban are resurgent noting that 6500 people, mostly Taliban, have been killed in 2007 which is up a few thousand from 2006. What these articles fail to understand is the ANA is now powerful enough and with the help of NATO forces they are able to go into places like Musa Qala and defeat the Taliban.

Quite simply, the number of Taliban deaths are up in 2007 from 2006 because NATO forces brought the attack to the Taliban and stunted their spring offensive.

In turn, the Taliban replaced their forces with foreign terrorists who kill indiscriminantly using suicide bombers. Hence the rise in suicide bomber attacks in 2007 and early 2008. However, Al Qaeda's use of suicide bombers is now having the same effect in Afghanistan that it did in Iraq, namely loss of support from the population. The question becomes why has it taken more time in Afghanistan for the populous to turn against Al Qaeda than it has taken in Iraq? A little history of the conflict has to be reviewed.

After initially overrunning the Taliban in 2001, instilling a friendly government, and executing free and fair democratic elections, Afghanistan quickly turned to an economy of force operation in the Long War from the American perspective, especially given the onset of a persistent insurgency in Iraq and Al Qaeda labeling Iraq as their central front. As such, attacks in Afghanistan were sporadic and did not affect most of the population.

The Taliban were easily overrun in 2001 because they did not have active support from the population. They did; however, have tacit support from the population. The difference here is that a tacit population are fence sitters. If side X is more powerful, the population will tend to support side X. If side Y is more powerful, side Y tends to be supported. With the American military making Afghanistan an economy of force operation and neither side able to gain terroritory, much of the population in Afghanistan remained on the fence, not wanting to commit to either side in case the other side proved victorious. For its part, NATO has been unable to get European committment to soundly defeat the Afghanistani insurgency.

From 2001 to 2006 however, NATO forces increased in size (mostly due to American increased) and scope of combat operations they could conduct. In addition, the ANA grew in size and capability. Over this time, Taliban Commanders have been killed as have several thousand of their foot soldiers. But no major change in front lines occurred. Hence most Afghanistanis still straddled the fence, providing tacit support to whoever controlled the terrority where they lived.

Finally, in late 2006/early 2007, Iraq exerienced the Al Anbar Awakening and the complete collapse of the insurgency in this country. With Iraq lost, 2007 saw a rise in foreign Taliban and Al Qaeda forces moving to Afghanistan instead of Iraq. In turn increased NATO numbers and ANA capabilities resulted in many battles which the Taliban were consistently defeated and overrun.

Less Afghanistani Taliban, more foreign Taliban, and the loss of key battles all resulted in the Taliban in Afghanistan to begin employing more suicide bombers which ultimately led to more indiscriminantly killings of innocent Afghanistanis. As such, tacit support of either side is beginning to shift to active NATO/ANA support. This change of attitude is especially noticable in the recent defection of Mullah Abdul Salaam who has been put in charge of the Mula Qasa district in Helmand province.

Rewarding Mullah Abdul Salaam with a governship is no different than putting Sunni tribes in charge of Al Anbar. It is the only way to win an insurgency. They enemy must be turned to our side. Once turned, the new friend must be rewarded. His defection to NATO is no different than Risha changing sides in Al Anbar. The difference is foreign Al Qaeda were not prevalent in sufficent numbers in Afghanistan until recently, which is putting the Afghanistani "Awakening Movement" behind the Iraqi one. However, the end result will be the same, especially given the recent "surge" of Marines to Afghanistan. Afghanistan in late 2007 is reminiscent of Al Anbar in late 2006/early 2007.

2008 will be the year to watch in Afghanistan. There should be an increase in attacks as Al Qaeda attempts to terrorize the population in submission. "Awakening Movements" will begin in the spring of 2008 as Al Qaeda's terror campaign gets into full swing. Slowly, over the course of a year to 18 months, Al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan will be defeated and pushed out of several areas where they currently have tacit support. They will be pushed back to the FATA regions in Pakistan. A year from now, Iraq will be essentially peaceful, Afghanistan will still have a low-grade insurgency trying to survive (much like Iraq currently), and Pakistan will very well see an increased insurgency.

Pakistan has at most a year before Al Qaeda launches a full fledge insurgency in Pakistan as they see their fortunes failing in Afghanistan and Iraq completely lost. In fact, if Al Qaeda is smart, it would start a full insurgency now while the government of Pakistan is in transition. However, this action is also risky as it may leave Musharraf in office as the President and result in rapid loss of support among fellow Pakistanis.

Either outcome does not bode well for Al Qaeda. They will be completely defeated in Iraq by next winter. They will have been defeated in Afghanistan, and they will begin being pursued in their last remaining secure base, the FATA regions in Pakistan.

Yes, 2008 will be an interesting year. Even more interesting will be the 2008 Presidential elections which will see marked success in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a battle possibly raging in Pakistan. One candidate is fully supportive of the Long War we will be undeniably winning at the time of the elections. The other candidate(s) will be trying to change his/her story about how they now really support the long war.

Whoever is elected will be forced to keep a strong, but reduced presence in Iraq, increase forces in Afghanistan as NATO force committments expire, and coordinate with whoever is in charge of Pakistan to assist this military in defeating the last remanents of Al Qaeda in the region.

For its part, Europeans will once again feel disenchanted with their governments because they did not stick it out with the victors to see the destruction of Al Qaeda as a viable international force.

I thank God I live an a country that still has a backbone. Americans have always been tough. And when the going gets tough, Americans shine. Lets hope we change Europeans more to our way of thinking in the upcoming four years instead of America moving closer to a European spineless attitude. It is looking good from this perspective as more conservative leaders have all been elected in Germany, France, and England since the Long War kicked off. If we are successful in strengthening European's backbones, we have nothing to fear from a nuclear Iran. If we are not successful, then unfortunately Iran will become Al Qaeda with a bomb. And that will not be a pleasant time.

George Bush is not a very effective communicator; however, he did give Americans a backbone for the Long War. As we were waivering and unsure of what to do, George Bush surged forces into Iraq which resulted in Al Qaeda in Iraq's defeat. It will be interesting if we give up this backbone in November 2008. While the social policies of all remaining candidates are not much different now, the international policies are clearly distinguishable. It is in foreign policy where this presidential election will be decided.

In the last eight years, George Bush, for all his failings, will have done his part to defeat Al Qaeda. We know Europeans run when the going gets tough. The question is will we? If we do, we must prepare for battle with a nuclear Iran and the Long War will continue.

Alexander III, king of Macedon, became Alexander the Great and forever has a place in history due to the Battle of Gaugamela in which he defeated Darius, the Persian King. With all hope lost, he turned the battle into a rout of the Persian Empire. George Bush, with the surge, has done the same thing in modern times against Al Qaeda. Again, the question is will we do the same again present day Persia?

Al Qaeda's 2008 Outlook - Iran's Future

From Yahoo/AP.

This Yahoo article has a good roll up of recent battlefield activities in Iraq and while at the end of the article, it sums up Operation Phantom Pheonix with the following.

He [Rear Adm. Gregory Smith] said 121 militants were killed, including 92 so-called "high-value targets" and 1,023 detained since the most recent operation against them began on Jan. 8.

Since 08 January 2008, when Operation Phantom Pheonix began, 121 militants were killed, 92 of which were high-value targets (HVTs - which means they were cell leaders, financiers, recruiters, organizers, and/or operators), and 1,023 were detained. The significance of these numbers must be viewed with another number. McClatchy Newspapers also reports today via Kansas City Star on the number of foreign fighters entering Iraq.

[Rear Adm. Gregory] Smith also said that most foreign insurgents in Iraq come from Saudi Arabia, which President Bush visited on his trip. Other foreign fighters have come from Libya, Yemen, Syria, and even a few from France, Smith said. In the last year, improved border enforcement by Syria and increased profiling by Saudi officials of single men traveling to Iraq have helped cut the number of foreign fighters entering Iraq in half, Smith said. Between 40 and 50 a month are thought to be entering Iraq now, he said. Between 50 and 60 percent of those become suicide bombers, and 90 percent of the suicide bombers are thought to be foreigners. (ephasis added)

So, in 13 days (since Operation Phantom Pheonix began), 1144 insurgents have been killed or detained. In this same time, insurgents have received approximately 22 replacements (given 50 enter Iraq monthly). These numbers are hardly a winning strategy and show how desparate the situation for Al Qaeda in Iraq has become. While this just shows what has happened during the last 13 days, The Surge has produced similar numbers for the seven months it has fully been in effect.

In addition and much more significant, 92 HVTs were killed in the past 13 days. Ninety-two leaders, with specific leadership knowledge, skills and abilities, will no longer be able to hand down their expertise to incoming recruits. This sobering fact is clearly demonstrated in the two recently failed suicide attacks in Anbar. Four suicide bombers were not able to kill corresponding Awakening leaders in Anbar. What we see is Coaliton and Awakening leadership exponentially developing while at the same time Al Qaeda leadership exponentially being eliminated, in some case permanently.

In addition, several other leaders who were detained (although precise numbers are not given in these articles) are now giving up Al Qaeda's secrets to Coalition forces which will lead to further reduction in Al Qaeda in Iraq's overall numbers and leaders in particular.

The Yahoo/AP article also notes the following.

[Rear Adm. Gregory] Smith, the U.S. military spokesman, said the military had al-Qaida on the run with recent operations. But he warned the group remains a force in eastern Anbar, northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province, in areas surrounding the northern city of Kirkuk, "in small numbers to the south of Baghdad" and in the northern city of Mosul. "Mosul will continue to be a center of influence for, a center of gravity for al-Qaida because of its key network of facilitation — both financing and foreign fighters," he said.

A few things are significant about this statement. The first is the region which is not listed, namely Baghdad. In fact, a recent USA Today article cited that 75% of Baghdad is secured compared to 8% in the same month last year. The USA Today article also states,

The 310 neighborhoods in the "control" category are secure, but depend on U.S. and Iraqi military forces to maintain the peace. The 46 areas in the "retain" category have reached a level where Iraqi police and security forces can maintain order, a more permanent fix. The remaining areas have fewer security forces based there, though they are not necessarily violent. (emphasis added)

Therefore, in Baghdad, the center of gravity in this war, 75% of the neighborhoods have seen enemy activity mostly eliminated and normal economic activity resuming. The other 25% of the neighborhoods are "not necessarily violent", but neither are they secured by Coalition forces.

Despite a recent killing of a US Marine in Anbar (which has not occurred since 08 October 2007) and the two recent failed suicide attacks, Anbar is also secure, enemy activity has been mostly elminated and normal economic activity is resuming. Finally, the entire southern part of Iraq and the northern Kurdish part of Iraq continue to be secure.

The US Military now has two divisions (the 1st Armored Division and the 3rd Infantry Division respectively) along with several Iraqi Divisions focusing on securing north of Baghdad to Kirkuk and Mosul (focused in the Sunni Triangle region) and south immediately south of Baghdad (focused in the Triangle of Death region).

The success of The Surge overall and Operation Phantom Pheonix lately can be found thoughout this blog.

• 1144 insurgents killed or detained in the past 13 days
• Insurgent replacements of approximately 22 in the past 13 days
• 92 leaders killed in the past 13 days
• An unspecified number of leaders detained in the past 13 days
• 50% reduction in foreign insurgents entering Iraq
• 75% of Baghdad secured
• 25% of rest of Baghdad not necessarily violent
• 100% of Anbar secured
• 100% of Kurdish north secured
• 100% of Shiite south secured

Finally, the three most important items of all:

1. Al Qaeda is clearly losing wholesale in Iraq, which Bin Laden himself called the central front in his war against the west. Like Hitler losing Paris or failing to defeat Great Britain, Bin Laden has lost Iraq. Even though Al Qaeda, like Nazi Germany, may be able to surge, the facts speak for themselves. It is now just a matter of time until the complete destruction of Al Qaeda in Iraq.

2. Al Qaeda has been unable to defeat the democratic government in Afghanistan. In fact, approximately 4500 Taliban have been killed in 2007 alone. The number of wounded is probably twice this number. Again, like Nazi Germany against Russia, this endeavor has just wasted precious resources for absolutely no gain militarily.

3. Due to his significant losses in Iraq and no appreciable gain in Afghanistan, Bin Laden has been forced to turn inward to Pakistan, once a safe haven for Al Qaeda. To wage the fight in Pakistan, Musharraf has repositioned 100,000 Regular Army troop from Kashmir to the FATA and NWFP regions in addition to the tens of thousand Frontier Corps already in the region. While shaping operations are already underway, decisive operations will begin shortly after the 18 February parlimentary elections.

Just like Hitler, holed up in an underground bunker in Berlin in the final days of the war, knowing that the 1000 year reign of the Third Reich had come to an abrupt, permature end, Bin Laden also sees his grand plan to establish a caliphate from Spain to China crumble as Coalition forces ever so slowly close in on him.

For all its outrageous and boisterous rhetoric, Iran is not unlike Japan in WWII. Coalition forces have island hopped to surround the theocratic leader of Iran in the Persian Gulf, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and shortly in Pakistan. While not part of the coalition in this war, Turkey is a member of NATO and is pressuring Iran from the north, similar to China's and Russia's pressure on Japan in WWII.

For Iran's sake, it may want to surrender or it may see some of its major cities completely obliterated.

Iraq General: Six Villages Taken From Al-Qaida

From NASDAQ/AFP.

Iraqi and U.S. forces engaged in a major assault on al-Qaida have wrested control of six villages in central Iraq from the Islamist militant group, an Iraqi army general said Friday. At least 10 members of al-Qaida were killed and 20 suspected militants were arrested in the sweep, Major General Abdul Karim al-Rubaie, director of operations in central Diyala province, told AFP. The villages named by the general fall within the "breadbasket" farmlands surrounding the town of Muqdadiyah, which is the main focus of Operation Iron Harvest launched Tuesday by Iraqi and U.S. forces, assisted by members of anti- al-Qaida "Awakening" groups. "The villages have been under the control of al-Qaida for a long time," said Rubaie. "We have taken them back and al-Qaida has been chased out."

The remnants of Al Qaeda in Iraq are being killed, detained, or fled from this latest assault as part of Operation Iron Harvest. U.S. Forces are moving into the Muqdadiyah region to close a line of communication into Baghdad along the Diyala River Valley.

The Wane of the Insurgency in Iraq and the Growth of Feedom.

In an interesting report, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), reports:

Armed groups have sought the government's support to chase Al-Qaeda members in some areas in Iraq, the Iraqi official Al-Sabah newspaper has revealed on Monday. "Negotiations have taken place between the government and armed groups as part of the reconciliation process. Positive outcome is near," the paper, issued by the official Iraqi Media Network, added. The paper quoted sources close to the government as saying that the negotiations had involved the Islamic Army in Iraq, the 1920s Revolution Brigades, Al-Fatah Brigades, the Armed Forces General Command, and Al-Rashedeen Army. Other groups revealed desire to join in but the report did not disclose if they were included already. According to the paper, the Islamic Army in Iraq has sought the government's support to hunt members of Al-Qaeda in Al-Tarmiya, Al-Taji, and other areas where they are headed by the terrorist Abu-Ghazwan. The Revolution Brigades would meanwhile chase terrorist Abu Sufian Al-Afghani in Abu Ghraib, Al-Dora, and Fallujah, the paper said citing sources. Iraqi president Jalal Talabani earlier said five armed groups wanted to lay arms down and get involved in the political process. A presidential source revealed that Wafiq Al-Samarae, security adviser to Talabani, played a significant role in the negotiations.

This article makes one wonder why are anti-Iraqi insurgent forces looking for government support to battle Al Qaeda in Iraq? There exists only one possible scenario.

• Al Qaeda in Iraq has targeted these organizations.
• These groups are no longer supporting (actively or passively) the insurgency.
• These groups must be afraid of being killed or captured by Iraqi Government and Coalition forces should they mass as armed groups.
• These groups will request the Iraqi government get American airpower to assist them should they need it to battle Al Qaeda in Iraq.
• These groups must being seeing firsthand the growth in power of the democratically elected Iraqi government.

These are remarkable changes from this time last year when these five armed insurgent groups were actively engaged in battles against the Maliki government. It also shows that the government in Iraq, for all its failings, is the recognized, legitimate government in Iraq.

These facts taken together with the Anbar Salvation Council's recent growth in Anbar shows not only does the insurgency not have passive support from the populace (which it needs to persist), it has actually garnered active resistance against it, especially in the once closely aligned Anbar Province.

There are currently two surges going on in Iraq.

The first surge is happening in and around Baghdad where Iraqi and Coalition forces have greatly increased security in the city and caused the insurgency to either move their bases of operations out of Baghdad or eventually be hunted down by Iraqi and Coalition forces.

The second surge is that at least five anti-Iraqi insurgent groups have now switch sides and are actively working with the Maliki government and pursuing Al Qaeda in Iraq. Furthermore, ranks in the Anbar Salvation Council are swelling everyday. To say the least, Iraqis are taking control of their own destiny. It will be interesting to see the size of this organization in mid-summer as many recruits return from basic training.

While a surge of over 20,000 American troops may not be enough to bring peace, security, and stability to Iraq in and of itself, the addition of these five armed groups and the Anbar Salvation Council will provide the forces necessary to not only secure Baghdad, but defeat Al Qaeda in Iraq and promise their eventual destruction militarily.

Additionally, these groups, once focused on resistance to a democratically elected Iraqi government, are becoming part of the governmental and political process. As support from the Maliki government to these once insurgent groups expand, so shall their loyalty to this democratically elected government.

While many of these groups may never be pro-American, they understand they need America's intelligence and airpower and the Iraqi government to effectively fight a much greater evil, namely, Al Qaeda in Iraq.

2007 is proving to be a monumental year in Iraq.

1. The American troop surge is resulting in and will result in Baghdad, the center of gravity for the battle in Iraq, to be more secure. Even though not fully implemented, security has already greatly improved and will continue to improve.

2. At the beginning of the American surge in Iraq, Sadr went into hiding in Iran causing his militia to fracture and wonder about their future. While some members may become more active against the government, many members will seek to join the government. Recently, Sadr pulled his six cabinet members from the government. Many of these ministers were quite possibly going to be fired by Maliki anyhow. Three of these ministers controlled the important Health, Education, and Transportion ministries and were not doing banner jobs in these ministries.

3. Economic growth is surging forward in Iraq which like all other democracies will cause the populous to actively seek law, order, and stability in order for it to continue. Actively seeking law and order results in normal citizens not sitting on the fence but instead actively providing intelligence to Iraqi and Coalition as to insurgent activities.

4. Many reconstruction processes are in the final phase of completion. Along with improvements in security, improvements in water, electicity, academics, transportation, medical and sanitation (SWEAT-MS) are very recognizable to Iraqis. This especially true in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq and in the Shi'ite Southern Region. It is becoming more and more recognizable to Baghdadis, the center of gravity in Iraq. It will start to become more and more recognizable to Iraqis in the Anbar Province as they are now actively working with Coalition forces against Al Qaeda in Iraq.

While mistakes have been made by Iraqi and Coalition forces in Iraq, Coalition forces have maintained their objectives in Iraq. Namely, they have captured and killed the once bloody dictator, Saddam. They allowed Iraqis to vote for and install a democratically elected government. They have provided for the security of this infant government. They begin building back the Iraqi Army. They are starting to provide for security of the populous. They have engaged in and completed many reconstruction initiatives.

The fruits of this labor has produced economic prosperity despite a deadly insurgency. Once hardened insurgent groups are changing sides and now actively pursuing Al Qaeda in Iraq. Once hardened insurgent groups are now asking for the support of the ever stronger democratically elected Iraqi government.

The death of all insurgency in Iraq, to include Al Qaeda in Iraq, is nearing ever closer. Since Al Qaeda decided to make Iraq the center of its global war, its global reach will shrink accordingly as Al Qaeda in Iraq shrinks. As democracy becomes stronger and bolder in Iraq, it will naturally flow to the rest of the Middle East. It will be interesting to see what Iraq looks like in 2008 and the rest of the Middle East by the end of the decade.

In my time in the military, I have seen the fall of the Iron Curtain, changes in the free flow of information brought about by the computer age, but the dictatorships in the Middle East persisted. Now all that is changing. As my career comes to a close at the end of this decade, it will be exilarating to see what my country and my military has accomplished. It inspires me and I know inspires the newest generation of American Soldiers how this great country has freed over 300 million people from tyranny.

It will be interesting to see if this next generation of Americans and their Soldiers can embolden and free the rest of the world. Or will the defeatist democrats rise to power and clutch defeat from the jaws of victory in Iraq. If they do, I fear not only for the 30 million freed Iraqis and Afghanistanis, but also for the 300 million people freed from tyranny during my military career. Finally, I fear for the freedom of the 300 million people in America. This is the land of the free, because it is the home of the brave. For the six billion people in the world, I hope the people of my country never forget this fact.