A Fourth Generation Warrior

AP. Lt. Col. Bradley Becker, from Sacramento CA, commands the 2nd Battalion of the 8th Artillery Regiment. He is also a fourth generation warrior. His approach includes:

• Town Hall meetings: About six people showed up for the first meeting early this year - but the latest, on Tuesday, drew about 300. Much of it took a townhall tone, hearing complaints about gasoline shortages and inquiries about arrested fellow tribesmen.
• Employment (not bribes): In return for the sheiks' help, Becker says he has spent close to $1 million on reconstruction jobs employing hundreds of tribesmen.
• Pragmatism: ``Am I here to make social change so women can smoke cigarettes and drive cars? No.'' said Becker. ``We're here to provide security and build infrastructure and a democratic society.''
• Collaboration: Now mukhtars bring in some of the area's most wanted men with just a phone call from U.S. commanders, Becker said, relieving his soldiers from having to raid suspected homes. U.S. officials say the mukhtars value the reconstruction aid and do not want to return to the days when they were caught between U.S. and insurgent battles.
• Respect and local knowledge: He has attended the funeral of every Iraqi soldier killed in his sector, and he knows the names of villages that even his locally recruited translators haven't heard of.

Comments

[Fred Grott]

It certainly is refreshing to know that this type of warrirors still exist in US forces..

But to be blunt honest its often a rare occurence...

WE might even og further to say the the top commander of our nation should follow the same exact example..

The pragmatic approach specifically

[b]

So he will leave Iraq next week?

[Mark]

Interesting. It seems that one of Lt. Col. Becker's Staff Sgts was recently named a sheik:

http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=105&sid=548916

[John Robb]

Thanks Mark. That is great info.

[AF]

Good story.

I hope Fourth Generation Warfare becomes a household term someday soon so we can have a real conversation about what's going on.