Operational art and COIN

[ncc1701e]

My question is the following. I have finished, few days ago, a book about Iraq, the Surge, ...
And I am curious about how it works in real, not necessarily linked to Iraq but in general.

Are there any real soldiers or army retirees playing TOAW?
I am wondering if you are using operational art in counter insurgency operations?

In particular, at which level do you consider training of local forces, contact/protection of civilians, infrastructure repair/building?
Is it more at strategic level?

Thanks for any feedback [&o]

[Major Shane]

I led an advisor team in Iraq during that time. We were partnered at the battalion level. We have formal partnerships that went down to the company level and up to the 3-Star level.

But to answer your broader question, COIN operations span all three levels of war simultaneously. The three block war anagaly is a good one. On one block your conducting offensive operations to win control; on second block you are defending and consolidating your gains, and on third block you transferring control to the civil authorities.

[ncc1701e]

Thanks for your answer. I need to find a way to put this into music.

[Zovs]

Well I am not retired but I served for four years in the US Army, but I have been playing war games since the 70s. They have always been like a historical book but more so since they give you an idea of what (in the case of TOAW) Operational commanders face during war to one extent or another.

[Major Shane]

It would be a very eclectic music track. Fast, slow, dreadful, happy, a little bit country, and a little bit rock-n-roll.

[Major Shane]

Zovs, I couldn't agree more. Well said.