MESOP : Arguments & Analysis “On the American Front Line against ISIS” (Robin Wright, The New Yorker)

“In a rare breakthrough, the United States, in February, negotiated safe passage for two brigades of Iraqi Army troops, after they were retrained and rearmed, to deploy in Kurdish territory — at the Peshmerga base in Makhmour. They arrived, with new uniforms, advanced American rifles and matériel, and shiny Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks mounted with machine guns. ‘People said it’d never be done,’ [Colonel Scott M.] Naumann told me. ‘The Iraqis said, “We’ll never get through,” and the Kurds said, “We’ll never allow them through.” But there were no issues. There’s a lot of right going on here, too.’ The Iraqis now have their own quarters, on the other side of Makhmour base. The Americans convene commanders from the Kurdish militia and the Iraqi Army daily. Sometimes they meet in the Peshmerga’s command center, sometimes on the Iraqi Army side. ‘It’s a complicated place, no doubt,’ Naumann told me.

But he went on, ‘I’m not a parent. These are all adults. We sit around a table, lay out a map. They say, ‘We want to hit over here.’ We say, “This is what we know.” Then we ask, “How do we work together?” From what I’ve seen, it works really well. I know politically there may be challenges, but that’s not my issue. Local commanders are getting along.’” Read all http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/on-the-american-front-line-against-isis?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=%2AMideast%20Brief