What Are Your Thoughts On The Pentagon's Proposed "Lilly Pad" Strategy To Combat ISIS In Iraq?

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:14:34 -0400

GEN Dempsey has unveiled a proposed new strategy for combating ISIS in Iraq. The proposal calls for the establishment of a series of small FOBs, manned by U.S. Forces that would better enable them to coordinate with and train Iraqi Forces.

Doesn't this sound remarkably similar to what was strongly recommended by the Joint Chiefs prior to the total withdrawal of U.S. Forces in 2011?

Are the conditions on the ground conducive to the implementation of this strategy now?

How many troops will need to be deployed to make this strategy successful?

Is this a matter of too little, too late?

What say you, RP?

Dempsey Unveils 'Lily Pad' Strategy for ISIS Campaign

Gen. Dempsey has outlined a strategy that would involve setting up a series of bases to coordinate with Iraqi forces.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 1:19 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:19:39 -0400

That's all fine and dandy, but the bigger question will always be...will the Iraqis be willing and able to to effectively fight even after the training?

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 12 at 2015 1:20 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:20:40 -0400

"Lily Pad" and "ISIS" in the same sentence, that's something I never thought I'd live to see. Without resolve on behalf of the Iraqi forces and government, we can build another Maginot Line or the Great Wall of China and it wouldn't make a difference.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Jun 12 at 2015 1:25 PM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:25:49 -0400

Iraqis don't want to fight for themselves, they want us to fight for them...it won't matter how many FOBs you have.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Jun 12 at 2015 1:35 PM

SSG Trevor S. — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:35:58 -0400

The Iraqis give up more than the French.

Response by SSG Thomas Brousseau made Jun 12 at 2015 1:37 PM

SSG Thomas Brousseau — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:37:57 -0400

I think its a good idea as long as the defense posture of these FOBs are robust enough to ensure self preservation.

Response by MSgt Keith Hebert made Jun 12 at 2015 1:44 PM

MSgt Keith Hebert — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 13:44:03 -0400

The Iraqis need to find the pride to fight for their whole country not their individual tribes until that happens all of this will not matter
IMHO they want Islam to be the only religion just not the 17th century version

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jun 12 at 2015 2:01 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 14:01:03 -0400

I do not think what should have happened has changed? I think a strategy...any strategy...is a step forward. The real question is, do we want to stop the spread, push them back or eliminate the problem? Each goal has a different strategy that would need to be put in place.

Response by MAJ Bryan Zeski made Jun 12 at 2015 2:38 PM

MAJ Bryan Zeski — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 14:38:20 -0400

I hate to say it, but as long as we have a significant presence in the area, no other government is going to make the effort - that means we'll be there forever, and as soon as we pull out, we're back to square one. The region will never achieve any kind of actual stability as long as a significant amount of US forces remain there.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jun 12 at 2015 3:05 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 15:05:30 -0400

The concept leaves me a little uncertain, I am reminded of a dozen Fort Apaches with hostiles surrounding the area.

What makes the powers that be the sense that the Iraqis will stand and fight? Have they thought that the troops they are training might turn on them?

Soldiers don't fight for a country alone, they fight for their buddies. Iraq is no longer a country in my opinion, a country has to maintain its borders to be sovereign, it has lost large chunks of its territory.

In sum I am skeptical of this concept working.

Response by SP5 David Cox made Jun 12 at 2015 4:13 PM

SP5 David Cox — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 16:13:32 -0400

A little before my time, but didn't we try he same thing in Vietnam? How'd that work out?

Response by SSG James Arlington made Jun 12 at 2015 4:21 PM

SSG James Arlington — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 16:21:35 -0400

Lily pad? Send in the frogs. Or better yet, the clowns. We CANNOT fight their battles. Lesson from Vietnam?

Response by MSgt Mike Brown; MBTI-CP; MA, Ph.D. made Jun 12 at 2015 5:12 PM

MSgt Mike Brown; MBTI-CP; MA, Ph.D. — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 17:12:28 -0400

This is total warfare against an evil and vile people -- any enemy that would burn a fellow Muslim alive (Jordanian pilot), and have blatant disregard for any life should be dealt with the same way: Hitler, Goring, Mussolini, and Tojo were dealt with. Either we commit, and hve total victory, or we keep trying the idea of the week...

Response by SGT Christina Wilder made Jun 12 at 2015 5:13 PM

SGT Christina Wilder — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 17:13:35 -0400

We should bring our soldiers home and close our borders. We need our forces stateside.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Jun 12 at 2015 6:23 PM

LTC Kevin B. — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 18:23:22 -0400

The strategies and tactics are immaterial as long as the Iraqi people aren't willing to fight for their country. It appears to me that they have no allegiance to Iraq, but they do have allegiance to their own groups (Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds). As long as that's the case, any attempts by us to bring them together under one governing umbrella will be futile (regardless of what party is in the WH).

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 12 at 2015 8:01 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 20:01:26 -0400

I see no significant difference in results. The Iraqi soldiers have no will to fight, and ISIS has 30,000 heathens.

Response by SPC Michael Elrod made Jun 12 at 2015 9:51 PM

SPC Michael Elrod — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 21:51:36 -0400

Are these smaller FOB's going to have enough security to keep our soldiers safe? Security for our soldiers must be a priority!

Response by Sgt Ramon Nacanaynay made Jun 14 at 2015 11:00 AM

Sgt Ramon Nacanaynay — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 11:00:00 -0400

No military solutions. Build schools and infrastructures like they did in the Philippines.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 15 at 2015 2:51 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 14:51:33 -0400

ISIS will have the fighters to overrun FOBs.