It turns out that IED's are a social problem more than a technical problem. I thought this quote in today's Washington Post article says it all about the problem of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) which are now going off 100 times a day in Iraq:
Retired General Meigs says IEDs are a social problem
"What's different is the trajectory. Three 152mm rounds underneath a tank, which will blow a hole in it, are artillery rounds. But they didn't come through three-dimensional space in a parabolic trajectory. They came through a social trajectory and a social network in the community."
It seems that perhaps the military has a better handle on what is going on in Iraq, understanding the social and political dimensions, which are not really their bailiwick, more than those who are actually making the political and policy decisions.
Bush said he was going to listen to the generals. I think he really should consider the social and political dimensions of this war, rather than just assume technical superiority will bring victory.
The "enemy's artillery," as Gen. Meigs calls the IEDs, is what I think people will remember about this war. To think that it is possible to go into war without considering the intelligence of the enemy and their ability to adapt and create is insane, but I somehow think the Generals have understood this all along. They must do what they are charged to do by the Commander-in-Chief.
If, as the General says, this war is more a social problem than a military hardware challenge, isn't it time for the President to do what he said he would do: listen to the Generals and pursue diplomatic and political solutions?