Enter stage right - "The Army Field Manual" - COIN - Reading the Rolling Stone brought clairty to a continued blunder for me.

This manual is designed to fill a doctrinal gap. (click title to entry - thank you)  It has been 20 years since the Army published a field manual devoted exclusively to counterinsurgency operations. For the Marine Corps it has been 25 years. With our Soldiers and Marines fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is essential that we give them a manual that provides principles and guidelines for counterinsurgency operations. Such guidance must be grounded in historical studies. However, it also must be informed by contemporary experiences....
 
The USA miltary has known for decades that they never were going to win the 'consent' of the people of the USA again for a war with conventional weapons that carried 'the theme' of Vietnam.  Napalm, helicopters, bombing runs, and nightly body counts. 
 
In the 'brilliance' of the USA military, provided with the opportunity that Bush brought in the gift of Iraq, the new and engaging 'Army Field Manual' was born.  It trimmed back the Cheney torture techniques, but, it also entered into a new strategy that was explained poorly to the people of the USA.  We were told there was a new strategy needed to fight 'urban warfare.' 
 
Urban warfare.  Somehow, that was a war which was unavoidable, but, needing a strategy for our country's national security. 
 
An unavoidable war. 
 
Hm.
 
The 'insurgency' in Iraq was never unjustified, it never presented a threat to the USA and yet we deployed a 'new strategy' as a 'last ditch effort' for the Republicans to save 'political face' in the Homeland.
 
I am not saying the USA miltary and its Joint Chiefs didn't need such a strategy, but, to deploy it when it was more than obvious the Iraqi insurgency was one of 'defending' its people in the face of an unncessary war was completely "W"rong. 
 
Now, the counter insurgency strategy deployed by General Petraeus in the new manual was serving a different purpose.  A new reason for USA war.  A war with 'Failed States.'