Pundit Review

concern succeeding WR. Those who present welcome back to ensure a favorite -- he is mister Michael -- Former green berets citizen journalist extraordinaire and setting himself with the troops in Iraq once again he hopes to stay there all of 2007. We've tracked him down in Mosul this morning Michael welcome back to show.

And it's great to be -- my way early and important fact settings go to sleep at -- just to be on your show today.

Appreciate it and as much as we appreciate the fact he put your life on the line to tell the good the bad and the ugly for all of us.

My jacket out here and do it.

No you went for most of 2005 and you hope to stay for all of 2007. He spent a great deal of time in Mosul what's changed -- where it is the progress.

Since comeback and I have only been back for about three weeks now guessing. Three weeks or want to act and I want to talk on our province were. And have been tremendous success soccer here are done. Still leaders on the streets of social I don't want to make out like it's a permissive environments packets its very dangers still. But there's been a lot of progress have been the mission that happened -- have been bilateral I -- separate Iraqi security forces in the American army and act the one we just finished well as bilateral. And I've seen a tremendous difference between their capability now what happens now -- and in fact today. I'm not going to have a chance to sleep when we finish this interview on what might get a lot of work going somewhere else do they have. Our ceremony today were second division ago from the Iraqi army signal on the line here in the province well we'll take place. -- the Iraqi army. What an apt to -- divisions and none of the problems which of them buried there important province. Here in northern Iraq well actually do a lot mind and my guess they're competent level as much much higher one thing you'll see what you posted dispatch and probably a week to ten days regarding commissioner did. True three days ago air assault and ground assault on two indulges. East of Mosul -- or shop our land. But you in the it was a joint operation again what the Iraqi army in the American army and a -- actually. Let by Iraqi army supported by. But one thing that's very revealing in the photos. It is you you can see where the Iraqi commanders and the Iraqi soldiers look different than it did firm orders and keep out from pot. -- out of five typically they were looking -- Americans -- You know directly or anywhere next time may look like shepherds and farmers -- and -- actually become far older yet. He also see in the new -- probably. Close -- about 30 armed nobody quite a lot. You can -- they're actually you know do -- Aaron saying. And what thing it's actually kind of strange is that gotten -- action going on up here where. The Iraqi soldiers are wearing American lacked an American -- active and I getting a little confused on a mission -- some Americans that's why. He got our Iraqi soldiers have Munich 8847 Ahmad why are -- wearing American flag. And they say it's a fashion. Ask disparity saying them solemn on the uniforms so. You can see they're trying to emulate our military in the regular yet an increasingly good job. Pat you know great deal of progress here on the other end of the spectrum wireless recently in pop our province. They're more. And -- say or you might say that it was out. Thousand -- high and so it's not even around Iraq like or different places are different levels of progress but we've seen. Tremendous differences here.

Michael we're being told back home through the mainstream media through the politicians many from both sides of the aisle. That the Iraq war is lost in that we have no business surging troops adding more troops to Baghdad or anywhere else now that you're back in Iraq do you talking to the troops and see if -- self what is your take.

Well I don't think the war lost at all and some of the people that I respect the most you have a different opinion but I do not think -- lost and I spent a lot of time on the ground -- back here again -- again definitely in a bad situation there's no question about it and and it couldn't get a lot lot worse but -- it is at any point art truly bottom law or or -- just -- You know anybody's Pollack artwork -- gobble gobble all of as a land regardless of politics barely on politics. -- DC progress and that part of Iraq and in its its not off at all it's yet very. Now that that we have -- excellent new commander coming incident -- paper trail. Got a Ph.D. Princeton he was first want to come and you're very spirit journal. Argument the first one department and the head of the province in 2003. And made some tremendous successes up here against all the -- What occurred in her general case he has done a great job and that the commander US forces. In Iraq and now he's about take our position in general -- it of the optic -- K es position. I think -- trip is the man at the moment I mean. If there's anybody can make this happen when you know in the command. The type of man atmosphere that he projected before it is general betrayal so I'm I'm putting. A lot of attention to everything that he does want to get here -- email. In the about 85 days ago.

Very clear general Pretoria is -- behind the troops search. And yeah if -- these malicious I would seriously consider. Are changing the -- active business did you do not believe. That the militias are going to be allowed continued to undermine government which is still you know there -- states out of Baghdad op art that exists now going to -- getting stronger and it partner active -- but. He beat Malaysia like from -- potter fanatic army I mean these things are really undermine our efforts in the efforts of the Iraqis. To move forward and it two direct the gotten up it draft some army general. I mean shadow go in there and and and really shatter -- And that's going to cost -- we do a lot of American Latin a lot of Iraqi. But it we're gonna make this thing successful you know I'm not saying that sitting back in America. It has we going to do their number to request in -- in in in the worst parts. We're tapping on going to report back you are successes in -- so that's -- coming out few readers elements that are. Trying to desperately trying to undermine progress in its -- take those people on at all.

Well look I'm like what I'm hearing Michael Greg Jackson good did talk to you again Michael good to have you back on the -- under review it's been awhile now. Did you happen to see the the president's speech I'm wondering what you think you talked about the -- little bit in the new plan is 30000 troops going to be enough and also the rules of engagement don't going to change he implied that that they would but that limited use of force our military is really hindered as in the past will that change Michael.

I stayed up lost their speeches came up in the morning here. And very very close attention sure it did seem intimate that the rules of engagement might change you know show. I would say probably that's going to be left up to the judgment -- general try it and one thing about arbitrary it. You know first of -- man is brilliant but he matches that with the willingness to kill people you know why you're not saying that you're going to city general portray it it's going to come and here with anything less than very -- victory and Martin's. You know he's the ending he knows that it is he. You know I think at higher level of politics and you know read and heard in the stoke of Albert -- into the region in the world. From the same time. You know we're talking about somebody who get out on the streets themselves even you start here three start terrible. I that would be helpful in the streets downtown and the danger area -- He knows what our people are facing and I would think that he. Now that's going to be up to general retreat in in you can -- you can bet your paycheck. This is Amanda it's -- set conditions fourth successive presidents except to be back here is demanding get.

He doesn't sound like he's -- light footprint guy and we don't need any more light footprint guys in there we need a big footprint stop stopping

not what general -- a light footprint guy eaten hot. Speaking of rumsfeld you know there were some different assumptions laid back right you know we you know a lot of people fall major globally we needed a lot of the -- you know a lot more troops here. And that turned out you know and certainly that they were correct and so you know I don't want to. Yes -- very fine thing about the trip which I completely believe that the expensive general Casey -- good done there's been a lot of progress. Under his watch and there's been a lot of people who bring you nor and I mean people back home who ignored the growing civil war. Which first -- about February of people out from Bob you know couple year -- as anybody. Really -- so that civil war is has become our problem. You know that sector civil war not generalize for instance it's not all over Iraqi Kurdistan -- quite peaceful. Now here now have a crop and there's there's Ito. Sectarian violence or civil war going on there's definitely violence but it's not you know al Anwar province it's almost all Sunni Arabs. It's sort of out there also it is not sectarian but what I'm trying to say is you know it's a complicated situation but our -- Efforts now must be Baghdad in about 30 mile radius there also -- out on our province.

We're speaking with Michael he on he is embedded again with the us troops are Iraq and he'll be reporting here on under review radio. On a regular basis giving us the good the bad the ugly because that's what he does best. And so who do we still have Michael are we lose and I'm hearing -- PP. -- your own situation -- a little break anyways we're gonna go to break we'll get Mikey on back to when we get back I want to ask him. What his thoughts are on the strategic redeployment AKA cotton run pull out the Democrats plan that they're calling for. That and more when we return here on pundit review radio with a voice of the new media here on AM succeeding WR KO. Boston's talk station