"There has been a debate raging for the last few days on Small Wars Journal over a recent Wall Street Journal article about recent criticism of the new counterinsurgency strategy

Lt. Col. Gian Gentile, a history professor here who served two tours in Iraq, begs to differ. He argues that Gen. Petraeus's counterinsurgency tactics are getting too much credit for the improved situation in Iraq. Moreover, he argues, concentrating on such an approach is eroding the military's ability to wage large-scale conventional wars.....The gist of Col. Gentile's argument is that recent security gains in Iraq were caused by the ceasefire declared last year by Shiite cleric Moqtada al Sadr as well as the U.S. decision to enlist former Sunni militants in the fight against Islamist extremists. Col. Gentile notes that violence spiked after Mr. Sadr's militia briefly resumed fighting last month.

Those who disagree retort that the Surge and the counterinsurgency doctrine have caused the recent successes in Iraq and that a counterinsurgency-focused force can be effective against a more conventional, classic military.

Well, they're both right. And, with all due respect to both, wrong."
Acta Publica