U.S. Troops Adjusting to the New Reality in Iraq

BAGHDAD, IRAQ -- After months of negotiation, the Iraqi government recently signed off on a long-term security deal. The new security framework paves the way for an eventual withdrawal of U.S. forces by the end of 2011. It also puts the Iraqis in charge of their airspace and places contractors under Iraqi jurisdiction.
So what does this mean for the day-to-day conduct of U.S. military operations? Last week, Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of Multi-National Force - Iraq, sent out an important letter to his troops.

"U.S. forces will continue to be authorized to engage in combat operations," Odierno wrote. "however, under the terms of the new agreement, we will co-ordinate and execute those operations with the approval of the GoI [government of Iraq], and we will conduct all operations by, with and through the Iraqi security forces."

The bottom line, according to Odierno: "The new environment will require a subtle shift in how we plan, coordinate and execute missions throughout Iraq."

I'm currently on assignment in Iraq; over the next several days, I plan to file some dispatches that describe how U.S. troops may adjust to this new reality. The new catchphrase here is "warrant-based targeting": U.S. forces will need to secure warrants from Iraqi judges in order to conduct missions to detain suspects. How this will work in practice, however, is still something of an open question.
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