KiKi Munshi meet Michael Yon

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

UPDATE: Ms. Munshi surfaces in the comments and Mr. Yon emailed. The new post with their and my COIN thoughts is here.

In yesterday's WashPo Kiki Munshi lets us know about conditions on the ground in Baqubah, Iraq while sunning in California.

The writer is a retired Foreign Service officer who returned to duty to lead the provincial reconstruction team in Baqubah, Iraq, from April 2006 until January 2007 JULIAN, Calif. --

Last year at this time, I traveled from Forward Operating Base Warhorse into the Iraqi town of Baqubah several times a week to meet with the governor, the provincial council chairman and other officials. Yes, it was dangerous. But it wasn't suicidal.

Today, though, such trips would be almost impossible. Baqubah is a battlefield, the site of a major push against al-Qaeda and other insurgents. The houses that haven't been destroyed are riddled with bullet holes. Many of the Iraqis I worked with are dead, and many others have fled.

And yet all last week Michael Yon, who is actually in Baqubah as this happens, is near boredom.

MICHAEL YON EMAILS: "Baqubah has gone quiet. Very little fighting. There might be more to come, but overall the people have turned against al Qaeda and are pointing them out day by day. The people are pointing out the bombs. Baqubah received its first food shipment in 10 months just a few days ago, even while light fighting was still on. I was there for the food distribution and am writing a dispatch on it. The primary object now is to start to restore a sense of normalcy in the city. Remember Ramadi? That crazy city of death and fighting? Writers hardly want to go there any more because it's quiet. I am very curious if Baqubah will go that way. So far so good. There are serious sectarian issues here in Diyala Province, but with al Qaeda on defense instead of offense, the people in Baqubah have a chance to do what those in Ramadi and other cities are doing: reclaim their lives."

From his report on 5 July, again from Baqubah

The big news on the streets today is that the people of Baqubah are generally ecstatic, although many hold in reserve a serious concern that we will abandon them again. For many Iraqis, we have morphed from being invaders to occupiers to members of a tribe. I call it the “al Ameriki tribe,” or “tribe America.”

Mike is not saying it's a Shangri La, but Kiki made it seem suicidal to even be there.

Don't ever doubt that those against the war inhabit all our institutions and are willing to say what is needed to ensure our defeat and retreat from the world stage. Thankfully Mike, Bill Roggio, Bill Ardolino and many others are showing the real stories.

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KIKI MUNSHI, meet Michael Yon. In a not-directly-related matter, Ed Driscoll asks: "And yet, both TV news ratings and newspaper sales have cratered. Why on earth could that be?!"... [Read More]

Comments

[thebronze]

Nice job Kiki, you tool!

He had the audacity to blame the "trouble" on American Troops.

What a POS!

[Some Soldier's Mom]

And as Mike Yon points out in that same dispatch:

Media coverage went from a near monopoly (Michael Gordon from New York Times and me) to a nearly capsized boat as journalists flooded in from other parts of Iraq to see the fight. They managed to miss most of it. Today, I’m told, there are now only 3 journalists remaining, including one writer (me).

[Timothy]

Here's some coverage of Ms. Kiki's PRT from last September:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/28/AR2006092801525.html

[McCarroll]

Well, don't forget, Kiki is in some danger posting from her beach-side tanning spot. She might get skin cancer, or bitten by a rabid sand flea. She couldn't tote Yon's jockstrap, though I'm not sure she would be inclined to try.

[Ymarsakar]

Another useful idiot it seems?

Btw, youtube erased the videos of Yuri Bezmenov, the Soviet Defector that gave quite an education on making folks like Kiki. I did however, find a alternative source, 2 days ago, at youtube. Just in case anyone wanted a real example of youtube pulling useful videos that were up before.

This was an interview from 1985. What usage violations could there be for 3-6 minute clips? Just asking.

[Baqubwah-hah-hah]

Kiki: Douche bag says what?

[fedkatheconvict]

It makes you wonder why Kiki went to Iraq in the first place. It must have been for the hazard duty pay.

When I worked for the U.N. in the late 80's many staffers accepted assignments solely for the hazard pay then came back to New York and bought homes in Westchester County and Connecticut.

[Timothy]

Typo - I should have written "Ms. Munshi" not "Ms. Kiki."

[Dusty]

[Posted by: Timothy | Jul 8, 2007 2:33:31 PM]

Thanks, Timothy, I read it. It's so depressing. Skip past all the evidence she provides that it was very dangerous to travel, even with a detail of contractors or troops, look at what she and/or the WaPo thought was important highlights of her efforts.

It appears her greatest success, a ceasefire, lasted 10 days but was destroyed by civilian slaughters. The next highlight was a girl's exercise center, which was built and then expropriated as the telecom center and she couldn't get the money back. So, she's currently working on a riding stable for traumatized kids.

Can someone spell miserable failure? Okay, maybe that's uncalled for, but based on this story her judgment is questionable in the extreme, which was, for example, is shown by the girls' center being switched to a telecom center.

Slam me for being un-PC here but you aren't going to accomplish much at all in a male dominated society by sending in 62 yo women wearing sandals who talks up women's issues in outlying cities where people are getting killed in sectarian tit for tat raids, if not by terrorists running amok, and residents don't even have basic community services and infrastructure. Her story in the WaPo yesterday just proves her to be inept, confused, illogical, incompetent and totally untrustworthy in speaking about what she knows. That the WaPo doesn't make the same judgment puts them in the same IQ boat as Ms. Munshi.

Thank God the military is doing the work the State Department won't do and can't do. While I feel so bad though that they have to do the whole thing here, I know the work is in good hands.

Okay, that was uncalled for, too. I'm sure there are competent DOS'ers in Iraq doing vital and successful work which are paying dividends. Again, it is too bad the WaPo didn't put one of their commentaries/analyses in the paper instead of Ms. Munshi's kindergarten-level one.

[windansea]

good job, FYI Julian is in the mountains east of San Diego, nice place but not really a sun on the beach cliche

[ic]

"Many of the Iraqis I worked with are dead."

Now it's all clear. Remember those 20 beheaded non-persons in AP? Remember that police officer reporting atrocities all over the country? They must be some of the Iraqis that Kiki has worked with. Most of the dead in Baqubah were terrorists, many of Kiki's Iraqis were dead in this campaign. Question: were they the same people?

[Kiki Munshi]

Your interpretation of Michael Yon's writing illustrates my point. This week it's quiet where he is. I hope it stays quiet. What about last week and the week before? The tendency to judge "long term" on the basis of very short term perspectives hurts us and hurts our effort in Iraq.

[Chris Clukey]

Kiki makes the fictional reporters in Day by Day (who sit in the Green Zone and file stories sent by "stringers" who are really Al Qaida fighters) look like freakin' Woodward and Bernstein. What a tool.

[Rich]

Kiki, you had a point? Must have missed it as I slogged through your amateur drivel. Whether things are better or worse since you left, at least there is room now for someone who has a talent for writing. And no, just being published does not make you a talented writer.

[Uncle Jimbo]

I disagree with your assessment, and you were certainly wrong in your characterization of the current conditions in Baqubah.

You are ignoring the counter-insurgency doctrine being employed currently. We are not clearing and handing security off to sectarian security forces. We are clearing areas and forcing insurgents out or killing them. Then all the work of building rapport with the people in the cleared areas begins.

You gave the impression that we were simply reapplying failed tactics. You need to bone up on your Kilcullen.

I do appreciate your response, and since I have heard from Mr. Yon as well, I will write a bit more in depth on the whole topic.

Cordially,

Uncle J

[Harry]

Kiki deserves some credit for showing up here. Yet the point she makes about judging the war over the long term is the very thing that liberals do not want to do. Could it be because they know deep down we are winningn the war?

[red river]

How embrassing for the Wa-Po. Its the Editors that are clueless.

Instead of the likes of Fern Holland, we have Kiki. How revolting.

[Mr.Hengist]

Kiki Munshi of the WaPo writes, "Many of the Iraqis I worked with are dead, and many others have fled."
Interesting. So, to recap, the Coalition rolls into Baqubah, kicking ass & taking names, and many of the Iraqis Munshi worked with are now either dead or have fled. Yet there have been neither reports of large numbers of civilian casualties nor a mass civilian exodus from Baqubah. The Iraqis with whom Kiki Munshi worked seem to have been either in combat or have fled now that the Coalition and Iraqi Army & Police have gained control.
Three guesses as to which side they were on.

[ExRat]

McCarroll: Well, don't forget, Kiki is in some danger posting from her beach-side tanning spot.

Well, actually, Julian is a small town in the mountains east of San Diego, about 45 miles from the beach as the crow flies, famous for its apple pies. Definitely more danger of skin cancer, than the beach though.

I realize this is nitpicking, and it doesn't affect the import of McCarroll's post, which is that dear Kiki doesn't know what she's talking about, at least in real time.

Her WaPo piece refers to "Today ..." as if she was on the scene, or in daily contact with someone who is. While her point in her post of 1550:06 about not judging "long term" from a short term perspective is valid, it seems to me to damn the "news" media (e.g., AP, Reuters, NYT, and the networks) much more than it does the blogosphere.

[ThomasD]

Ms. Munshi's stated concern for the long view is admirable.

Her obvious disdain for any solution other than the striped pants variety is unsurprising.

Blaming her own failures in Diyala on military activity in Baghdad while also unsurprising is inexcuseable.

Playing into the hands of those opposed to success in Iraq, wittingly or unwittingly, is abhorrent.

Ms. Munshi you could have written of your experiences in Diyala at any time after your departure. Simply put, I question the timing.

Your willing mischaracterizations of current conditions in Baqubah are as evident as your agenda. You clearly are part and parcel of those who wish to spin the surge as a failure. Coupled with the observation that there were problems in Diyala during and after your tenure this raise reasonable questions about your performance of your duties to the American people.

No small wonder things weren't getting better while you were still around.

[jordan]

Kiki, I'd like to hear your take on John Burns's article in the Sunday New York Times, frontpage. He says Ramadi could become a "symbol of hope" and that fast moving events there could reverse the tide to the coalition's favor.

The same edition had a desperate plea from the editors to please withdraw now, or there will be disaster (it might work). The more violence subsides in these areas, the more shrill the demands to pull out now.

Previously, all parties had agreed to let the surge play out, and reassess in Sept. Just can't figure out why they suddenly feel an urgent rush to go back on their word and sound the retreat right now.

Burns' NYTimes article describes a glimmer of possibility, It's cautious, but good. Also, Bing West credits the gritty diiplomacy of U.S. troops for putting COIN into action, and convincing the tribes to throw in with the "strongest tribe"" Tribe Ameriki. Small Wars Journal. These assessments provide a different angle on things.

[Dusty]

Ms. Munshi, your perception that Michael Yon's dispatch on Baqubah illustrates your point also illustrates the point that one week you had a ceasefire and the next you didn't.

Characterizing your nuanced, careful approach as modestly successful in your isolated world of Baqubah, while our troops are trying to quell fighting all around you, and faulting the military for messing up all you have accomplished, is the epitome of the 'know-nothing outside my mission' world of the State Department.

Here's another example of your rose colored confusion. In your analysis published yesterday, you note the surge in Baghdad drove the terrorists into Baqubah then you blithely assign the resistance to American troops as being of Baqubah origin and because the residents resented MNF actions. Yet the residents rushed to assist us when our troops launched Arrowhead Ripper in Diyala. That's hardly the resistance you implied. But it shows a failure of cogent analysis begotten by DoS style me-ism culture.

I'll leave alone your drivel about a perceived imbalance between short and long term goals and perspectives hurting us. It is too long to take on and not worth the effort.

Your WaPo effort yesterday contributes nothing, absolutely nothing, to the debate on the who, what, when, where, why and how of achieving our goals. It was a fluff piece touting your own 'I did this' and 'I did that' value which, by the negativity of comparing it to everyone else screwing things up, only "hurts us". Again.

But thanks for speaking truth to power.

[Jim T]

Ms. Muchi makes a specific statement about the CURRENT situation in Baqubah: "Today, etc. etc.....".

When confronted with evidence which directly contradicts this, she blathers about how you shouldn't judge long-term results from the short-term conditions. However this makes absolutely no sense on any number of levels.

First SHE was attempting to extrapolate long term results from the current (ie short-term) situation there. Unfortunately for her, the facts on the ground weren't what she was representing them to be.

Second, right when the current situation there is fluid and would presumably be grim (if you were simply guessing as Ms. Munchi seems to have done, rather than relying on the reporting coming out), considering we are using a considerable amount of the military force of the surge in that location, she suddenly decides to write her article. Imagine contrasting Normandy of Dec 1943 with Normandy of June 1944, for example.

So, why would she choose right now to write such an (incorrect) Op-Ed? Considering she now claims that, "The tendency to judge "long term" on the basis of very short term perspectives hurts us and hurts our effort in Iraq." Right when the facts on the ground as (incorrectly) portrayed in the article show "our effort in Iraq" in the worst possible light? Hmmm.

Sorry, the Op-Ed was written to support an agenda. That agenda appears to be to "hurt us and hurt our effort in Iraq." I agree with her response here in that respect, at least.

[Timothy]

Hey all,

I'm not a Blackfive regular, but I just want to reinforce what Harry and Uncle Jimbo said. We can disagree with Ms. Munshi on the merits but let's not get personal. Extend her the courtesy you would expect.

Ms. Munshi, thanks for coming by. I would respectfully submit that your article contained some statements that seemed out of line. In particular, you seem to imply that Col David Sutherland of the 3rd BCT, 1st Cavalry, was complicit in the kidnapping of the mayor of Baqupah. You also criticize him for a ham-handed approach in Diyala.

Yet we see that cooperation from local residents continues to increase and the tribes are helping. Col. Sutherland appears to be performing reasonably well. As Michael Yon says, "The big news on the streets today is that the people of Baqubah are generally ecstatic, although many hold in reserve a serious concern that we will abandon them again. For many Iraqis, we have morphed from being invaders to occupiers to members of a tribe... In the context of sectarian and tribal strife, we are the tribe that people can—more or less and with giant caveats—rely on."

With all respect for you and your service, I submit that the negative tone of your article can only exacerbate the "factors" that you mentioned, e.g., "the short attention span of the American people." Also, I do not understand why this article was published July 7, just after operations have entered an entirely new phase, when you left Iraq in January.

Please don't hesitate to respond here or to my email.

[Jim T]

Ms. Muchi makes a specific statement about the CURRENT situation in Baqubah: "Today, etc. etc.....".

When confronted with evidence which directly contradicts this, she blathers about how you shouldn't judge long-term results from the short-term conditions. However this makes absolutely no sense on any number of levels.

First SHE was attempting to extrapolate long term results from the current (ie short-term) situation there. Unfortunately for her, the facts on the ground weren't what she was representing them to be.

Second, right when the current situation there is fluid and would presumably be grim (if you were simply guessing as Ms. Munchi seems to have done, rather than relying on the reporting coming out), considering we are using a considerable amount of the military force of the surge in that location, she suddenly decides to write her article. Imagine contrasting Normandy of Dec 1943 with Normandy of June 1944, for example.

So, why would she choose right now to write such an (incorrect) Op-Ed? Considering she now claims that, "The tendency to judge "long term" on the basis of very short term perspectives hurts us and hurts our effort in Iraq." Right when the facts on the ground as (incorrectly) portrayed in the article show "our effort in Iraq" in the worst possible light? Hmmm.

Sorry, the Op-Ed was written to support an agenda. That agenda appears to be to "hurt us and hurt our effort in Iraq." I agree with her response here in that respect, at least.

[John Burgess]

I've worked with Ms. Munshi at various times over the past 20 years. She was, in fact, a dedicated foreign service officer who did good quality work.

Unfortunately, she also brought along a particular political philosophy that I, as a conservative, considered to be typical of a certain type of foreign service officer. That sensibility, largely to be found among the alumni of the Peace Corps (I do not recall whether Kiki was in the Peace Corps, but her mindset suggests it). That philosophy was firmly rooted in the idea that mutual understanding and good communications would solve all problems. Unfortunately for us all, it does not.

She may well have been relaying accurately what she saw in Baqubah during her time there. But things do change over time.

Another colleague assigned to Baqubah in 2003, left with a far more hopeful view than seems to be found there even today. His job--similar to Munshi's--was done before the insurgency had gained much power. His background, though he was employed by State, was the US Army.

It's fine to report on current events, but wiser to remember that 'current' is the operative word. We're not going to know how Iraq ends up until after it ends up.

I'm very glad to see Baqubah and other areas coming to their senses. There's still a lot of work to be done, of course. It'd be nice if the major media could develop some perspective and some sense of time, but with rare exceptions, that appears to be too much to ask.

[John Burgess]

I've worked with Ms. Munshi at various times over the past 20 years. She was, in fact, a dedicated foreign service officer who did good quality work.

Unfortunately, she also brought along a particular political philosophy that I, as a conservative, considered to be typical of a certain type of foreign service officer. That sensibility, largely to be found among the alumni of the Peace Corps (I do not recall whether Kiki was in the Peace Corps, but her mindset suggests it). That philosophy was firmly rooted in the idea that mutual understanding and good communications would solve all problems. Unfortunately for us all, it does not.

She may well have been relaying accurately what she saw in Baqubah during her time there. But things do change over time.

Another colleague assigned to Baqubah in 2003, left with a far more hopeful view than seems to be found there even today. His job--similar to Munshi's--was done before the insurgency had gained much power. His background, though he was employed by State, was the US Army.

It's fine to report on current events, but wiser to remember that 'current' is the operative word. We're not going to know how Iraq ends up until after it ends up.

I'm very glad to see Baqubah and other areas coming to their senses. There's still a lot of work to be done, of course. It'd be nice if the major media could develop some perspective and some sense of time, but with rare exceptions, that appears to be too much to ask.

[Ymarsakar]

JULIAN, Calif. -- Last year at this time, I traveled from Forward Operating Base Warhorse into the Iraqi town of Baqubah several times a week to meet with the governor, the provincial council chairman and other officials. Yes, it was dangerous. But it wasn't suicidal.

Today, though, such trips would be almost impossible. Baqubah is a battlefield, the site of a major push against al-Qaeda and other insurgents. The houses that haven't been destroyed are riddled with bullet holes. Many of the Iraqis I worked with are dead, and many others have fled.

[...]

But the Iraqis have not forgotten. They have lived this chapter before. Only it was better then, last year.

-Kiki

It's quite correct to say that the long term views synthesized from short term snapshots hurts America in Iraq.

So if you just stopped doing it, things would be a little bit better.

It is sort of obvious that the article implies that back then things were good, but now things are worse. The comment about the Baathists actually implies that things will go worst in the future.

This week it's quiet where he is. I hope it stays quiet. What about last week and the week before? The tendency to judge "long term" on the basis of very short term perspectives hurts us and hurts our effort in Iraq.

Posted by: Kiki Munshi | Jul 8, 2007 3:50:06 PM

It does indeed prove the point, but only if you believe that taking a snapshot one day a year ago and then taking another snapshot one year after on the same day, counts as "long term" analysis.

[Lakeruins]

More then then anything, when comparring and constrasting the reporting of the stories by these two writers one thing does become apparent. Our military is accomplishing things far beyond what is their speciality and what they are trained for and that is war. Since the military has also taken on the burden of acting as de facto members of the state department and now expending far more effort to political and diplomatic solutions to the problems in Iraq they have shown far more progress and success then all of the "professional" diplomats that preceded them. There may be just a tad bit of jealousy, but the truth of the matter is the guys on the ground understand far better then any starched shirt, perfumed diplomats with numerous degrees and fancy initials after their name what it takes to connect with the citizens of Iraq and make the dream of democracy a reality to a people who have had no contact with either the word or the concept.
The truth is, the guys with the abbreviations like SPC, SGT, CPT and LTC in front of their name have accomplished more in the last year then they, the "professional statesman" did in the previous 4.
It also goes to explain why so many politicians in this country are ready to pull the plug, they don't want the conpetition.

[mikek]

"That philosophy was firmly rooted in the idea that mutual understanding and good communications would solve all problems."

It's the Fraggle Rock model.

[Tom W.]

No amount of spinning, wishful thinking, fantasy, or "expertise" from elderly foreign-service officers will change two salient facts:

This counterinsurgency is going quite well in comparison to others of similar length;

This war is going spectacularly well in comparison to others of similar length.

Ask the Algerians, the Afghans, and the Columbians. Ask American veterans of World War II.

You denigrate the sacrifices of the Coalition and the Iraqis by Ignoring the superhuman progress being made in Iraq--a country emerging from brutal dictatorship, building effective security forces, creating democratic institutions, and transforming the economy, all while fighting an enemy whose savagery knows no bounds.

[FOB (Friend of Bush)]

Does KiKi get paid to write this sort of drivel? I coin a word "fictionography." to describe fabricated "news" stories. Does anyone know the direction of WaPo's subscriber base - probably down? When WaPo staff is reduced, will it write less fictionography then? Meanwhile, visit Michael's tip box to help him out.

[Kevin R.C. 'Hognose' O'Brien]

I would expect nothing less from the teabaggers in the State Department. In my service (27y/Army/SF) I worked with a hundreds of State people in dozens of countries, and with two glaring exceptions, (Hey Keith! Hey Ambassador! Shout out!) most of them were into "government service" as a form of welfare at a much, much higher level. Well, some of the RSOs were OK, too... but others of them were people you literally COULD NOT TRUST WITH A FIREARM, a problem that folks ought to have worked out of their system by age eight. State's security officers! (In a famous incident, one in Lebanon nearly shot a helicopter down. It was our helicopter, and he was IN it. State promoted him -- that's their kind of competence!)

The fellow who described their attitude as something like "open comm channels and all will be unicorns and lilies-of-the-valley" clearly knows the breed. There's also a strong undercurrent of, "we know better than these wogs, but it's not racist for us to say that because we feel the same way about those knuckle-dragger Army guys. We look down on all proles, not just the little brown ones in this country."

You could sack them all, and the only thing that would be harmed is the Brookings Institution and the Kennedy School of Government, which try to hire them all, to the detriment of those organizations' intellectual output.

[JFarr]

I always eagerly await dispatches from Michael Yon.

There is little said in these comments that I do not agree with. However, I just wish people could state their ideas with out referring to her age, the kind of shoes she wears, etc. It makes what they say less credible.

Michael's writing style is one we could all strive to emulate.

[red river]

Kiki needs to name some Iraqi names and who she worked with. Put up or shut up.

[clazy]

Ms. Munshi's willingness to comment here is admirable, but the comment itself is maddening. As others here have pointed out, she's making the very mistake she's accusing others of, and it goes exactly to the heart of what's different about the current strategy -- which only goes to show how little effort she's made to understand what's going on. If she had, she would know that her piece in the Post was completely inappropriate; that conditions this week are intended to be the beginning, not just some transient state. (Notwithstanding the fact that she was apparently UNAWARE of the actual situation in Baquba, and you have to be a generous reader to forgive that.)

[McCarroll]

I must admit to careless reading, in that I missed the Julian connection. Having lived in El Centro for many years, I traveled to Julian several times, lovely little community.

Of course my comments were flippant and I didn't mean to come across as making a personal attack, but I stand by the crux of my contention. Kiki is to journalism as Steele Reserve is to beer. Yon, on the other hand, is a lone Heineken hidden in a case of Milwaukee's Best. (Yes, I love beer, perhaps too much.)

[Bill Smith]

Kiki,

Thanks for "illustrat[ing] YOUR reporting skills, and ethics. You wrote:

"Your interpretation of Michael Yon's writing illustrates my point. This week it's quiet where he is. I hope it stays quiet. What about last week and the week before?"

Today is July 9th. Mike has been in Baquba since beFORE June 25th, the date of his first dispatch from there. I tried to get him to date his July 5th dispatch July 6th since it did contain material from 7-6, and 7-6 was the day he published it. He said, No, most of it was written on 7-5, so it stayed 7-5.

That's what we call integrity for those of you in Rio Beltway.

Mike Yon has spent more time outside the wire in Iraq than almost any other reporter, maybe all of them. There may be some, though, who can beat him on Green Zone time, maybe all of them.

Kiki, you don't wanna go there talking about Mike.