Give ya a hint, it wasn’t all flag officers and politicians
Every day, NCOs in Humvees, junior officers from Captain on down were dealing with the local police and Iraqi army units one on one.
The Staff Sergeants, Gunnys, and corpsmen went face to face with local people and called them out. They coached, encouraged, and shamed when necessary. They went into dangerous areas not to seek glory for themselves, but because they were and are leaders and to lead is to set an example.
Even when language is a barrier, a pissed off NCO is a force of nature more terrifying than tornado or shell. Automatically you obey, because if you don’t you risk getting yourself killed or worse, you risk their wrath.
Hat tip to Bryan Suits.
A TowDog 