Austin Bay Blog: Reality doesn't sell: "We discussed training, doctrine, and simulations issues. Dunnigan got off the best line. I’ll paraphrase it as “Reality doesn’t sell.” He made the point that “realistic simulations” aren’t entertainment, and all too often the sexiest, snappiest, gee-whiz item gets bought because it is exciting to use and watch. That doesn’t mean it’s the most appropriate training or analytic tool. Yes, everyone knows this. And everyone, particularly a crowd that includes government purchasing officers, needs to be reminded, in public. three or four times a year."

Austin mentions cultural, linguistic, and even economic issues need to be included more, as well as decentralized and mission specific.

I don't know why all major Sunni cities don't already have a SimCity sort of simulation, and at least a good map.

All active service personnel NOT currently in Iraq should be getting Arabic training -- and those who learn the most the fastest (intense 1 week? 2 weeks?) should have the opportunity to get a promotion to learn even more before deploying into Iraq. Arabic is likely to be language needed in conflicts for the next 5 years, it's incompetent not to be pushing it more.

Especially Open-source gov't funded "free" self-imersion courses.