His Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. James M. McGrath described Captain Snyder’s role as that of a “finisher” – someone who puts the final touches on the construction of a house. These final touches in the elements, outlined in The Intellectual Grunt – Part One, are critical to winning this war. In a recent visit to his combat outpost, he shared with me some key concepts which may seem oxymoronic on the surface.

Lead by following. In dealing with the local leaders and Iraqi Security Forces - rather than setting an American agenda – leadership is exercised by simply asking, “What do you want to do?” In a culture where every facet of life has been dictated by a centralized government for years, there is a tendency to lean on the Marines for all the answers.

“These are not the Flintstones,” says Captain Snyder negating any notion that the Iraqis are incapable of taking the lead. By putting the onus on the local leaders and ISF, the Iraqis “own the solution.” This simple exercise develops decision-making and problem-solving skills within the Iraqi leadership.

Marine infantry commanders have been indoctrinated with Patton’s phrase, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week.” To watch the Iraqis sort through problems and make decisions on their own can be a maddening process for Marines programmed for action. However, the Marines know that to stand up self-sustaining local government leadership and security forces they must lead by following.

Be a sensitive warrior. Now that’s not exactly how Captain Snyder stated the concept. He said, “Don’t be an asshole.” Make no mistake, the Marines are the baddest dudes on the block and are fully capable - as Shakespeare said - of letting “slip the dogs of War."

After the torture, killing, and propaganda of Al Qaeda, the Marines are a reflection of the alternative for Sunnis in Anbar. In a culture where positive reinforcement is not the norm, a simple, sincere complement can make a friend. Listening to complaints (real or imagined), common courtesy and cultural awareness can mean the difference between a local who tells your unit where an IED is located or passively watches as your vehicle violently locates it.

As the Marines say, “No better friend. No worse enemy.” Being the “better friend” requires as much work (or more) as being the “worse enemy.”

Greater risks equal lesser risks. Taking down a house in the middle of the night with flash bang grenades may be standard operating procedure for nabbing suspect insurgents. It does not win the hearts and minds of parents listening to the wails of their terrified children.

Knocking on the door and asking permission to come in equals greater risks. Don’t get me wrong, the Marines are not ditty-bopping through towns and villages in t-shirts and flip-flops carrying the Rodney King mantra, “Can’t we just all get along?” However, they have purposely taken a less aggressive posture.

Combat outposts at greater distances, smaller patrols, more stringent Rules of Engagement and knocking on the door all provide greater risks. In one of the true “contradictory elements” of this war, these greater risks ultimately equal lesser risks.

In the coming dispatches, we will take a look at more of the challenges faced and how these “intellectual grunts” are working tirelessly toward the ultimate goal – handover.

Gene Blanton is a Marine veteran and the author of the soon to be released book, “Semper Fidelis Leadership: From The Corps To The Corporation.”