(AINA) -- Australian experts are very quick to criticise the United States military's handling of the war in Iraq but the problem lies squarely with the politicians. One US Army officer who was successful in Iraq is Colonel H. R. McMaster, now a member of the Pentagon's military review team.

Colonel McMaster, according to the American press, "whose 2005 operation in Tal Afar has been cited as a textbook case in how to wage counter-insurgency in Iraq." He and other top ranking officers are conducting an examination into President Bush's Iraq war strategy. But maybe it is case of too little, too late.

Dr. Henry Kissinger, former US Secretary of State, and an advisor to President Bush, has come out and said that the war in Iraq is unwinnable.

I was fortunate enough to be there last year and see Colonel McMaster's unit, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (3ACR), in action in Tal Afar, Northern Iraq. I was there with Canadian journalist Scott Taylor, a staunch critic of the US Army's involvement in Iraq.

What makes Colonel McMaster's story interesting is that he invited Taylor, who was held hostage the year before in Tal Afar, to address the US troops. This was town hall democracy in action. Soldiers were allowed, even in the presence of Colonel McMaster, to raise issues. I have never seen this done by Australian commanders.

The second in command of 3rd ACR, known as the Executive Officer, afterwards pulled us aside and said "the old man has taken a lot of risks in getting you guys here."

The key to defeating an insurgency is flexibility and the willingness to learn from your mistakes and take on aboard advice from different quarters, including critics. Colonel McMaster, for instance, urged his soldiers prior to deployment to learn Arabic as well as the other languages spoken in Iraq as well as the culture.

Dr. Yashir Talafarli, who the Americans regard as a moderate Sunni muslim, is the leader of the Iraqi Turkoman Front, which represents the ethnic Turkomans who live in Tal Afar.

Last year Dr. Yashir predicted correctly in advance that 3 ACR would soon launch a major offensive in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar.

"I'm worried about the possibility of increased bloodshed," he said. "I'm hoping for a non-violent solution. Most of the educated people have left. Only the poor have stayed"

US Army Commanders were remaining tight lipped at the time but I saw a build up of equipement and soldiers in particular special forces at the Tal Afar Base known as Foward Operating Base Sykes.

The battle to re-take Tal Afar was expected to be bigger than the Battle of Falujah.

The 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment was the meat in the sandwich. I managed to get into Tal Afar by going on patrol with US Forces. The town was nearly deserted and there where about 150 hardcore insurgents itching for a fight.

Tal Aafar was not safe. There were parts of the town where US troops do not go into. The situation was tense. We had to be escorted by five armoured vehcles-Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

Colonel McMaster said he wanted to lift the pall of fear from the Iraqi people.

The Turkomans are estimated to number about 2 million and are closely related to modern Turks but use the Arabic script unlike the Turks who use the latin alphabet.

Iraq is composed of Shiite and Sunni Arabs, mainly in the South and central regions; whilst there a small number of Assyrian Christians, the original people of Iraq. In the Northern regions the non-Arab Kurds and Turkomans predominate. Both the Kurds and Turkomans distrust each other.

Neighbour Turkey tries to keep a watchful eye on across the border especially on the activities of the Kurds, who are also seeking independence from Turkey.

There where about 5,000 US troops together with a Brigade of Iraqi Army soldiers at the Tal Afar Army base, which is a massive sprawling complex with all the mod cons of life back home in the United States.

The situation in Talafar was quiet when the war broke out in 2003 but deteriorated when Sunni Turkomans, egged on by Ansar al Islami extremists, turned on fellow Shiite Turkomans in 2004 in an attempt to provoke civil war.

Colonel McMaster said he wanted to end the infighting in the dirt poor and isolated town and bring jobs to its people.

"I don't want to have to break shit; I want to negotiate." He said. "We need to use our brains to find a solution. The majority of town people support us but are too afraid. We are slowly building a relationship with them."

I found morale to be high amongst the frontline troops of Grim Troop, Sabre Squadron 3 ACR who where in key locations throughout Tal Afar.

Constant US patrols in armoured vehicles were conducted almost daily in order to reassure the local people, who have no running water or electricity because insurgents have destroyed the infracture repeatedly.

Colonel McMaster said "The terrorists have a warped understanding of Islam. These people are cold blooded murderers who have beheaded women and children and dumped their bodies in the centre of town for everyone to see."

The insurgents, who numbered about 150 to 200 hardcore elements were homegrown and there is a small element of foreign fighters. They operated in 3 to 5 man groups and use small arms fire such as AK 47 assault rifles, RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers) and homemade explosive devices known as as IEDs (improvised Explosive Devices).

After Taylor and I left, the Battle for Tal Afar was launched and won by Colonel McMaster's 3 ACR. But maybe it is too late for an overall US victory in Iraq? Maybe the best and only option is for a federal style of Iraq, giving each of the ethnic and religious groups a piece of the pie.

By Sasha Uzunov

Sasha Uzunov was in Tal Afar, Northern Iraq in 2005 with 3 ACR.

Sasha Uzunov is a freelance photo journalist who holds a BA in Journalism (RMIT 1991) and has worked in the Balkans and Iraq. He is a former Australian soldier who served 2 tours in East Timor.