Blind alleys: U.S. military still struggling to understand urban environment.

Despite the edicts in the two field manuals, Hall believes some brigades and companies are probably using low-level informants to figure out what's happening in the city streets "because you can't exist down at that level without contacts and sources coming in."

Meanwhile, there needs to be institutional change. "We have to combat the policy, combat the doctrine and give the people the right tools and money," he said.