Dr. Brin recently made some harsh criticisms of the US war plans in Iraq, and suggested that it would be the prowess of US soldiers in the field that would salvage success in this war. David Frum's commentary on this from a few days ago seems particularly relevant - as well as providing some great one-liners.
JDG
I approve of everything below, except the utter inanity of comparing the present set of bozos with Eisenhower & co.
Let me remind you that in 1991 this same team stopped our army 24 hours from eliminating the problem altogether & freeing the same Iraqi people we are now supposed to be rescuing. The difference between now and WWII is that such people would not be allowed to commit similar errors 12 years later, like sending a corps to do an army's job.
Or attacking in 180 degrees the wrong direction. Saddam could have waited. The people who are killing Americans, waging jihad against our civilization and corrupting our leaders live in Riyadh.
MAR. 29, 2003: "QUAGMIRE" - PART 1 A reader writes:
"I've thought considerably about the D-Day invasion, which is widely agreed as a great triumph. But how would today's media reacted at the time to these issues?
"- The anti-aircraft fire disrupted the paratroop droppings, spreading them for miles, and causing great confusion.
"- The initial landings on the Utah beach were off the mark by about a half mile as a I recall. The strong tides carried the landing craft from the correct landing point.
"- The Army Air Force bombers dropped their bombs inland from Omaha Beach, missing key German positions that later lead to the death of so many American soldiers on the beach.
"- Allied intelligence didn't realize the hedgerows were so tall, and would cause so much havoc. The initial breakout strategy was obsolete.
"Many of today's media would sum this up as a complete failure of the invasion, but it wasn't. The paratroopers, in small groups adjusted to the situation. Patratoopers who didn't know even know each other began working together to achieve objectives. Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. made a quick decision on the beach, saying "we'll start the war right here." He communicated back to the invasion fleet to bring troops to his position. Despite horrific losses, the troops on Omaha moved ahead and prevailed. Troops in the field developed tactics to kill Germans dug into strong defensive positions. This included mounting obstacles from the beach on the front of tanks to break through the hedgerows. So we now see D-Day for what it was, a tremendous accomplishment, in which the troops adjusted to the situation on the ground. Just like our troops are adjusting to the situation in Iraq."
And from another:
"When I was a Company Commander in Germany, a sarcastic and ironic piece of paper was floating around the Army. It quoted a WWII German general and a present-day Soviet general making disparaging comments about us, based of course on the Soviet and German rigidity of command and control. It went like this:
"The reason the Americans are so successful at war is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis."---German general (can't remember the name of the guy. Might have been Guderian or Rommel).
"Americans are so hard to fight because they do not know their doctrine, and if they do, they do not feel compelled to follow it."---Soviet guy (also don't recall who.)
"Written at the bottom in longhand, as if from an American general to the troops, is 'Keep up the good work!'"
I thought you might think it was funny.
===== ----------------------------------------------------------------------- John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tonight I have a message for the brave and oppressed people of Iraq: Your enemy is not surrounding your country � your enemy is ruling your country. And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation." -George W. Bush 1/29/03
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