Good piece.
America’s political leadership was badly split,
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A lack of confidence in our leaders and growing ambivalence about the justice of our position were the other parts.
But isn't that exactly where we're starting from? Listened to Daschle? Seen the protests on TV?
Want some more evidence?
Ritter: US will lose war against Iraq
Middle East Online ^ | 3-26-03
middle-east-online.com
Former UN weapons inspector says US does not have military means to take over Baghdad, defeat inevitable.
LISBON - The United States does not have the military means to take over Baghdad and will lose the war against Iraq,
former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter said.
"The United States is going to leave Iraq with its tail between its legs, defeated. It is a war we can not win," he told
private radio TSF in an interview broadcast here Tuesday evening.
"We do not have the military means to take over Baghdad and for this reason I believe the defeat of the United States in
this war is inevitable," he said.
"Every time we confront Iraqi troops we may win some tactical battles, as we did for ten years in Vietnam but we will not
be able to win this war, which in my opinion is already lost," Ritter added.
Stiffening Iraqi resistance as US-led forces close in on Baghdad have prompted questions about the strategy to use
precision air power and a smaller, fast moving ground force to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Some military analysts have said there are not enough allied troops in Iraq to take control of Baghdad, where Saddam
Hussein's elite troops are said to be concentrated, and that the planning of the war was overly optimistic.
But British Prime Minister Tony Blair told parliament Wednesday the United States and Britain believe they have
"sufficient forces" in Iraq and London was not planning to send reinforcements to the country at this stage.
A combination of bad weather and heavy fighting in central Iraq has slowed the advance of coalition troops marching on
Baghdad.
Ritter resigned in August 1998 after accusing both Washington and the United Nations of not doing enough to support
the weapons inspectors.
Since leaving the UN weapons inspectors team he has become an outspoken critic of US policies towards Iraq.
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