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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
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To: E who wrote (660003)11/13/2004 10:12:01 AM
From: J. C. Dithers  Read Replies (1) of 769670
 
As usual, you find interesting and worthwile articles to post. On the other hand, I think you likely draw the wrong conclusions.

No one fights with more bravery in the trenches than the British soldier. However, the command level has always been too cautious and risk averse to loss of life. The reason is that British officers rise in the ranks on the basis of pedigree rather than performance (too many are "Sirs").

Wars are still won at the hand-to-hand, door-to-door combat level. Nothing has changed since Normandy, when total air control and weeks of bombing to soften up beach defenses made little difference--the landing could only be secured one-machine-gun-nest-at-a-time with heavy casualties. Neither could Germany be beaten with technology, but only with the blood of millions of American and Russian troops willing to die. The British fought bravely when they had to but were not a significant
factor in the victory on the ground.

War has not changed since, especially not in a house-to-house operation such as Fallujah. Civilians in the city knew what was coming and had the opportunity to leave. That British commanders would have had "concerns and fears" is all too predictable. That it why they were not invited to participate. That is why the "heavy-handed" Americans had to do the job, and take the casualties, as usual.

I don't believe that the views of British commanders will be considered a must-read by the U.S. Marines.
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