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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (9616)	11/10/2001 9:54:42 AM
From: Selectric II	Respond to of 281500

since the press are denied access to special operations, i am convinced they are pushing for more conventional action so they can use their cameras. are the reporters simply bored? Weren't you informed that this war, as with everything, is supposed to be about them? How can they win journalism awards without their frontline involvement? They're feeling personally shortchanged, and will do whatever they need to do to change policy toward a more media-friendly war. Tactics, strategy, etc. are secondary, although the outcome must meet their scripted play. "Lights, camera, action."

To: unclewest who wrote (9616)	11/10/2001 2:18:30 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Respond to of 281500

soviets lost 800 men taking two blocks in the neighborhood of steglitz in berlin True enough Unclewest... Anyone who hasn't seen "Enemy at the Gates" should do so, in order to gain an understanding of how nasty urban fighting can become. It depicts the pseudo-historical biography of the Soviet Union's greatest sniper and his exploits at Stalingrad. And it truly displays the Red Army's propensity toward human wave attacks which resulted in the mass slaghter of their own troops. But one must take into account that during many of these siege battles, the defenders either had stored tremendous amounts of war materials in their cities, or had retained a line of re-supply (such as across the Volga at Stalingrad, or the frozen lakes around Leningrad). But given sufficient patience, and overwhelming firepower, the will of the besieged force will ultimately cave in. As for 3x1 advantages, this was not the case in Desert Storm, where I believe our total advantage was around 1 to 1. However, due to our mobility, and our ability to interdict the enemy through complete air superiority, we were able to obtain localized 3 to 1+ advantages at points where we broke through the lines. And in many other cases, force multipliers like TOT MLRS artillery strikes, proved decisive. That military theory of 3 to 1 advantage is a general rule which, as you know, is mainly applied when facing forces of equal caliber and/or capability. But it has shown that quality of tactics, and capability of men and equipment, over quantity has often ruled the battlefield. One of the examples that best illustrates this is Michael Wittman, who in one Tiger Tank, effectively rendered the leading tank brigade of the British 7th Armored division (desert rats) "heurs d' combat" in the space of about an hour and prevented the seizure of Caen (which the Germans held for weeks after that). if bin laden expected to suck a big American unit into an ambush...he is not getting his wish. Nope... and I concur that artillery support for the Northern Alliance troops will prove key (and far less expensive than guided bombs). all the while his forces and supplies are being reduced hourly. i sincerely hope they do not all fight to the death. Well, I kinda figure they are hunkering down for a guerilla campaign in the mountains. But I think the advantage this time is that the Northern Alliance and Pashtun tribesmen are just as familiar with these cave networks as Al-Qaida is, and they will assist in tracking him down.. And I hope they fight to the death... Because putting them all on trial would likely cost more than this friggin' military campaign, given all the appeals they would receive... Heck, the Timothy McVeigh case cost tens of millions all by itself...:0) I prefer the immediate .25 cent execution of sentence employed to the base of the skull, should any of them be taken alive. Hawk