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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (446208)	8/21/2003 2:54:09 PM
From: Kenneth E. Phillipps	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

You mean like we cut and ran in Afghanistan before the job was done.

To: Neocon who wrote (446208)	8/21/2003 3:13:29 PM
From: Thomas A Watson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Iraq is also a laboratory in finding ways to use technology to surveil open spaces to detect intrusion and threats. It also a place to seed terror groups with double agents. As the warm weather fades, I'd hope that successful attacks fade quickly and the bulk of those who are the threat are rendered dead. This is more a human factors issue vs technology.

To: Neocon who wrote (446208)	8/21/2003 3:15:21 PM
From: cnyndwllr	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Neo, addressing the implications of a few points in your response: >>"You assume that resistance is massive, I do not."<< You're wrong, I don't assume that resistance is massive. It's not necessary to have massive resistance in order to have a guerrilla war that gives the death of a thousand cuts. It's only necessary that there be enough of a MINORITY of the local population to support and cloak the guerrillas. If that minority support exists then they can hide, operate and attack from that base. "You assume that it will grow in the long run, I do not." You are correct; I do assume that it will grow in the long run. As a matter of fact, I believe it is growing now. The reason I believe this is because of the cycle of fear, reprisals, greater fear, revenge and more reprisals that constitutes the typical reaction local population and of occupying force subjected to guerrilla attacks. If you don't agree, ask yourself how our soldiers got to such a state of fear and aggression that they took out the Reuter's cameraman a few days ago. Ask why they have killed unarmed civilians approaching roadblocks, why they have killed young boys who simply stood on a rooftop and why the Iraqis are polarizing in opposition to real and imagined abuses by our troops. The cycle escalates and it doesn't die a natural death. This is the lifeblood of guerilla resistance. If you see a different progression, I'd like to hear your analysis. >>"You assume that the attempt to reconstitute Iraqi security forces will make little difference, I do not."<< The "attemp" will make no difference. The successful result, of course, would. The problem is that we may, and probably did, lose the window of opportunity that would have allowed us to create the momentum for that to happen. When Iraqis that are working with us are only willing to tell their families for fear of reprisals, it is likely too late. I know it seems like I am a true pessimist, however, when it comes to spending the lives of those we send to serve on our behalf, I believe we need to take off the rose colored glasses and let the real world messages come in.