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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: michael97123 who wrote (124073)	7/8/2005 2:26:37 PM
From: JDN	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793907

Frankly, I dont think you are being fair in your evaluation of Rummy and the war planning. Mistakes were made, they always are in war. Plans had to be changed due to Turkeys backing out. But, the main thing that is causing the violence today is that unbeknownest to us, Saddam elected not to fight (knowing he would lose) but dispersed people and munitions to fight a protracted guerilla campaign. We could not have known of this or planned for it. We did not SNEAK up on Saddam but gave him plenty of notice to carry out his plan. However, his plan will not suceed in the end IF we stand firm. The reason it wont suceed is because in a guerilla war the enemy must be able to hide within the population. More and more it is becoming impossible for them to do that. jdn

To: michael97123 who wrote (124073)	7/8/2005 2:42:52 PM
From: Thomas A Watson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793907

It is my understanding the a post war analysis of the chaotic distribution of sadams weapons post the war revealed and estimated 25 million soldiers would have been required to secure them in a timely manner. The trillions of cost and years to preposition a force of 25 million would have seen death by accident well over 10,000 even before a shot was fired. Clearly the wise human and economic decisions of the Sec Dev are self evident. I find silly your suggestion that a plan a hundred times more complex than a plan that would prevent mexicans from crossing the border is rational or reasonable.

To: michael97123 who wrote (124073)	7/8/2005 2:55:32 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793907

Doesnt it bother anyone that our folks are being killed by guns, ammo and bombs that we were not able to secure after we won the war itself? mike, we know that Saddam a) planned a terrorist war beforehand, and b) had prepared literally thousands of ammo caches in Iraq. Which he knew the locations of, but naturally the Americans didn't know. Your demand that Americans should have been able to overrun them all so fast that the Iraqis couldn't grab the stash on the way out is not reasonable.

To: michael97123 who wrote (124073)	7/8/2005 3:45:39 PM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (5) \| Respond to of 793907

Of course it bothers us, but some of us realize what the stakes are and didn't go into this blind. Another difference is some of us remember the history of warfare and WW2. Some of us remember the Korean War and the Vietnam War. And this conflict, when measured by how much land it encompassed, by the logistical challenges it took, by the cultural factors it took to overcome, by the 30 something years of fear and hostility toward Americans Saddam engendered and the deaths which have occurred, realize it has been a tremendous achievement so far. The other thing some of us understand is when you criticize the military with scanty or no evidence to support your opinions, you do nothing but assist the enemy into believing he can still win. It's unbelievably easy to criticize the military during a time of war. Wars never go as planned, are never executed flawlessly, and are never complete without some serious lessons learned to take from them. My point is, that's after we win the war, not during it. The simple fact is Congress voted to go to war in Iraq. Congress and the President have been elected by the American people. And we should support the military effort until we've won the war, because losing is not an option. So how best do we accomplish complete victory with the least cost both in lives and dollars? We get behind the effort and stop taking the easy critical road to nowhere, that's how. Our MSM and the radical elements of the Democrat party have cost us more lives in Iraq than any idiotic decision Rumsfeld may have made. The way the media runs around to film every bomb in Iraq serves only the interest of our enemy. The way they jumped up and down with joy and filmed 24X7 coverage for weeks over the unprofessionally stupid antics of a few idiots at Abu Ghraib was despicable. The way they invented news stories which paint our fine soldiers as Hitler wanna-bees is unpatriotic and seditionist. You want to win the war quickly? Then start working for our side. Because, wars are not simply won on the battlefield in this day and age of instant communications around the world. Winning the hearts and minds takes some effort by everyone. Americans who are not fighting in the sands of Iraq or elsewhere can use their dollars to influence events. They can send a package to our troops filled with toys for Iraqi kids, they can join an organization which supports their families when they are home, or they can write thoughtful, articulate words to foreign newspapers expressing their heartfelt desire to see Iraq free and secure once again. Endlessly spreading criticism will not win any hearts and minds, it will only assist our enemy, slowly decay the morale of our troops, cause problems with recruiting efforts, or prolong the conflict.