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Book review: Iraq war as 'Fiasco'
Hampton Roads.com ^ | August 26, 2006 | Scott Lindlaw

Posted on 08/28/2006 10:51:04 PM PDT by woofie

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To: woofie

If we did not go into Iraq they would be calling afganistan a quagmire.

These islamo facists are like mercury. You cant push on one side and contain it. It is a multifront attack that is needed. You have to do it all at once.

The left is nitpicking as a divide and conquer attack. Somthing the useful idiots are helping Iran do quite well.


21 posted on 08/29/2006 4:24:33 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: woofie
Ricks said that the Israeli Air Force and the leadership was purposely not taking out Hezzbollah rockets and launchers so that the high explosives with ball bearings would kill and maim Jews and they would support the operations in Lebanon.

Ah, yeah, right.

Anyways, from my illustrious military career( leave before we push you, Leisler) I recall everyone at all times saying everything is F'd up and if only 'they' listened to me. Although, in my case I was right, unrecognized military generous that I was. I'm bitter now and live in a van in industrial section of Bel Air, surrounded by sweater wearing Guatemalans. But, there's a saloon that sells $1.50 pints, which is nice, so I've got that going for me.
22 posted on 08/29/2006 4:28:12 AM PDT by Leisler (Islam is the ROP. I know because the President told me so.)
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To: woofie
I read Fiasco and Cobra II this summer on vacation.

Both of them make the administration look bad, but Cobra II is well written and sourced, and is unfortunately very believeable.

Fiasco, by contrast, is written only for people with Bush Derangement Syndrome. I could barely get through it, and gave it away.

23 posted on 08/29/2006 4:28:14 AM PDT by Jim Noble (I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.)
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To: Leisler

generous = genius.

Must have coffee, coffee..


24 posted on 08/29/2006 4:29:45 AM PDT by Leisler (Islam is the ROP. I know because the President told me so.)
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To: gusopol3
doesn't the establishment of a government there that has some hope of gaining the allegiance of the people

If such a government existed, the answer would be yes.

25 posted on 08/29/2006 4:30:27 AM PDT by Jim Noble (I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.)
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To: Jim Noble
Read 'Army At Dawn'. It's great, and about our invasion of North Africa and operations there. First 700 Americans killed, were killed by the Fwench. Anyways, a cluster from top to bottom for a year or more. Army, Air Force, Navy, State.

Cobra was a walk in the park in comparison.
26 posted on 08/29/2006 4:32:56 AM PDT by Leisler (Islam is the ROP. I know because the President told me so.)
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To: Leisler

but what were you right about? (Maybe we can still do something about it?)


27 posted on 08/29/2006 4:33:12 AM PDT by gusopol3
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To: Steel Wolf
"So far we've been very hesitant to honestly look at what went wrong, for political reasons,...

Yes. This is fallout from the failure of our major political parties (read "Democrats") to stand united on foreign policy, as was done previous to Vietnam.

There is hesitancy to fix a problem because first you have to admit there is a problem. But, if you admit the problem it is used against you politically. The media and political fallout from disclosure of the problem undermines morale and encourages the enemy. This is news to no one. It is why people were previously shot for treason. This was not a problem before the early 1970's. The modern Democrats and the ultra-liberals who staff the major media have simply chosen to place politics before country. Once they made that decision, it was, and is, and will continue to be possible to find fault with every single detail of anything AND USE IT FOR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE; something that did not happen in previous wars. Because the liberals have made this decision, all but the shortest military actions become negatives for the Republicans and for the country. This is the "harsh truth" and is the first thing that needs to be "fixed". Then Democrats and Republicans together, for the benefit of our country, can go about fixing the INEVITABLE problems as they arise.

28 posted on 08/29/2006 4:34:47 AM PDT by LZ_Bayonet
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To: Steel Wolf
As someone who's set foot on Iraqi soil once or twice (and some other of the GWOTs garden spots)...

Me too, and I am very proud to have contributed to such an important fight. Having said that, a few weeks ago, when this book was just coming out, many here were praising Ricks because Diana Irey did a good job of linking a statement by him (something like, "despite all the mistakes that have been made, we must not withdraw from Iraq") with Murtha's idiotic mumblings.

The Dhimmicrats are a criminal conspiracy and an organized peeve. They provide no realistic alternative in fighting the war. But that does not mean that the administration could not do better, and that we should ignore the serious mistakes that have been made-including the failure to have a better plan for the occupation of Iraq.

Always assume the worst in warfare. Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan gave us a false impression of how things would be in Iraq.

29 posted on 08/29/2006 4:54:13 AM PDT by 91B (God made man, Sam Colt made men equal)
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To: woofie

The Iraq liberation remains one of the best decisions GWB has made during his Presidency, given that the alternative was to let Saddam Hussein continue hiding terror cells, continue scudding Israel, and continue funding any and every terror group in the region. (The entire region would REALLY be up in arms today if Saddam was there cheerleading all the violence)

POINT 2: There is but one small region in Iraq which continues to have trouble. The south (Basra) region and the Kurd north are prospering and in relative peace.

3: When the time comes to take action against Iran, we will be in a MUCH much better position with our forces in Iraq, just miles away from the Iranian strongholds. (foreward thinking if you ask me)


30 posted on 08/29/2006 5:04:52 AM PDT by Edit35
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To: All

I have not read this book. The author of this review is a lefty wacko for sure. The thing is Black Hawk Down and many other military books frequently recount mistakes. It is an important part of evaluating our military effectiveness. I am not offended by it at all.


31 posted on 08/29/2006 5:31:44 AM PDT by The Toll
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To: gusopol3
It was a long time ago, I think we had intel manuals on the Hurons or something, so I don't know or remember. Anyways, I picked up a sever case of bitching. Still have it. I remember one NCO, Bitch'n Bob Medena. He could really bitch, he'd get going, turn red, stutter, spit, sentences would break down into a Spanish word here or there such that if you came in late to the show, you wouldn't know what he was stuttering about.

A bunch of lifer NCO's had moved on to a higher level of dealing with the Army, they said noting, no matter what. Kind of Army Buddhist Zen monks who moved orderly and calmly thorough chaos. I chose the middle path, I'd just get drunk.
32 posted on 08/29/2006 5:33:12 AM PDT by Leisler (Islam is the ROP. I know because the President told me so.)
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To: woofie
The antidote to Ricks' nonsense is "America's Victories: Why the U.S. Wins Wars and Will Win the War on Terror."

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595230211/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1/102-2828400-0104139?%5Fencoding=UTF8

I can guarantee you Ricks hasn't looked at some of the stuff I've seen.

33 posted on 08/29/2006 6:04:07 AM PDT by LS
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To: driftless2
EVERY guerilla war of the 20th century took two years to win, and most took between five and ten. The "government" (us, Iraq, in this case) won nine of twelve since 1900. But it takes time.

If anyone thinks ANYTHING in war goes according to any plan, just look at both the Japanese planning for Midway and our own. Both sides were a comedy of errors. In the end, the more free, flexible, and determined forces usually win over the less free and rigid.

34 posted on 08/29/2006 6:06:51 AM PDT by LS
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To: Leisler
Read 'Army At Dawn'. It's great, and about our invasion of North Africa and operations there. First 700 Americans killed, were killed by the Fwench. Anyways, a cluster from top to bottom for a year or more.

I'm reading it now. Totally FUBAR. And yet we still won in the end because (unlike today) we had the will to keep on going.

35 posted on 08/29/2006 6:19:03 AM PDT by Tinian
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To: Non-Sequitur

Janice Karpinski was relieved though I believe reduced in rank first.


36 posted on 08/29/2006 7:03:51 AM PDT by Dilbert56
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To: woofie

It's easy to say in retrospect what was wrong.


37 posted on 08/29/2006 7:22:16 AM PDT by FierceKulak
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To: piasa

Here come the books pointing the accusing finger and foundation for 2008. I do not plan on reading this one but no book about the removal of Saddam can be complete without the foundation describing what the liberals did/do, whatever they could, to protect Saddam.


38 posted on 08/29/2006 7:29:59 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
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To: woofie
Iraq is not a failure.

Not by a long shot.

Iraq is a success. It just isn't finished yet, so the lefties who watch too much TV and expect everything to be wrapped up in a one hour episode simply don't get it.

39 posted on 08/29/2006 7:32:37 AM PDT by Allegra (Six more days...)
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To: woofie

The word Fiasco means 'complete and humiliating failure'
Not true as far as Iraq is concerned.
Here are some facts for the author:
-Saddam behind bars
-Al-Qaeda's henchman in Iraq is dead
-Millions taking part in three elections within one year despite the violence from anti-freedom forces
- new constitution and a new form of government for the first time in Iraq's history (no more dictatorships).

In few years time, when the dust settles, people will truely take pride in what was achieved and all the sacrifices.

I liked this statement about Rick's book:
'''Fiasco'' doesn't have the answers, because no one does'
Yeah, of course. Did anyone expect answers from the lefties?


40 posted on 08/29/2006 8:16:01 AM PDT by Mr_Tiki
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