Iron Hammer (David Warren)

David Warren Online / Ottawa Citizen ^ | 15 November 2003 | David Warren

[Lando Lincoln]

Searched and didn't see this. Sometimes DW's material has different titles in different publications.

[68skylark]

This is amazing! It's the second or third story I've read today in which a writer is acting like a grown up, honestly trying to do his job without the childish anti-Bush bias that we usually see. I'm not familiar with David Warren, but he seems like one of the good guys. I'll watch for his writing in the future.

[MeekOneGOP]

[billorites]

Here's another Grownup you might enjoy reading.

[68skylark]

Thanks for the link -- you're right, that guy has some interesting things to say.

[Dog]

It was the Pentagon that wanted a faster turnover of civilian functions to an Iraqi provisional government; and State which wanted a slower and more thorough constitutional process. Once again, the Pentagon is now getting its way, and President Bush is applying pressure to speed up transfers of power.

We wasted how many months and lives while the State Dept had its way......amazing.....now we play catch up.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

This is really good. Thanks, Lando, seamole.

...far from having failed, the Pentagon tactical approach -- annihilating the enemy takes priority over winning "hearts and minds" -- has been vindicated by events in Iraq.

~~~~~
David Warren (adult) on Rummy (adult) being right (again).
~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[Dog]

I know this may sound cold .....but there is no way in heck the American soldier should be painting a blasted school when you have bad guys running around the country killing people.

They are fighters not .....painters....use the former Iraq army for that task.

That has been a pet peeve of mine for months..

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[MHGinTN]

Appreciate the ping. This is a good piece I would have missed had you not posted it and pinged to it.

[niteowl77]

Third, far from having failed, the Pentagon tactical approach -- annihilating the enemy takes priority over winning "hearts and minds" -- has been vindicated by events in Iraq. Last May, it was the Pentagon arguing that the war wasn't over yet. Though I am simplifying for clarity, it was the State Department arguing that it was then time for the civilian types to take over from the military types and "win the peace" through the usual distribution of candy.

In that sense, the U.S. is indeed now trying to recover from a lapse of attention.

This is too long for a bumper sticker, but it encapsulates the problem beautifully (IMO). As bad as the military can screw stuff up, State contains the real virtuosos... with, apparently, the CIA vying for top honors.

[blackie]

David Warren (adult) on Rummy (adult) being right (again).

~Big Bump!~

[alfa6]

Thanks for the ping Lando, been busier than a one armed paperhanger last couple weeks, and it will probably only get worse till after New Years, sigh...

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Cdnexpat]

He is one of the good guys. He write for the Ottawa Citizen and National Post (occasionally).

[edchambers]

I know this may sound cold .....but there is no way in heck the American soldier should be painting a blasted school when you have bad guys running around the country killing people.

True

They are fighters not .....painters....use the former Iraq army for that task.

Not true, anyone who has ever served can tell you soldiers are in fact painters and janitors and landscapers and anything else the Service decides we are and we don't get to pick mission we are given.

That has been a pet peeve of mine for months..

It was a pet peeve of mine for nine years which is part of the reason I'm a civilian now.

[archy]

Paul Bremer, the U.S. proconsul, is back in Baghdad after urgent consultations in Washington, and in the field, Operation Iron Hammer has begun.

Meanwhile, back in Afghanistan....

-archy-/-