PROGRESS IN TECHNOLOGY WE SHOULDN'T TRUST WAR: Shock and awe have their limits,.....

Saint Louis Today ^ | 12/08/2003 | By MICHAEL BELLESILES

[.cnI redruM]

Military techno-hype, reflecting a long-standing Anglo-American faith in technological quick fixes, has frequently fed expectations of a "clean" victory. But we have found that the latest technology does not always shorten wars.

As early as 1609, John Smith, a leader of colonial Virginia, told his troops that if they just discharged their muskets at the Indians, "the very smoake will bee sufficient to affright them." Unfortunately, Smith was wrong. Virginia's Indians developed tactics to circumvent the colonists' technological advantages. Smith returned to England, proclaiming his mission accomplished, but the Virginia Indian wars lasted for decades.

[.cnI redruM]

More expertise on firearms from Michael Bellesiles.

[Semper Paratus]

Smith returned to England, proclaiming his mission accomplished, but the Virginia Indian wars lasted for decades.

If it wasn't for the tech advantage every single settlement would have been wiped out by the first winter.

[keithtoo]

Well, well, well, we here from Michael again. I think history will prove that Mr. Belleislles is making this stuff up.

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>>>If it wasn't for the tech advantage every single settlement would have been wiped out by the first winter.

If it weren't for those inconvenient footnote thingies, Bellesiles would still have a real job.

[elbucko]

I am certainly no fan of Bellesiles, but he does make a universal and salient point about the military and technology. That being the tendency to overestimate the effectiveness of your own weapons and to underestimate the resistance of ones enemy. It's as old as human conflict, and as basic as; "My daddy can beat-up your daddy".

In this context, however, Bellesiles is offering this bromide as an indictment against Bush's invasion of Iraq. In this case, I think Bush is using one of the oldest and most effective tactics of warfare; occupy the high ground. And right now, Iraq is the highest ground in the Middle East.

[.cnI redruM]

Or 'Our researchers can utterly discredit your sources?'

[elbucko]

American air power did enormous damage to the Iraqi military, destroyed numerous key government structures and killed uncounted numbers of civilians. In the process, the United States alienated millions of people around the world, including, it seems, a great many Iraqis.

The whole point and reason for Bellesiles article. An opinion piece disguised as informative commentary. I'll bet this is in the NYT and LAT before the weekend.

[spodefly]

BELLESILES is a lying, traitorous hack. His (Marxist) attempt at rewriting American history has shown him to be the goon that he is. Anything he says is an attempt to manipulate through lies and distortions. Anyone that publishes his crap is complicit in propagating lies and distortions.

[elbucko]

Or 'Our researchers can utterly discredit your sources?'

LOL! Exactly.

[rmlew]

The lying idiot strikes again!
In the American Revolution, Britain's Capt. Patrick Ferguson believed his ingenious breech-loading rifle would guarantee victory. His confidence cost him his life in the South Carolina forests at King's Mountain, where American peasants carrying old-fashioned weapons wiped out his forces.
Idiot. Ferguson's companies had already been stripped of the Ferguson Rifle by that point. Because of logistics, they were re-issued Brown Betsies.

[.cnI redruM]

SO what part of that resume disqualifies him for tenure. The part where he got caught, perhaps?

[spodefly]

Unfortunately, that is true. Emory University would have happily let him continue penning lies for the rest of his days had the spotlight not been so bright.

[upcountryhorseman]

This guy's previous rant was proven to be factually
incorrect and full of phony research.

[.cnI redruM]

I respectfully refer to my reply in post #6.

[TC Rider]

Shouldn't the STL paper post a disclaimer?

Warning: Author of this commentary is a known liar and a discredited scholar!

[.cnI redruM]

No, they've left that up to your humble scribe, .cnI redruM. I'll admit I'm pompous enough to enjoy this to a certain extent.