Posted on 02/28/2006 8:10:46 AM PST by TheForceOfOne
BAGHDAD I FLEW over the streets of this city on Sunday. The calm made a striking contrast to the media hysteria. No mosques burned. No demonstrations seethed. The closest thing I saw to violence was a children's soccer game played in a suburb.
Baghdad isn't Candyland, of course. We skimmed the city at 300 feet — combat altitude — with the Blackhawk's guns up.
But it sure wasn't civil war. For now, at least, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his blood-cult terrorists haven't succeeded in pitting Sunni against Shia.
Our effort to help Iraqis build a rule-of-law democracy may yet fail. But it remains a better bet that Iraq will become the most equitably governed major Arab state and that a democracy, however imperfect, will stand where a monstrous regime fell.
Last week, the terrorists scored a temporary win by bombing the Golden Mosque in Samarra. Retaliatory attacks pocked Iraq's urban landscapes, providing striking TV images. Starved for headlines, the global media declared a civil war.
But the Iraqis didn't sign up. Yes, there was "unrest." And a daytime curfew was imposed. But after an initial spate of bickering, Iraq's key leaders came together — as they could not have done under Saddam — to calm the situation.
More deaths and dangers lie ahead. Poor decisions made three years ago in Washington mean that we travel Baghdad's streets well-armed today. We never had enough troops at the bottom or sufficient integrity at the top. Now no honest voice would claim that America "owns" Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Yes, but perfection is what is required if a republican president (especially dubya) is doing it.
Wish they would get someone who actually understands Counter Insurgency. Yeah, 500,000 troops really helped in Vietnam Ralph. More troops does NOT = more security. Just stupid babbel from people who DO NOT have the slightest clue how to win a Counter Insurgency. El Salvador Option Ralph. The LAST thing we want to do is recreate Vietnam where the Viets stood back because the White Trash Americans demanded that the Americans had to DO everything cause the "Gooks" could not be trusted. Just amazing how so many of the Senile Old Conservative Caucus want to turn Iraq into the new Vietnam. We want the Iraqis to run Iraq Ralph, NOT create the 51st state. I know you Junk Journalists do not get it but your hysteric whines at Washington, while they make YOU feel all good and self righteous, are the ignorant babble of the Big Armor Cold War officers. This is not a fight you are trained for Ralph so you should have the decency to NOT second guess the pros
It always amazes me how competent journalists are at making military decisions. The know exactly what was done wrong and that things would have been better if they'd just done what the journalists (now) think should have been done.
"Yeah, 500,000 troops really helped in Vietnam Ralph."
What's the old adage about always fighting the last war? Maybe this guy is an example of that mindset.
I agree. More troops means just more targets.
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