[M. Dodge Thomas]

"Are you kidding me? The banner read "Mission Accomplished", not "The War is over". "

The image that comes to my mind when I read such statements is something like Tojo standing on the deck of a Japenase aircraft carrier on Dec. 8, 1941 Carrier and announcing "Mission Accomplished".

In the long view every military effort - however brlliantly planned and executed and no matter how great its success or falure - must be judged by whether it is a step along an achievable path toward a realistic ultimate goal.

The Japanese untimatly failed because they had no realistic plan for "victory", only the hope the the "Shock and Awe" of a succession of military victories would break the will of Western Representative Democracy and thus reorder the international balance of power in the Far East.

Similarly, in Iraq we had no "plan" beyond the hope the the Shock and Awe of a decisive military victory in Iraq would break the will of Islamic Fundamentalism, and reorder the balance of power in the Middle East.

[Eagle of Liberty]

Similarly, in Iraq we had no "plan" beyond the hope the the Shock and Awe of a decisive military victory in Iraq would break the will of Islamic Fundamentalism, and reorder the balance of power in the Middle East.

Your Tojo analogy is insane. Furthermore, the Japanese DID have a plan for victory, but unfortunately for them, their target, us, fought back relentlessly and did not let them implement it.

In Iraq, we did have a plan, but right now, an insurgency that was fueled years ago by Zarqawi, the Syrians and the Iranians still exists. I see no other option for Bush than to announce to the neighboring countries to discontinue fueling the violence or risk retaliation strikes.

[Garvin]

"Similarly, in Iraq we had no "plan" beyond the hope the the Shock and Awe of a decisive military victory in Iraq would break the will of Islamic Fundamentalism, and reorder the balance of power in the Middle East."

I guess you were briefed by the Sec Def personally to know this was the total plan?

[ARCADIA]

That's a good analysis/summation.