George Orwell
U.S. soldiers of the HHB Field Artillery, Quick Reaction Force, during a night patrol in Baghdad, January 24, 2007. (Erik de Castro/Reuters)
Posted on 01/26/2007 3:22:14 AM PST by markomalley
Fort Stewart — As his troops head into a third combat tour in Iraq, the commanding general of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division said Thursday war-weary Americans should "quit complaining" and prepare themselves for the conflict to continue several more years.
"We're now in a debate about whether or not the third deployment is too much and whether you should have a year between [deployments] in dwell time," Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch told reporters. "I believe it's time for us to quit complaining and focus on doing our duty."
Lynch said it's not soldiers and their spouses who are complaining about the war, but rather people in "outside circles" from the military.
(snip)
Speaking at a news conference, Lynch cautioned that Americans shouldn't expect the troop surge to bring a quick resolution to the war. He said success in Iraq could take more than twice as long as the nearly four years American troops already have spent there.
"If we let the American people realize ... we as a nation are engaged in a long war, that historically it takes at least nine years to complete a counterinsurgency operation, then the American people will be supportive," Lynch said.
He urged Americans to look to the resolve of U.S. soldiers who fought in World War II "and didn't come back until it was over." American forces have been in Iraq longer than the duration of World War II.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
| Conflict | Start | End | Total |
| World War | Sept 1939 | Aug 1945 | 5 yrs 11 mos |
| Iraqi War | Mar 2003 | Jan 2007 | 3 yrs 10 mos (to date) |
I hear you, but frankly, I would just as soon know now where everyone stands than not. If some Americans can't or won't "get it" after 5+ years of this kind of warfare, they most likely never will. If it means turning some off, then so be it.
I understand the sentiment, but it runs counter to the Administration's own reasoning. They understand that the war is unpopular, which is why they do everything in their power to minimize its' negative aspects. The tight ROE, for example, is a compromise. It says, "We're sending troops to war, but we understand you don't like the idea, so we're going to make it a very nice, civilized war."
There's dozens of examples of how the Administration runs this effort in a very voter-sensitive way. They realize they're on shaky ground. While it might be gratifying to hear some Pattonesque talk from our generals, it's probably a dumb idea, as far as keeping people on board. The war effort is facing a steady erosion of support, and comments like this won't help.
"God and the soldiers we adore
But in time of danger, and not before"
The Liberal mindset.
George Orwell
U.S. soldiers of the HHB Field Artillery, Quick Reaction Force, during a night patrol in Baghdad, January 24, 2007. (Erik de Castro/Reuters)
3rd ID soldiers ready to move into Iraq
Sean Harder | Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 12:30 am |
1st Brigade commander Col. John Charlton
Troops will work alongside their replacements before taking control of Al Anbar province.
Nearly 4,000 Fort Stewart soldiers are checking equipment and running last-minute combat exercises in the Kuwaiti desert before their move next week into Iraq's Al Anbar Province - the stronghold of the Sunni insurgency.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team has traded the mild winters of south Georgia for cold desert nights and the occasional sandstorm. The weather has hampered some training, but the desert environment is helping focus soldiers' minds, said 1st Brigade commander Col. John Charlton in a phone interview from Kuwait on Monday.
"It's a good opportunity for soldiers, now that they've left their families, to get used to the climate and focus on the mission ahead," he said. "They're ready and anxious to get up there and do their job."
By next week, most of the brigade will move into Ramadi, a city west of Baghdad. Soldiers will spend several weeks working side-by-side with the 1st Armored Division brigade they're replacing.
"We call it the left seat, right seat concept," Charlton said. "Their units will take us to meet key figures in the civilian leadership and various sheiks so we can learn all those personalities."
Charlton said the brigade's primary mission is to get Iraqi security forces to assume full responsibility in Al Anbar province. Initially, 3rd Infantry Division soldiers will continue to take the lead on several operations.
"In some areas we already have Iraqis taking the lead; in other areas we're still building those forces," Charlton said. "We'll continue training them so they ultimately take over completely."
Charlton said he's stressed to his soldiers that this is a pivotal year in Iraq, a year in which all of the Army's counterinsurgency knowledge must be applied to turn the country's security situation around.
Key to that is the Army's new counterinsurgency manual, which the new U.S. commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, helped to write. The manual emphasizes the need to put capable Iraqi security forces in the lead and to focus more on protecting civilians than tracking down insurgents.
"It's the Iraqi population that has to be your focus," Charlton said. "It's not so much about hunting down and killing terrorists, although that's part of it. You need a lot of combat power on the ground to protect the civilian population. Then everything else that contributes to stability can begin to occur."
Last week, the Army acknowledged it is still 22 percent short of the armored Humvees it needs in Iraq and that many of the 21,500 extra troops President Bush has ordered to Iraq won't have access to specialized armor because it is in such short supply.
Charlton said that armor shortage will not affect 1st Brigade soldiers.
"I'm happy with our equipment situation," he said. "I've seen an abundance of up-armored Humvees with the latest armor kits. We'll also be going in there with all of our tanks and Bradleys (Fighting Vehicles)."
Entering combat can create its share of anxiety, Charlton said, but the brigade's experienced soldiers are ensuring that younger troops are prepared.
"It's a dangerous situation and everyone knows that," he said. "I'm telling soldiers to take this opportunity to hone their combat skills. The thing that can get you hurt is lack of discipline, complacency and carelessness.
"But I look at each of these young guys and each one says 'Yes sir, I'm ready.' "
http://savannahnow.com/node/216144
The firebombing of Dresden, Germany in WWII consisted, of the by-then standard methods,[18][19] of dropping large amounts of high-explosive to blow off the roofs to expose the timbers within buildings, followed by incendiary devices (fire-sticks) to ignite them and then more high-explosives to hamper the efforts of the fire services. The consequences of these standard methods were particularly effective in Dresden: the bombings eventually created a self-sustaining firestorm with temperatures peaking at over 1500°C (2700°F). After a wide area caught fire, the air above the bombed area became extremely hot and rose rapidly. Cold air then rushed in at ground level from outside, and people were sucked into the fire.
Great idea, lady.
Since they're comparing the length of time of WWII and this battle, let's compare casualties.
What? That doesn't fit their agenda? Ahhh, ok.
If we were fighting this war the same way, it probably would be over. However, we aren't as a nation fully mobilized and troops aren't deployed for the duration.
I think it best to do a war the WWII way, BUT if it's fought as a rotation war with smaller forces on the ground, then it's going to take longer.
The media is trying to compare things that don't compare.
I am ashamed when I think of the sacrifices made by my
mother and grandmother and aunts during the Big One.
The media silence of PFC Tucker's & PFC's Menchaca's horrific deaths is because the media has no brass all dough. When they are embedded our military protect them to the detriment of the mission.
I've said before, Americans have been enjoying freedom for free. The only ones protecting our freedoms are members of our volunteer military. Our educators, media and even parents have not taught our youngsters that freedom is not free. Sometimes we have to stand and fight to keep the enemy at bay. That is what we're doing today, The enemy is here, they helped their warriors enter our country to bomb it. Yet the media cries we've been fighting too long. When one of their own was beheaded and the beheading taped, the sat and wrung their hands. Had they shown the American public what the enemy is capable of, I think the public would realize we are in a fierce fight. If we lose we can expect the enemy within to step up to their plate and do the same thing here.
HOW DARE HIM TO MAKE COMPLETE SENSE!!! How dare him to chill the MSM, Marxist-Dimocrats, and RINOcrats. How dare him to tell them to actually "go to hell". Love it. Continue to fire at them General. Finally a General with some guts and not a newspaper general looking to impress congress for the next star.
Bingo.
Methinks they actually support it! Whenever given the chance to vote in a way that matters, they overwhelmingly SUPPORT it. Only when words & votes don't actually matter do they "oppose" it.
As such, the danger is that all the meaningless rhetoric will persuade the _Right_ to give up. I'm reminded of "1984" where the tyrants do not destroy their opposition, they facilitate their opponents then _convert_ them.
It worked.
Enough said.
What other kind is there?
Much better. The Moros were Muslim fanatics, and are still around.
There were actually two Philippine insurrections, the first composed of a broad range of people, the second and much longer one, of the Moro fanatics.
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch for PRESIDENT 2008!
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