Posted on 12/18/2001 3:29:18 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
here is another article that might be of interest that Joe Montana told me about:
What an impressive article. Thanks for the this post. Quite extraordinary. And dead-on.
Check your location, I think it was worthwhile !
The feeling that we might be responsible for the hatred directed against us suggested that we should perhaps seek to assuage and placate. But there is no assuaging those who see your very existence as a denial of the faith and an affront to God. There is no placating those who offer you the choice of conversion or death.We can now, however, carry on with a confidence we did not have before Afghanistan. Confidence that even religious fanaticism can be defeated, that despite its bravado, it carries no mandate from heaven. The psychological effect of our stunning victory in Afghanistan is already evident.
It is beginning now not because our propaganda is good. Not because al-Jazeera changed its anti-American tune. Not because a wave of remorse spontaneously erupted in places like Saudi Arabia. But because, with our B-52s, our special forces, our smart bombs, our daisy cutters--our power and our will--we scattered the enemy.
Excellent article by Charles Krauthammer. Thanks Dennis.
Bookmarked for future reference.
I think that is the whole point on why the Arabs street is silent now ---because to them it was about gods. The Arabs thought they would win because their god desired this. Now they have to question if their god wanted them to lose or if they're wrong about their god.
I would like to say, though, that although I never felt that the outcome was in doubt, I have been tremendously impressed with the execution of the war by our military. I read an article the other day in the New York Times talking about out our guys went about putting together the Southern & Eastern Alliance troops to take the south and east-- about figuring out who the commanders and political players needed to be, rousting them out of retirement in Pakistan, putting together the troops (and training them) , the supplies, the plan-- in short, there WAS no war in the south, and our guys created one. Gave me a whole new meaning to the term "make war". I can't wait until this whole thing is over (in Afghanistan, at least), so the books will come out that tell the whole story of where all our folks were and what they were doing-- what we've read so far is just the tip of the iceberg.
Most of all, though, I'm impressed with their accomplishments in light of the very small number of casualties. I would be willing to bet that fewer of our military guys have died in Afghanistan than would otherwise have died in car accidents, training accidents and bar fights had they all been back here in the U.S. instead.
Impressive-- start to finish, in the air and on land-- our troops are the BEST.
Great quote.
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