Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

[Hanson] The Long Riders: How do our soldiers do it all?
National Review Online ^ | March 24, 2003 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 03/24/2003 5:31:29 AM PST by xsysmgr

The screen graphics, television glitz, punditry, lead-in music — all that hype of the news sometimes disguises the sheer improbability of what we are attempting. Too many forget about the obstacles of time and space altogether. But Iraq is over 7,000 miles away. The weather is windy; sandstorms are common; and sleep is impossible. We are trying to conquer a fascist regime in the Middle East, fighting in a sea of outright enemies or duplicitous friends. The world is turned upside down as a Kuwait is more trustworthy than a France or Germany.

All in the Middle East claim they want democracy; few wish to fight for it; most begrudge those who do. Tactical surprise was lost long ago. In fact, never in the history of military operations have so many troops had to invade so exposed from such a narrow front. Patton yelled to “______ the flanks” and plunge ahead; but even he would have never been so audacious to send thousands barreling nonstop ahead in a narrow motorized column. It took Sherman three months to slice through the Carolinas; Patton romped his 400 miles in two months; we are impatient that it might take us five days to cover the same distance to Saddam Hussein’s bunker.

Baghdad is their target, but Baghdad is also far away, and the path of desert, marsh, and town is choreographed, and progress televised and watched by the world. Most parents do not leave their teens alone on weekends; but hundreds of thousands of them now are driving tanks and trucks to their rendezvous with the Republican Guard, a modern SS mercenary band of killers and criminals. Scuds that we were assured by the U.N. did not exist are launched to kill our soldiers — shot down by Patriot missiles we were told would not work. In response, 48 hours into a war snarly foreign journalists demand proof of Weapons of Mass Destruction — who we know will be silent when evidence of them soon appears.

Meanwhile thousands of Americans ride alone on to Baghdad.

Friends like Turkey bar a second northern front; but once our soldiers take on the enemy, they sneak across the border to intimidate Kurds who are at least real allies. Our bombs are among the most selective in the history of warfare, hitting the headquarters of fascist killers, the modern-day equivalents of Hitler, Goering, Ribbentrop, and Himmler — even as Western journalists ask whether we are seeking a repeat of a Dresden and Hamburg.

CNN tele-journalists are expelled from Baghdad; and in perplexity (given their own slant and bias) they whine that a suddenly ungrateful Saddam Hussein usually was fairer to them than the United States. Arab papers lie that atomic bombs were used. Hamas calls for suicide murdering. Our own New York Times’s headlines blare “Oil Wells Burn” even as we read that less than a dozen, not 600, are ablaze. Its columnists in a time of war call for the resignation of the secretary of state and claim protesters not soldiers under fire are our true heroes. Articles allege that the news is slanted — and in the Pentagon’s favor no less! Most of us in response sigh that at least we are spared from more of the nightly nonsense of Scott Ritter, Dominique de Villepin, and Hans Blix.

And thousands of Americans ride alone on to Baghdad.

The rules of this surreal war are as contradictory as the hoplite protocols of old Greece. We can bomb the headquarters of a terrorist state, but not hit anyone but outlaw generals — as if a criminal society exists only because of the evil of a handful of men who must be distinguished at night from a nation of 26 million. Trenches of oil are ignited to thwart our laser-guided bombs; civilians are put as shields in harm’s way; the sky is lighted up with antiaircraft fire — but a bomb deflected, a missile sent astray is our fault, not theirs. Thousands of Iraqi soldiers surrender as crowds of civilians cheer; in response the Arab Street at a safe distance threatens us with death, and protesters in free societies slur the liberation of those under fascism. Our soldiers must not die, but nor should they kill either; instead they must find a way through lights and fire to scare a Reich into submission.

And thousands of Americans ride alone on to Baghdad.

How do such men and women do such things, against such material, cultural, military, and psychological odds? I don’t know. But in the last year all those who have bet against the Americans now riding into the desert — elite journalists, out-of-touch academics, and self-satisfied Europeans — have been consistently wrong in their shrill predictions that we were either incompetent or amoral or would fail.

Why is this so? It is not merely that so many are so ignorant of history, or that most who are degreed and certified are glib and swarmy, but not educated. No, the better explanation is that they rarely work among, know, see or care about the type of Americans now barreling to Baghdad — who are still a different, and I think, a better sort of people.

And now thousands of them ride on to Baghdad.



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: iraqifreedom; opiraqifreedom

1 posted on 03/24/2003 5:31:30 AM PST by xsysmgr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
James Michener asked the question fifty years ago in The Bridges of Toko-ri.Holland Smith, general U.S.M.C., asked the question in the shock after Tarawa. Hanson asks it today. We will ask it in the future. "Where do we get such men?" As long as we are able to ask that question in a spirit of awe and wonder we will know that our Great Republic is secure.
2 posted on 03/24/2003 5:42:09 AM PST by xkaydet65
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
VDH always hits the nail square on the head.

And thousands of Americans ride on to Baghdad...but not alone. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

3 posted on 03/24/2003 5:48:42 AM PST by shezza (God bless America, and God bless and protect our valiant troops.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: shezza
Any word on the 3rd Marines lately? Last I heard was Saturday(?) they were pressing North from Basra. That would put them on the right along the Tigris somewhere.
4 posted on 03/24/2003 6:18:51 AM PST by Air Force Born
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: IncPen
where do we get such men ?
5 posted on 03/24/2003 6:27:37 AM PST by BartMan1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Air Force Born
I don't know, but the talking heads (mostly retired military) frequently draw arrows on screenwriter maps to show where the various divisions are and where they're headed. When I hear anything, I'll ping ya.
6 posted on 03/24/2003 6:28:35 AM PST by shezza (God bless America, and God bless and protect our valiant troops.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

bttt
7 posted on 03/24/2003 6:28:38 AM PST by 1rudeboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
How do such men and women do such things, against such material, cultural, military, and psychological odds?

Hard, realistic, demanding training.

"The Romans are certain of victory; because their exercises are battles without bloodshed, and their battles bloody exercises"

Flavius Josephius

8 posted on 03/24/2003 6:33:35 AM PST by TADSLOS (Sua Sponte)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Air Force Born
...3rd Divison is now 50 miles out of Baghdad according to the wires.
8 posted on 03/24/2003 10:43 AM EST by ewing

This thread is detailing troop movements as they close in on the target.

9 posted on 03/24/2003 8:05:57 AM PST by shezza (God bless America, and God bless and protect our valiant troops.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: BartMan1
>>where do we get such men ?<<

Remember that summer day we marveled at the confluence of history that gave us Hitler Mussolini and Tojo, but also Einstein, FDR, Ike, Patton... and so many others?

History is always in the right place, at the right time...
11 posted on 03/24/2003 9:09:24 AM PST by IncPen (Get 'em, boys!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: shezza
And thousands of Americans ride on to Baghdad...but not alone. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

BUMP

12 posted on 03/24/2003 9:54:04 AM PST by browardchad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
I need a hankie.

A former student came to visit us just before being deployed to Kuwait. He looked very mature, yet very young in his Army uniform - quite a change from the baggy pants and t-shirt he normally wore in class.

He was trying to look proud and brave, yet there was fear in his eyes. We told him he'd be just fine, he'd do just fine. And I think he will.

13 posted on 03/24/2003 5:17:24 PM PST by Amelia (God bless our troops!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
bump
14 posted on 03/28/2003 2:02:17 AM PST by LadyDoc (liberals only love politically correct poor people)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsysmgr
Nice post, a keeper. Thanks. Hanson is flat-out wonderful. He's a remarkably talented writer, teacher and historian.
15 posted on 03/28/2003 2:10:23 AM PST by AHerald
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson