And Now, the Good News

New York Times ^ | 3/28/03 | MAICHAEL O'HANLON

[The Wizard]

nice piece

[PGalt]

The good news throughout history is that the enemies of life have always been defeated by life.

[stands2reason]

bttt

[PhilipFreneau]

That's not true. In fact, the Bush administration has said from the beginning that the American people must be prepared for a battle that is longer than predicted, as well as American casualities.

Agree. It is the media who is continually raising the bar. Shortly after the initial bombing, a panelist on PBS's "Washington Week", Tom Gjelten of National Public Radio, spun it this way: "Gwen I--here's what I think. I think if we--if there--if the war is continuing next week at this time--and this is where I go out on a limb--if the war is continuing a week from tonight, it's bad news."

[HiTech RedNeck]

We rightfully complain that "NATO" Turkey won't let us march in through them. But consider, that given this war had to happen today, Saddam did us a big favor in 1991 by invading Kuwait and making a sworn enemy out of them. Had Saddam simply kept to himself while brewing up his WMD, Kuwait would be giving us at least as much grief as Turkey, and we'd have virtually no effective way to attack Iraq at all.

A BIG THANK YOU TO KUWAIT

[HiTech RedNeck]

As far as Baghdad and Saddamnation is concerned, WE are the ones who are looming....

[cyncooper]

I found yet another statement from clinton dated March 14 that says:

"The former president also said he believed Iraq's army would crumble within days in the event of a U.S. invasion, given the battering it took in the 1991 Gulf War."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/864435/posts

[cyncooper]

Actually,the article is dated 3/14. Speech given the 3/13.

[Miss Marple]

Thanks for adding that! I am dedicated to making sure that gets out. Bubba has put his foot in it this time!

[Neets]

Might it not add fire to the fuel by emailing those quotes/links to all media outlets???

[cyncooper]

You are most welcome. I think you are on to something. We all know whose words the media hangs on.

[PISANO]

Nevertheless, the rest of the article: seems like a pretty good analysis

I agree for the most part and I believe GW did tell us all along that the war would come at a heavy cost. It was the "RETIRED MILITARY and CIVILIAN PUNDITS" that gave the false impression it would be a cake walk. Also if the administration would have done what this author seems to suggest and present a 'doom and gloom' scenario to the public, there would never have been the support necessary for this war to be undertaken.

All in all I would say that what I heard from the C-in-C and what is happening now is in sync. It is the NEWS MEDIA that is going apoplectic.

[cyncooper]

It was the "RETIRED MILITARY and CIVILIAN PUNDITS" that gave the false impression it would be a cake walk.

See Miss Marple's and my links above. Clinton himself was setting the bar for a military campaign taking only a few days.

[Jim Noble]

>>Yes, the Red Army had to get troops accross the Volga, but they were still able to get them there<<

When was the last time the Tigris froze?

[cyncooper]

Rush talking about clinton NOW, sowing the seeds of the a quick military action!

He quoted from a speech. Not sure if it's the speech I found referenced earlier today.

[bdeaner]

The Times doesn't give like this unless it's planning to sink its teeth into Bush at another point.

That's a good point. I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Then again, the opinion of this author could reflect the reality of a split among liberals. Just one more issue to splinter the Democraps into irreconcilable, increasingly irrelevant and insignicant fragments.

[bdeaner]

I spilled my coffee when I read this.The NYT is printing a positive article

It really does happen sometimes. Rarely. But it does happen. And when it does, well, that's very, very interesting. That speaks volumes.

[bdeaner]

Seems things have gone pretty DAMN GOOD

I agree. Things have gone remarkably well, considering the fact that we are fighting an enemy who does not play by the usual rules of battle, that we are supposedly fighting against international opinion (which is very debatable), and against the potential use of WMD's. Anyone who thought this battle would be a "cake walk" (and they won't be found in the Bush administration) was setting themselves up for bitter disappointment. Given the circumstances, the U.S. military has made significant gains in a very short amount of time.

[ctdonath2]

We're about to enter Baghdad...just in time for a new moon.

Could have been the plan all along: our troops "own the night", and what better way to do urban operations than when the opposition can't see a thing. Explains the full-moon start of the war that baffled people.