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There has been a lot of talk about our 'long supply lines'. Is there any evidence that the supplies are not getting through? No, they are. The problem the irregular forces inflict on the supply lines are completely over-hyped by a media that suggests one US casualty implies a complete failure of war strategy. This is silly.

I agree - how many reports have there been about supply troops getting in trouble since the first one - where they had the bad luck to take a wrong turn and be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I haven't heard or seen any. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

The movement of supplies may be done more carefully now, but it seems to be going without other incidents like the one over the weekend.

In fact, I heard a radio report today that says a Marine unit (battalion?) was "held in place" because they were on the forward edge of their resupply ability. In other words, CENTCom understands that resuplly has limits in hostile territory - and they're making sure not to let units become isolated from resupply.

Is it hard to fly without a left wing? (I didn't think so!;-)

Is there any evidence that the supplies are not getting through? No...

I agree. The comparisons being made are illustrative, but the author does not have a clue as to how modern logistics (supply-chain) works for the military. It's not only "just-in-time" logistics, if the material or resource can be delivered by any means, it will get there.

If they need stuff, and it isn't getting through via convoy, the commanders will find out what is missing as soon as the convoy is stopped. In every unit, there are people getting into the net and asking "where's my stuff, where's my stuff," and there are people in central command looking at the overall theatre and asking "where's everyone's stuff," and the lag on this info is a day at most. There are other folks who are looking at predictive and causitive factors and wondering (i.e. modeling) about trends. Onesie and twosie failures are going to be taken in stride, even if the media has a cow over them.

Not that it's necessarily all rosy for the individual guys & gals at the pointy end. Have you sent a care package today?

You're right to bring up the long supply line red herring. The supplies are getting there and the US Military has radically renovated its logistical method. Thousands of tons of unnecessary supplies were delivered during GWI. This time we are delivering them more scientifically. God pity the infidel.