Vietnam's lessons forgotten in Iraq (Quagmire Alert)

Boston Globe ^ | 4-4-03 | H.D.S. Greenway

[Lance Romance]

HEN THE NORTH Vietnamese first encountered American firepower in the valley of Ia Drang nearly four decades ago, they developed a new tactic called ''grab them by the belt.'' What they meant was: Get close enough to the Americans so that some of their firepower will be neutralized in such close proximity. The Iraqis learned that lesson in 1991 when they put all their chips on defeating the Americans in the open desert. This time they mean to grab us by the belt by fighting in the cities.

[Lance Romance]

But I confess I never worried about the competence of Rumsfeld and Co. to run a war. I do now.

Amazing they can still write this crap as we are entering Bagdhad two weeks from the beginning of the war. Let say I worry about Mr. Greenways competence as a writer and a thinker.

[NoClones]

The real problem in Vietnam was not the US military. Rather the problems and most of the deaths can be traced directly to the democrat leadership and their contemptible posturing!

[IronJack]

Get close enough to the Americans so that some of their firepower will be neutralized in such close proximity.

And if this author knew anything about the battle of the Ia Drang, he would know that one of the things that saved the Americans was the brilliant execution of artillery support that took out enemy even when they were virtually on top of the friendlies.

Why is it naysayers like this are always so quick to credit the ingenuity of our foes, but are blind to the ingenuity of our own forces?

[Asclepius]

This time they mean to grab us by the belt by fighting in the cities.

Well, duh. This is why we've been blasting right past the cities, containing as opposed to storming them, e.g. Bosra. We may even do the same with Baghdad according to some reports. We're not taking the bait, Lance.

[per loin]

Don't waste your time worrying about the non-existant.

[dighton]

"There's always someone who doesn't get the word."

[Pharlap]

He will still be advancing the "Viet Nam quagmire" after the war is over, a new government is in place and we have left Iraq. The anti-America media cite Viet Nam because we won all the other wars. And, if Johnson were not in charge and if Crockite (old "little illness" to those who understand bastardized Yiddish) did not misreport on Tet Offensive, we could have prevailed there too.

[RogueIsland]

Wow. All I can ask is, "Is this guy watching the same war I am?"

[sd-joe]

What I find interesting is how this exactly formulated line of attack was simultaneously put out by the Iraq outlets, the Russian outlets, and the left in this country. Also how it is still somewhat pushed after events have proven it totally wrong.

[Gefreiter]

Greenway writes this junk every couple days in the GLobe. It's the Boston Globe, for goodness sakes.

Interesting that Greenway compares Revolutionary War fighters to fedayeen. I hadn't realized that Ethan Allen and pals herded women and children before them as they fired and advanced on British positions.

Yeah, and the Vietnam comparisons are getting more and more flimsy and stale. I think it has to do more with Greenway's memories of halcyon youth and less to do with anyhting remotely military.

Enemy formations "grab the belt" of US units at their peril.

[Aquinasfan]

(Quagmire Alert)

I like that. Quagmire Alert bump!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Let's compare pigs to crows. Pigs and crows are animals. Neither sings very well. Both are born and at some point die. Therefore they are the same. I can't believe my parents paid for me to get a degree in jernullism.

[dead]

News is nothing if not topical.

He must have written this article a few days ahead of time so he could get an early jump on the weekend.

[BlueLancer]

"I am sure the Redcoats retreating from Lexington and Concord had similar things to say about the Yankee farmers who harassed them from behind trees and walls."

What is going on here with all of the opinions of equivalency between the Iraqi paramilitaries and Revolutionary War Americans? That must be the new talking point for the Anti-American Left pundits, politicians, and protestors.

[Diogenesis]

Forget getting useful info from the Boston Globe. It's dead, Jim

[goldstategop]

H.S Greenway's "analysis" looks dated in the light of recent events. What a difference 16 days makes. That's the trouble when pundits rush to make hasty predictions rather than waiting to see how the big picture looks. Iraq hasn't turned out to be another Vietnam. "Quagmire" my clymer.

[sweetliberty]