[An Old Marine]

In modern parlance, you might say that Iwo Jima was a battle of choice waged on the basis of faulty intelligence and inadequate plans.

Say what you like the courage and competence of those Marines was monumental.

It's a shame that so many sentimental tributes to the veterans of the Good War elide this unpleasant reality, [combat causalities] leaving us a bit less intellectually and emotionally prepared for the trauma of modern war.

War means death and destruction but freedom, and security, are only for those who are willing to pay the price for it. That the price is always high does not dimish the truth of the statement.

[ClearCase_guy]

My first reaction was that this guy was a bit of a jerk, hinting that the heroes of Iwo Jima were engaged in a senseless endeavor and making little contribution to the war's end.

Upon reflection, I think he raises an important point: all wars involve faulty intelligence. Brave men give their lives in a noble cause -- sometimes, even in cases where their sacrifice was not required.

Historians and journalists do us a disservice if they fail to remind us that war is messy. The myopia of MSM allows them to wail and gnash their teeth over every little thing in Iraq, when, in fact, the Revolution, the Civil War, and WWII were so much messier. But heroes can be celebrated even while we acknowledge that mistakes are always made in war. That's why they say that War is Hell.