[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Color me cynical but this sounds so much like the "hearts and minds" doctrine of Viet Nam which didn't turn out so well for the good guys.

I'm a rank amateur when it comes to military matters, but I do admit to feeling more comfortable when I read about hitting them with overwhelming force then when I read about making nice and thinking that they will be overcome with good feelings and karma.

As I said, color me cynical.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[riversarewet]

Color me cynical but this sounds so much like the "hearts and minds" doctrine of Viet Nam which didn't turn out so well for the good guys.

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Viet Nam was not lost due to the Military failure of the American Soldier, it was lost due to the lack of support of the American People. We gave up, came home, and then ended support for the people of South Viet Nam. The North continued to get support from their allies (as well as some of ours) and was able to win the war.

Did the "hearts and minds" doctrine hurt us in Viet Nam, I don't think so, did it help, I like to think it did.

[appalachian_dweller]

What I hope will happen is that any military units that put up resistance will be decimated in short order, any units that surrender will be taken POW (fed and cared for) until hostilities cease and SH is dead or out of power (I personally prefer dead).

How the civilians will view us is critical. This is the unknown that will make this easy or difficult (imo). Nobody doubts how the war will go. The real work begins when the war is over.

Destroying stuff is easy and quick and we've gotten very good at it. It's the building that's tough.

[xm177e2]

Color me cynical but this sounds so much like the "hearts and minds" doctrine of Viet Nam which didn't turn out so well for the good guys.

Yeah, but if it takes more than a few days to win them over, we go in on our own. We aren't reliant on this strategy to win the war, we're just thinking about using it.