Trapped! - Saddam, military "genius"

New York Post ^ | 3/26/03 | Ralph Peters

[Lyford]

PERHAPS the craziest notion bouncing around the media is that Saddam Hussein is a brilliant military strategist. He may be a champion dictator, good at slaughtering, torturing, raping and starving his own people. But his military schemes are masterpieces of incompetence.

[Lyford]

The best daily commentary on the war is, in my opinion, coming from Mr. Peters. He, unlike so many of the "tick-tock" brigade, sees the big strategic picture, and isn't fretting over every tactical engagement...

[demlosers]

Saddam Hussein ... But his military schemes are masterpieces of incompetence.

I was wondering when somebody was going to notice...

[bedolido]

Just like the little corporal in Germany during WWII (Adolf Hitler for those of your in Reo-Linda or Dade County Florida)). He's an idiot.

It's time for the Marianas Turkey Shoot all over again.

[ex-Texan]

*Bump* for later study.

[steveegg]

A couple of appropriate .wav files (courtesy Non-Stick Looney Page:

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Wile E Coyote, Genius
Wile E. Coyote, super genius. I like the way that rolls out.

[peeve23]

Rummie is no general. He should have listened to the generals, but he had his mind made up before he even talked to them. He's brilliant and quick and innovative....great strengths....but a great weakness if misapplied.

This problem is easily fixed. We already have the 4th ID on the way.

Give immediate orders for other divisions to show up. It'll take a while to accomplish it, but at least it's started NOW rather than later. If they end up being unnecessary, then stand them down.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Great article. Hehehe,"A dictator cross dressing as a field marshall". I love it!

[XJarhead]

I think they gave orders to the 1st Cav, then reversed and cancelled them.

FWIW, I agree with you. The more the merrier.

[Fester Chugabrew]

". . . and we're led by real soldiers, not by dictators cross-dressing as field marshals."

Nice!

[CholeraJoe]

Good read. Thanks.

[Magnolia]

Dictators always mistake freedom for weakness.

Sums it up neatly.....

[dighton]

“As far as Saddam Hussein being a great military strategist, he is neither a strategist, nor is he schooled in the operational arts, nor is he a tactician, nor is he a general, nor is he a soldier. Other than that, he’s a great military man, I want you to know that.”

-- General Schwarzkopf, 1991.

[peeve23]

MEU's deploy pretty quickly, don't they? Do we have all of those on hand?

[Just mythoughts]

This guy did ok, until he trashed Rummy. Which considering he is an armchairing general, sounds like so many others that need to take a swipe at Rummy.

Since he is not privy to the "WAR PLANS", he would maintained some credibility had he left his tasteless slash about Rummy out.

Rummy's so called failures are plain supposition at this point.

[TomServo]

Already posted here.

[CyberSpartacus]

No Reserves? Not enough heavies? This has been the cry of the old timers, who do not see the advantages of commandos working with airpower. Furthermore, I doubt we lack reserves when the 4th division is on it's way, and the British Armored Brigade as well as the 101st Airborne haven't even been engaged.

[b4its2late]

Despite the warnings - even the pleading - of his generals, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refused to send as many heavy ground forces to the Gulf as our military planners requested. In many ways an admirable and inspiring leader, Rumsfeld let himself be persuaded by a gang of civilian theorists and by mercenary defense contractors that airpower could win this war and that ground forces would just go in to tidy things up.

Maybe, just myabe, Rummy was thinking of a possible second front? I dunno, but maybe.

North Korea Calls Off U.N. Meeting

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)--North Korea cut off the only regular military contact with the U.S.-led United Nations Command on Wednesday, after accusing the United States of planning an attack.

[lavaroise]

Add to that that by taking fixed positions hostage, we know where his forces are at and what they are doing and that they are not moving...

[RAT Patrol]

Excellent column

[walden]

I agree, but I think he's unfair on the issue of heavy armor-- as I understand it, had the Turks not betrayed us we would have another division of heavy armor on a northern front.

But, that's a small thing-- other than that, Peters seems refreshingly realistic.