Oh Hum, Another U.S. Air Assault In Iraq
Thursday morning, perhaps most signifantly the beginning of the NCAA basketball tournament, also was marked by what was called the largest U.S. air assault in the Iraq war in the last two years.
CNN gave it full coverage, a half hour long or more. Yet, the excitement was just not there.
There have been so many rounds in Iraq that who believes this one will be decisive? Almost no one. The Bush Administration's military commanders are dead in the water. They never seem to have new ideas.
The polls show, the American people are tired of it. Support for the war languishes, and the only real escitement these days is when, as last night, there are rumors of a White House shake up. NBC's Time Russert had them, but was he right? No sign of a shakeup thus far today.
The latest attack is centered near Samarra, where the insurgency is strongest in the so-called Sunni triangle.
But they have been fighting there for years without any decisive result. There would have been far more news yesterday if some brave soldier had stood up in court in Baghdad and shot Saddam Hussein for his latest anti-American remarks at his trial. That would have moved things forward in Iraq and the Middle East as well, especially if beyond killing Saddam, the soldier has shot a few defense lawyers as well.
I'm not kidding when I say it has become highly evident that we are overdue for a real decisive attack in the war, something that would change matters. Whatever happened to the shock and awe Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld once promised? It is high time that Rumsfeld be replaced and other military commanders too.
Lincoln replaced his generals when they did not perform. Bush has to get off the dime, and soon, or this war is going to be lost.
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan this morning, Mullah Omar, the Teliban commander, has issued a statement vowing new attacks. Why is Omar still unfound? We have not been much more imaginative in Afghanistan than in Iraq
In answer to a question in the comments, my father was a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy, my son is a Lieutenant JG in Navy Intelligence and I served in the Army Reserves and have read scores of books of military history.
CNN gave it full coverage, a half hour long or more. Yet, the excitement was just not there.
There have been so many rounds in Iraq that who believes this one will be decisive? Almost no one. The Bush Administration's military commanders are dead in the water. They never seem to have new ideas.
The polls show, the American people are tired of it. Support for the war languishes, and the only real escitement these days is when, as last night, there are rumors of a White House shake up. NBC's Time Russert had them, but was he right? No sign of a shakeup thus far today.
The latest attack is centered near Samarra, where the insurgency is strongest in the so-called Sunni triangle.
But they have been fighting there for years without any decisive result. There would have been far more news yesterday if some brave soldier had stood up in court in Baghdad and shot Saddam Hussein for his latest anti-American remarks at his trial. That would have moved things forward in Iraq and the Middle East as well, especially if beyond killing Saddam, the soldier has shot a few defense lawyers as well.
I'm not kidding when I say it has become highly evident that we are overdue for a real decisive attack in the war, something that would change matters. Whatever happened to the shock and awe Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld once promised? It is high time that Rumsfeld be replaced and other military commanders too.
Lincoln replaced his generals when they did not perform. Bush has to get off the dime, and soon, or this war is going to be lost.
Meanwhile, in Afghanistan this morning, Mullah Omar, the Teliban commander, has issued a statement vowing new attacks. Why is Omar still unfound? We have not been much more imaginative in Afghanistan than in Iraq
In answer to a question in the comments, my father was a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy, my son is a Lieutenant JG in Navy Intelligence and I served in the Army Reserves and have read scores of books of military history.
posted by Ken Reich at 9:02 AM
1 Comments:
How many armies have you led into battle as your credential to be a critic??
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