Many look at the rising casualty figures in Iraq and assume that this means that the "insurgents" are winning. Of course, the casualty figures rose dramatically in the Mekong Delta during Tet, but all it meant was the the Viet Cong were on their last legs there, and lashing out in desperation. Similarly, there was a huge increase in American casualties during the Battle of the Bulge, but that didn't mean that Germany was winning the war.

Smart stock pickers don't rely on past, or even current performance, or buy into an up and overvalued market. Similarly, the terrorists in Iraq aren't a good bet at this point. Amir Taheri explains why, in fact, they're doomed.

Okay, then, what criteria would you use to indicate that we are winning?

The degree to which the Iraqi forces start to be able to take on the job themselves, the price for a suicide bombing going up, the number of terrorists being turned in by the locals, the ratio of foreigners to locals...

Body count will eventually go down, but that's not the prime indicator.

I would be more impressed if those supporting this war
would be willing to serve in Iraq as a truck driver.

I would be more impressed if those supporting this war
would be willing to serve in Iraq as a truck driver.

Ah, the old idiotic "chicken hawk" argument rears its foolish head again. And by a cowardly anonymous commenter, too. What a surprise.

You know, I never gave it a thought, but I love to drive and my passport is up to date... where does this chicken-hawk sign up?

It might be interesting comparing the Iraq culture with Istanbul which I visited a few years back.

I would be more impressed by those opposing the war if they would sign up to be "human shields" on an Israeli school bus.

Similarly, there was a huge increase in American casualties during the Battle of the Bulge, but that didn't mean that Germany was winning the war

Ummm... wasn't that *before* victory was declaired though.

I seem to recall we "won" in Iraq years ago...

I seem to recall we "won" in Iraq years ago...

Then as is often the case, you're "recall" is faulty. No one has ever claimed we "won." We merely declared that major combat operations were over, which was largely true, and remains so.

Quote from Dave: "Ummm... wasn't that *before* victory was declaired though." refering to the Battle of the bulge comment.

Actually the initial Ardennes offensive and ensuing Battle of the Bulge took place after many of the Allied top brass had declared that the War would be over by Christmas 1944.

Despite the fact that the Germans had attained nearly every prerequisite for the doctrine of Counter-strike. The Allied had the perseverance to hold their ground and duke it out with Germany's best in some of the worst conditions imaginable. Ultimately, all this did for the Germans was waste valuable resources and Men that could have been better used in defense of their cities.

No one has ever claimed we "won."

You missed the inverted commas then?

You missed the inverted commas then?

No, I (as again is often the case, because you probably don't have one) miss your point completely. No one has claimed that we've won in Iraq, quotes or otherwise.

As an interesting aside Rand, it didn't take too long to find some old Google News items where you talk about the war having ended...

I guess your recall is a bit fluffy these days too ;)

I have never claimed the war has ended. I have in fact said that it will likely go on for decades.

So you didn't make the following statement back in 2003?

"Unfortunately, people who like to see half-empty glasses parade all these supposedly horrible conditions in Iraq, only a few weeks after war end, as though they're significant, or worse than all other places, or worse than Iraq was pre-war. "

It's just you didn't here say "...after major combat operations ended."

That didn't take too long to find on Google. It's actually quite entertaining to go back and look at the things you've said about Iraq over the last 3 or 4 years.

It's even more entertaining (albeit pathetic) to watch you waste your time stalking me on the internet in search of "gotchas" in which I used sloppy phraseology (I obviously meant regime's end, as anyone can tell from the context), when I'm clearly on record numerous times as saying that the war both in Iraq and against the Islamofascists in general will probably go on for many years.

You might consider getting a life, David.

which I used sloppy phraseology

Ah... that would be it then... Except, you are pretty vociferous about that when others do it, calling them lots and lots of rather rude things. You claim it's rare but actually finding examples on Google took me a couple of minutes.

your time stalking me on the internet in search of "gotchas"

Rand, you're an Internet "personality", you make a living from it - I hardly stalk you, no more than a dozen or so other people on Usenews who regularly feel the need to prevent your "views" from going unchallenged.

You might consider getting a life, David.

That is rather rich coming from a person who has roughly 100 times as many Usenews posts as I do and that's excluding your reasonably regular blog entries.

Where have I heard the "they are killing more of us now because they are desperate and on the brink of utter defeat" line before?

Oh right, that was last year. Boy, they must really REALLY be on the brink of utter defeat now.

I didn't say they were on the verge of defeat, Gojira, I'm simply saying that they can't win in the long run, and that one shouldn't conclude from the rate of murders that they're winning.

More Americans died at Okinawa than at Iwo Jima.

More Americans died at Iwo Jima than at Tarawa.

Obviously, the Americans were losing the war, given the rising casualty numbers as the war progressed. Guess the Japanese won that war, eh?

Of course, by the time of Tarawa, we'd killed more Japanese than they had killed Americans at Pearl Harbor. So, it was no longer a just war.

And, oddly for Daveon's benefit, Iwo Jima was declared "secured" on March 26, despite the fact that several thousand Marines would be killed or wounded eliminating major Japanese outposts for another several weeks. Guess those Gyrenes were lying through their teeth, too, eh?

And what the heck were FDR and company doing at Yalta, talking about post-war plans?? The war wasn't won yet, and here they are, talking as though it's gonna be (and as though they knew who the winners would be!). Such chutzpah!

jobs in iraq can be found at iraq.jobs.monster.com. I'm also sure that there ar elots of jobs if you go there and seek them out. There is a shortage of western cab drivers willing to
run "Route Irish". I am posting anonymously because
my job doesn't allow me to post.