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.
While the media reports there is a glut of volunteers willing to immolate themselves, the reliance on blackmail, the mentally handicapped and four legged creatures as martyrs shows there may be a serious problem with the devotion to the cause amongst the recruits.
Bill Whittle reminds us of the kind of people we’re dealing with here (note: as usual a long, but worthwhile essay):
Whenever there is war and invasion, there will be terrified civilians trying to get from one place to another. In the very early hours of Operation Iraqi Freedom, when we expected to be fighting the same Army that in the Gulf War fully honored the idea of uniformed troops, our soldiers discovered large numbers of unarmed, military-aged men in civilian clothes making for the rear. Many of these men were let through, and promptly took up arms and caused immeasurable damage before blending back into the population.
But they did much worse. Because after a few suicide bombers in civilian vehicles drove up to checkpoints and blew themselves and honor-abiding Coalition soldiers to bits, we have found ourselves having to treat all speeding civilian vehicles as hostile. We simply have no choice anymore. We did not simply decide to open fire on civilians; rather the enemy, in a cold and calculated decision repeated many, many times over, decided to violate the Sanctuary given to civilians to wage war on an American and British Army playing by the rules. They have made the line between civilian and soldier nonexistent. They did this, not us. They did it. They gained the benefits from it, and it has cost us dear. And so perhaps, in a world with less ignorance and more honesty, Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena
The false report, according to the New York Times, instigated “the most virulent, widespread anti-American protests” in the Muslim world since…well, since the last virulent, widespread anti-American protests in the Muslim world
If this story, and this one are accurate, it would seem to me that Iraq is in a state of war with Syria (and probably other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, as well). After all, they seem to be sending in people to murder Iraqis and attack its government. I’m not sure at this point exactly what they can do about it, but I would think that at the least it would be useful to state the reality, to call them on it. Perhaps in a year or two, after being given sufficient training, the Iraqis themselves will institute a regime change in Damascus. Which raises the interesting issue of whether or not Syria has any of Saddam’s WMD…
[Update at 5 PM EDT]
Along those lines, this looks like good news, if accurate:
American troops backed by helicopters and war planes launched a major offensive against followers of Iraq’s most wanted insurgent, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a desert area near the Syrian border, and as many as 100 militants were killed, U.S. officials said Monday.
If this story, and this one are accurate, it would seem to me that Iraq is in a state of war with Syria (and probably other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, as well). After all, they seem to be sending in people to murder Iraqis and attack its government. I’m not sure at this point exactly what they can do about it, but I would think that at the least it would be useful to state the reality, to call them on it. Perhaps in a year or two, after being given sufficient training, the Iraqis themselves will institute a regime change in Damascus. Which raises the interesting issue of whether or not Syria has any of Saddam’s WMD…
[Update at 5 PM EDT]
Along those lines, this looks like good news, if accurate:
American troops backed by helicopters and war planes launched a major offensive against followers of Iraq’s most wanted insurgent, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a desert area near the Syrian border, and as many as 100 militants were killed, U.S. officials said Monday.
If this story, and this one are accurate, it would seem to me that Iraq is in a state of war with Syria (and probably other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, as well). After all, they seem to be sending in people to murder Iraqis and attack its government. I’m not sure at this point exactly what they can do about it, but I would think that at the least it would be useful to state the reality, to call them on it. Perhaps in a year or two, after being given sufficient training, the Iraqis themselves will institute a regime change in Damascus. Which raises the interesting issue of whether or not Syria has any of Saddam’s WMD…
[Update at 5 PM EDT]
Along those lines, this looks like good news, if accurate:
American troops backed by helicopters and war planes launched a major offensive against followers of Iraq’s most wanted insurgent, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a desert area near the Syrian border, and as many as 100 militants were killed, U.S. officials said Monday.
Would that it were so, but we’ve seen comparable brutality and cruelty since, from Mao, Pol Pot, Kim pere et fil, Saddam and others. We now fight a new totalitarian enemy that would cheerfully do the same, should we grant it the power. On the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps in Europe, Chuck Simmins has some remembrances.
The Iraqi insurgents were boo-hooing to Zarquawi last week that their morale is low. Ain’t it a crying shame?
The author of the letter also “admonishes ‘the Sheik’ for abandoning his followers” after last year’s U.S. siege on Falluja, west of Baghdad.
U.S. forces led an assault then on the Sunni Triangle city’s terrorist network believed to be run by al-Zarqawi.
Because of the “continuous pressure by Iraqi and [U.S.-led] coalition forces,” a military statement said, al-Zarqawi has relied on his cell leaders to conduct operations while he is forced to evade being killed or captured.
The Iraqi insurgents were boo-hooing to Zarquawi last week that their morale is low. Ain’t it a crying shame?
The author of the letter also “admonishes ‘the Sheik’ for abandoning his followers” after last year’s U.S. siege on Falluja, west of Baghdad.
U.S. forces led an assault then on the Sunni Triangle city’s terrorist network believed to be run by al-Zarqawi.
Because of the “continuous pressure by Iraqi and [U.S.-led] coalition forces,” a military statement said, al-Zarqawi has relied on his cell leaders to conduct operations while he is forced to evade being killed or captured.